This is one of the posts that sounds like I’ll make money from it, but I promise that I don’t. There aren’t many things that I’d consider to be truly “life-changing”, but grocery pickup is one of those! Though I can’t speak for other stores, the grocery pickup provided by my local Walmart is superb for many reasons.
- It saves me time. If I consider time overall, each trip saves me a whole hour. When I consider time I’d usually spend at the store, it’s 1 1/2 hours per trip. The half hour is how long I spend picking out my items online, but I can now do that whenever I want. 1 hour of time per trip means 26 hours a year – a whole day!
- I know exactly how much I’m going to spend before I check out. Aside from a few produce items that get weighed, there’s no shock when I get to the register.
- The website is easy to use. The items I’m looking for almost always show up at the top of the page, and I can favorite items I buy often.
- Substitutions get me a better deal. I don’t get items subbed each time, but when I do, I get something of greater value. I still pay the price for the cheaper version. I’ve been happy with all of my substitutions, too.
- It’s less stressful to pick what I want. I no longer have to worry about bending down or reaching to find the cheapest price per ounce. (Or worse, asking for help to get something off the top shelf.) Also, there’s no awkward waiting for someone to move out of the way so I can see what I want or feeling like I’m the one in the way.
- I only have to touch everything twice instead of 6 times.* When I get home to put everything away, I don’t already feel burned out by the process.
- I can buy as much stuff as I want. It was getting to the point where I was about to start shopping each week since our stuff wouldn’t fit all in one cart. No longer do I need to worry about that! I can order as much as my family needs and have it all loaded in the car.
- It’s FREE! (I’ve heard that it costs a little bit in other places.)
- I can keep adding stuff up till the night before my shopping trip.
- There are lots of non-food items available. I didn’t have to go into the store for any school supplies for my kids! I’ve also been able to get health and beauty products, cleaning supplies, paper goods, and toys.
- No more pushing around a heavy shopping cart with a broken wheel. That’s always been one of my biggest complaints about visiting Walmart in person.
*What are those 6 times? 1. Pick the item and put it in the cart. 2. Put the item on the conveyor belt. 3. Put the bagged item back in the cart. 4. Load the item in the car. 5. Bring the item inside. 6. Put it away. No wonder I’m usually sick of looking at the stuff I’ve bought when I grocery shop the “normal” way!
There really aren’t a lot of downsides.
- I have to plan ahead by at least one day. I know this is a complaint some people have, but it’s really not a problem for me. Since I shop every two weeks, I start making a list at least one week in advance.
- Sometimes, the produce I get is bigger than expected, so I have leftovers. (Is that really a disadvantage, though?)
If you have Walmart grocery pickup where you live, I definitely recommend trying it. I no longer think of grocery shopping as a huge hassle. I even look forward to it sometimes!
If you’re looking for tips on how to save money on groceries, I’ve got you covered. 🙂