Think of these like generic drugs — they probably have the same potency and active ingredients as major brands, but at a fraction of the cost. Don't buy: Deceptive look-alike products. Dollar stores are notorious for selling cut-rate products in packaging that looks nearly identical to big-name brands.

On a recent visit to Dollar Tree, we saw cans of shaving cream and bottles of liquid hand soap that were doppelgangers for Edge and Softsoap. Buy: Personal-care cosmetics. Both Grocery Outlet and Dollar Tree offer name-brand toothpastes, deodorants, shaving creams and mouth wash at great prices, though selection is limited.

Buy: Toothbrushes. Toothbrushes are a great dollar store find. Don't buy: Dried herbs and spices. Fresh, potent herbs and spices are a cornerstone of good cooking, and the cut-rate seasonings we tried had disappointing flavors.

And the dollar store spices we picked up looked and tasted like they were ready for an AARP membership. Buy: Local beer and hard cider.

Grocery Outlet sells an impressive selection of beer made in Oregon and Washington, including brews by Laurelwood Brewing Co.

Buy: Household cleaning supplies. Discount grocers and dollar stores both carry name-brand cleaning supplies at significant savings, including dish soap, scouring pads, laundry detergent and even Earth-friendly cleaners.

Buy: Pet food and toys. Grocery Outlet has popular brands of dog and cat food, along with kitty litter and chew bones, though selection is limited.

Buy: Out-of-season food storage. It still feels like the holidays in your freezer. And the money you save can go into your Christmas fund. Don't buy: Regularly-priced pasta. You can score a pound of off-brand pasta for about a buck at both discount grocers and dollar stores.

But why? Buy: Sparkling water. Flavored sparkling water like Talking Rain or the Italian-import S. Buy: Frozen foods.

Discount grocers have large sections of frozen dinners, frozen fish and meat, and frozen vegetables at significant savings. Don't buy: Non-organic rice and beans. Grocery Outlet has plenty of non-organic bags of white and brown rice, and dried split peas, black beans and garbanzos.

Buy: Organic grains and seeds. Buy: Tea. Don't buy: Jarred pasta sauce. Buy: Tortilla chips. Don't buy: Single-serving bags of chips. Buy: Canned tuna.

No pantry is complete without some canned protein for meals on the fly, and chunk light tuna is perfect for in-a-flash tuna salad or weeknight tuna casseroles. Don't buy: Canned refried beans. Buy: Vegan refrigerator case products. On a plant-based diet? In addition to those jaw-dropping deals on organic grains, Grocery Outlet is a go-to place for vegan cheese and soy chorizo, which can boost the flavor of tofu scrambles or veggie tacos.

Buy with reservations : Fresh meat. Buy: Local brown eggs. Buy: Dairy. While stock is limited, discount grocers feature dairy cases with brand-name yogurt, including Greek-style versions, and dairy-free alternatives.

On a recent visit, expiration dates for everything we looked at were far in the future. Don't buy: Mushy avocados. On a recent visit to Grocery Outlet, we found two-pound bags of tiny avocados that were soft and mushy.

No thanks! Buy: Big bags of potatoes, onions and garlic. Discount grocers are a great place to stock up on produce items with long storage life, like potatoes, onions and garlic. Just make sure to look the bags over closely to make sure that you don't see any signs of decay, and store them in a cool, dry place once you get them home.

Don't buy: Unripe bags of bananas. Buy with reservations : Fresh bread. But if it takes you a week to go through a loaf of bread, the last few slices from the bag may taste dry or stale. Don't buy: Sugary kids cereals. OK, allow us to get on our soap box for a minute.

Discount grocers and dollar stores have a limited selection of cereal, and almost all of it is loaded with sugar and aimed at children. Sermon over. Buy: Greeting cards. Dollar stores are great places to buy greeting cards. We were surprised at how extensive the selection of cards is at Dollar Tree, where you can find something for every occasion, ranging from birthday to sympathy.

Many are printed on heavy card stock, and there are even some pretty clever greetings. Email is handy, but there are times when an old-fashioned greeting card is more appropriate.

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Just keep in mind whatever is here today, may be gone tomorrow. Here is a list of Houston area discount grocery stores: Houston Discount Sales Top 10 Best Discount Grocery Store in Houston, TX - February - Yelp - Foodarama Market, Joe V's Smart Shop, Central City Co-Op, 99 Ranch Market 1. Know your prices before you shop. 2. Again. Know your prices! 3. Don't be afraid of a dented box or can. 4. Don't think you can only get

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