Picture this: You’re pushing a grocery cart with two bored toddlers. Even though you don’t feel well, you have to feed the family more than stale crackers.You have a long list in your hand, but you’re sure that you forgot to put something on it that you just can’t remember. Somehow, you have to find a way to fit your groceries in that cart with the squirmy toddlers. You take the kids out of the cart to make room for groceries, but the kids run in opposite directions as soon as their feet hit the ground.
When you somehow make it out of the store with your kids and groceries and get to the car. You have to strap the kids into their car seats. You put your groceries in the trunk, hoping all those bags fit. When you get home and unpack the groceries, you finally remember that item that you forgot to put on the list, so of course you didn’t buy it.
Fortunately, I don’t have to deal with that situation, even though my two boys are 19 months apart. (They’re not toddlers anymore, but it’s also tough with tweens.) Now, I drive up to the store and don’t even get out of my car, and I bring home a trunk full of groceries.
How?
Online grocery shopping.
There are so many ways this has saved time and headaches for my family.
It’s easier to make a grocery list. I can sit on the couch and type things right into the website. We don’t have to wonder whether we have enough eggs, milk, etc. We just check the fridge or the pantry and then we know what we do or don’t need.
- It’s easier to try new recipes. I don’t bring all of my cookbooks to the store. Sometimes, I’ll see something on sale and think about a recipe I could use. Since I don’t have the recipe, I can’t make sure I’ve gotten any other ingredients I’d need. When I shop online, I can see what’s on sale, grab a cookbook, and feel confident that I’ve got everything I need for the recipe.
- It’s easier to save money. When you go to the store, do you faithfully stick to your list? If you said yes, you are the exception instead of the rule. Most of us must confess that we make impulse purchases when we get in the store.
Sure, there’s a fee for online shopping, but it’s cheaper than those impulse buys. Some stores offer monthly or annual fees, and they’ll typically waive the fee. I recommend trying it out for a month or two instead of just jumping into the annual fees. Our store originally had just a monthly fee. When they introduced the annual fee, we immediately subscribed. We had been using the service for months, so we knew we’d get our money’s worth.
- It’s easier to save energy. Grocery shopping is exhausting! Sometimes I’d take a nap when I got home. Walking around a huge store, bending and lifting to get groceries, and carrying bags to and from your car takes a lot out of you. With online shopping, store employees bring out the groceries and load them into your car.
- It’s easier to keep the kids at home. Worst case scenario – you have to take this kids with you to pick up your groceries. You’re in and out of the pick up line quickly enough to keep them from getting too restless. If they’re misbehaving, you don’t have to endure the judgemental looks from other shoppers. And you don’t have to chase the kids around the store!
- It’s easier to save time. My husband Tim works until well after 6 most evenings. There is no way he could find the time to go shopping. He also thinks that grocery shopping is the worst chore. (I’d pick ironing, but he’s entitled to his opinion.) But he has no problem picking up online grocery orders after work. Now we don’t have to give up our precious Saturdays, and we save a lot of time on the day we pick up the groceries.
See which stores in your area offer online shopping and then give it a try! You may find it’s a valuable tool for saving time, money, and sanity.
