On Tuesday, a Cuban woman living in the United States took to TikTok to showcase her entire shopping spree at Dollar Tree. She spent $113 on a variety of items intended for her family in Cuba, ranging from Oreo cookies and instant soups to candles, toothbrushes, and an iPhone charging cable.
Lisandra, who shares her experiences on TikTok under the handle @lisi.rodriguez3, recorded a nearly three-minute video where she displays each item she put in her cart. Her clear motivation: "I want to bring them everything we try here that they can't try there."
The food items she selected included vanilla and strawberry sherbets, Oreo cookies, gummies, chips, marshmallows, garlic-flavored breadsticks, chicken and beef instant soups—with five packages each—a sandwich-style pasta, and wafer sticks.
Despite not personally liking marshmallows, Lisandra still purchased them, acknowledging, "Personally, I don't like them, but these are things they don't get to try over there."
Household and Personal Care Items
In terms of hygiene and cleaning supplies, her haul included absorbent pads, two rolls of paper towels, toilet paper, multi-purpose wipes, kitchen towels, toothbrushes for both adults and kids, and acne patches.
Her cart also featured household accessories: a puzzle, makeup crayons, a headband, a hat for her sister—"she has curly hair, she's been asking me for it for a while"—an iPhone charging cable, and two packs of candles. Reflecting on the candles, Lisandra noted, "I don't know if they have many in Cuba right now, but for one twenty-five, six little candles are a great deal."
A Growing Trend Among Cuban Diaspora
This shopping practice is part of a growing trend among the Cuban diaspora in the United States, documented since November 2024. They use budget-friendly stores to maximize the number of goods sent to the island within limited budgets. Other similar videos show purchases ranging from $21 to $120 being sent to Cuba.
The motivation behind these shipments is Cuba's deepening crisis. The average state salary is around 7,000 pesos per month, while a pound of rice costs over 400 pesos, a carton of 30 eggs is about 3,000 pesos, and five kilograms of beans exceed 8,000 pesos. The informal exchange rate for dollars skyrocketed from 435 pesos in December 2025 to 670 pesos by July 2026.
Worsening the situation, the official supply chain has collapsed. In June 2026, Cuba's Minister of Food Industry admitted that the regulated food basket hadn't distributed oil, chicken, or yogurt all year, and children in Havana have gone over two months without receiving meat or ground beef through ration books.
In this context, packages sent from Miami and other U.S. cities have become a lifeline for thousands of Cuban families. Dollar Tree—where the base price in 2026 ranges from $1.25 to $1.50 per item—allows every dollar to stretch further.
Earlier this year, in April, another Cuban woman spent $91 at Dollar Tree to send a package to her mother and grandmother on the island. This video also resonated widely within the Cuban community on social media.
Understanding the Dollar Tree Shopping Trend for Cuba
Why are Cubans in the U.S. sending packages to Cuba from Dollar Tree?
Cubans in the U.S. are sending packages from Dollar Tree to maximize the number of products they can send within a limited budget due to the economic crisis in Cuba. Basic necessities are scarce, and sending goods from the U.S. has become a crucial support system for families on the island.
What kind of products are typically sent to Cuba?
Products sent to Cuba often include food items like cookies, soups, and snacks, as well as essential household and personal care items such as toothbrushes, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies.
How does the economic situation in Cuba affect these shipments?
The dire economic situation in Cuba, characterized by high inflation and a collapsed supply chain, makes it difficult for residents to access basic goods. This has increased reliance on packages from abroad, making shipments from the U.S. an essential part of survival for many families.