Save Money At Whole Foods By Asking Employees One Question

Over the years, Whole Foods Market has garnered a reputation for being one of the most expensive grocery stores in the United States. While you can certainly follow helpful tips for grocery shopping on a budget like making lists and avoiding convenience foods, Whole Foods Market still costs comparatively more than money-saving grocers like Aldi and Walmart. That said, if you're looking for another way to save money on Whole Foods items like produce, meat, and cheese, all you need to do is ask the store's employees for less.

Sure enough, Whole Foods Market has a cut-to-order policy that allows you to request and purchase cut portions of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and prepared foods. For example, if you don't want to buy an entire watermelon, ask an employee to cut you half of a melon, or even one fourth. You can also purchase a smaller wedge of your favorite cheese if your neighborhood store only has larger, more expensive portions on display.

To save money on meat, purchase more affordable cuts and lean on the butcher to simplify preparation. For example, Whole Foods butchers are willing to cut down entire chickens or marinate tough cuts of steak, free of charge. Also, since Whole Foods Market purchases whole animals and fish, if you want more uncommon items like organ meats, ask an employee what they have available in the back. Sure enough, employees at Whole Foods can help you save money in more ways than one.

Next to buying select portions of meat, cheese, and produce, you can also ask Whole Foods Market employees to cut loaves of bread or price-adjust halved prepared sandwiches instead of charging you for a full one. If you don't see the baked goods or prepared foods you normally purchase out on display, never hesitate to ask an employee to check back stock. Or, if you're torn between a few items, simply ask for a sample or two to help you decide. Sure enough, Whole Foods offers free samples of almost any product in store. All you need to do is ask.

Speaking of asking, if you're ever unsure about which products are on sale, head to the customer service desk, which is usually located near the checkout lanes. Besides approaching employees directly, there are other resourceful ways to shop at Whole Foods if you're on a budget. In particular, if you have Amazon Prime, make sure to always use your discount and shop in-store sales on select food items.

For every other product that comes in a package, try your best to stick to the Whole Foods Market 365 brand. This in-house name appears on over 3,500 private-label products sold at Whole Foods, yet comes at a much cheaper price compared to name brand items. Just make sure to steer clear of the most overpriced items at Whole Foods, including organic berries, goat cheese logs, and prepared guacamole.