Grocery delivery services are a big business in larger cities, and I am happy to report that this trend has finally made its way down to my small town! I tried it recently and absolutely loved it.
First things first: how does it work? I started by going to my grocery store’s website. (We have Publix here.) I clicked on deliveries and was taken to the InstaCart portal. From here, you simply add the items you want to you cart. You can add multiples and leave comments for any special requests here. For example, I added quiche to my cart and noted that if they didn’t have spinach, artichoke would be fine. You can add deli items like lunch meats and cheeses (specify how you want these sliced!) and other items that might not be on the shelf as well.
When you go to check out, the site will tell you if any of the items you added are running low in the store and offer you an alternative option, just in case it’s not there when your shopper goes to pick it up. For instance, I had added hearty garlic pickles to my cart and approved regular pickles as an alternative if they were no longer in stock.
You fill in your personal details, pick a delivery time window, and voila! Groceries delivered to your door. You can have things delivered in as little as an hour, or set a delivery time for later in the day.
I really enjoyed that I could see how much I was spending when I added things to my cart. I feel like this will help keep me on track with my budget in the future. If you forget something after you’ve placed your order, you can add it quickly through the app which was very convenient. Another great thing was the way the service keeps you in the loop- you are notified when your shopper starts, leaves, if any substitutions are made in your order, etc. The shopper keeps your cold items in cold bags too- I don’t even do that when I shop myself!
The delivery was prompt, accurate, and overall, I really enjoyed my experience. This is a huge time saver for me- I was able to keep doing laundry and working on school projects while this important errand was being run. You have the option to tip your shopper- please be sure you do! 100% of the tip goes straight to that person.
Grocery shopping is not a chore for me- it’s an activity I really enjoy doing. But as I am pressed for time lately, this will be a huge assistance to me, and for that I am very grateful!
If you try a grocery delivery service, let me know what you think!
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