I used to work at The Home Depot and often heard rumors of “penny items”, but unfortunately I didn’t work their long enough to ever actually see one. While it may sound too good to be true, they absolutely DO EXIST and they will indeed sell products for just one cent. These “hidden gems” are always unadvertised and not widely known, which makes them even more thrilling to find—especially for savvy Home Depot shoppers who know what to look for.

What Are Home Depot Penny Items?

Penny items are products that have been heavily marked down—usually to clear out discontinued, damaged, seasonal, or outdated merchandise.

When an item is reduced to $0.01 in Home Depot’s system, it’s essentially a signal to employees that the item should be removed from the shelves and either thrown out or returned to the vendor.

However, these items sometimes remain on the floor—and that’s when shoppers have the chance to snag them.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON PENNY ITEMS

Home Depot employees are NOT supposed to sell penny items to customers. If an associate sees a penny item on the shelf, they’re instructed to pull it immediately.

That means if you find one and it rings up for a penny, there’s a chance the cashier might not let you buy it. But below I’ve documented several ways to increase your odds of getting these deals; as long as you know how to go about it.

See Also: Employees Give Me 15 Clever ways to Save at The Home Depot

Why Do These Items Even Exist?

Home Depot moves a ton of inventory across its stores—so when something gets damaged, recalled, or just discontinued, it’s got to go.

Instead of slapping on a clearance sticker, they’ll often mark it down to just $0.01. That penny price? It’s basically code for “pull this off the shelf and toss it.”

But here’s the thing: employees don’t always catch it right away. So every now and then, lucky shoppers stumble across these penny-priced hidden gems before they’re removed.

It’s rare—but when it happens, it feels like winning the clearance lottery.

PRO TIP: SHOP DURING STORE RESET HOURS

From my days working at Home Depot, I know that they restock shelves early in the morning or late at night.

So I highly recommend going during off-peak hours (think 7 – 9 a.m. on a weekday or just after opening on a Sunday).

You’ll often catch items just before they’re pulled—or notice employees wheeling out carts of clearance or “go-backs” that may include penny items.

How to Find Penny Items at Home Depot

Finding penny items isn’t a guarantee, but with the right approach and persistence, you can get lucky.

Here’s how to increase your odds:

1. Learn to Read Price Tags

Home Depot uses yellow clearance stickers that can tell you a lot—if you know what to look for.

Most clearance items will be marked with a yellow (sometimes orange) sticker showing the reduced price.

KEY: Pay attention to the date printed on the tag.

If it’s an older date (usually several weeks or months old), and the item is still sitting on the shelf, there’s a chance it may have dropped further in price—possibly to a penny.

Also, look for clearance tags ending in either .06 or .03.

These often indicate markdowns:

Prices ending in .06 usually mean the item will be marked down again in 6 weeks from the date on the tag.

Prices ending in .03 indicates a final clearance, and the item will be pulled or dropped to a penny if it doesn’t sellout in 3 weeks from the date on the tag.

PRO TIP: HIT THE “DAMAGED” & “OPEN BOX” SECTIONS

Many penny items end up in the back corners of the store, like in the “Damaged Packaging”, “Open Box” or “Clearance Pallet” areas.

These are often overlooked by regular shoppers and sometimes ignored by employees too.

Scan every barcode—even if the item looks unappealing. That beat-up toolbox or dusty light fixture might scan for a penny OR provide great ammunition to negotiate a deal.

2. Scan Items with the Home Depot App

The Home Depot mobile app is one of the best tools for finding penny items.

You can use it to scan barcodes in-store of clearance items and check the current price.

If you scan an item and it comes up as $0.01, you’ve absolutely found a penny deal, now head to the self-checkout aisle and buy it quickly.

Just be aware that prices may vary by store, and the app occasionally lags in updating inventory.

PRO TIP: REVERSE SHOP FROM HOME

Before you even leave the house, use the Home Depot app to search for clearance items at your local store by typing in general terms like “clearance”, “discontinued” or “special buy”.

Narrow your store location and sort by price. If you see items listed for $0.01 or suspiciously low prices, take note of the SKU or UPC.

This saves a ton of time and helps you hunt with purpose once you get to the store.

3. Know Where to Look

If you’re hunting for penny deals, there’s a few spots you definitely wanna check first.

Seasonal stuff is a goldmine — think garden stuff after summer, Christmas lights in January, Halloween junk in November — they wanna clear it out fast.

Lighting and fixtures too — if it looks old, discontinued, or just kinda sad, there’s a good chance it’s marked way down.

Same thing with tools — older models, open boxes, random accessories nobody bought.

Paint’s another sneaky one — like custom mixes people never picked up? Sometimes they’ll basically give it away for a penny.

And don’t forget to dig around the end caps, the clearance racks, and way up top or way down low on the shelves — that’s where the hidden gems are.

PRO TIP: USE BAY NUMBERS TO FIND HIDING SPOTS

Using the Home Depot app or website, if you find an item marked down, check its Bay Number which is essentially its shelf location.

Sometimes a penny-priced item still shows “limited stock” but isn’t on the main floor—it might be in overhead storage or a returns cart nearby.

Knowing the bay number helps you narrow your search and spot out-of-place deals.

4. Join Penny Shopping Communities

There are entire online communities built around penny shopping.

People in Facebook groups and even TikTok creators share tips on what to look for—everything from SKUs to brands that recently dropped to a penny.

It’s not always a sure thing. Just because an item is a penny at one store doesn’t mean it’ll be the same everywhere.

But if you’ve got a list of possible penny items, you’ll know what to check—and that can give you a big head start.

PRO TIP: “DEAD END” AISLES ARE GOLD MINES

Check the dead-end aisles—the quiet corners of the store with random shelves or leftover stock.

Employees sometimes tuck penny items there while waiting for a manager to sign off on pulling them.

These spots don’t get much foot traffic, so things can sit unnoticed for days.

Look behind bulky stuff like toilets, bathtubs, or pallets of tile. You never know what’s hiding back there.

Tips for Scoring Penny Items Successfully

Be discreet – If you find a penny item, play it cool. Just toss it in your cart and head to self-checkout if you can — the louder you are about it, the more likely an employee’s gonna yank it before you can pay.

Don’t argue – And if they do catch it and say they can’t sell it to you? Don’t argue. Seriously. Just move on. Store policy’s on their side, not yours.

Check often – Best thing you can do is check often — penny deals change all the time, and it’s basically a timing game.

Keep a list – If you follow any penny groups online, keep a list of the barcodes or SKUs — it’ll save you a ton of guessing when you’re wandering around.

Build rapport with employees – Oh, and be nice to the employees. You’d be surprised how many will give you a heads-up if you’re cool — a little respect goes a long way when you’re hunting hidden deals.

PRO TIP: SHOP DURING STORE EVENTS

Clearance events—like post-holiday resets or inventory weeks—can turn the store into organized chaos. Employees are busy, shelves are shifting, and that’s your chance to quietly scan without anyone noticing.

It’s the best time to blend in and hunt for penny deals.

Bonus tip: If you end up grabbing other sale items, use your Home Depot credit card or loyalty account to stack a little extra savings. Every bit helps.

These Items Have Been Found for a Penny

Shoppers have scored all kinds of deals for a penny, including:

– Outdoor patio umbrellas

– Toolboxes

– Smart lightbulbs

– Christmas wreaths

– Fire pits

– Faucets

– Power tools

– Lawn and garden décor

– Tile and flooring samples

– Smoke detectors

These are just examples—Home Depot’s inventory is constantly shifting, and new penny items appear regularly.

PRO TIP: WATCH FOR “PHANTOM INVENTORY”

The Home Depot app isn’t always accurate. Sometimes it’ll say an item is “Out of Stock” or “Limited Stock” even though it’s still sitting on a shelf—or stashed up high waiting to be pulled.

If you think something might be a penny item, ask (nicely!) if they can check the overhead storage or the returns area.

Dropping a line like “I think it might’ve been a customer return” or “Could it have gotten misplaced?” can help jog their memory—and maybe lead you straight to the deal.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever been lucky enough to snag a penny item at The Home Depot? What was the product and how did you pull it off?

By Kyle James

Kyle James( Owner/Founder )

I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)