Why Shopping At Whole Foods On Tuesdays And Fridays Could Mean Big Savings On Your Grocery Trip

With a nickname like "Whole Paycheck," Whole Foods has never been considered one of the cheaper grocery store options. But you don't have to avoid the store completely if you learn how to shop there smartly. You can save money if you plan your visits for certain days of the week — along with joining Amazon Prime, if you haven't already.

Becoming a Prime member is one of the best ways to shop at Whole Foods if you're on a budget, because you can get regular savings that include special deals only offered on Tuesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays feature items that are perfect for quick and easy weeknight meals. Deals include offers like $2 off Whole Foods Markets rotisserie chicken, buy one get one 50% off Whole Foods Markets soups, and buy one get one 50% off Whole Foods Markets Kitchens individual meals. Fridays focus on the kind of food deals that are ideal for weekend meals. For example, the best deal on fresh sushi happens at Whole Foods but only on Fridays, when there's buy one get one 50% off packaged sushi rolls. There are also other perks like a 12 for $12 live oyster deal, $12 for a large hot one-topping pizza, and $7.99 for a bottle of Akira Wine (only sold at some locations).

Amazon Prime isn't the cheapest membership — it costs $139 yearly. But if you're a regular shopper at Whole Foods, being a Prime member means you're also regularly able to get all sorts of weekly deals at Whole Foods, not only on certain days. For example, a recent weekly sale on jumbo cooked shrimp was 11% off for shoppers, but 20% off for Prime members. Cut watermelon was 11% off versus 20% off for Prime members. And if you are willing to pay an extra $99.99 yearly fee, on top of your Prime membership, you can get unlimited free grocery delivery from the store. Additionally, Prime members can also earn 5% back on unlimited purchases from Whole Foods with a Whole Foods Visa card, which offers other perks like 5% back from Amazon purchases and 2% back at gas stations and local transit.

Although the better deals at Whole Foods are available to those with Prime membership, you can still find deals as a "regular" shopper. Just look for the yellow "Sale" signs that are usually located throughout the store. These discounts are valid for all shoppers. Whole Foods also puts up "Low Price" signs in the store for items that are competitively priced compared to other stores. And since it's no secret that there are some seriously overpriced foods at Whole Foods, shop the competitively-priced store brand 365 by Whole Foods Market whenever possible.