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Two questions today…
1. What kind of desk chair does everyone use? Super random, but my desk chair is not very comfortable and I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations? Nothing crazy expensive and I am hoping it will be somewhat cute, but comfort is the priority. Does anyone have a balance ball chair? Would you recommend it?
2. If you are a dollar store shopper, what are things you always purchase from there? What do you avoid? Their prices on gift bags / wrapping paper are hard to beat and they have some good seasonal items and kids activity books / small toys and craft things. I don’t know that I have ever purchased makeup (maybe chapstick), cleaning supplies, food or paper products. They may be a good deal, but I haven’t tried them! What do you shop for there? Any recommendations?
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on these!
Must haves from the dollar store are wrapping supplies, shipping supplies, Sunday paper if there are awesome coupons, candy and some fun seasonal items. They have seeds in now for 25 cents per pack. I also will browse the food aisle because sometimes they have awesome deals. They just had Campbell’s Go soup which is my favorite. They’re sold in grocery stores for $3-4 per pack and there were some at the dollar store, yay! Ive also found Campbell’s slow cooker and oven sauces which are similar deals and all very good!
Love this one! It’s a much better grey in person.
http://m.target.com/p/room-essentials-uholstered-office-chair-grey-linen/-/A-15732148?lnk=rec|mwebpdph2|viewed_bought|mwebpdph2|15732148|2
i’ve been eyeing this one! is it comfy?
I LOVE the dollar store!! Things I buy:
-Seasonal Hand Towels–they aren’t the best quality, but look great in the bathroom if Target doesn’t have any in their dollar section
-Christmas ornaments-they have lots of gold ornaments which I love and look nice
-Tinfoil pans-always get these for when I need to take a meal to someone
-Tupperware containers-that way if they get gross I don’t feel bad throwing them away or leaving them at work accidentally!
-Gift wrapping stuff like you said
-Paper plates/napkins/plastic utensils for whenever I have a party-they always have lots of colors to choose from so I was able to get all pink stuff for my Valentine’s Day party
-Cards!!! I love getting cards there
-School supplies: this year I got pencils, pens, notebooks, folders, pencil case, etc (I went back to school and needed some supplies :))
-Calendars
-Picture frames: they have so many inexpensive picture frames that look nice once they’re hung up–no one ever guesses especially mixed in with nicer frames
-Candy: their name brand candy tastes just like any other candy
-Toothpaste: they have the brand I like, and it’s so cheap!
-Soap: they have the brand I like, and again so cheap!
The only food I’ve tried is a few of their canned items (corn/black beans), pasta, and candy–everything was fine
We grew up on a tiny, rural town in Texas and all we had was a Dollar General and a small grocery store. We learned early on what was good at the dollar store and if we were really saving money there or not since the grocery store there was so expensive. With that being said, not all dollar stores are created equal… Dollar General carries name brands if that makes a difference. Wrapping supplies, lady products, laundry detergent, cards, light bulbs, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, Advil, Tylenol, Benadryl, shampoo and conditioner if you’re in a pinch, pasta, canned goods, school supplies, etc… If it wasn’t less expensive there we had to wait until we went to Waco to buy groceries (30 miles away) to go to HEB to pick it up!
If it works and cheaper it’s totally worth it! 🙂
My favorite desk chair is by Herman Miller, made in western Michigan. Pricey to be sure, but I have literally used one for the last 19 years and it still looks brand new so I consider it a good investment. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014YGGKE/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0014YGGKE&linkCode=as2&tag=bestprodtag4675-20
I buy gift wrapping supplies, party supplies, pot holders, drinking glasses and ready to cook individual pizza crust from the Dollar store. The kids love those crusts for quick lunches, and you get 3 in a pack.
The dollar store is great for gift bags, tissue paper, card’s, party supplies (paper plates, cups,balloons, crape paper) and I love to grab serving trays for parties and not mind if I leave them behind 🙂
I tried several not expensive chairs and at the end I bought one in Ikea I think the name is malkolm (fabric version), and I love it, is comfy enough to work 8 hrs at day without issue, very durable and not expensive at all, you could try it the next time you visit ikea, now you have a reason to go 😀
About dollar stores I buy party supplies mostly and recently I like the helium balloons, I was is charge of the goodie bags for the kids in valentine’s day and I got the balloons for the kids there, very cute in monkey shape and just 1 dll, very durable too, it is still up after 4/5 days, and you can order before so you just pick them up the day you need them 😀
1) My husband just bought a really nice cushioned leather office chair at the Ollie’s outlet. It said the retail price was over $200, but he got it for $69. It’s really comfortable and seems durable, too.
2) I like dollar tree for seasonal items, gift wrap / bags, greeting cards and also filling goody bags.
I use the dollar store for holiday/seasonal items: Thanksgiving cards at 2/$1 rather than $3 a piece, treat bags (impossible to find anywhere else), and flameless candles. I’ve also found cute ceramic planters, large beer mugs, and placemats, so it’s worth looking just for fun. My dollar store staples: gift wrap, mailers, bar soap, toothbrushes, aluminum foil, cheap toilet brushes, scrub brushes, rubber gloves, and storage baskets/containers (mostly for inside closets and drawers). If I need something from the grocery store, I will go to the dollar store first to avoid grocery store impulse buys, or Target, etc.
I’ll be peeking at the comments about chairs too, since ours is starting to shed! The cover is all torn up and we plan to buy a new one when we move in the next couple months.
Unless I’m reusing a gift bag I received, I buy them all from the dollar store! It’s also my go-to for basic party supplies. It’s also good for things like vases and tea light holders if you’re setting a cute table or something. They always have solid color plates, napkins, table cloths and such. I’m super picky about what I put on my face so I never go for makeup or bath product there.
Plastic silverware for lunches, wrapping supplies, candles for teenage daughter )she decorates plain candles as part of a youth group thing, ) party favors when she was little, school supplies and then you never know what else. Never food though, makes me nervous, other than sealed candy. They have retro candy sometimes, liked those little wax bottles of soda, things that Target doesn’t.
One other little idea , for a big party I bought picture frames there for table numbers. Gave them away with no guilt after the party.
I have two of these chairs, black in my office, white in my daughter’s bedroom. Very nice looking, reasonably comfortable.
http://www.target.com/p/office-star-dorado-office-chair-white/-/A-12456338#prodSlot=_1_11
I have this chair and love it!!
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/driftwood+ikat+ava+upholstered+office+chair.do?&from=Search
I like the dollar store for greeting cards, goodie boxes/bags for holiday treats, gift bags, bows, and silk flowers.
I have two balance ball chairs–one in my home office and one at my employer’s office. I have been using this type of chair for about 4 years and really like it. I have had both the cheap and expensive ergonomic chairs that made my back and neck hurt worse. I can’t sit in a regular office chair anymore because I have gotten used the the ball chair. It takes a few days to break it in in because you have to balance on the ball and engage your core. But it helps you to sit up straight, which puts less strain on your low back. Not having armrests puts less pressure on my neck.
I have two different brands. At my employer’s office I have a Gaiam that I bought on Amazon for about $80. The price fluctuates a little based on the color of the ball that you get. Amazon has other brands of these chairs, but I don’t think the quality is the same. If you have Amazon Prime you get free shipping both ways so if you don’t like it you can send it back. Several people in my office bought these chairs after seeing mine. My chiropractor now also sells these in his office. One thing to note is if you are close to 6 foot tall it might squish your legs under the desk. I am 5′ 3″ so it is the right height for me. If you need to adjust the height you can get leg extenders/risers which add 2 inches of height.
I also have a more expensive one from http://www.evolutionchair.com. I needed the leg extenders for the home chair to meet the height of my desk and the Gaiam company was not manufacturing them when I needed them (out of stock for 4 months). So, I decided to order this one. I like it but it was double the price. Had I already not been using a ball chair and knew that it worked for me, I would not have spent this much money. The wheels and the ball are better quality than the other brand. This chair also does not have a back on it so you can inflate the ball to a bigger size if needed. You can also get cool ball covers that are easier to get off and on than the Gaiam ones. They have a 30 day money back guarantee which is a plus.
One thing to note is if you have thick carpet you need a chair mat for both chairs. I did not have one at home and it caused one of the legs to buckle on the expensive chair due to the stress of rolling on the carpet. The company was great about replacing the base at no charge.
I buy stuff at the dollar store a lot. Razors, can’t beat 10 twin blades for $1. They also have 5blade 2 packs that I sometimes get. Also hand sanitizer, they have those clip on purells. Hair ties like twist bands, I usually find goody 5 packs. And when they have them, tennis balls. 3 for $1 is super cheap and I will be the jerk that literally buys them all. I’ve bought a ton of nail polish and nail wraps, mostly Sally Hansen.
No desk chair, 99% of the time I use my tablet or phone. The other 1% is on my boyfriend’s laptop and there’s a stand up desk in the office.
We do a lot of our grocery shopping at our dollar store. We are lucky here in Las Vegas to have 99 Cent Only stores and they have a large grocery section including frozen products and fresh produce in their stores. We always find great deals there.
This lady blogs about her 99 Cent Only store finds: http://thelifeyoulive.com/category/99-cents-store/