7 Dos and Don’ts for Shopping at Wegmans

More than just a grocery store, shopping at Wegmans is an experience. If you’re fortunate enough to live near a Wegmans, you probably already know it’s a special place. There are more than one hundred Wegmans stores, spread across eight states. This includes Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

In addition to traditional grocery store offerings, Wegmans has a variety of in-store restaurants — as well as Next Door, an offsite fine-dining sushi restaurant in Pittsfield, New York — so chic, you’ll forget you’re dining at a supermarket.

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No doubt, shopping at Wegmans is an enjoyable experience, but sticking to a budget requires going into the store with a plan. You can spend a fortune on each shopping trip, but that’s up to you.

If you want to make Wegmans your go-to grocery store, it’s possible to do this without going over budget. Doing so simply requires knowing how to navigate the store and taking advantage of every possible savings opportunity. You don’t have to trial and error a Wegmans game plan, because GOBankingRates has you covered. Here’s a look at seven dos and don’ts when shopping at Wegmans.

Do: Buy Produce

“Wegmans has higher quality produce than other grocery stores that seems to always last longer,” said Melissa Cid, a consumer savings expert at MySavings.com.

Choose from a huge selection of conventional and organic items, including packaged vegetables and salad kits. You can also get a variety of store-brand cold-pressed juices.

Of course, as with any grocery store, it’s always wise to see what’s on sale before making your weekly shopping list. This can allow you to enjoy quality produce, without paying top dollar.

Don’t: Buy Prepared Meals

Grocery shopping while hungry is never a good idea, but Wegman’s ready-made meals make it an especially pricey move.

“You should skip all of the overpriced pre-portioned meals at Wegmans,” Cid said. “They are simply just too pricey for the sized meals you’ll receive.”

For example, a 14-ounce Wegman’s Spaghetti and Meatball Pasta Bowl is $11. Additionally, a 12-ounce Wegman’s Seasoned Broccoli Veggie Bowl is $10.39.

Do: Buy Store-Brand Items

“Wegmans store brand products have good everyday low prices, including their Wegmans Organic products,” Cid said. “You can also score digital coupons for many of these products to bring the price down even lower.”

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For example, a 24-ounce jar of Wegmans Pasta Sauce Flavored With Meat is $1.39. Additionally, a 13.3-ounce Wegmans Thin Crust Cheese Pizza is $4.59.

Don’t: Forget to Ask for a Raincheck

It might seem like a thing of the 90s, but rainchecks are still around. If Wegmans temporarily runs out of an advertised special and no similar item is available to substitute, you can get a raincheck.

Stop by the customer service desk, front end or talk to the department manager to get your raincheck, which is good for 30 days. Do note, that limits may be placed on this one-time purchase certificate and can’t be combined with future Shoppers Club sales.

Do: Clip Digital Coupons

You don’t have to look through a mailer and clip physical coupons at Wegmans. Instead, the grocer offers digital coupons that can be added to your Shoppers Card — which you get by joining the free Wegmans Shoppers Club loyalty program.

Quickly checking the coupon offerings before heading to the store can allow you to save extra on your shopping trip. Enjoying even a couple of dollars of savings per trip can add up fast, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to cut costs(9).

Don’t: Stop Clipping Manufacturer’s Coupons

Wegmans coupons aren’t the only ones accepted by the store. You can use manufacturer’s coupons and those with a face value of $.99 or less are doubled — a few exceptions apply.

You can also use Internet coupons, with two exceptions. Coupons cannot contain the word ‘free’ and the electronic coupon value — or double the value — can’t exceed the item’s value.

Do: Join the Shoppers Club

Whether you’re a regular Wegmans customer or just occasionally stop by your local store, signing up for the Shoppers Club is a must. This free membership offers a host of perks, including access to digital coupons curated to your preferences, personal product recommendations and the ability to view your past purchases for easy reordering.

Additionally, your Shoppers Club account allows you to create and save shopping lists, view recipes, receive product recall announcements and offers access to pharmacy services.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Dos and Don’ts for Shopping at Wegmans