Stretching My Stocking Stuffer Budget at Family Dollar

Stretching My Stocking Stuffer Budget at Family Dollar

With four children, purchasing gifts for the holidays can be budget busting. My kids are accustomed to large gifts under the tree and a stocking full of goodies. Unfortunately, when shopping at regular retail stores the stocking stuffers can add up quickly (x4).

My oldest and I set off to the local Family Dollar to see how far we could stretch a $50 gift card. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I hadn’t been inside this particular chain in quite a while. I was more than giddy when I saw the rows and piles of toys to choose from and most of them brands I recognized immediately!

I had my youngest, Ethan, in mind for the majority of the items on my list that day. I try to keep the number of present as equal as possible so as to not fuel the rivalry that has been flaring between him and Emma lately. These were the first grouping of boys toys I found… a nice selection!

Of course right next to the boys toys are the girls. It’s so easy for me to shop for Emma and that is why I had to focus on Ethan… she had too many comparatively. I was so tempted though… she loves Disney Princess, she wanted a doll high chair, the play kitchen things would have gone well with Santa’s gift… I could have filled a cart for her!

Kaytlin found a section with misc. odds and ends and we did some digging and contemplating on the toy chairs (lower right). Notice they had Fur Real dogs, Lightening McQueen ride on toys and more.

Then I was drawn to the girls section again. Oh wait, there’s a few boys toys there.

I found a combo pack of Hot Wheels at a great price for Ethan. Yeah! Present number one. I could have spent the entire $50 on Hot Wheels cars and he would have been thrilled, but I was determined to purchase a variety of items.

I had to take a picture of this aisle because I was impressed with the cute wall décor they had. I love the circular mirror and the tree picture next to it. I got sidetracked looking at java pictures for my kitchen and spent way too much time in this aisle. Then I remembered… oh yes, the kids!

After some non-conventional thinking Kaytlin and I found several items that I know everyone will like. I caved and bought Emma a tea set. Apparently she had mentioned to Kaytlin the other day that she’d love one. It was only $5. I imagine that would have been around $10 at a retail store! The 2 pack of punching balls are for both Emma & Ethan’s stockings. They were $1 a piece as were the Skittles candy canes, bouncing balls, hair clips, pencil pouches, princess & Cars2 “play pack”and the meat sticks (yes… Josh loves them.. blech). The Cars2 slipper socks and princess socks were $2 each, the Moon Dough $5 and the Hot Wheels $5. My biggest expenditure was the batteries that I decided I had to get. There were a fabulous price at $6 and I knew they kids were getting many toys that needed batteries this year.

In the end I spent just over the $50 gift card at Family Dollar for all of the goodies below. If I had shopped retail I imagine my total would have been around $75 easy. I am delighted with our goodies!

Disclosure:“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Family Dollar and received a gift card to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”