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By Brenda
Is a Grocery Delivery Service Worth the Extra Fees?
Letق€™s face it, going to the grocery store is not exactly everyoneق€™s favorite chore. You have to contend with other drivers on the road to get to the store, wander up and down aisles, searching for the products you need, wait in a long checkout line and then make the drive all the way back home. This chore can be made all the more arduous if you have children in tow, or you are unable to drive yourself and need to rely upon someone else to take you.
Shopping online for clothes, shoes, books and home goods (among many other things) has become increasingly popular over the years. And, now, there are even services that will pick out and deliver your groceries for you. Of course, like the shipping charged on most other types of orders, there are fees attached to these services. The question you need to ask yourself, though, is a delivery service worth those extra fees?
Saves Time
Going to the grocery store takes time. You most likely already have a busy schedule. Weekly trips disrupt that schedule. Depending upon what time of day you go, or what day of the week it is, you might be delayed at the store dealing with an overcrowded store and absurdly long checkout lines. Trying to shop with young children can greatly prolong the process. With a grocery delivery service, you never have to leave the comfort of your own home. You can order anytime, anywhere, whether youق€™re in the middle of making dinner, at work or sitting in the passenger seat of the car on the way home from a family outing.
Fees Vary by Total
For most delivery services, the fees will vary by the amount you spend on your groceries. Many have minimums that you must meet for their lowest delivery charge, or else you are charged more. For instance, some services will charge $6.95 for groceries totaling $100 or more. If you spend just under $100, you may be charged a dollar more. This same company may charge up to $10 if you total comes in at less than $50.
Reduce Your Impulse Buys
Have you ever walked down the aisle and spotted that bag of your favorite flavor of potato chips? Perhaps youق€™ve come across the cookies, or stared longingly at a candy bar (or even a magazine) at the checkout counter. Have you tossed these items, along with other items you didnق€™t have on your list, into your cart and kept walking? These are impulse buys. You donق€™t need them, but you grab them anyway. Shopping online for your groceries is a great tool for eliminating impulse purchasing, which can save you a great deal of money.
You Donق€™t Get to Hand Pick Your Items
If you are particular about your produce, the fact that you donق€™t have a say in fruits and vegetables that make their way into your cart and end up at your front door can be a huge disadvantage. Some people really love looking at produce and carefully selecting the best ones. The employees who choose your produce for you, or pick your packages of meat from the meat counter, may not have the same standards as you, and wonق€™t take the same care to pick out your food. This isnق€™t to say they donق€™t care, but they donق€™t know exactly what it is that you are looking for.
Online Specials
You may not be able to comparison shop online, but many grocery delivery services will still help you to snag great deals. All you need to do is click a button. Thereق€™s no need to clip coupons or search through a large pile just to find that the coupon you are looking for has expired. Some stores will even offer online specific deals that arenق€™t available to regular shoppers.
You Need to Be Flexible for Delivery
While the delivery times arenق€™t as broad as those for your cable or internet companies, you will still need to have some flexibility for your delivery. A great many of the services require that someone be home to sign for it. If you have ordered cigarettes or alcohol, the person signing must be over the age of 18. If you donق€™t have the necessary flexibility to be home during the day, you can have your groceries delivered in the evening, for an additional cost.
Deciding whether or not a grocery delivery service is truly worth the extra fees is completely personal. If you still arenق€™t sure, give it a try for a few weeks and see how you like it. While it can save you time and money, it may not be for you. If you do decide to use one, make sure you create a plan that best suits your familyق€™s needs. Just make sure that you do what makes the most sense for you.
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