Hi friends!
I haven’t checked in with an update post in a while. And this isn’t going to be a huge update but I wanted to share a decision we made recently that feels groundbreaking to me, personally. I know we are probably the last people in the world to do this and many of you will be like… yeah, so what? But this is huge for us and feels like such a shift. In a good way.
We have finally decided to stop grocery shopping in person and use curbside/delivery from here on out. I know… major, right? LOL BUT this is coming from me and my husband… who both LOVE grocery shopping. Well. We used to. When we could leisurely walk the aisles without kids and without worrying about a pandemic and have to wear a mask everywhere (we are pro-mask people, so the mask isn’t up for debate with us). BUT MAN what a friggin’ hassle now. Plus we are trying to get out and really enjoy our time together on the weekends. Grocery shopping on Saturdays was eating up so much time and also keeping us rushing about. I’m not into it anymore and that is that. Until grocery shopping becomes enjoyable again, we will be parking curbside!
I actually think that this is having more benefits than saving us time, too. We are saving money because I am able to set a budget and adhere to it. Instead of going in and being swayed or grabbing more because my eyes are wandering, I meal plan, add what I need, and that is that. No nonsense. We are also doing our shopping exclusively at BJ’s Wholesale Club (which is like Costco, in case you are not familiar). As a family of four, we just things in bulk more than ever to save. It may seem like a lot at sometimes, but we can get away with a bi-weekly shopping now vs. weekly and it does save us money in the long run.
And BJ’s is a DREAM for vegans. For instance… 2 10-slice packs of Violife cheese… $4.99. A single pack of 10 is usually at least $4-6! SoDelicious coconut yogurt comes in an 8-pack for like $6.99. Fresh veggies, fruit, Earth Balance butter, hummus, bulk rice and grains, non-dairy milk, kid’s snacks and cereals… you name it, it is cheaper than our regular grocery store. I wrote a post a while back about vegan shopping at BJs. It is a little dated so I am gonna have to revise and update soon. But that will give you an idea of what you can find, if you are interested.
This is in no way sponsored or anything, but just sharing what is working for us now. All I have to do is shop through my online account and my husband picks it up on the way home. He doesn’t have to go in – he uses the app to say he is there and they load up the car. SO MUCH EASIER, especially when you buy in bulk. And aside from paying for your membership, this is a free service. No fees or anything.
Sometimes I grab anything extra they do not have with Whole Foods curbside or run into a market fast, but aside from that… no more in-store groceries for me. AND I AM LIVING FOR IT. I never understood why people didn’t shop themselves. Because really, I do love choosing my own produce and everything. But this season of life has shifted my mindset and I am going to do what makes life easier and allows me the most time to do things we love.
So. Again, not groundbreaking, BUT I wanted to share this little win with you guys and maybe encourage some of you to see what your options are if you are feeling drained by weekly grocery trips. There’s no shame in outsourcing something that isn’t working for you.
What’s something you outsource because you don’t have the time or bandwidth? Have you been doing this for years? Let’s chat below. x
Love this! It seems little but it actually makes such a difference. We recently switched to curbside pickup too, because i just had a baby! Honestly, i love grocery shopping and I’m looking forward to solo trips or going when baby is more manageable/there isn’t a pandemic, so i don’t know if I’ll be as committed as you are to sticking to curbside but for now it is such a lifesaver. Also we’ve been starting to budget hard and the online shopping makes it much more difficult to impulse buy.
Oh, definitely a lifesaver when you have a baby!! I miss going sometimes and choosing my own produce but… this works for now. Someday, it’ll be easier!! x