Why You Should Never Buy Name-Brand Cereal From Dollar Tree

Literally in the name, Dollar Tree is known for its low pricing. Not to be confused with Dollar General, whose prices range higher than a buck, Dollar Tree's rates stay close to about a dollar and are considered an affordable option (via Taste of Home). Even with bargains lower than Dollar General, Dollar Tree might not be as great of a deal as the name would lead you to believe.

With food inflation the worst it's been in over 40 years, dollar stores seem like an easy way to save money on groceries at first glance. However, with Dollar Tree on the verge of losing its dollar store status as it increases prices on select products, the value retailer no longer seems like the bargain it once was. Dollar Tree sells some food items that are definitely a no-go if you want more bang for your buck. Making the trip to a different store will end up saving you money, especially if breakfast pantry staples are on your grocery list.

One such item that might not be worth the price and may have you spending more money in the long run is name-brand cereal. According to Yahoo!, the math only works in your favor if you are looking to buy a solo bag of your sugary cereal favorites. Lucky Charms, for example, comes out to $1.25 for a 3.1-ounce package. But anything bigger than a snack size winds up costing you more while giving you less. A six-pack of Lucky Charms at Dollar Tree will run you $7.50 while not giving you as much total cereal as you would get in buying a family-size box from any other store. Walmart has an even better deal, scoring you a 29.1 oz mega-size box of the "magically delicious" cereal for only $5.98.

While shopping at a dollar store might make you feel like you're on a treasure hunt for that steal of a deal, at least when it comes to classic name-brand cereals, expect to come up empty. It might just be best to steer clear of their aisles and do that shopping elsewhere.