I've been looking for alternative ways to get my groceries. Sometimes I don't have a problem with bus rides and dragging my handy dandy little old lady shopping cart up the stairs to my apartment. But sometimes I do.
I have adult children who are willing to shop for me. But they all have families and jobs and are busy. I would rather find a solution to my problem than to have to call them for help. That may sound strange, but finding my own solutions gives me a sense of staying as independent as possible, if that makes sense to anyone else but me.
Enter, stage right, a non-profit group, established in my area over 30 years ago. Their purpose is to grocery shop for those seniors who need help. They charge a very small fee, based on income, for this service. It is well worth the cost. I signed up.
Every other Monday I call in my grocery order. The following Wednesday my groceries are delivered to my kitchen. They shop the same store where I usually shop, so I am familiar with the products. I can order up to $200. worth of groceries each time. The same person will deliver my groceries each time, so I won't have a parade of strangers in and out. I write a check for the amount on the receipt plus the fee at the time of delivery. Easy peasy.
My first grocery delivery was this afternoon. A nice fellow brought in boxes of food, unpacked the boxes and set the items on my kitchen table. I checked off the list to make sure everything I had ordered was accounted for. He wanted to know if I needed help putting anything away, and I replied that I didn't need help with that, thank you just the same. Check in hand, out the door he went with a cheery, "Have a wonderful day. See you in two weeks."
I think I'm going to like this service. Especially when the snow is blowing, the sidewalks are full of ice, the temperature is in the sub-zero category and I'm running low on cat food. Yep. Going to like this a lot.
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That is a very good program, it seems. My daughter shops at a store in NYC, right near her that delivers her groceries she shops for and buys herself. They deliver the groceries immediately and haul them up her stairs to her apartment and only charge her $2. I thought at the time that would be good for seniors or disabled people.
ReplyDeleteOf course, he sets the boxes where she tells him to and leaves since she has paid at the store. And, she has no disability, but is stressed to the max.
I am glad you solved a problem. You can save your walking with your shopping cart for pretty days.
It would bother me to not be able to find bargains, use my coupons, and generally get out and see what was going on. But, the day may come when I need a service like that. Here, we have CARTS buses, but they don't look fun to me. I suppose one day, they might look mighty fine. It is nice that communities start programs like these to help people stay independent or at least feel more independent.
Practical Parsimony...Because this service shops at my local grocery, I can still shop the bargains by using the store's weekly sales flyer when making out my grocery order. The person doing the shopping uses any store coupons and if I have manufacturers coupons for particular products they deduct those as well.
ReplyDeleteStaying as independent as possible is really important to me. My kids are more than willing to help me out, but this service takes some of the pressure off them as well, during those times when I need help shopping. I think it will work out well for me.
Now - that's a clever idea :)
ReplyDeleteWish they had it here, my mom would like that.
ReplyDeleteDani...I think this service started out as someone seeing a need that existed and found a way to fill that need. I know that it will make my life a bit easier.
ReplyDeleteGorges...This service is local, taking in several counties in my area. It is not a government program, but a non-profit started by individuals who saw a need and did something about it. Your area might have a similar program for seniors. I found it when I was doing a search for grocery delivery services in Minnesota.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good thing. You just need to get out some though, even if it's just to go to the park. I find as I get older I tend to be more and more sedentary, and that can't be good.
ReplyDeleteOh goodie! Now you have more time to write.
ReplyDeleteHarry...You are spot on about needing to get out more. It was spending too much time on my chubby backside, among other things, that caused the latest health issues. I go walking in my neighborhood when the weather permits. When it doesn't, I've been walking back and forth from one end of my apartment to the other, several times a day. I can already see an improvement.
ReplyDeleteJess...Not necessarily! My grocery order included a bunch of stuff to be pressure canned, which I'm working on this morning. :) I really think it has to do with attitude. Mine was in need of an adjustment. It is getting better and maybe so will my writing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful. BTW Cub coupon book is out.
ReplyDeleteRob...Wonderful describes it for me! This will make life a bit easier. My Cub coupon book came in the mail. There usually are a few items that I use. Every little bit helps.
ReplyDelete