My USA Shopping Adventure

Everything I saw at Dollar Tree was priced at one dollar. Cups, water bottles, toothbrushes, and toothpaste all cost $1. Surprisingly, an economy-size large bottle of shampoo, moisturizer, detergent, and a pack of pencils, erasers, staplers, paint colors, and tissue paper are all the same. I bought a lot of items for a few dollars. This was my first trip to the United States in 2014.

After all, the United States was once one of the world’s leading economies, so I had faith that anything sold there would be authentic and brand new. The difference between the $1 and $10 versions of the same brand of shampoo was still a mystery to me.

But as I came on an official tour and had left three kids back home, I enjoyed shopping at all forms of Family Dollar. I knew my children were waiting for gifts more than their Mom.

The author initially published it in The Shortform at Medium on March 23rd, 2024.