I noticed this morning there was an article about how Amazon Grocery is starting up an at home grocery delivery area (called Amazon Fresh- in a very small test area). I mention this because I've had great success using home grocery delivery services.
Those of us who rely on personal care assistants need to find ways to free up their time so they can help with other tasks. One of my friends uses her precious pca's hours only for grocery shopping - it eats up almost four hours a week by the time the pca drives to the store, shops, and puts away the groceries. I save several hours a week of my pca's time. It's true she still has to put away the groceries, but that's much faster than going to the store and shopping!
Home grocery delivery is also great for people with disabilities who don't have a pca ( and seniors). I've seen people struggling in grocery stores and have told them, for a ten dollar fee, that unlimited bags of groceries can be brought right to your door. Most ask me for the phone number right away! One woman told me she struggles in the store, then struggles bringing the groceries in from her trunk once she's home. Ten dollars seemed like a good deal as she thought about that.
Many have asked me how it works. Generally you order online (there are a few who take orders via fax/phone). Using the search function, you browse for the items you need and select them. (There's a way to keep a list of previous orders which may save time in future orders). Then you provide your billing information, pick a delivery time and check out.
If the cost is a concern to you, there are occasional coupons offered that give you a break in the delivery fee. I also find that ordering biweekly saves me money. Although I'd prefer weekly orders, I've come up with a list for a biweekly order that works out well and it saves me two delivery fees a month. I've found that the prices of items are pretty competitive in most cases, although there are some items that would be cheaper if I went to the store. But I'm sure using a grocery delivery service saves me money on groceries because I'm not doing the 'impulsive' buying I would if I was in the store. The list I keep allows me to add items, but because I see it in writing, I'm less likely to buy too much or add items I don't really need.
Hope this information is helpful to anyone who is struggling with getting groceries in the house. As the number of services grows, keep checking your area for available companies.
3 comments:
My wife has cancer and I can't take care of the kids and keep up with everything. People have been bringing us food but I have to figure out a solution. Thanks for the information.
Ben
Hope it works out for you, Ben. Friends bringing meals is great for the short-term, but yeah, it's good to have a long-term plan too.
I think the "don't have to get the kids bundled into the car and drag them through the aisles" aspect of grocery delivery is especially attractive--and will become even more tempting into winter, and flu season. Even if it doesn't save much money, saving all that hassle would be worth paying a little premium.
To the point of home grocery delivery, I recently started such a service in Hawaii - www.personalshoppingvalet.com. My mother is disabled, so I recognize the need for such a service. This start-up has definite limitations, as my business partner and I hold full-time jobs, so our delivery is limited to only weekends. For that reason, we are focusing on only a limited geographic area to start, with plans of expanding at a later time.
It is my hope that I can reach as many as possible with this service, as the research I have done points to a need for this service - especially to the elderly and infirm, but also to the working family, as well.
Thank you for this blog! I hope to use this as a learning resource going forward. Take good care.
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