Not worth it at the dollar store: bottled water

Dollar stores are great places to find bargains on any number of household needs but you can't always assume that, just because it's only $1, you're automatically getting the most bang for your buck. Prices and quantities may vary according to stores in your town, but going by my shopping list, here are 10 things you might want to go elsewhere for:

Nestle bottled water

If it's not environmental concerns that are stopping you from drinking a lot of bottled water, it's the price. You used to be able to get bottled water everywhere for much less than a dollar, but now prices have gone up so much that it's hard to justify the purchase. So it's easy to see why people would gravitate to dollar stores to find a bargain. I can get four 16.9 oz. bottles of water for $1 at the dollar store. That's great, but, if you use a lot of bottled water, it's better to buy it by the case.

Wal-Mart often has sales on this brand, selling a case of 24 bottles for $2.65, which means you're only paying 11 cents a bottle, as opposed to 25 cents at the dollar store. Costco sells Nestle bottled water in a case of 35, 16.9 oz. bottles for $4.95 or 14 cents per bottle, a significant savings over the dollar store.