The cost of everyday goods is skyrocketing these days, and every little bit helps. Just keep in mind that you get what you pay for when you’re shopping at the dollar store. In order to keep their products so cheap, dollar stores stock their shelves with goods made from low cost materials that most other stores would refuse to sell.

So while you might find some diamonds in the rough while shopping at the dollar store, here are five items you’ll want to avoid.

Toothpaste
Be very careful when you buy toothpaste from a dollar store. When you can buy a tube of Colgate for less than $5, do you really want to gamble with cavities and tooth decay over a matter of a few dollars? The money you might save by buying off brand toothpaste will likely be spent, with interest, at the dentist.

Electronics
Even though that MP3 player or radio might seem like a steal at the price they are being offered at, don’t act surprised if they break soon after you purchase them. Cheap plastics and careless soldering can lead to your new gadget breaking fairly quickly. While there are some great bargains to be had, take a good look at the item to see what the manufacturer had to do to bring the cost of their product down.

Children’s toys
With the seemingly constant safety recalls being announced from Chinese toy manufacturers, keep a close eye on the quality of the toys for sale in your dollar store. Carefully check over the item for sharp edges, or loose pieces that can be easily swallowed by small children. Buyer beware.

Medication
Much like toothpaste, be careful when you buy medicines such as aspirin and cold medication. The short term benefits of saving money can easily be offset by serious medical complications. Some things you don’t want to skimp on when it comes to quality, and medicine is definitely one of them.

Food
Be a little suspicious of the quality of the food products you’ll find in a dollar store. More than likely, the foods will be made with low quality starches and sugars, and will have questionable nutritional benefits. Shopping at the dollar store will not replace fresh produce (or even quality canned goods).

So while there are some terrific bargains to be had at your local dollar store, you need to keep in mind that while the price is low, the quality of the products can often be lacking. In some cases, a few dollars saved can easily amount to hundreds of dollars in bills down the road.