My Review of Instacart

Grocery (we-shop-for-you) services have exploded onto the scene in the past year.

They’ve been around awhile but more and more people are taking advantage of using a service where you can send in your list and then pick up your order a few hours later.

I remember my shock and awe when I saw a sign at my local Aldi a few months back.

“Now delivering groceries in the area”

I shouted this news from the rooftops of my social media feeds. The excitement was shared by many of my friends and family.

I went straight to their website to learn more and set up my shopping list.

However I couldn’t bring myself to actually order. I realized I enjoyed going INTO the store, seeing the sales, picking my produce and so on.

Fast forward to the Polar Vortex of 2019 when I found myself face-to-face with the notion of taking all four of my children to shop with me. Generally I have just my 6-month-old with me.

I wasn’t thrilled about the thought of having that stressful experience and probably yelling at one of them at some point.

INSTACART TO THE RESCUE!

Ordering Process

So I jumped online that morning and found their site easy to navigate as I added items to my list. I liked how they had categories set up so I could easily find what I was looking for. Up in the right-hand corner, it kept a running tally of my total.

I was also able to make notes about any item for the shopper. This was helpful when I added my produce.

When it was time to check out online, I used my $10 off referral code from a friend. I also decided to utilize the free trial of their Express membership, which meant free delivery (normally $3.99).

In all, I paid about $100 for a week’s worth of groceries to be delivered to me that same day, in the evening. I generally spend about $120 so this was great for my budget. Pretty fantastic, right?

I did notice that some items were priced higher through Instacart than in the store. For example, my favorite fair trade coffee was $4.39 through them. In store it is $3.99. This is part of their cost in providing the service. Still it was worth it to me.

Delivery Process

That evening I got a notification from the Instacart app that my shopper was getting started. I got another notification when she was about to drop off the groceries.

She brought all of the bags to the door and was very courteous and friendly. Tip was included in the delivery fee so I had nothing to exchange. Just a big THANK YOU as she went on her way.

As I unpacked the groceries, I found everything there. She even did a great job picking my produce out.

In short, I highly recommend this service for anyone wanting to give it a try. This is a great resource for elderly folks, busy professionals, and any parent needing a little help with the shopping.

In my area, I can order from the following stores:

• Aldi
• Meijer
• Kroger
• Costco
• CVS
• Petco
• Fresh Thyme
• Earth Fare
• Sam’s Club

The biggest advantage to this way of shopping, besides the convenience, is that I spend less money because I’m not in the store distracted by all the shiny things. This process eliminates that temptation and helps my budget stay in tact.

If you are curious about trying Instacart, feel free to use my code for $10 off your first order.

Here’s to bossing those dollars and making each one work hard!