Dollar General Penny Deals — How To Score Major Savings (If You Act Fast)

Dollar General is known for selling name-brand goods for cheap, but if you look closely, you might just find a few deals worth only a penny. While Dollar Tree has "Bonus Buys," Dollar General has "penny deals," which are sometimes available on majorly-discounted goods, such as post-holiday clearance sales weeks after the holiday ends, though it seems like anything can be marked down at any given time. However, these deals aren't easy to find. You have to know exactly how, when, and where to look.

Rumor has it that the penny deals are never actually announced. Instead, the products appear to be entered into Dollar General's system at one cent, purportedly signaling to the employees that it's time to pull those products from the shelves. However, if you act fast and scour the internet, you can find the deals before they're gone, then head to your local store and grab the discounted products. Eagle-eyed consumers online suggest shopping on Tuesday or Wednesday mornings, when most penny items seem to be added to the system; you have the best chance of grabbing them before they're pulled (or purchased).

To find out which items are penny deals, your best bet is to look online. Dollar General won't officially announce anything, but a number of Facebook groups, such as Dollar General Penny Shopping, plus various Reddit threads, often post lists of items allegedly dropping in price (or those that have already dropped). From there, run — don't walk — to your nearest store.

One way to potentially score Dollar General's penny deals is to download the app. You can scan the product directly to see its true cost (which might differ from the price on its label). This is the easiest way to quickly find out whether something's been marked down because employees allegedly may not tell you which items are penny deals, even if you ask (though some shoppers claim it's still worth asking).

You can learn how to navigate penny deals from people who have already benefited from them and know the tips and tricks. "If the store is brand standard (cleaned and well stocked), skip it. You will waste your time. They will already be pulled. You want [a] messy store to visit," one user suggested on Reddit. Another important tip from Facebook: In addition to employees possibly not helping you find the items, they also don't have to sell them to you (because they're technically supposed to be removed from store shelves). Shoppers say they often still will, but don't he surprised if they won't.

Finally, avid penny shoppers suggest searching for in-store items marked with colored dots and scanning them in the app to check their price. While there's no guarantee they'll cost a penny, the red, blue, green, and orange dots sometimes signal discounted items. It's just another way to potentially score a penny item outside of the posted lists. Happy hunting!