5 Reasons to Grocery Shop From Home

Nearly eleven years ago, I was a new young mom recovering from the birth of my first child. Most days I was lucky to get a shower. Grocery shopping felt impossible. The interwebs were just becoming mainstream, and I stumbled around the computer much like I awkwardly handled my newborn. But I did discover a saving grace - home grocery delivery. The few times I tried it were a life saver in those early days. The additional cost later convinced me to return to the grocery store. Little did I know that fast forward ten years, I would be purchasing many groceries online with a simple click.

Life today with four kids is rather hectic. Shopping is a necessary evil. So I have embraced shopping from the comfort of home like never before. Vitamins, toilet paper, canned goods, diapers and more have all arrived on my doorstep. It may seem more expensive to shop this way, but I assure you this frugal mom has done the math.

If you have not yet discovered the beauty of groceries delivered to your doorstep, here are five reasons to give it a shot:

1. Your grandparents and parents did it. This is not a new concept. The milk man delivered fresh dairy to your door some 50 years ago. My mother utilized a cloth diaper service and had veggies from a local CSA delivered every two weeks. Go retro!

2. Shipping is free. I never pay shipping for necessities and you shouldn't either. Amazon Mom, Diapers.com, Soap.com and other resources make this possible.

3. It saves money on gas. My trips to the store are less frequent these days with more of our needs sent directly to our home. At nearly $4 a gallon for gas this summer, this is a welcome benefit.

4. It saves time. Rather than hunt for specialty items at the store with kids in tow, I can click on exactly what I need, even from the palm of my hand.

5. Shopping from home eliminates impulse buys. The sale racks and end cap displays disappear when I shop from home. Fewer distractions allow me to stick to my list and avoid unexpected purchases.

Not all of our needs can be met with online shopping (like fresh produce and meats), but having a stocked pantry and diapers when I need them has simplified my life in more ways than one.

Are you an online grocery shopper or do you prefer the real deal?