helium filled balloons from the dollar store... AND how long do mylar balloons last?

[DizBelle]

I never bought helium filled balloons from the dollar store before. How does it work? Is it a dollar for the balloon filled with helium or is it a dollar for the balloon and extra for the helium.

ETA: I realize it may be different from dollar store to dollar store but if you could just give your experience at whatever dollar store you've bought them at, it should be good enough for me.

Another question - would a mylar balloon still be in pretty good shape if I bought it in the evening on one day and delivered at lunchtime the next day - say, 18 hours after purchase?

 

[Mkrop]

Helium is included at our dollar stores.

 

[Bren's Mom]

One helium filled balloon = $1 at our stores.

But they will also FILL your own balloons for you, for $1.

At least mine will. I get discount mylar's online and then get the latex balloons at the dollar store and have them fill the mylars. If they're really huge they might charge me $2. Still WAY cheaper than the $12.99-15.99 per large mylar at the party store!

ETA: I wouldn't bother with a latex balloon but a mylar would be perfect for picking up the day before and bringing to a friend the next day.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Latex balloons last about 24 hours..

Mylar balloons last about 2-3 weeks....

 

[zoemurr]

at DT. Just go in and look at the samples and tell them which ones you want. They will blow them up for you. Don't buy the ones that are already filled. We've had them last up to a month so I think you'll be fine.

 

[Miniefan]

I bought a great big bunch of mylar ones from DT for the 4th of July and they lasted a long time maybe a month. I used a drinking straw and deflated them and put them up with my 4th flags and decor to use next year.

Kim

 

[bettyann29]

I also bought some for a graduation party last year from Dollar Tree and they were $1 for the mylar balloons and then they fill it with helium.. Definitely a great deal!! they did last for quite a few days..

 

[dsnymomof4]

at DT. Just go in and look at the samples and tell them which ones you want. They will blow them up for you. Don't buy the ones that are already filled. We've had them last up to a month so I think you'll be fine.

I just wanted to say that I get balloons at our dollar store all the time - I've always gotten the ones that are already filled (only because it's quicker), and they always last at least 2 weeks. But, I remember I got one for my son a few years back - was decorated with sports stuff on it, that lasted at least 6 months, maybe longer! No lie - this thing just would not go down. It would float around the house from room to room - we would always joke about how it would last forever and we couldn't believe it was still up! Hmmm - I wonder if it's still in the house somewhere!

 

[momof1princess]

at my local dollar tree, helium balloons are $1, and you can bring in your own mylar balloons and have them filled for $1. they won't do the latex balloons, say it's against company policy.
the dollar tree balloons stay inflated for WEEKS! DD12 got a mylar bouquet from DT for her dance recital on june 6, 2010, and they didn't touch the floor until mid-august!

 

[dislaney]

Ours is a $1 filled. Great deal.

 

[zoemurr]

I just wanted to say that I get balloons at our dollar store all the time - I've always gotten the ones that are already filled (only because it's quicker), and they always last at least 2 weeks. But, I remember I got one for my son a few years back - was decorated with sports stuff on it, that lasted at least 6 months, maybe longer! No lie - this thing just would not go down. It would float around the house from room to room - we would always joke about how it would last forever and we couldn't believe it was still up! Hmmm - I wonder if it's still in the house somewhere!

I just got unlucky. The only time I got a pre-filled one it only lasted 2 days. So now I make sure I have enough time to wait and get them filled.

 

[barkley]

check with you local dollar store before you buy balloons elsewhere and try to have them filled there.

recently i took a mylar balloon to ours to get it filled and they said they could not. i was suprised b/c the local where we previously lived would do it no problem. i made mention of this the following weekend when talking to a group of neighbors, and one of the neighbors remarked "good, i'm glad to hear they would'nt-if i had heard they had, i would be doing a personnel action on monday".

come to find out she's a regional manager with them and the stores are prohibited from filling balloons (latex and mylar) purchased elsewhere. something to do with incidents where balloons they were filling either burst or came loose during the filling process which can somehow trigger their ceiling fire systems (apparantly they've had one than one indident where they've gone off in a store full of customers). she said their insurance/risk managament mandated that they can only fill the ones they buy (i guess they take the responsibility that the ones are of a certain quality), and that an employee who ignores the repeated training/notices they have received on this can be terminated.

 

[Pixiedust34]

My dd's b-day was at the end of August, and her Dollar Store balloon is still going strong!

 

[barkley]

My dd's b-day was at the end of August, and her Dollar Store balloon is still going strong!

when we sold our last home it went on the market in the month of march-the last event prior where we had gotten a mylar helium ballon was the prior november. before the agent showing i was doing the big clean up, and one of the last things i had to do was get the insanely tall ladder from the garage to retrieve that november mylar balloon which while mostly deflated, had migrated up onto one of the plant shelves where it was still somewhat floating