What is Penny Shopping?
Penny shopping at Dollar General is when certain clearance or discontinued items ring up for $0.01 at checkout. It’s a real thing—but it takes the right list, exact item matches, and a bit of patience.
What “Penny Items” Are
- Discontinued or Seasonal: Items that have reached the end of their clearance cycle (50% → 70% → 90% → $0.01).
- Supposed to be removed: Stores are technically supposed to pull these from shelves, but they often get missed.
The #1 Rule: Exact Match Only
Penny shopping depends on an exact match. If it’s not the exact match from the list, it probably won’t ring up as a penny.
- Same product name
- Same size/variant/scent
- Same packaging version
Step-by-Step Process
- Get the List: Check our weekly penny list updates. Fresh lists are easier than older ones.
- Scan: Use the DG App to verify prices. This is crucial.
- Find: Check clearance aisles, endcaps, and even regular aisles.
- Buy: Checkout normally. If it rings up $0.01, it’s yours!
Visual Reference Guides
Use these charts to identify tags, codes, and symbols.
at the bottom of your browser.
.