Whole Story

Can you say great deal?! Print out our new coupon — $5 off any $25 or more purchase in any of our U.S. stores – good from now until October 22, 2008. This coupon has now expired! Want to save even more? Check out our Whole Deal pages, dedicated to highlighting our value products, sharing money-saving menu plans and featuring budget-conscious recipes. This is also where you'll find great customers tips on saving while shopping with us. Send us your ideas and you may win a $25 gift card if we choose your tip to feature on this blog. In honor of our fabulous new coupon, we're featuring customer tips for saving with coupons: From Catherine:

The best way that I save money is with valuable coupons. The coupons in “Whole Deal” save me a ton. I also look in the health-oriented magazines like “Delicious Living” and the “Taste for Life” that are free at Whole Foods. I always find more coupons there, and in many health-oriented magazines. Then, if you go to the various manufacturer websites, you can often get even more e-coupons, or search the web for them and get some e-coupons automatically sent to your e-mail. Often these coupons can save anywhere from $1.00-$5.00 a piece. These really go far if the item is on sale to begin with! Coupons are easy to find for teas, snack bars, and many shelf and frozen items. Then I have more money to splurge on fresh produce.

I lost my job in December 2006, and I was out of work for a year. Of course our budget shrunk, but I did want to buy the same quality of food for the kids and us like I was doing before. I had to come with some idea how to save money while still shopping at Whole Food Market, so in one day I went to the store and wrote down all the brand food they had on their shelves. I started looking for on line coupons, and now every week when I do my grocery shopping, I also bring my coupons with me. I am also getting 4 gallons of milk at once because you get 10% off and using coupons I only pay $5/gallon instead $6.69/gallon. If the shredded cheese is on sale (I usually buy Organic Valley brand) I get 3-4 bags (with sale price and coupons I only pay ½ of the price), and I keep it in the freezer. I take out one bag of the time and use it. I also freeze the butter. There are many ways to save money and still shop for good organic quality food at Whole Food Market. I also plan my meals based on the sales they have. They email me their weekly store sale deals, and I can plan ahead what I need to buy.

I have begun writing my favorite brands to ask for coupons or simply compliment their products. I print coupons off of manufacturer websites, sign up for newsletters, and have joined a group to exchange coupons and receive some that don’t come in the paper in my area. I’m also taking the Value Budget Tour at Whole Foods tomorrow and am stoked about it! And I shop without my husband, because things not on my list always seem to end up in my cart when he’s around :) And lastly, I love to try what the “Value Guru” has cooked up and get meal ideas from her.