How to Penny Shop at Dollar General (Beginner's Guide)
New to Dollar General penny shopping? It's simpler than it looks: find discontinued items still on the shelf, scan to check the price, and buy the ones that ring up a penny. Here's the whole process, step by step.
Step 1 — Get the Dollar General app
Download the official Dollar General app and create an account. Its built-in barcode scanner lets you check a price quietly, without asking an employee or drawing attention. Set your store in the app so prices reflect that location.
Step 2 — Hunt where clearance hides
Penny items are discontinued products that should have been pulled but are still on the shelf. Look in clearance sections, on endcaps, and especially on the top and bottom shelves and in seasonal aisles — the least-maintained spots, where missed items linger. Items that look out of season or dusty are good candidates.
Step 3 — Scan to check the price
Open the app's scanner and scan the barcode. If it shows $0.01 (or $0.00), it's a penny. If it shows a normal price, decide whether it's worth it at that price or move on. Scanning is how you find pennies discreetly — no need to ask staff.
Step 4 — Read the tags for what's coming
Clearance tags show a percentage (30/50/70) on orange/yellow stickers. 90% off is the big tell that an item is near the end of the line — often a week or two from a penny. Note those and check back. The full system is in Dollar General's clearance schedule.
Step 5 — Time it for Tuesday
New pennies and markdowns generally hit Tuesday morning after an overnight Monday update. A Tuesday or Wednesday trip catches the freshest cascade before other shoppers clear it out.
Step 6 — Handle the register right
Bring your items up and pay. If they ring a penny, great. If an associate declines, accept it gracefully and move on. Critically: don't call corporate and don't ask employees to price-check or pull back-stock — that gets stores flagged and dries up future pennies. See the etiquette guide for the full do's and don'ts.
A quick note on matching
Match items exactly — size, count, scent, and flavor are separate products, and a packaging change can make a new full-price item look identical to the pennied old one. The barcode you scan is the truth.
FAQ
How do you penny shop at Dollar General?
Find discontinued items still on the shelf (check clearance sections, endcaps, and top/bottom shelves), scan them with the Dollar General app, and buy the ones that ring up $0.01. Time trips for Tuesday and follow register etiquette.
What app do I use for Dollar General penny shopping?
The official Dollar General app — its barcode scanner lets you check prices quietly. Set your store so prices are accurate, then scan items to see if they ring up a penny.
How do I know if something is a penny at Dollar General?
Scan the barcode in the DG app. If it shows $0.01 (or $0.00), it's a penny. 90% off on the tag is a strong sign an item is about to become one.
What should I not do when penny shopping?
Don't call corporate to report a store, don't ask employees to price-check or dig through back-stock, don't clear shelves to resell, and never alter a tag. These protect the stores from getting flagged and keep pennies available.