How to Coupon at Dollar General (In Stores and in the App)

Does Dollar General accept manufacturer coupons? And how do you use DG coupons and digital coupons at Dollar General to begin with? I’m about to show you how!

In this post, you’ll learn the ins and outs of the Dollar General coupon policy and tricks to save big, like … using coupons on clearance items and getting comfortable with the Dollar General app. I’ll also explain what happened to DG Pickup and why you’re no longer going to get the option to pick up your online order in stores.

For more money-saving deals, tips, and coupons, download The Krazy Coupon Lady app or text HACKS to 57299.

1. Load up on DG coupons (aka digital coupons) in the Dollar General app — it’s totally free.

Once you download the DG app (iOS / Android) and create a free account, you can start clipping DG digital coupons. You can use these coupons at regular Dollar General stores or at Dollar General Market locations.

Related: Here’s how Dollar General Market vs. Dollar General compare.

2. Once you add Dollar General digital coupons to your account, you’ll redeem them at checkout using your phone number.

Tap any DG coupon you see in the app to add it to your saved coupon list. You’ll then use your phone number at the checkout pin pad to apply the coupons to your purchase.

3. You used to be able to apply coupons to a DG Pickup order, but that service went away on Dec. 1, 2023.

“Due to the positive feedback and success of Dollar General’s partnership with DoorDash, which provides convenient and contactless options for customers, we have decided to discontinue our DG Pickup offering effective on December 1, 2023.”

Can I use DG coupons with a DoorDash delivery order?

Unfortunately, no. You can’t apply any Dollar General coupons to a DoorDash delivery order, which means you also can’t use any $5 off $25 store coupons. And you won’t earn Dollar General Cash Back rewards if you order through DoorDash.

Related: We can teach you our best tactics for getting cheap or free DoorDash delivery.

4. Scan items with the DG Go Cart Calculator in the app to see how much you’ll save before you check out.

One of my favorite reasons for couponing at Dollar General? In select stores, you can use the DG GO! CartCalculator feature in the DG app to scan your items, check out, and pay all on your phone. Yep, you can skip the line entirely.

The best part is, all your digital coupons are automatically applied to your order so you can see how much you’ll save BEFORE you pay. Just make sure you set your location to the store where you're doing the shopping.

5. Dollar General offers “$5 off a $25 purchase” store coupons every Saturday.

These coupons are one-day-only coupons that are valid on the Saturday stated in the coupon fine print.

Find your $5 off $25 coupon each week in the DG app. They’ll also print out at the bottom of your receipt when you make any purchase at a Dollar General store Sunday through Friday.

Related: Do you use Food Lion coupons? We can teach you how to use your Dollar General $5 off $25 store coupon there, too!

6. Stack Dollar General store coupons with manufacturer coupons.

You can stack one Dollar General store coupon with one manufacturer coupon, as long as neither says “not valid with other coupons.”

Check the fine print on a Dollar General coupon — sometimes there are exceptions. For example, you can stack two or more Dollar General store coupons in a single transaction unless otherwise noted on the coupon or associated promotional art.

7. Save on name brands when you use coupons for items in the Dollar General $1 aisle.

Some of the best brands to use coupons on in the $1 aisle may include Bounty paper towels, Hefty zip bags, Glad plates, Crest toothpaste, Scott bath tissue, and more. Many items are trial-size and may not be valid with a coupon’s size requirements. Check your coupon’s fine print to be sure. Here’s one deal example:

• Buy four Purina Dog High Protein Wet Dog Food, 13-ounce, reg. price $1

• Use $2/4– Purina Dog Chow Wet Dog Food WYB (4) 13-ounce cans Alpo Wet Dog Food, Dollar General Digital Store Coupon (dollargeneral.com)

• Final Price: $0.50 each, when you buy four

8. Use DG coupons and digital manufacturer coupons with Dollar General’s clearance prices.

One of the best things about couponing at Dollar General is that you can use coupons on top of clearance prices!

9. Watch for Dollar General clearance events throughout the year.

Clearance events happen several times throughout the year at Dollar General — typically at the end of each season (spring, fall, summer, and winter) and after every holiday: Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

During a Dollar General clearance event, you’ll find marked-down seasonal products, clothing, household products, and more. Markdowns begin at 50% off, except for food and candy, which start at 25% off. Clearance prices will hit up to 90% off, typically around four weeks after the clearance event starts.

Other Dollar General clearance events to watch out for include their $0.25 clearance sale and 50% off clearance prices events that run for three days, typically Friday – Sunday.

10. Dollar General limits shoppers to five identical coupons per household, per day.

Most coupons contain limits of no more than four or more coupons per day. If you have a coupon without a stated limit (which is pretty rare), Dollar General will allow you to use no more than five identical coupons per day. This leads me to my next tip …

11. If your DG coupons/digital coupons are worth more than the item, Dollar General will no longer credit you the overage.

While Dollar General will still accept coupons with a value over the price of an item, they won’t credit you the difference anymore. Since they have to change out their point-of-sale systems in order to do this, some stores may still credit your transaction in the meantime.

12. Forget rain checks for out-of-stock merchandise at Dollar General.

If it’s out of stock, you’re out of luck at Dollar General. All coupon offers are only available while quantities last.

13. Dollar General won’t match competitor prices or accept competitor coupons.

Dollar General doesn’t match competitor ad prices, period.

Related: Here’s the full list of stores who will price match competitors.

14. You can’t split transactions to get around that five coupon limit.

The Dollar General coupon policy states that “transactions cannot be broken up to avoid coupon stacking restrictions,” so don’t even try.

15. Use rebate apps like Ibotta on top of DG coupons/digital coupons and sale prices.

Ibotta, Checkout 51, and Fetch Rewards are all free rebate apps that help you save money on certain groceries, retail items, alcohol, and more.

After purchasing the specified item for a rebate offer, snap a picture of your receipt in the app, and the app will give you cash back. Best part? You can use store and manufacturer coupons in addition to most rebate-app offers all on the same item. Check the fine print on offers carefully, though.

Once you’ve earned the minimum cash-out amount in whatever rebate app you use — like $20 for Ibotta — you transfer your earnings into a PayPal or Venmo account. Or redeem earnings for a gift card with Fetch Rewards (it has a $3 cash-out minimum).

16. BONUS: Save more with Dollar General penny deals on most Tuesdays.

Dollar General penny deals are items that Dollar General has a hard time selling and has already heavily discounted — usually past 90%. These products are marked down to $0.01 so store employees know to remove them from the floor, but sometimes they’re missed and left on the shelf where customers can find them. Discontinued items are usually discounted on Tuesdays, so head to the store early before they’re all scooped up! Check the latest items in our full guide to the Dollar General Penny List.

Keep in mind that some stores may not let you purchase these penny items once they ring up for $0.01 at the register.