Remember to check the unit price when buying essentials at low-cost retailers like Dollar Tree. Check out three items to buy at Target instead of Dollar Tree.

So when I spotted them for $2 at the Dollar Tree, I stocked up! Though Dollar Tree now has a "Dollar Plus" section where they sell bigger-ticket items for $3 to $5, almost everything else is $1.25 unless it's otherwise labeled.

Dollar Tree offers conveniently low prices, but this discount chain's history is also littered with inconvenient cases of pests, food poisoning, and dangerously improper storage.

Wrap jewels around a Dollar Store basket to create a breathtaking suncatcher!

Dollar Tree is an American institution. Its wide array of ultra-cheap goods, with everything from groceries to toys, attracts millions of consumers annually. Read More: 12 Dollar Tree Items That