Dollar General, Dollar Tree Overcharging Louisiana Shoppers?

The main reason most Louisiana shoppers choose to visit a "dollar store" is the savings. Many times stores such as Dollar General and Dollar Tree offer products that consumers need for considerably less than what other retail outlets might charge. Louisiana currently has 615 Dollar General locations. There are also 80 communities in Louisiana that have at least one Dollar Tree store as well.

It's a safe bet to assume that Louisiana residents enjoy shopping in the chaos of a dollar store. If we didn't they probably wouldn't have so many of them in the state, right? And yes, we are aware that most of these facilities are understaffed and that's why the store shelves and product displays sometimes seem to be in a major state of disarray. 

But despite all of the strewn clothes and misplaced cereal boxes on the detergent aisle, the one thing we love about dollar store shopping is the price. However, we have discovered that there is one item you will pay more for at a Dollar General and a Dollar Tree than you would at a Walmart or a Target store.

What's the One Item Dollar General and Dollar Tree Always Charge More For?

Surprisingly the item that Dollar General and Dollar Tree make more expensive than Walmart or Target is a product they can't legally sell. The reason they can't legally sell it is because they don't own it to begin with. So, what could this mystery product be? Why it's your own money.

How Do Dollar General and Dollar Tree Make Money Off of Your Money?

If you've ever gone into a Dollar General or Dollar Tree and asked for cashback on your debit card purchase you will notice the bill is slightly higher than the amount of cash you requested. The two stores charge a fee for consumers who want cash back.  Certainly, it is the prerogative of the stores to charge such a fee but only Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and the Kroger Company charge for the service that is offered free by most of their competitors.

To make it even more "painful" for consumers the smaller the amount of cash you want back, the more they are going to charge you for the privilege of doing so. In most cases, it's at least a buck for a cash amount of $50 or less at the dollar stores. Kroger's fee is .75 cents for a cash return amount of $100 or less.

Last year it was estimated that the dollar store brands along with Kroger earned more than $90 million in cash back fees. Those findings were reported by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

A spokesperson for Dollar Tree brands suggested the service was offered as a convenient service for customers and the fees are clearly disclosed. The spokesperson suggested that the money earned from cash-back fees helps to offset costs associated with offering the service.

We should note that Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Kroger are not doing anything against the law or illegal. They are very transparent when it comes to these fees and if in your mind paying a dollar or two at checkout might be more convenient than accessing your money at an ATM then so be it. Over time those fees do add up and it is your money that we are looking out for.