If you regularly keep cola, ginger ale, and other sodas in your fridge for daily use or for entertaining, you naturally want to pay as little as possible for it. Surprisingly, though, you may not be getting the best bargain if you buy your sodas at a dollar store. Consumer savings expert Jeff Yeager, author of "The Cheapskate Next Door," told the Today show that soda is one item to skip when you're shopping at Dollar Tree or a similar store. Why? Your local supermarket may offer a better deal.

Thanks to coupons and store memberships, you can often find two-for-a-dollar deals on soda at a chain grocery store. Size is another factor; the $1 sodas at the dollar store may only be available in the 1-liter size, as opposed to the 2-liter sizes being sold elsewhere for the same price. You can also look for great deals on bulk soda buys at warehouse stores such as BJ's and Costco. 

Another iffy dollar-store beverage buy is milk, or any fresh food, for that matter. According to Reader's Digest, since most people go to traditional supermarkets for these products, there's more of a chance that the milk, eggs, etc., you get at the dollar store will be expired or close to it.

Of course, for true savings, you can't beat fresh water, with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice for flavor. It's far healthier than soda and doesn't require a special trip to the store.