Unexpected Item In The Blogging Area…

I did it. I finally did it.

I have popped my internet grocery shopping cherry. What’s the big deal? Well, regular readers will know I have a love/hate relationship with supermarkets – they love me and I hate them.

A fellow blogger, Steve, possibly exasperated by my constant complaining, kindly offered to send me a £20 voucher offer for Ocado (for non-UK’ers – a very posh supermarket – far too posh for me to visit in my builder’s gear) and yesterday morning, I bit the bullet. And Scottish people never turn down twenty quid.

I got myself prepared. Large sheet of paper, pot of strong coffee and a Sharpie. Ok, jot down all the heavy stuff – cat food, squash, cat food, beans. Then the things I really need – toothbrushes, fish, yoghurt, mince. I was getting into the swing of it. It was time to sign up, log in and go wild in the virtual aisles.

My last attempt at supermarket shopping online was disastrous. I got lost. Then I lost my basket and finally I was off my trolley and I fled, demoralised, bruised and battered by the whole experience. This time round, it was a doddle. I got so carried away, my total had reached over £100 within ten minutes and I hadn’t even added the washing-up liquid.

I ruthlessly went through my trolley, chucking out the 3-for-2 ice cream, an expensive skin cream, coloured straws (no idea), 2kg of pasta and a new wok. Better. Before heading for the check-out, I had a little look through the half price offers and treated myself to some kitchen towel and baby sweetcorn.

Before you can even get to the check-out, they cleverly throw teasing offers at you, but I resisted and I was let through. All paid, delivery slot booked, done and dusted. It took twenty minutes and I was still in my dressing gown, jittery after my third cup of filter coffee.

I feel very grown up and smart. I will never set foot in a supermarket again. Whoever said MS makes you creative was right – there’s always a solution to every little niggle. I have now started a list on my fridge and was dashing back and forth all day, Sharpie in hand, adding things ready for my next shop.

I just hope that when the shopping arrives, there are no substitutes. My friend once ordered a punnet of peaches and found she had been given two tins of them in syrup instead. Not quite the same thing…

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10 thoughts on “Unexpected Item In The Blogging Area…

  1. stevedomino says:

    yay!

    if they offer you any substitutes (they’ll usually text you beforehand), you can just refuse them and they’ll take them off your bill automatically – likewise if anything is damaged (bashed tins, bruised fruit, etc), just go online and ‘report’ them – and they’ll be taken off your bill too – no questions asked!

    doing the food shopping in your dressing gown is THE FUTURE – i just wish that some people round where we are wouldn’t do it in public (i wish i was joking…)

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Thank you so much Steve!!! I don’t know if you got my DM about my builder friend feeling jealous and left out and now would also like a voucher, bless him. I was boasting today at work, just to rub it in, lol.
      The delivery is due tonight between 7 and 8pm (football training for The Teenager before that) and I am over-excited.
      It is definitely the future and I am so, so glad you twisted my arm with a bribe!
      X
      p.s. a Tesco near me actually banned people turning up in their pyjamas! Crazy. How hard is it to pull on a pair of jeans…..

      • stevedomino says:

        god, after saying all our delivery men have been lovely, i really hope it goes well for you later… i’m sure it’ll be grand.

        pyjamas – that sounds like a good rule – as an aside, one of my favourite things about Venice (other than it being amazing) is the fact that it’s ILLEGAL for men to walk around with their tops off.

        PS – i got your note, invite sent!

        • stumbling in flats says:

          You’re a star, thank you!! I’m sure he’ll be redeeming it any day now.
          I have had a long day fitting yet another bathroom and am quite grubby, so must glam up ready for a (hopefully) single, dashing delivery man.
          God, I wish they would do that rule here. Especially builders, lol.
          X

  2. That actually sounds…pleasant (as I dread this week’s outing to the giant, crowded supermarket). Must investigate options here. I know of one store that delivers but am wondering (a) how much the delivery fee is and (b) if I actually have to interact with the deliveryman. I prefer to skulk indoors and pretend I’m not home (never mind the car parked out front) when strangers ring the bell. Let us know how it comes out! Will be curious to know if you get any fun substitutions.

    p.s. Colored straws are jaunty. I have a box I bought 100 years ago when my niece came for a visit. 1 used; 49 still sitting in the box.

    • stumbling in flats says:

      I will definitely let you know how it goes!! Totally excited. I really need to get out more…
      X
      p.s. am regretting taking the straws out my trolley now

  3. We do have to get creative to get the job or whatever done…maybe a different way

  4. Honeysuckle says:

    Hi there,

    Even better, they may call you anytime now to say they’re in the area and can they deliver?! You’ll wonder why you ever did the walky shop.

    Even better, Ocado will send you a gift (wine/chocs) on both your birthday and the anniversary of the date that you joined them. Honest! I think in other places it’s called bribery, but who’s asking?

    Enjoy and welcome to the club!

    Honeysucklex

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Hi!
      Bizarrely enough, the delivery man called as I was on the way back from picking the Teenager up from footie – a whole 50 mins early, which was fab.
      Sadly, he was well into his 50’s, if not older and gave me a strange look as I was still in my builders gear, plus woolly hat. Perhaps he saw my thermal longjohns peeking out from the bottom of my trousers, oops.
      Anyway, I have read the glossy booklet he left and I absolutely love it. Why did I wait so long? Sad though it may seem, this could just make my life a whole lot easier! Also, very much looking forward to my birthday chocs and wine (39 plus 1 in August)…
      X

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