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By Kelli B. Grant
Reporter, SmartMoney.com


WITH FOOD AND gas prices on the rise, shopping at dollar stores may seem like a great way to get more bang for your buck.

But while dollar stores offer plenty of great deals, there are also plenty of duds that aren't worth the money -- no matter what the discount. "In general, things that you want to last a long time are not going to cost you a dollar," notes Shakira Brown of Retail Secrets for Savvy Consumers, a frugal living blog. "Any product that costs a dollar is worth less than a dollar. Otherwise, what profit would be in it?"

We're not just talking about shoddy products, some are downright dangerous. "Sometimes seemingly innocuous items show up with safety issues," says Tod Marks, a senior editor with Consumer Reports. Unfortunately, many of the most problem-prone dollar store products are those that offer the biggest discounts.

Here are five items to steer clear of when shopping at your local dollar store:

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