Take that Dollar Store!

I like a bargain. I guess I get it from my mom, an amazing bargain hunter, who had the foresight to go to look for a Purim costume for Eitan when he was two weeks old the day after Halloween last year (and she did good!).  I just get really excited when I get get something that's great for a little bit of money.

Now take my Kirschenbaum bargain loving nature and couple it with 6 years in the Rozmaryn family with rituals such as getting up at 4 am for Black Friday, trips to wal-mart to "rent/borrow" furniture on vacations (buying folding tables on Thursday, using them for two days, and returning on Sunday) and frequently asking salespeople "what's your best price?" (seriously, and it works!) and there's some serious retail price aversions.

So long story short- I like sales, and I like getting good things for cheap.

I take Eitan to a gymboree a few times a week in Tapliot, a neighborhood just a few minute walk from our apartment. Talpiot is a fairly industrial area, and the streets are lined with furniture stores, hardware shops, lots of grocery stores and random other stuff, unlike our neighborhood which is filled with French and American tourists and lots of very nice restaurants, coffee shops and very expensive jewelery and other "extras". Needless to say, I do all of our shopping in Talpiot. But, back to gymboree. And bargains.

So in the same building as our gymboree, on the first floor, is a ONE SHEKEL STORE. Not a dollar store, but a store, filled with things that are the equivalent of 26 cents. So, to start, a lot of the stuff that dollar stores have in America they don't have at the Shekel store. It's not exactly taking a US dollar store, and converting everything over to one quarter of the value. No, you can't decorate your home at the Shekel store,  and you can't create the amazing projects of this favorite website of mine, but, that being said, the Shekel store is amazing, and filled with treasures.

There are standbys, things I know will always be there, or have at least been in the rotation the few months I've been frequenting.

In this category is lots of candy; gummy worms in particular, that I buy (four little worms to a little 1 shekel packet) and chow down on while Eitan's too busy playing with big trucks and running around at the gymboree to notice and ask for some.

They also regularly stock lots of lollipops, chocolates and most recently packaged muffins. Second most important item in the store however is 1 shekel (regular size) bags of bamba, Eitan's snack of choice of which I buy 4-5 at a time to always have in my bag in case of a baby tantrum emergency.

But there is so much more then just candy treats there! They have a huge supply of hair bands, clips, headbands and such accessories.  All colors, all types, 1 Shekel. It's a 7 year old girl's dream.

There are also lots of toys. Small rubber balls, which Eitan loves to bounce around and are so stupidly easy to replace if one goes missing. Cars! There is literally a huge display of just cars. All sizes, colors. It's nuts. Another favorite of Eitan's. I just let him hold onto one while we browse around, and I put it back before we check out and go up to playtime.

One thing I've mentioned that I love about living here is living in the Jewish calendar. Around Chanuka, they stocked lots of driedels and chocolate gelt. Now, Purim is a month and a half away, and the Shekel store reminds me by adding tons of masks into their stock. Now that's an economical costume that would even beat the post-Halloween sale price.

Last but not least, jewelery. Yes, the Shekel store has jewelery. Don't get any ideas for our next anniversary, Ami, or mother's day Eitan, but still...there are tons of little jewelery available for a quarter. Rings, bracelets, necklaces. The whole shebang. Check out these little rings?!

 

 And party decorations. Balloons, streamers, garlands. Holy crap get ready for Eitan's second birthday! Or Ami's 30th birthday! This place is going to be decked. Omygosh and the stationary! Pens and little pads, and gift bags and tape.

So, it may not have all of the stuff that a US Dollar store has (for those big spenders!), but on a recent trip I came out with: a bottle brush (for my water bottle that has seen better days now that we're dishwasher-less), 4 little bags of gummies, 4 bags of bamba, a fork and spoon for Nina to take to the Army with her,  all for less then $3! 

Get ready for more posts on my hauls from this amazing little oasis. It's just too good to write up in one post.