Summary
Highlights
Michael and Mackenzie begin an 'exact price challenge' requiring them to find five items from five different stores, matching specific price categories. Michael plans to start at Dicks, while Mackenzie heads to the Container Store first, aiming for her most expensive item there.
Mackenzie quickly finds a $13.99 item at the Container Store (a compression arm sleeve). Shortly after, she finds a $6.99 cat toy at PetSmart, marking two categories complete within minutes. She also secures a plate set for $12 from TJ Maxx (matching the 'not ending in nine' category).
Michael finds a $7 item at Dicks, successfully fulfilling the 'not ending in nine' category with a pre-tax total of $7. He then moves to Whole Foods for the $6.99 category, getting Tony's chocolate. At HomeGoods, he searches for a $13.99 item and eventually finds coffee at exactly that price. He later manages to secure a 38-cent banana at Whole Foods for the 'under 50 cents' category.
Both Michael and Mackenzie encounter significant difficulties finding items for specific price points. Mackenzie struggles to find anything for 99 cents at Dicks Sporting Goods, while Michael has trouble finding an item under 50 cents at Dicks and PetSmart. They both acknowledge abandoning their initial strategies due to the unexpected difficulty of certain price categories.
Michael realizes his mistake in saving the 'under 50 cents' category for last, as it's proving to be the hardest. Mackenzie passes Michael, realizing they are likely facing similar challenges. Michael contemplates using a gift card strategy for the 'under 50 cents' category after failing to find anything at Dicks but decides against it due to previous viewer feedback. He also considers getting a lime, which turns out to be 69 cents.
Both contestants return to the starting point. Michael acquired a baseball scorebook from Dicks for $13.99, Tony's chocolate for $6.99 at Whole Foods, rigatoni from Whole Foods for $2.98 (not ending in nine), a cat food pouch for 99 cents from PetSmart, and a lime for 69 cents (failing the under 50 cents category). Mackenzie got a container for $13.99 from the Container Store, a cat toy for $6.99 from PetSmart, a plate set for $12 from TJ Maxx, and a banana for 38 cents from Whole Foods. She failed to find a 99-cent item. Despite their partial failures, they declare a tie.