If you’re a teacher or school administrator who needs to buy school supplies for your own kids, listen up. The Dollar General teacher discount pops up every back-to-school season, and it’ll save you 30% on up to four separate purchases — as long as you verify your status using a few simple steps.
During the height of the back-to-school shopping season, we found a few Dollar General deals that made their prices even lower than Walmart’s, as long as you applied your teacher discount.
Here’s how the DG teacher discount works and how to maximize your savings during the offer window from mid-July to mid-September.
Download The Krazy Coupon Lady app for even more back-to-school savings tips, or text HACKS to 57299.
The Dollar General teacher discount gave you 30% off from July 21 – Sept. 15, 2023.
Every back-to-school season, Dollar General makes a teacher discount available. In 2023, the discount was 30% off your purchases from July 21 through Sept. 15, 2023. You could qualify for this discount if you are a:
- Teacher
- Educator
- Administrator
Related: We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of 60+ best teacher discounts and freebies.
You’ll sign up for the discount on Dollar General’s website.
You have to bust out a browser to sign up for the Dollar General teacher discount. Simply visit the teacher landing page on their website from mid-July to mid-September, then select the “Click here to sign up” button.
You’ll then be asked to vouch for yourself as a teacher, educator, or administrator. You’ll also need to provide the school’s address. You can opt into special promotional emails during the process, but it’s not required.
Clip the teacher coupon in the DG app a couple of days later.
It takes anywhere from 24 – 48 hours for your teacher discount coupon to appear in your account. So a day or two after you sign up, you should see the 30% off coupon pop up in your DG app‘s coupon section (or you can access it by signing into your account using your laptop).
Make sure to clip the coupon or else you won’t be able to use it! If you shop in person, don’t forget to enter your phone number at checkout. That’s how all your Dollar General digital coupons will be applied to your cart.
You can use the teacher discount up to four times over two months.
There is a limit on how many times you can use your teacher discount. You’ll be able to use it up to four times between the offer period, which usually lasts two months. So make sure you use it on your largest orders rather than making a bunch of small purchases.
Related: Here’s how the Staples Teacher Discount works.
You can’t stack the teacher discount with other coupons.
Bummer, but true. You’re going to see a lot of Dollar General coupons over the next few weeks with the back-to-school bonanza, including the regularly occurring $2 off $10 school supplies coupon we shared in our Dollar General school supplies roundup. But you’re not gonna be able to stack the savings. It’s an either/or situation, rather than a “yes, and.”
Related: We can give you a quick rundown of the Dollar General Coupon Policy so you know how it works.
This discount can get you lower prices at Dollar General than at Walmart on select items.
Depending on the current sales, the 30% off Dollar General discount can get you an even lower price on select items versus shopping back-to-school at Walmart. But it’s really gonna depend on the item you’re buying and your timing.
For example, in August 2023, these items were cheaper at Dollar General with the teacher discount:
Crayola Crayons, 24-Count
- Dollar General: $0.50 (reg. $1.50) — as low as $0.35 with the discount
- Walmart: $0.50 (reg. $1.44)
Crayola Colored Pencils, 12-Count
- Dollar General: $1 (reg. $2) — as low as $0.70 with the discount
- Walmart: $0.97 (reg. $1.97)
Kids’ Scissors
- Dollar General: $0.75 (reg. $1) — as low as $0.53 with the discount
- Walmart: $0.74 (reg. $0.99)
Lysol Disinfecting Wipes
- Dollar General: $6 — as low as $4.20 with the discount
- Walmart: $5.97
Some items were priced identically after accounting for the Dollar General teacher discount:
One-Subject Wide Ruled Notebook
- Dollar General: $0.50 (reg. $1) — as low as $0.35 with the discount
- Walmart: $0.35 (reg. $0.97)
Then there are some items that were just straight up cheaper at Walmart — regardless of the Dollar General teacher discount:
Composition Notebook, 100 Pages
- Dollar General: $0.75 (reg. $1) — as low as $0.53 with the discount
- Walmart: $0.50 (reg. $0.97)
Ticonderoga No. 2 Pencils
- Dollar General: $3 for a 10-count — as low as $2.10 with the discount, or $0.21/pencil
- Walmart: $3.97 for a 24-count (reg. $4.97), or $0.17/pencil
Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Glue Sticks
- Dollar General: $0.75 for 1-count (reg. $1) — as low as $0.53 with the discount, or $0.53/glue stick
- Walmart: $0.50 for 2-count (reg. $1.37), or $0.25/glue stick
TIP: Back-to-school sales aren’t just for pencils and paper — you’ll often see discounts on white boards, Expo markers, and classroom decorations, too.
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