Getting a Bang for Your Buck

This post is probably going to come as a shock to many readers but the next place that you should check out for a good deal in Poughkeepsie is the Dollar Tree. Yep, you read that right, the Dollar Tree. Located on Rt. 9, past the mall and next to Petco is the Dollar Tree. I know that it's pretty common that these dollar stores get a bad reputation for a lot of things: 1. crappy merchandise 2. limited selection of merchandise 3. most things aren't actually a dollar, they're over by the time you add tax in. Well, fear not. None of these concerns will ruin your shopping experience here.

I have never been one to shop at places like this just because it was never something that crossed my mind. Then a good friend of mine took me to the Dollar Tree and I immediately changed my mind. The place is massive and literally has anything and everything you could potentially need. Most of the stuff isn't brand name stuff but they do stock some brand name merchandise as well. But even the non-brand name things are worth what you pay for them.

I have now done shopping here for kitchen stuff, garbage bags, frozen food, snacks, drinks, holiday decorations, Halloween candy, picture frames, everything. Literally everything. I've been there with my house to buy part of our grocery list and just everyday house items and we got an entire shopping cart full of food and supplies for less than $100. A lot of things that you get aren't even a dollar, they're less.

So as tacky as you all may find it, the dollar stores are sometimes well worth visiting because you are going to get way more for what you pay. Get to the Dollar Tree soon if you want to get some good deals on those little things that you need!

Dunkin Donuts on Violet

So I need to apologize to everyone for the lack of blog posts of late...the end of the semester is approaching and I'm finding that I have less and less time on a daily basis. However, I have spent the last two days scouring Poughkeepsie to give everyone enough blog posts for the ones that I missed giving to you last week. To start of, a place that many might not immediately consider to be a "hidden gem" of Poughkeepsie: Dunkin Donuts.

Many know of the Dunkin Donuts on Rt. 9, it's kind of hard to miss with everything else that is going on around there. But, quite honestly, I find that if I'm really in the mood for a DD coffee, that is just a little too far to go from Marist campus. You need to take into account the lights, the traffic, and the impossible designated turning lanes on the highway. Add all of this together and it makes it pretty difficult to get a coffee before class. Sure, there is a Starbucks right down the street/across from campus but (at the risk of making enemies at Marist) I'm not usually willing to pay that much for a mediocre coffee...I personally believe that Dunkin gives you better coffee for a better price.

This brings me to my hidden gem, the Dunkin Donuts on Violet Ave. It's a bit off of the beaten path since many Marist students don't always travel on that back road, they usually opt for Route 9. But trust me, go to this Dunkin and you won't be disappointed. They make great coffee (I find that some make better coffee than others) and the staff is always exceptionally nice. The greatest part: there is hardly ever a line. I have been there at all hours of the day and the same is true no matter what time you go. This means that you are guaranteed quick service getting what you want.

The inside of the store is comfortable with plenty of tables to enjoy your coffee and food. They even have a fireplace inside that gives it a cozy feeling, no matter what time of year you go. So if you want some really good coffee, in a quick time frame, this is the place you need to be. To find it, just travel up Violet Ave (towards Stop and Shop) and it will be on the left of the street right after the abandoned bowling alley.