Dollar Tree has been a store that has been around as long as I remember. I would shop there occasionally for things here and there, but not enough to where I would consider myself a frequent shopper. It wasn't until recently where I have needed more office and school supplies that I began to branch to buy other things Dollar Tree sells as well.

As of the past year or two, it seems as if Dollar Tree has undergone major rebranding: new, remodeled stores; new, better products. When I walk into Dollar Tree I can immediately see the change because of all the products available. I have recently taken up the challenge to text less and write more, so for my correspondences I like to send greeting cards to my family and friends. Greeting cards have gotten more elaborate as well as expensive, and Dollar Tree has now become my go to for saving money on greeting cards without losing the message of letting my family and friends know that I care. The greeting card's section covers every holiday or celebration there is, and they are only $1 with the envelopes included. I like that even though I am spending $1 I still get a quality card. I especially like the seasonal cards such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas because it a simple reminder of the seasons.

Lately I have been spending a lot of money in the office and school supplies section. What I like best about this part of the store is how much I get for my dollar. For example, I can buy a pack of five pens, pencils, or highlighters for only $1. Anywhere else I would be paying at least six or more dollars. Also, I been buying a lot of poster boards--both the white and color--to have different backgrounds for my pictures for social media. Two for $1 is not bad. Also, the mailers is another great thing because I can either buy a box of 20 or more envelopes which would be ridiculously expensive anywhere else. They offer a variety of mailers in different sizes.

Aside from office supplies, the main reason I've become a frequent shopper at Dollar Tree is because of their beauty section. Prior to now I would not have looked twice at Dollar Tree's beauty products because it looked old and expired--not something I would have ever used. However, Dollar Tree has stepped up and has fresh new branded makeup. L.A. Colors is a great inexpensive beauty brand that I trust and is carried by Dollar Tree. They stock everything from lipstick and lip gloss to eyeshadow and more. I purchased a smokey eyeshadow palette and the colors turned out really well. I have also started a collection of false eyelashes because I can't beat $1. Also, Dollar Tree carries NYX and ELF products which are not only reputable but competitive inexpensive beauty brands. I have stocked up on all the NYX shadows I find as well as ELF makeup brushes. They also carry blending sponges which I often struggle to find because they are always selling out, but when I do see them I buy as
many as I can. The nail care section also seems to be expanding with a variety of finger nail polish colors.

Hygiene products can get quite expensive, and sometimes coupons are not enough to cut down the costs at big retailers. My family likes both Colgate and Crest products, so I try to stock up whenever I can. We go through a lot of toothbrushes so I was glad to see Dollar Tree carries five pack toothbrushes. The store offers a variety of brands for toothpaste and mouthwash, but I like to stick to Crest and Colgate whenever I can.
Another nice thing about Dollar Tree is they now have a frozen foods section. The brand of foods they carry are the same if not identical to those sold at retailer giants such as Wal-Mart. I tend to buy their frozen foods when I need something quick to eat or I see something I can't get anywhere else.

I think Dollar Tree has made positive changes within their company, and both they and myself are better for it. The quality of products have risen greatly, and I love how they offer both brand and generic products with no change in quality. I believe it has now become the best affordable stores around, and the customer service is always great when I shop there. There is always something new to discover and that's what I like about Dollar Tree.