I shopped like Gen Z and saved $456 on dupes I found at Five Below

I went to a Manhattan location of Five Below in December with a $50 budget and found fun stocking stuffers.

In February, I tried a more suburban location on Long Island. I didn't see any difference in quality or selection.

A water bottle has become a trendy accessory. But water bottle trends are lasting increasingly shorter — in the last couple of years alone, the "it" water bottle has changed from S'well to Hydro Flask to Stanley to Owala.

The Stanley Quencher — or "Stanley cup," as it's called — is a 40-ounce stainless steel tumbler.

As a brand, Stanley has been around for decades, but the Quencher has recently become a hit due to its trendy, influencer-friendly color variants and ease of use.

It's paid off for the company in a major way: Stanley's revenue, which was $73 million in 2019, was projected to hit $750 million last year, CNBC reported in December, citing data from the company.

In the past, I've bought a HydraPeak look-alike at T.J. Maxx, which I love. But my mom was in the market for a new water vessel, so I figured it would be perfect to grab a cheaper dupe at Five Below.

I saved almost $30, and I was pleased with this purchase. Is the color my favorite? No, but I can mix it up with any of the common pastel Stanley variants.

Water-bottle bags or pouches are exactly what they sound like: A sling that lets you still not carry a huge purse but allows you to walk around without just holding your water bottle.

It has two pockets: one for the actual water bottle, and then another zipped one for your keys, phone, etc.

As smaller and smaller purses become trendy, and as athleisure continues to stay in style, a water-bottle bag is a must-have.

The prints were even similar. CalPak's is covered in daisies, while Five Below's versions have lemons and cherries. These also had two pockets: a zippered one in the back and an elastic one in the front.

Of course, this doesn't fit a Stanley cup, but it did fit my normal Hydro Flask.

The best-known Baggu item is its nylon Crescent Bag, which, as Vice pointed out, is worth the hype.

Now, the brand's simple and puffy aesthetic is taking off.

I've been using this for a few days, and I've been pleased. It has sufficient cushioning and I like the colors.

As Apartment Therapy noted, the Barefoot Dreams blanket has an "ultra-plush and fuzzy feel," which contributes to its popularity.

The Five Below version is smaller than the original, which works for me. This seems like a good travel blanket, and at $5, I won't be concerned if it gets lost or ruined.

Skims, Kim Kardashian's $4 billion shapewear brand, has developed a strong following since its launch in 2019. I own a few pieces, including the internet-favorite Seamless Sculpt Bodysuit.

But it's not always in the budget to spend at least $50 on shapewear.

The biggest difference between the two is that the Five Below dupe doesn't have adjustable straps, which is a plus for Skims.

But besides that, I was satisfied with this piece. It wasn't too thin, it had good stretch, and it didn't feel cheap at all. I'll be wearing this in the summer for sure.

Pink and heart-shaped accessories are all the rage after a summer of celebrating Barbie and girlhood. So it's no surprise that Urban Outfitters is capitalizing on this trend with a heart-shaped pink mirror.

Besides a slight shift in color, this was exactly the same.

Instead of using a typical makeup brush for foundation or blush, many people will use this sponge instead. I've gone through a few Beautyblenders in my time, though I don't feel like they last long enough to spend $20 on.

The Wet 'n Wild variant was the exact same color but has a slightly different shape. A Beautyblender has no flat surfaces and is instead a perfect teardrop shape.

This sponge has a flat side, making it easier to lay flat on my vanity without worrying it will roll away.

I get advertisements for Hatch alarm clocks on almost every podcast I listen to, but I can't justify spending $200 on a glorified white-noise machine.

This shape and concept appear to be modeled after the Hatch. I've used it for a few days now, and it certainly does what's advertised. It has a light setting, and it's an alarm clock.

At this price point, I'm not really expecting long-term wear and tear. But I will know that if I love the cheaper version of something, it might be worth investing in the more-expensive version down the road. But for now, these dupes will do the trick.