Dollar Power

"It's the MOST wonderful time of the year!"

BTS to us veterans--Back-to-School for the newly initiated. And as much as we'd love to pour another margarita and tune out all that noise (husband, kids, but not the dog--she licks our feet!) we really should get a head start on school supplies. Luckily, we have our very own dollar store in the center of town where we can get all the supplies we need without spending a fortune.

Not only is Dollar Power one of the largest dollar stores around, but it has everything--snacks, shower curtains, throw rugs, cleaners, dog food and toys, school supplies, paper goods, party supplies and decorations, a refrigerated section, your second husband, and so much more. 

The manager of Dollar Power, Snehal Patel, welcomed us into his store and informed us that even though the shelves appear to be overflowing with school supplies, he is expecting a large shipment tomorrow.

Every September, in addition to the requisite pencils, pens, highlighters, crayons, markers, erasers, spiral notebooks, binders, folders, rulers, compass, protractor, calculators, and notecards that your child needs for school, there's a first day tradition that your child will come home with a list of items that the classroom needs. The teachers usually ask for them in bulk, so the costs can add up. Items such as:

• Boxes of tissues
• Rolls of paper towels
• Tubes of anti-bacterial gel
• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Lysol spray
• Promisory note that you will remember to take your child home everyday. (Okay, this is not on the list, but you can bet it's implied!)

These are dollar store items--especially in this economy. When your child needs to bring in three boxes of tissues and three rolls of paper towels, and enough cleaning supplies to outfit his or her own cleaning crew, (and you have more than one child) these supplies can cost you a significant amount of money.

So check out Dollar Power if you haven't already. It's close to home and filled with bargains. Remember, despite the fact that the kids are getting their "summer sulk" on, and you feel like you're bleeding cash, it really is THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!