Erewhon is a popular luxury grocery store chain in California. If you want to indulge in some great, healthy foods, you may want to shop there.
But maybe you can’t afford groceries without your EBT card. Consider if you can use the card to shop for the groceries you want.
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Does Erewhon Take EBT?
Erewhon does take EBT in their stores, so you can use your benefits on food and other select items. But some items might not be eligible for EBT payments. Be sure to ask the cashier what your EBT card can pay for before you checkout.
Luckily, you can use cash for items your EBT card doesn’t cover. Erewhon gives a discount on cash purchases, so you can save money on those things as well.
If you decide to shop for groceries at Erewhon, you can use your EBT card. You’ll use it like how you’d use it at any other store. When you reach the register, you can swipe the card to pay for your items.
Now, you might want to tell the cashier about your card first. That way, they can separate any items that are ineligible for EBT. Some things, like prepackaged foods, don’t qualify for payment with food stamps.
Shopping at Erewhon With Your Benefits
Just because you can use your EBT card at Erewhon doesn’t mean you should. The store has some great items, but it’s not the right grocery store for everyone.
Maybe you rely on EBT for all of your groceries or a portion of your bill. Either way, you shouldn’t rush to Erewhon to buy food.
Consider a couple of advantages and disadvantages of shopping at Erewhon. Then, you can decide if it’s worth visiting the store over its competitors.
Enjoy Healthy Foods
Finding healthy foods can be difficult when you’re on food stamps. You might only be able to find a few select items in a standard grocery store.
However, Erewhon specializes in healthy, organic foods. That means that no matter what you buy there, you can get something healthy.
If you want to treat yourself or your family, Erewhon is a great place to shop.
Save Money
You can use your EBT card to pay for all eligible items. If you want to buy things that you can’t purchase with your card, you can use cash.
Erewhon offers a small discount to cash customers. That way, you can get what you need without having to pay full price.
If you go to the store regularly, you could save a lot over the course of a year.
Expensive Overall
While you can save money at Erewhon, it’s quite expensive. The healthy foods and the fact that the chain is in Los Angeles make it more costly than other grocery stores.
Even compared to other California-based stores, you’ll pay a lot at Erewhon. So if you use your benefits, you’ll use a lot more of your balance in one trip.
And when you’re on food stamps, you’re probably struggling enough. You may want to shop for food where your benefits can get you more of what you need.
Few Locations
Another downside of Erewhon is the various locations. For one, there are less than 10 stores, and they’re all in wealthier areas of Los Angeles.
Maybe you work as a housekeeper for a rich family, so you work close to an Erewhon. But if you don’t already go to those areas, the store can be out of your way.
And if you do work close to an Erewhon, you may not live close to it. That means you have to keep the groceries at the right temperature for a while before you get home.
I Can’t Use My Benefits at Erewhon
If you can’t or don’t want to use your benefits at Erewhon, you can still shop there. For example, you might use your EBT card at another store for your staple groceries.
But you could use some extra money you have for a few healthy treats. If you want to do that, be sure to pay with cash at Erewhon to get the store’s cash discount.
That way, your money can stretch a little farther. Of course, if that doesn’t save you enough money, you may want to find a more affordable store for your healthy items.
Trader Joe’s is cheap and can be a great option. You can get more for your money, and you can use your EBT card there as well.
Conclusion
You can use your EBT card at Erewhon. However, the store is expensive, so you’ll go through your benefits much faster than at other grocery stores. Consider saving Erewhon for a special treat so that you can enjoy healthy foods but not go through your entire monthly balance at once.