Dollar General is a go-to store for budget shoppers, but did you know there’s a way to score items for just one cent? Known as “penny items,” these ultra-discounted products are hidden treasures savvy shoppers hunt for every week. These items aren’t advertised, but with the right strategy, you can find them and pay just a penny at checkout. So, how do you penny shop at Dollar General? Here’s everything you need to know about the retail store’s penny items.
1. What Are Penny Items?
Penny items are products that Dollar General heavily discounts to clear from store shelves. These items are marked down over time until they reach one cent in the system. Once an item hits a penny, employees are supposed to remove it, but if it remains on the shelf, customers can buy it for just $0.01. Finding penny items requires patience, timing, and knowing what to look for.
2. How to Find Penny Items
Penny items aren’t labeled as such, so you need to know which products have reached this price. Many deal-finding communities share weekly penny lists based on markdown schedules. These items are often seasonal goods, discontinued products, or old stock. Scanning barcodes with the Dollar General app can help confirm pricing. Shoppers who check clearance sections and hidden corners of the store often have the best luck finding these items.
3. When Do Penny Items Get Updated?
Dollar General updates its penny list weekly, typically on Tuesdays. New markdowns appear in the system, meaning older clearance items may have dropped to one cent. Checking stores on Tuesday mornings gives you the best chance of finding penny deals before employees remove them. However, some locations may not pull penny items right away, so checking later in the week can still lead to finds.
4. What Types of Items Go on the Penny List?
Many penny items are seasonal decorations, holiday-themed goods, and discontinued products. Clothing, home décor, non-perishable food, and health and beauty items also frequently hit the penny list. Occasionally, household essentials like cleaning products and paper goods are marked down to a penny. The variety changes weekly, so staying updated on penny lists is key to finding the best deals.
5. Can Employees Refuse to Sell Penny Items?
According to Dollar General’s policy, if an item rings up as a penny, the store must sell it to the customer. However, some employees may try to remove penny items from shelves when they find them. If an item scans at one cent, politely remind the cashier that Dollar General’s policy requires them to honor the price. Having the store’s policy saved on your phone can be helpful in case of disputes.
6. Tips for Successful Penny Shopping
To increase your chances of finding penny items, visit stores in less busy areas where markdowns may stay on shelves longer. Use the Dollar General app to scan barcodes and verify prices before heading to checkout. Be discreet about penny shopping to avoid drawing attention to items before purchasing them. Checking endcaps, clearance bins, and bottom shelves often leads to the best finds.
7. Are Penny Items Available at All Dollar General Locations?
Most Dollar General stores follow the same markdown schedules, but inventory varies by location. Some stores may remove penny items quickly, while others leave them on shelves for longer. If one store doesn’t have any penny items, checking another location may lead to better luck. Each store’s clearance section can be different, so exploring multiple locations can increase your finds.
8. Should You Call the Store to Ask About Penny Items?
It’s best not to call Dollar General locations asking about penny items. Employees are instructed to remove them from shelves once they reach a penny, so drawing attention to them may reduce your chances of finding deals. Instead, visit stores in person and use online penny lists to guide your shopping. Quietly scanning items and checking markdown sections is the best strategy for success.
9. The Risks and Rewards of Penny Shopping
While penny shopping can lead to major savings, it requires patience and persistence. Not every trip will result in penny finds, and some stores may be stricter about removing items. However, those who consistently check for penny items can score products for next to nothing. The thrill of finding a great deal keeps dedicated shoppers coming back for more.
10. Where to Find Weekly Penny Lists
Penny lists are shared by deal hunters and couponing communities online. Websites, Facebook groups, and YouTube channels dedicated to Dollar General shopping often post the latest markdowns. Checking these sources before heading to the store can give you a better idea of what to look for. Staying informed is the key to making the most of Dollar General’s penny deals.
Dollar General Glitches That Can Help You Save Even More
Even though the “penny list” is supposed to represent items that have already been removed from the sales floor, system glitches and human error mean that many of these items still linger—giving savvy shoppers a golden opportunity. Sometimes managers don’t receive the full penny-pull list or forget to pull a few items. Reddit users report that “items your manager either forgot or just didn’t pull” often stay on shelves. In other cases, employees might mislabel or misplace clearance items so that the register still interprets them as full price. Those slipups can allow some products scheduled to be “pennied out” to still scan at the lower price.
Another glitch to watch for is the timing mismatch between the store’s internal pricing system and register updates. Some penny shoppers say registers don’t get pushed with the new penny prices until later in the day, even though the markdown was scheduled for early morning. Once the register “catches up,” those items briefly ring full price, but scanning them again later (or via a price check) may trigger the penny price. Stores with slower system updates or self-check registers seem especially prone to this lag. (Many penny-shopping forums emphasize scanning everything before you pay.)
There’s also a “double-glitch” that some couponers chase. By pairing a penny item (or one about to penny out) with a manufacturer’s coupon or “digital discount” that doesn’t fully exclude clearance, the system may stack in your favor. For example, a coupon that knocks off $1.00 from a clearance SKU that should be $0.01 might force the system into negative pricing (or force the register to treat the item as free or drastically underpriced). Videos and coupon-community channels frequently mention “confirmed double glitches” circulating in 2025.
Of course, using glitches isn’t risk-free. Some stores refuse to honor penny items when they catch them—despite company policy—and may claim the discount was a mistake. Be sure to stay cordial, know your rights, and be ready to quietly escalate (ask a manager) if a penny item doesn’t register correctly. And always keep in mind that glitches are temporary; once they’re noticed by store leadership, they’re usually patched or disciplined. But until then, those who watch the timing, scan aggressively, and understand stacking quirks might snag dramatic bargains on deeply discounted inventory.
Saving Money Has Never Been So Rewarding
Penny shopping at Dollar General is a fun and rewarding way to save money on everyday essentials. While finding these hidden deals takes effort, the savings can be huge. With the right knowledge and strategy, you can take advantage of Dollar General’s markdown system and pay just pennies for useful products. Happy penny hunting!
Have you ever taken advantage of Dollar General’s penny items or other glitches? Tell us about how you are saving in the comments.
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The post Everything You Should Know About Dollar General’s Penny Items appeared first on Grocery Coupon Guide.
