Dollar General Surprise Pennies – Hidden $0.01 Deals!
If you love the thrill of Dollar General penny shopping, today is your lucky day — Surprise Pennies just dropped at Dollar General, and the hunt is officially on! These are the unadvertised markdowns every shopper dreams about… the items that quietly flip to $0.01, leaving only the fastest and savviest deal hunters to grab them. Whether you’re checking your local DG first thing this morning or heading out after work, make sure your Dollar General app scanner is ready because these surprise pennies tend to get wiped out fast. Keep scrolling for the latest surprise penny list, UPCs, and everything you need to score BIG on today’s hidden deals!
Surprise Penny Items 11/18/2025
Jell-O
- No Bake Oreo Dessert Kit with Filling Mix, Crust Mix & more (12.6 oz)
Clover Valley
- Instant Banana Pudding & Pie Filling, 3.4 oz – UPC 194888000136
- Fruit Snacks Tropical Fruit Flavor, 32 ct – UPC 818480018558
Betty Crocker
- Blueberry Muffin Pouch, 6.5 oz – UPC 16000302303
- Delights Super Moist Party Rainbow Chip Cake Mix, 13.25 oz – UPC 16000207578
- Original Rainbow Chip Frosting, 16 oz – UPC 16000460706
- Triple Berry Muffin Mix, 6.5 oz – UPC 16000305908
- Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix, 6.5 oz – UPC 16000305007
Morton
- Season-All Seasoned Salt – Blend of Salt & Savory Spices, 8 oz – UPC 24600017565
What Are Surprise Pennies?
Surprise pennies are unadvertised items at Dollar General that suddenly drop to just $0.01 without being included on the weekly penny list. These hidden markdowns usually happen when items are discontinued, seasonal, or marked for final clearance. They won’t have penny tags on the shelf — the only way to verify them is by scanning with the Dollar General app or at the register. Because they aren’t announced and quantities are extremely limited, surprise pennies are some of the most exciting finds for penny shoppers, and they often disappear quickly once discovered.
Finding new Dollar General surprise penny items is easier than most shoppers realize, and the Dollar General app is the key to spotting these hidden $0.01 deals before anyone else. Start by opening the app and selecting a category — for example, Baking & Cake Mixes. Scroll to the product list, choose Sort → Low to High, and apply the filter. When surprise pennies have dropped, the $0.01 items will rise to the top of the list. You can also search by brand from the current penny list; for example, if Betty Crocker items are expected to penny, type “Betty Crocker,” sort low to high, and look for any items showing one cent. Timing is everything: surprise pennies typically update very early in the morning, most often between 2:30 AM and 6:00 AM EST, with the sweet spot being 2:30–4:30 AM. Checking during these hours increases your chances of seeing penny items before they disappear. With consistent early-morning checks and strategic sorting in the DG app, you’ll be able to uncover surprise pennies faster than the competition.
How to Find Surprise Penny Items at Dollar General
- Open the Dollar General App. This is the easiest and fastest way to detect new surprise pennies.
- Choose a category to search. The category I am using in the example is Food & Beverage then a subcategory Baking & Cake Mixes, but any category works. I use a category based on what the upcoming penny list is showing.
- Scroll to the product list and tap Sort → Low to High. When a surprise penny drop happens, $0.01 items automatically float to the top of the results.
- Search by brand from the current penny list. If items like Betty Crocker are expected to penny, type the brand name and sort low to high. This method quickly reveals newly pennied items.
- Check during peak penny-drop hours. Most surprise pennies update between 2:30 AM and 3:30 AM EST, with dropping off the visibility of the list anywhere from 4:00 AM–6:00 AM.
- Refresh and recheck multiple times. Some items appear in the app before they show in stores, giving you an early advantage.
By using these early-morning search strategies and sorting tools in the DG app, you’ll spot Dollar General surprise pennies faster than most shoppers — long before the shelves are cleared.
How to Find Surprise Pennies in Stores
Use the Dollar General App Scanner
The DG app scanner is your #1 tool when searching for new surprise pennies inside the store. Follow these simple steps:
- Open the Dollar General app.
- Make sure you have the correct store selected in the app.
- Tap the scanner icon at the top-right of the screen.
- Scan the barcode of any item you suspect may have pennied.
- If it rings up $0.01, you found a surprise penny!
How Often Do Surprise Pennies Drop?
Surprise pennies at Dollar General can drop at any time, which is why they’re some of the most exciting and unpredictable finds for penny shoppers. These hidden markdowns often appear completely randomly and may occur multiple times a month. They are commonly triggered during seasonal resets, after clearance events, and throughout sectional or planogram resets when older inventory is pulled forward or removed. Surprise pennies can also surface when stores are restocking seasonal merchandise, uncovering items that were previously missed during routine pull processes. Because there is no set schedule, staying connected to penny-shopping communities and monitoring real-time reports is the best way to catch these drops before the shelves are cleared.
- Randomly
- Multiple times a month
- During seasonal resets
- After clearance events
- During sectional resets (Planogram resets)
- During restocking of seasonal items
Best Strategies to Score Surprise Pennies Before They’re Gone
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Go early.
Penny pros shop right after stores open for the best chance. -
Plan a store route.
Hit multiple Dollar General locations — each store has different stock levels and hidden items. -
Scan frequently.
Some surprise pennies appear in the app hours before other stores update. -
Stay connected to reliable penny sources.
Follow our weekly penny lists, alerts, and real-time updates.
Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ImCrazyforCouponing
What to Do If a Surprise Penny Rings Up Full Price
Sometimes surprise pennies don’t scan the same across all Dollar General stores. If an item shows $0.01 in the app or was reported as a penny elsewhere, but it rings up full price at the register, here are the most common reasons:
- The app shows $0.01 but the register shows full price.
- The item pennied at one store but not another.
- Systems haven’t updated yet — penny timing varies by store.
If this happens, you can politely ask for a quick price check. If the price remains full, it usually means the store’s system has not updated. In that case, simply move on — another location may already have the correct penny price.
Can Dollar General Refuse to Sell Penny Items?
Many shoppers worry about whether Dollar General employees can refuse to sell penny items, but the policy is clear: if a penny item is found on the sales floor, it should be sold. Here’s what you need to know:
- If a penny item is on the shelf, Dollar General policy states it must be sold.
- Employees are not supposed to refuse a sale because an item rings up for a penny. If they do, you can politely ask if the policy has recently changed.
- If the situation becomes uncomfortable, it’s best to walk away — another store may have the same penny item with no issues.
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Do all stores have the same surprise pennies?
Most of the time, surprise pennies are corporate-wide, but not all stores will carry the same inventory. -
How long do surprise pennies last?
Surprise pennies last until they are pulled from shelves or purchased by shoppers. -
Do surprise pennies reset weekly?
No. They drop unpredictably and can appear any day of the week, though Monday and Tuesday drops are most common. -
Are surprise pennies the same as clearance?
No. Clearance items are marked with visible discounts, while penny items are hidden and only revealed through scanning.
Tools Every Penny Shopper Should Have
- Dollar General App
- UPC photos or screenshots
- A tote bag or bin for organizing finds
- Comfortable shoes — penny shopping is a workout!
Final Tips for Scoring Dollar General Surprise Pennies
Surprise pennies can appear at any time, so stay alert. Scan often, learn packaging changes, stay active in the DG community, and be ready to move when new surprise penny drops are reported. With a little practice — and this guide — you’ll start spotting hidden one-cent deals like a pro.
