Okay, I have a spare moment to sit down and get you guys all hyped up about my newest love: FREE Wal-Mart Grocery Pickup. WHA?! You cannot be serious, right? For me, the over planner, I have my menu done a week in advance and save it on my phone in the Notes app. Now, don't get me wrong, grocery shopping is easy using the app, because you can just delete the items as you put them into your cart. But one thing I hate about using the Notes app for my grocery shopping is budgeting. I budget our weekly or biweekly (depending on where I grocery shop) grocery list and while I'm able to estimate the cost of our weekly haul, I'm not able to budget our cost to the penny...and it drives me insane. Remember me saying that I'm an over planner? Well, I'm also a control freak. I like to know where my money is going. Then enters...*cue angels singing* FREE Wal-Mart Grocery Pickup.
Now, I'm going to be the first one to say that Wal-Mart is not my ideal grocery shopping store. I'm an avid Aldi fan and don't mind traveling the 45 mile trip to West Plains just to save money (and get better produce and cheaper milk). Aldi has amazing products in their stores. Most are organic or gluten-free and I feel better serving my family items from their select lines. While they don't have a lot of "name brand" things, they have Aldi brand items that are just as good, if not better than the "name brand". If you are looking to save TONS of money, but not sacrifice quality items, Aldi is definitely your go-to. The downside to Aldi is that you have to bag your own items, bring your own bags (unless you want to purchase their bags which are very cheap), and you have to have your cart quarter on hand before going in. I love the Aldi in West Plains. Every single employee is very helpful, kind, and goes above and beyond. I sent one on a wild goose chase for hash brown potatoes one day, because she saw me searching and I must have looked helpless. She was super eager to help me out and was even told me to keep shopping and she would bring them to me. Aldi has been our go-to grocery shop for the last few years. I only shopped at Wal-Mart if I absolutely needed something and by needed something I mean if I couldn't wait 2 days for Amazon Prime to send it my way. Yes, I avoid Wal-Mart like the plague. But I just couldn't avoid their newest project and here is why...
One of my girlfriend's just had a baby. She lives close to Mountain Home and was filling me in on how convenient the Mountain Home Wal-Mart recently made her life. She went on to tell me that Mountain Home is now offering FREE Grocery Pickup at their Wal-Mart. She bragged that you literally order your groceries, pay, and assign a pickup date and time...then you just pick them up. I couldn't believe it. How convenient for her and any other new mother?! She doesn't have to get her baby out in the soon to be winter weather, she doesn't have to worry about sicknesses and people trying to touch her baby, she also doesn't even have to worry about loading her car up whilst trying to coax a fussy baby. I think all of you mothers can relate to how convenient this new option is. I remember when I had Bella and I still had my 2 door Alero. It was hard to get Bella in and out in her car seat, leaving me frustrated before we even went into the store. Then came all of the people wanting to look and touch her (how about no) and let's not forget lugging every single bag out and into the trunk while trying to keep a fussy girl happy. I mean, I can't even blame the babies, I despise Wal-Mart too.
So, while this new adventure for Wal-Mart is quite the award winner, it does have some drawbacks. The only location that does pickup is Mountain Home. Ash Flat, Batesville, West Plains, and Jonesboro all have not jumped on the bandwagon yet. So, you will have a trip to Mountain Home to plan for. If anything, though, shop in 2 week intervals and you can totally justify the time saving of the free pickup, even with drive time. Another drawback, that I wouldn't even call a drawback, is that you do have a $30.00 minimum...but who can go into Wal-Mart and spend $30 on groceries?! If you can, I need to speak to you and be enlightened.
Here are some definite pluses to using the Free Grocery Pickup with Wal-Mart:
1. You can literally shop online on the walmart.com website or from your phone by downloading the Wal-Mart Grocery app. (All you need is a Wal-Mart account, which is super easy to set up if you don't have one)
2. You get to schedule the date and time when you want to pick up the items. I will say this though, make sure you pre-plan. Days fill up quickly and typically you can not do same day. Also, be prepared to pay after selecting a day. Wal-Mart does not save your day and time without payment.
3. While shopping, you can see what your total (with tax) is adding up too. This is one of my favorite things about the freedom of online grocery shopping. You actually know where each cent is going. When you search for an item, it also makes you aware of ALL brands of the item, so if you would like to substitute a cheaper brand, do it to it.
4. You can also get toiletries and other household items/appliances. SCORE! I always need something like dishwashing liquid, toilet paper, or laundry detergent...so pre-plan when you are getting low and get it in the cart.
5. Even after placing your order, you have until 1:45am the day you are picking up to add anything that you forget. This is so amazing! Did you forget you have company coming and need paper plates or plastic cups to host a cookout with easy cleanup? No worries, you're covered!
6. You get an email when you have placed your grocery order. It shows you what to do when you are on your way to the store, where to park when you arrive, and the Wal-Mart employees bring out your groceries BAGGED AND READY TO ROLL! (I'm not sure if they load your items. I can't remember, but will update after my first experience this evening.)
Free Wal-Mart Grocery Pickup is perfect for working moms and dads who don't have time to spend hours grocery shopping, new mothers who don't want to subject their kiddos to sicknesses, parents who have sick kiddos who don't want to contaminate others, elderly who cannot walk through the store or drive (Mountain Home offers local delivery as well), and for people who get stressed out in Wal-Mart. I urge you all to give it a try and let me know what you like or dislike about it. Also, if you have tried it and love it or hate it, comment below! I want to hear it all.
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