I have a lot of Dollar Store art supplies too. LOL.

I try to buy my 'good' sketchbooks discounted. XD And I prefer buying a ream of cardstock to a pad of Bristol paper. XD

The only places I really am willing to spend a bit of money are on costume reference books, some how-to-draw books, good inking pens (though I use the two dollar ink pens from Wal*Mart's arts'n'crafts section too, not just Copics) and markers (Copics again). XD