3 Christmas Items It Pays to Buy at the Dollar Store

Christmas will be here before you know it. And if you've yet to finish your holiday shopping, worry not -- you're not the only one.

Meanwhile, if you're growing more stressed by the day over your ever-increasing credit card balance, you're not alone there, either. Data from TransUnion finds that 51% of Americans plan to spend over $500 on holiday shopping this season. And if you don't have much in the way of a savings account balance to tap, even $500 might be a stretch.

The good news is that there's an easy step you can take to lower your costs this holiday season: Shop at your local dollar store. Here are a few Christmas items worth picking up.

1. Gift bags and wrap

Buying gifts is expensive enough in its own right, but then there's the cost of packaging them up to look nice and festive. That's why it pays to turn to your local dollar store for gift wrap. Rather than pay somewhere in the ballpark of $5 per roll of wrapping paper at a store like Target, you can spend as little as $1 (or, in some cases, $1.25) on a roll at the dollar store. You can also find supplies like tissue paper and bows for roughly $1.

And if you're someone who doesn't have the time or patience to wrap gifts, load up on gift bags at your dollar store. This may not be as cost-effective as wrapping paper, but you're better off spending $1 to $1.25 per gift bag at the dollar store than spending several dollars per bag at your local big-box or grocery store.

2. Stocking stuffers

Stocking stuffers can be a cute addition to the big-ticket items you're getting your kids. Chances are, your local dollar store is loaded with items that can go into those stockings.

If you have younger kids, look at items like markers, small puzzles, and coloring books. If your kids are older, buy things like journals, pens, and toiletry products. You can even throw in a pack of batteries from the dollar store if you're buying your kids electronics whose batteries might run out fairly quickly. Just be advised that dollar store–brand batteries are not known for having much staying power.

3. Holiday candy

Whether you're putting candy into your kids' stockings or are giving it out as a pre-Christmas or Christmas Eve treat, you might as well see what your local dollar store has in stock. You might find everything from candy canes to chocolate Santas.

The one issue you might run into with buying food at the dollar store is getting products with a near-term expiration date. But chances are, your kids are going to devour their holiday candy as soon as they get it, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Christmas can be a very expensive holiday to celebrate. If money is tight, it pays to head to your local dollar store and see which items you can scoop up. And even if money isn't particularly tight, why spend more than you have to if there's a dollar store nearby that can help you check off some of your Christmas purchases at an ultra-low price point?