Does your country have a variation of a “dollar store?”

[Luca]

I was thinking about this earlier so I Googled it, but couldn’t really find anything other than Poundland in the UK, and Euro Giant in Ireland.

In the US, a dollar store is exactly what it sounds like, a variety/value store that sells really cheap products for $1 USD.
Dollar Tree and Dollar General are our big ones.

I admittedly do occasionally purchase certain items at dollar stores, like Halloween decorations, birthday wrapping paper, basic kitchen utensils, etc. It’s all cheap obviously but it still functions.

Do other countries, like European or Asian countries, Australia, etc have an equivalent? Like a $1 whatever your currency is store?

I was really surprised by how hard it is to find an answer for this question, even reading threads on reddit.

What are some of your experiences?
Forgive me if this is a totally stupid question, I’m just curious.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

In Spain we had some "Todo a 100" when we used "Pesetas" instead of Euros. It was like you say, usually the owners of those shops were chinnese people.

Im not sure if they exist now. I think they just turned into shops of unexpensive things they bring from China, but I dont think they all cost the same anymore.

 

[Raggamuffin]

The have Pound Shops here. Although most stuff is over £1. Also it's mass produced, poorly made tat which probably should never have existed in the first place.

As someone who has expensive tastes and prefers well made things that last - the likes of budget stores and outlets such as Primark with their ultra cheap, mass produced, poorly made garments. It's the sort of thing that infuriates me.

I know, a lot of people live on the breadline and stores such as this are probably a Godsend. When I've been into such stores before - there's a certain clientele. To paint a picture and stereotype - loud, obnoxious, too many kids, probably flunked school, bad tattoos, bad teeth, not old but walk with a pronounced waddle. You know the sort.

Well, now I've dug that hole for myself, I shall depart.

Ed

 

[AGXStarseed]

The have Pound Shops here. Although most stuff is over £1. Also it's mass produced, poorly made tat which probably should never have existed in the first place.

As someone who has expensive tastes and prefers well made things that last - the likes of budget stores and outlets such as Primark with their ultra cheap, mass produced, poorly made garments. It's the sort of thing that infuriates me.

I know, a lot of people live on the breadline and stores such as this are probably a Godsend. When I've been into such stores before - there's a certain clientele. To paint a picture and stereotype - loud, obnoxious, too many kids, probably flunked school, bad tattoos, bad teeth, not old but walk with a pronounced waddle. You know the sort.

Well, now I've dug that hole for myself, I shall depart.

Ed

I miss Clippy...

 

[Outdated]

We have thousands of those places in Australia but not many are under a franchise name, most are independents. There is also one large franchise called The Reject Shop.

 

[Luca]

The have Pound Shops here. Although most stuff is over £1. Also it's mass produced, poorly made tat which probably should never have existed in the first place.

As someone who has expensive tastes and prefers well made things that last - the likes of budget stores and outlets such as Primark with their ultra cheap, mass produced, poorly made garments. It's the sort of thing that infuriates me.

I know, a lot of people live on the breadline and stores such as this are probably a Godsend. When I've been into such stores before - there's a certain clientele. To paint a picture and stereotype - loud, obnoxious, too many kids, probably flunked school, bad tattoos, bad teeth, not old but walk with a pronounced waddle. You know the sort.

Well, now I've dug that hole for myself, I shall depart.

Ed

Yeah, obviously most of the stuff in those stores is crap, but I do understand that there are a lot of people who can't afford to buy quality products or shop ethically.
Especially in the US. The amount of people living in poverty here is almost the size of the population of Canada.

 

[Raggamuffin]

I do wonder how many would be poor if they didn't have kids.

Ed

 

[Luca]

I do wonder how many would be poor if they didn't have kids.

Ed

One of the many, many reasons I chose not to have kids.

There are a lot of good things about kids, but they are a huge financial responsibility.

I would not be able to maintain my current lifestyle if I had kids, or if I was married.

 

[Raggamuffin]

Kids are gross.

Acquire doggos, cattos, goats, and a pig names Bismark.

That's my plan, and I'm sticking to it.

Ed

 

[Atrapa Almas]

I do wonder how many would be poor if they didn't have kids.

Ed

Every human who doesnt know the love of a kid, who hasnt experience the pride of rising a human being who is better than yourself, who has not served, cared, loved, worried about that little, beautiful and special creature is poor in some sense. Being a good parent almost fix any other mistake a human could have in life.

So having kids make you economically poor and not having them make you emotionally poor.

Of course there are also bad parents who are both economically and emotionally poors.

Having children is such an important thing that its better not having them than being a bad parent.

Well, thats my opinion.

 

[Forest Cat]

We don't have stores that only sells stuff for one dollar. But we do have similar stores, there's a chain of stores called Europris (Euro Price) and one called Ting & Tang (Things & Stuff).

 

[Luca]

We have thousands of those places in Australia but not many are under a franchise name, most are independents. There is also one large franchise called The Reject Shop.

View attachment 98518

I don’t know why this made me laugh so hard but it did.
Seems like very self-aware humor

 

[Angular Chap]

In the days before Poundland, when I was a wee lad back in the 90s I remember 50 pence shops. My aunt in Liverpool was always going on about them. Smaller, independent stores. I think she got me a little knock off Power Ranger for 50p.

So I just did the maths, adjusted for inflation, 50p in 1995 is around 95p today. So almost a pound shop back then!

 

[Mary Terry]

I was thinking about this earlier so I Googled it, but couldn’t really find anything other than Poundland in the UK, and Euro Giant in Ireland.

In the US, a dollar store is exactly what it sounds like, a variety/value store that sells really cheap products for $1 USD.
Dollar Tree and Dollar General are our big ones.

I admittedly do occasionally purchase certain items at dollar stores, like Halloween decorations, birthday wrapping paper, basic kitchen utensils, etc. It’s all cheap obviously but it still functions.

Do other countries, like European or Asian countries, Australia, etc have an equivalent? Like a $1 whatever your currency is store?

I was really surprised by how hard it is to find an answer for this question, even reading threads on reddit.

What are some of your experiences?
Forgive me if this is a totally stupid question, I’m just curious.

.
I buy holiday decorations, wrapping paper and other cheap stuff at the local Dollar Store, too. But the one near me (10 miles from here) also sells some limited food items - canned goods, cheese and deli meats, breads and snacks, sometimes fresh potatoes and onions.

 

[Mary Terry]

Absolutely. People think having kids is just a waste of money, but our purpose in life is to have kids. Not to save money. And it's the most special thing that can happen to people. I can spend all my income on myself but I would trade that in a heartbeat to have kids. It feels unatural, a man is supposed to care for something more than just himself. It's not right. I think many also forget that they will get older. I'm getting older and there are no kids visiting or calling. No grandkids to spoil. It's so sad. It gets to me sometimes. But it's the way it is now, I'm just one of many, there has never been born less kids here before. It's an epidemic of single, childless people. That's what the experts call it, the women don't want kids so what can you do.

You can adopt or foster a child who has no one else. But, be careful what you wish for!

 

[Mary Terry]

No I can't. Single men can't adopt anyone or have kids. It would be weird if we could. There's nothing we can do if the women say no.

Norway must be more restrictive than other countries. In the US, single people can adopt or serve as a foster parent if they meet all other criteria imposed by law. The lack of a marriage is not an impediment per se to adoption or fostering a child. Can single men not even do a private adoption?

 

[mysterionz]

USA here.. dollar tree, dollar general, family dollar. I’ve seen a few “dollar stores” pop up in malls before and there’s a five below about 30-45 minutes from where I live.

 

[Luca]

USA here.. dollar tree, dollar general, family dollar. I’ve seen a few “dollar stores” pop up in malls before and there’s a five below about 30-45 minutes from where I live.

I totally forgot about Five Below lol
They're kind of a step above dollar stores not just in terms of price, but quality as well.
I have electronics from Five Below that are several years old and they still work.

 

[Gerontius]

The downside to growing up as sheltered homeschool weirdo was that I'd always thought Five Below was one of these very trendy kinds of places like Urban Outfitters, for rich people to shop at. Apparently it's more like a 5 & 10. The more you know...

We have Dollar General in town, and there used to be a Family Dollar, and there was also a Maxway. The Maxway was a little more expensive but still full of dollar store stuff. It didn't do too well, was bought out, and the whole strip center was bulldozed for some construction projects. The local pizzeria, a freestanding structure, was near enough that they just knocked that down too and it's now a parking lot. (Thankfully the owners set up shop in another building and it's actually a nicer location.)

 

[Judge]

Well....we have a "Dollar Tree"...but the lowest prices start at $1.25 an item.

Inflation....

Went into a "Five Below" store that just moved in recently. Amusing, but they didn't have much that interested me personally.