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…