Penny Shopping Guide
How to approach penny finds safely and efficiently.
Penny shopping works best when you prepare before visiting the store. Check the newest list, verify item details, and stay respectful of store policies while hunting.
The first time a friend told me she'd bought a bottle of shampoo at Dollar General for one cent, I genuinely thought she was exaggerating to make a good story. A single penny? For a real, full-size product, sitting right there on the shelf? I was sure there had to be a catch.
Then I actually found my first penny item — a random seasonal candle sitting untouched on a bottom shelf — and I understood immediately why people get hooked on this. It really is a bit like a treasure hunt, and once you know how the system works, it stops feeling like luck and starts feeling like a skill.
If you've never heard of this before, let me walk you through it the way I wish someone had walked me through it.
So… what actually IS penny shopping?
Here's the simple version: Dollar General puts old, discontinued or leftover seasonal items through a clearance cycle. First they're 50% off, then 70%, then 90%. If nobody buys them by the end of that cycle, the system drops the price all the way down to $0.01.
Yes. One cent. For a real item.
The catch? Stores are technically supposed to pull these items off the shelves before that happens. So finding them is basically a treasure hunt — the item has to still be sitting there, forgotten, waiting for someone like you to spot it.
How do I actually find these penny items?
This is where a little strategy goes a long way:
- 1
Get a penny list first
You need to know what you're hunting for before you walk in. We publish the full Dollar General penny list every week, so you always know which items to look for and when they're supposed to penny.
- 2
Match it exactly
This part is non-negotiable — the item in your hand has to match the list perfectly: same size, same colour, same style. Close enough doesn't count.
- 3
Check clearance first, then the normal shelf
Start in the clearance section, then check the item's usual spot too. Sometimes it's hiding in plain sight.
- 4
Download the Dollar General app
It has a barcode scanner built in and shows you the real price instantly. This is your best friend on a penny hunt.
- 5
Go early on drop day
New items usually drop on Tuesdays. If you know something is about to penny, try to be there right when the store opens.
The unwritten rules (please follow these!)
I learned these the hard way, so let me save you the awkward moment:
Never ask an employee about penny items
Most of the time they genuinely don't know, and asking just makes them double-check and pull the item before you can grab it.
Price-check with the app, not a cashier
If you ask a cashier to verify the price, you're giving them a chance to say no.
If it doesn't ring up as a penny, be kind
Say "oh, I thought it was on sale" and offer to put it back. It isn't the store's fault, and being cool about it keeps this whole penny-shopping world alive for everyone.
Don't trash the clearance section
Leave it tidy so the next person — and the employees — don't dread seeing you coming.
Cracking the code: what those dots and shapes mean
This is the part that confused me most when I started, so let me save you the headache. Dollar General tags have tiny coloured dots, stars and clover symbols on them, and they're not random — they're a secret little organising system tied to the season the item came out.
Here's how to actually use this:
- The dot or symbol tells you the category and season. A yellow dot on shoes means something different than a yellow dot on toys, so always check the category you're standing in front of.
- These symbols change every season. Don't assume last year's chart still applies — check for the newest version before you head out.
- Look at the tag itself, not just the barcode. The season and year are usually printed inside a little rectangle, and the UPC sits right below the barcode lines.
- Treat this as a bonus clue, not the main tool. The real price check is still scanning the barcode in the DG app; the colour coding just helps you guess which items are getting old enough to be penny candidates.
Old system vs. new system stores
Here's something that trips people up: not every Dollar General runs the same checkout system, and that changes how your coupons and discounts show up on your receipt.
- Old system stores print each coupon directly underneath the item it applies to, so you can trace exactly which discount matched which product.
- New system stores list all the coupons together at the bottom of the receipt, grouped instead of spread throughout.
- The $5 off $25 store coupon behaves differently too. On an old system receipt it prints out still attached at the bottom; on a new system receipt it does not — so don't panic if yours looks different.
- Why it matters: if you're ever trying to prove a price or match up a return, knowing which system your store uses means reading your receipt instead of getting confused at checkout.
Wait, is this even worth my time?
Honestly? It depends on your personality. If you love a good scavenger hunt and don't mind coming home empty-handed sometimes, you'll love this. If you only want a sure thing every time, this might frustrate you. But when you DO find something? That rush is real.
And it's not just random junk — people regularly score groceries, seasonal decor and clothing this way. Pairing your penny hunt with a stop through the clearance section on the same trip usually stacks your savings even more, since you're already right there scanning shelves.
If you're trying this for the first time
Don't try to memorise a list from three weeks ago — start with the freshest penny list you can find, because the newer it is, the more likely those items are still sitting on the shelf. Grab your list, snap photos of your local clearance section every time you're in the store (seriously, this habit pays off later), and go in with zero pressure and a sense of curiosity.
Actionable tip
Before your next Dollar General run, save this week's penny list on your phone, scan the clearance aisle first, and use the DG app's barcode scanner on anything that looks like a match — don't ask an employee, just scan and see what pops up. That's the whole trick.
Save this week's penny listCommon questions
Dollar General puts old, discontinued or leftover seasonal stock through a clearance cycle — 50% off, then 70%, then 90%. If nobody buys it by the end of that cycle, the system drops the price to $0.01. Stores are supposed to pull those items before that happens, so finding one means finding something that was forgotten on the shelf.
Penny items are not meant to be sold, so no store is obliged to sell one to you. Many will if the item is on the shelf and scans at $0.01. Treat every find as a maybe, and be gracious when the answer is no.
Scan the barcode in the Dollar General app — that is the only real price check. The item also has to match the penny list exactly: same size, same colour, same style. A different variant is a different UPC and a different price.
No. Most employees genuinely don't know which items have pennied, and asking usually means the item gets pulled before you can buy it. Use the app's scanner instead.
The most common reasons: the store already pulled that batch, the item on the shelf is a different variant from the one on the list, or the register is blocking the sale. Any of those is a normal outcome — put it back politely and move on.
Ready to go hunting?
Start with this week's codes, then see what else is worth a trip.