Things You Should Never Buy at the Dollar Store (and 1. You Should). Wise Bread Picks. Who doesn't love a trip to the dollar store? You walk in with five bucks, and you walk out with a bag full of stuff. Gift Wrap, Cards, and Party Supplies. What's the most depressing thing about buying gift- wrap?

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Many consumer items found at the dollar store really represent good value, while a few others do not. CNET explains the most important things to know when shopping for TVs in 2017.

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Personally, I hate spending $3- $4 on a roll of paper that is specifically designed to be seen for 1. That's why I always get it from the dollar store. It's 7. 5% cheaper, it looks just the same, and it's not so painful to see it get annihilated. While you're there, grab balloons, plates, cups, plastic cutlery, greeting cards, and anything else related to a birthday or anniversary. You'll save a ton of money over the years. Glassware, Cups, and Mugs. There's a decent selection of glassware in most dollar stores, and they're perfectly safe for the home.

They're not made of inferior glass that will shatter when you breathe on them. The glasses may not be the most current styles, and you may not get exactly the shape you were looking for. But if you're just looking to add a few glasses to your cupboard, your money goes a long way here.

The same goes for cups and mugs. Again, don't expect a massive array of the latest styles. But they hold tea and coffee just fine. Reusable Plastic Containers. It's often called Gladware, but that's a brand name. You can find these storage containers made by Betty Crocker, Ziploc, Rubbermaid, Tupperware, and many others.

Your selection may not be that great in the dollar store, but you'll get a lot more containers for your cash. Coloring Books, Crayons, and Kids' Crafts. The prices of coloring books range from . And while you're there, stock up on crayons, pencils, erasers, pipe cleaners, colored paper, and glue sticks.

Well, yes way. Fine, dollar store batteries aren't as good as the expensive, name brand batteries. Dollar store batteries are usually older carbon- zinc technology, as opposed to alkaline or lithium. BUT, when you're paying $1 for a pack of 4 AA batteries, and the name- brand variety costs $5- $6, you are getting a better deal. So, they won't last as long, but they're at least 8. If you don't mind replacing batteries more often (and checking often too, as some batteries will leak if left in too long) they'll do just fine; especially for those power- draining kids toys.

Holiday Decorations. Easter. Thanksgiving. If you can name a holiday, there are expensive decorations to buy.

Luckily, your dollar store has a good stock of bargain decorations, and few people will know the difference. A word of warning though. Most Cleaning Products.

Bleach is bleach. Ammonia is ammonia.

Glass cleaner is glass cleaner. Don't worry about paying 7.

You may find some of the products are not as strong as the name brand versions, but just use a little more. At these prices, you can afford to. While you're in that aisle, pick up sponges, dishcloths, towels, and other cleaning products. Personal Hygiene Items. Go ahead and spend a small fortune on those name brand shampoos, conditioners, shaving creams, deodorants, and toothpastes if you want. Cheap shampoos and conditioners often work as well as more- expensive ones. Socks. Whether for the gym or daily wear, you'll find bargain socks in the dollar store.

Just evaluate them as you would any other item of clothing. Some can be very thin and not offer the cushioning you'd like. Movie Theater Candy.

Those boxes of candy they sell for an arm and a leg in the cinema are being sold in dollar stores, often at 2- for- 1 prices. Stick to the name brands like Raisinets, Skittles, Jujyfruits, Whoppers, and Hot Tamales, and you'll do just fine. Of course, always check expiration dates on any food you buy. Or absolutely no way! Here are 1. 0 things to put on your . Anything With a Plug. There is no way of knowing if these items have met the minimum safety requirements, because the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) safety seal is often counterfeited.

So although those night lights, extension cords, and other electrical . Food Storage Bags, Aluminum Foil, and Cling Wrap. You really do get what you pay for with these household staples. It may only be a buck for a box of bags, but look again.

How many bags are you really getting? And will they hold a seal like the name brand bags you buy in grocery stores? As for cling wrap, it won't be of the same quality as the varieties you'll find in your supermarket. Expect it to be tricky to get off the roll, thin, and not very .

And the foil will be paper- thin and tear easily. Kitchen Utensils. I speak from personal experience on this one. Way too many times have I been tempted to buy a spatula, can opener, or cooking knife from the dollar store. In my experience, they are not well made — especially when it comes to knives.

Buy good quality knives, especially a chef's knife, and don't skimp on the price. If you get a quality knife, it can last you a lifetime. Vitamins. If you've looked at the prices of vitamins in your local grocery store or health food shop, you wouldn't be faulted for trying to find them cheaper elsewhere. However, the dollar store is not the place to look. Daily Finance cites a 2. Consumer Reports study that says half of the 1. And the FDA does not have tight controls on vitamins.

Bottom line — they probably won't hurt you, but you may be getting short- changed. Toys. When your kids are involved, it's best to err on the side of caution. Download Trip To Spain (2017) Movie Online.

Many unbranded toys from the dollar store are low quality. What's more, they may not meet current safety regulations. You don't want to risk the safety of your child to save a few bucks. If money is an issue, shop the clearance aisles in retail stores, or look for good, used toys on Craigslist and second hand stores. Medicines. When it comes to your health, it's better to go with the name brand or generic items in the supermarkets and retail stores. Painkillers may be substandard, counterfeited, or lacking ingredients that the label claims they have. And one of the biggest problems is medicines like Ibuprofen have often gone past their expiration dates.

Keep a watchful eye before you buy. Oven Mitts. They're cheap, and they look the same as more expensive versions. The difference is in the construction and the padding, and you don't want to mess around with something designed to protect you. Do yourself (and your hands) a favor, and buy the more expensive versions. You'll be glad you did. Dvd Killing Ground (2017) Downloads Online on this page. Soda. The one- liter bottles of soda in dollar stores are not really a bargain.

You can usually pick up a two- liter of the same variety for just a few cents more at your local grocery store. And the same goes for cans and smaller bottles of soda, too. It's really not worth it. Tools. Any DIY aficionado will tell you — a $1 screwdriver or hammer is going to break, and quickly.

As someone who does a fair bit of DIY myself, I can tell you that tools are worth the investment. Don't go anywhere near the tool section in a dollar store; you are just throwing your money down the drain. And more importantly, poorly made tools can be dangerous. Chewing Gum. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's just not a bargain. Go to a warehouse club like Costco or Sam's Club and you'll pick up a huge pack of gum and save way more money than you would buying gum from the dollar store.

So, that's my list. Do you agree? Have you got other things you would add to either list?

Let us know. Like this article?

How to buy a TV in 2. Buying a new television is an overwhelming experience. Prices vary widely for TVs of the same size. TV manufacturers and salespeople use extra features, alien- sounding technologies and hyperbolic claims about picture quality to get you to spend more. And as usual the internet is a mess of conflicting facts, opinions and unexplained jargon. This guide is intended as an oasis in the vast desert of information about TVs.

I strive to fill it with just enough easy- to- understand information to help you select a new television. It won't answer every question, and when you read it, it won't tell you . But I hope it can provide you with the basic tools you need to feel confident when you buy that new set. Cut to the chase: Which TV should I buy? You can find the UK's best TVs here and Australia's best TVs here.)At this point in the year I still have a few mid- range models to review, and if they're good enough they could replace or augment the choices above.

Stay tuned. Looking for more detailed advice? Read on. Three rules for buying a TV 1. Ignore (most of) the specifications. As a rule of thumb, the main purpose of a TV's specification sheet is to bombard you with confusing terms and numbers in an attempt to get you to . Just about the only worthwhile numbers are found under Inputs and Weight/Dimensions.

Rather than rely on the spec sheet to provide hints on which TV will perform better than another, our advice is to simply ignore it. The sheet can help when trying to differentiate a TV based on features, such as whether it has HDR, Smart TV capability or a fancy remote, but it's useless at best and outright misleading at worst when used as a tool for divining picture quality. Further reading: TV marketing terms and what they mean. Just ignore all of these marketing words. Bigger really is better.

I recommend a size of at least 4. TV and at least 5. TV - - and 6. 5 inches or larger is best. In fact, more than any other .

One of the most common post- TV- purchase complaints I've heard is from people who didn't go big enough. If you want to fit an existing entertainment center, make sure you have at least an inch on the sides and top of the TV cavity to allow for ventilation. Or just junk that old furniture and get a bigger TV. Further reading: How big a TV should I buy?

Trust us, bigger is better. K and HDR are worth getting. TVs with 4. K resolution, also known as UHD (Ultra High Definition) TVs, have four times as many pixels as standard 1.

TVs. That sounds like a big improvement, but in reality it's very difficult to tell the difference in sharpness between a 4. K TV and a good old- fashioned HDTV. On the other hand, 4. K TVs are easy for manufacturers to produce, so they're coming down quickly in price.

Vizio and TCL offer 6. K TVs for around $8. US, while LG and Samsung TVs sell for around $1,1. These days many TVs - - especially the big ones - - have 4. K resolution, and 1. Most 4. K Blu- ray discs also have HDR. HDR delivers better contrast and color, so unlike 4.

K, chances are you'll actually be able to see an improvement compared with normal HDTV. How big of an improvement (if any) depends on the TV, however, and just like with 4. K, you'll need to be watching actual HDR content. K TV shows and movies are rare today, and HDR is even less common. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon offer both, but only with a handful of titles. You can also invest in a 4.

K Blu- ray player (like the Samsung UBD- K8. Xbox One S), which also do HDR, and discs to play on it. Actual 4. K and/or HDR TV channels are still nonexistent in the United States, however. Bottom line? All of the best TVs are 4. K TVs with HDR. If you're shopping for a medium- sized or larger TV, you'll probably end up with a 4. K one anyway, and chances are it'll do HDR too. Further reading: Should I get a 4.

K TV now? Every CNET TV review is conducted as a side- by- side comparison with up to seven other TVs. It's still consistently the No. TV shoppers cite as important to their buying decision. If you don't place as high a priority on PQ, you'll get the best value by simply sorting a list of TVs by price along with the screen size you want, choosing the cheapest from a brand you trust and calling it a day.

Or at least skip to the next section of this guide. After more than 1. HDTVs, I feel comfortable conveying some generalizations I've observed about picture quality: OLED TVs have the best picture quality available, but they're still quite expensive. Nearly every TV uses LED LCD technology, which (despite the .

LED LCD TVs with full- array LED backlights often outperform ones with edge- lit LED backlights. The ability to produce a deep shade of black - - which translates into high contrast - - is the most important ingredient in a good picture. Color saturation, which is directly influenced by contrast/black level, is second- most important, followed by color accuracy.

In a bright room, matte screens are the best overall at reducing reflections. The best glossy screens preserve black levels well. Less important factors include resolution, color gamut, video processing, maximum light output and display resolution (4.

K vs. 1. 08. 0p). Many people don't realize they're watching the Soap Opera Effect and might like their TV's picture quality better if they turned it off. Poor picture settings on a good TV will usually look worse than calibrated picture settings on a crappy TV. In sum, picture quality is more complex than just counting pixels or reading a spec sheet, and your best bet is to read reviews, such as those at CNET. Hopefully you can also get the chance to see a good TV in person along with someone who can explain why it's good. Further reading: Best TVs for picture quality, regardless of price. Extras beyond picture quality.

On one level, I don't consider any of these extras necessary or even all that important. On the other hand, they're often found on TVs that have better picture quality and cost more money.

Smart TVSince you can connect an inexpensive HDMI stick or box to make any TV . That's why I want my dumb TV (or failing that, a Roku TV). Even so, your next TV will likely have Smart apps whether you use them or not.

Further reading: Smart TV or media streamer? The curve detracted more than it added to picture quality, and in the end seemed like more of an aesthetic choice than anything else.

I don't think it's worth the extra money. Further reading: Trouble with the curve: What you need to know about curved TVs. Sarah Tew/CNET. 3. DOnce a futuristic add- on filled with promise - - remember ?

This year the last two major brands to support 3. D, Sony and LG, dropped support entirely, joining Samsung, Vizio and most other brands. Further reading: Shambling corpse of 3.

D TV finally falls down dead. Remote controls. If you aren't planning to use a universal model or the remote that came with your cable box, pay attention to the TV's included clicker. It's nice when it can command other gear directly (especially cool is Samsung's new system) and I prefer TVs to include medium- size remotes with well- differentiated, backlit buttons.

Fancy remotes with touchpads and gesture controls are nice, but a good universal model will almost always work better, consigning your included remote to ignominy in a drawer. Further reading: Best universal remotes. A good universal remote can easily retire the one included with your TV. Just count the number of devices you'll want to connect, and make sure your TV has at least that many HDMI ports (or one or two extra if you'll be expanding). USB inputs and/or an SD card slot are nice for displaying photos, too.

You only need to worry about the analog ports if you have an older device to connect; the Nintendo Wii is the classic HDMI- free offender. We consider HDMI 2. HDCP 2. 2 and HEVC decoding necessities on a 4. K TV, but again nearly every new 4. K TV has them. And you should just buy the cheap HDMI cables. Further reading: Why all HDMI cables are the same; 4.