I've been going to the Dollar Store for many years, and have found some things there that were real gems. However, you do need to be careful because sometimes things just don't seem to last very long, such as some battery-operated lights I got that broke after using for just one day.
Still, they do have some good party items, light bulbs, cleaning supplies, and other useful things. It's worth looking around, especially if you need stocking stuffers or other inexpensive things.
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