18 Things To Buy at Dollar Tree This Winter If You Live on Social Security

On a fixed income and struggling to save money during your usual shopping runs? It may be time to swap out visits to big-box retailers in favor of Dollar Tree for better bargains on groceries, personal care items and even holiday essentials.

GOBankingRates rounded up 18 winter items worth buying at Dollar Tree if you live on Social Security – and our total spend comes out to $33. Consider adding some of these winter items to your shopping list. And while you’re at Dollar Tree, these inexpensive buys are perfect for hosting a holiday dinner.

• Price: $1.25

Most unsweetened almond milk costs about $3, or more, at traditional supermarkets. Dollar Tree shoppers, however, pay just $2.50 for two boxes of Marcel’s Modern Pantry unsweetened almond milk. Talk about a good deal!

• Price: $1.25

Stay hydrated all winter with one-gallon water jugs of Crystal Geyser natural alpine spring water. The same brand of water retails for as much as $1.89 per jug at Target.

• Price: $1.25

Enjoy a steaming cup of hot cocoa on frosty days. Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix is an inexpensive little luxury to store in pantries that won’t break the bank. As a bonus, this mix comes made with mini marshmallows. 

• Price: $1.25

Columbia’s brand of lasagne noodles are among the cheapest we’ve seen for sale anywhere. If you love to cook lasagna dishes, get a few boxes to fill up your pantry for affordable and filling meals.

• Price: $1.25

‘Tis the season for chocolate chip cookies! This inexpensive Betty Crocker cookie mix bakes up to 12 cookies, ensuring you’ve got dessert covered at holiday social gatherings or potluck events.

• Price: $1.50

Stock up on LED soft white light bulbs to keep your home well-lit this winter. These shatter-resistant light bulbs can last for as long as 9.13 years or 10,000 hours. (Please note these figures are based on an average use of three hours per day.)

• Price: $1.50

Quickly dig windshields and mirrors out from winter storms with a plastic ice scraper. These affordable scrapers are ideal for removing ice and frost and are compact enough to store inside glove compartments and side panels inside most vehicles.

• Price: $1.50

Whether you’re tackling a home improvement project in the garage or camping with friends at a cabin, you’ll be glad you invested in an LED compact work light for extra lighting. 

Each light comes with two light sources in 60 and 100 lumens to match your personal preference. Three AA batteries are required for use (not included).

• Price: $1.25

Vitamin C supplements can cost as much as $10 or more at drugstores and big-box retailers. 

Support your immune health without overspending by adding a 30-count bottle of the People’s Choice brand to your cart. Shoppers can also find other vitamins, like B12 and Vitamin E, from the same brand at Dollar Tree and at the same low price.

• Price: $1.25

Several shoppers praised Assured tussin cough and chest congestion cough syrup for being just as effective as name brands without costing nearly as much money. Each bottle works to relieve cough, chest congestion and mucus.

• Price: $1.25

Trim a few dollars off on mouthwash without sacrificing quality. Swan mouth rinse comes in a generous 16.9-ounce bottle and the same active ingredients as name brands like Listerine for much less.

• Price: $1.25

Dollar Tree shoppers swear by CareAll creamy petroleum jelly skin softener to moisturize and soften dry skin. This product is so popular all 35 of the site’s reviews come with five stars! 

“I keep a tube everywhere! It’s smooth and silky. My skin drinks it in, leaving a non greasy soft feeling. It’s easy to apply and the effects are long lasting,” wrote YoYo1218.

• Price: $1.25

Keep your hands clean during cold and flu season with Spasoap liquid hand soap. This antibacterial soap is perfect for adding to kitchens and bathrooms and is cheap enough to stock up on.

• Price: $1.25

Why pay more for body wash somewhere else when 20-ounce bottles of Eve St. Claire body wash are just $1.25? 

If that price tag isn’t enticing enough, there’s also a wide range of scents to choose from like tropical, pineapple papaya, coconut shea butter and more.

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• Price: $1.25

It’s a win-win to shop Colgate 2-in-1 toothpaste and mouthwash at Dollar Tree. Shoppers get a combination of toothpaste and mouthwash inside every tube and pay a fraction of the price compared to buying the same product elsewhere.

• Price: $1.50

Get into the holiday spirit with a spool of Christmas-themed wide-edged ribbon. 

Available in an assortment of festive prints, these ribbons can be used to tie up presents, fashion into wreaths or centerpieces and many more creative arts and crafts projects.

• Price: $5

Fresh poinsettias tend to be costly, so pick up an affordable faux poinsettia in red or white to enjoy for months on end. Each faux holiday plant comes in a burlap pot tied up with a red ribbon.

• Price: $7

What we like about the flameglow hanging lantern is it can be used throughout the winter months. 

In a five-star review, Dollar Tree shopper B4ZDawn said opening the lantern’s backing makes it easy to remove the holiday floral. Place these lanterns outside your home’s front or back doors for added bright lighting.

Editor’s note: Prices and availability are accurate as of December 5, 2025, and are subject to change.