• Disclosure Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact

Protecting Your Pennies

Buy Smart. Plan. Play

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Trim Healthy Mama
    • Meal Plans
    • What I Ate Wednesday
    • Recipes
      • Breakfast
      • Main Meal
      • Desserts
      • Snacks
  • Buy Smart
    • Discounts
    • Holidays
    • Sales & Deals
  • Plan
    • Holiday Treats
    • Cleaning & Organization
  • Play
    • Travel
    • Kid Activities
    • Gifts
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Cart
  • Checkout

Buy Smart

How Much More Money Is Spent Using Shipt vs. Grocery Store

June 30, 2018 by Stacy Craft 3 Comments

How Much More Money Is Spent Using Shipt vs. Grocery Store

Not having to leave your house to grocery shop sounds like a dream come true. (I swear I used to be cool). Back to my dream. I tried Shipt for the first time while on vacation. The free trial and appeal of not going to the store when I got to the beach was too appealing to pass up. After using it 3 times in a week, I was absolutely obsessed with the convenience. However, I wondered how much more money it cost to use Shipt vs. the grocery store.

Shipt Vs. Grocery Store Cost

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Convenience typically comes with a price. I just wondered how hefty that price tag was. Since the free trial was coming to a close, the question of how much more money it cost to use Shipt vs. the grocery store was becoming more important.

How Shipt Works

In order to use Shipt, you download their app or head to the website.

Monthly or Annual Membership

After a free trial, you have to choose to become a monthly member or you can pay an upfront yearly membership which saves money. It is $14 per month if you pay monthly or $8.25 per month if you pay the $99 upfront for the year.

Grocery Ordering

The ordering process is very simple and similar to shopping using the Walmart Grocery Pick up or Kroger Clicklist.

You search for the items that you would like to purchase, select the quantity needed and add it to the cart. Once you are finished, just complete the simple checkout process. You will also select a delivery time window to have the order delivered.

But how much more money is spent using shipt vs. grocery store? Each individual item will be marked up from the cost that you would pay if you walked into the store and purchased it in person. I found some items to be marked up only a small amount (cents) and other items had a very drastic pricing difference. The largest price variances seemed to be on perishables – Meat, Produce and Dairy.

When I was using the service, it was typically within an hour or two that the groceries could be delivered. I never experienced any extra long lead times.

Delivery Charge

If your delivery is >$35 there is no delivery fee. I can’t ever get to the grocery store for less than $35 so I did not have to worry about paying an additional delivery fee when using the service.

Shipt Experience

I really loved using Shipt. Every person that delivered my groceries was very polite. Every order was delivered within the specified time window. Substitutions were communicated with me while the shopper was at the store and I could choose an alternate item if something that I wanted was unavailable.

Every order that I received was accurate. There were no missing items or incorrect items delivered.

How Much More Money Is Spent Using Shipt vs. Grocery Store

The Shipt service was great. But my real question was how much more money is spent using Shipt vs. grocery store. I knew it would be more but I didn’t know if the fee would be manageable or too much for me to use on a regular basis.

Shipt vs. Grocery Store Case Study

I created my grocery list for the week and added it to my Shipt cart (I chose Kroger). I then added the exact same items to my Kroger Clicklist cart.

I wanted to see how much money on average that using Shipt would add to my food expense budget. Here is what I found:

How Much More Will You Spend with Shipt Vs. Grocery Store

Shipt Cost for the Week

Since we had been out of town for a week, my food stock was very depleted. This is a larger than normal grocery run for me but regardless the Shipt vs. Grocery Store runs were compared equally.

Here is a breakdown of the costs:

$153.19 Actual Food Costs

$1.90 Annual Membership Fee ($99 per year, Divided by 52 weeks – Assuming that I would get 1 delivery per week)

$5 Tip (the service will actually recommend a tip for you but I chose to tip $5 for each order)

$160.09 – Total Cost for this Order

Kroger Clicklist Cost for the Week

Here is a breakdown of the costs:

$129.18 Actual Food Costs

$4.95 Service Fee

-$1.50 Digital Coupon (2 Digital Coupons that worked with the items purchased)

$132.63

Cost Using Shipt Vs. Grocery Store Pickup

So how much more money is spent using Shipt vs. Grocery Store? On this order, I would have spent $27.46 more if I had used Shipt vs. picking up at the grocery store.

Annual Cost to Use Shipt

So if every week was similar to this week, I would spend an extra $1427.92 annually using the Shipt service. I really wanted to love the service. Really I did love it in all aspects except cost. I just can’t justify that type of increase just for convenience. I could find many other things to do with that kind of money!

Since the major grocery stores are now doing the grocery pick up service, I can still make my life easier by not having to shop with 2 little ones in tow but I can avoid these astronomical fees associated with grocery delivery.

Cancelled Membership

I only signed up for the 14 day free trial but I ultimately cancelled the trial before it was up. The cancellation process was smooth. Shipt did not have a cancellation option that I could find in the app. I sent an email and the cancellation was completed in a few hours.

Do you use a grocery delivery service? Is the cost worth it to you?

If you need a healthy and budget friendly breakfast idea for your next grocery run, don’t forget to check out my No Sugar Added Georgia Peach Baked Oatmeal.

Another budget friendly meal idea is this Quick Turkey Ham & Beans recipe. Even my kids eat it up!

 

Filed Under: Buy Smart, Featured Tagged With: cost, delivery, food budget, grocery, grocery pickup, Shipt

Buy, Sell, Trade Facebook Lingo

April 20, 2018 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

If you have been wanting to get into the BST world on Facebook, it can seem a little overwhelming. I primarily BST for children’s clothing but all kinds of different groups exist. In this post I will clue you in on the buy sell trade Facebook lingo that you will see on these resell groups.buy sell trade facebook lingo acronym guide

What is BST?

BST stands for Buy, Sell, Trade and it is the first acronym that you need to learn. Most groups have their own set of rules but traditionally speaking you can buy items, sell items or make a trade on these forums. People typically sell at a discounted rate when compared to a retail store which makes it a great way to score a good deal. Most people use a variety of acronyms when selling and this post will give you all the buy sell trade facebook lingo that you need to understand what they mean.

What are they talking about? – Buy, Sell, Trade Facebook Lingo

You may feel like you need a degree in foreign language to decipher the terms used in these groups. This easy to use key will educate you on the common buy, sell, trade Facebook lingo that you need to know.

NWT – New with tags (brand new item like you would find in a retail store)

NWT No Flaws - Retail Photo Example BST

NWOT – New without tags (took the tags off but never wore or washed)

EUC – Excellent Used Condition (Worn a time or two but with no wash wear or stains, still looks new)

VGUC – Very good used condition (people have different interpretations of this but I find most would agree that this is something that has been used/worn but will have minimal wear. Very minor wash wear.

GUC – Good used condition (may have increased wash wear, a minor flaw that should be disclosed, minor stain that should be disclosed)

PLAY – Play condition (Play is used a lot in children’s clothing indicating that the garment would be good for play time or possibly daycare but not for more formal occasions. Stains, rips, flaws, fading, or large amounts of wash wear may be common)

IMO – In my opinion (You may see this when some says IMO this runs small etc.)

TTS – True to Size (Does this run big/small/or true to size)

Shipped – If you see a cost and then “shipped” ($12 Shipped) that indicates that shipping is included in the price. If you are going to sell, check the group’s rules because some groups require shipping to be included.

OBO – Or best offer (meaning that the price is not firm and you can make an offer)

PM – Private Message (often if they are going to allow offers, they want you to private message it)

SF – Smoke Free

PF – Pet Free

Purge – Lots of groups have rules about posting multiple pictures. If someone has lots to sell, they will do a purge. The purge is typically done by listing photos and costs in the comments of the main post.

BST Purge Photo Example

Following – People often want to “follow” a purge so that they are notified when it starts. You may see people post emoticons or even just a period to follow a post. You can also click on the 3 dots at the top right of a post and choose to “Turn on Notifications” to achieve the same goal.

Email Address – Often times when someone wants to buy something, they will just post their email address under the desired item. Read the rules, some groups require that you post “SOLD” and then your paypal email address.

How do I start?

Now that you have the buy, sell, trade Facebook lingo down, what’s next?

Set up your paypal

You need to make sure you have a paypal account to start. When you want to buy something, you will need to leave the email address associated with your paypal account so that you can be invoiced.

Make sure you have your current address listed. You will be responsible (not the seller) if you have an old address listed. It happens more than you might think!

Join some BST Groups

There are lots of BST groups out there. I recommend using the search bar to search if you have a favorite brand. Most boutique/upscale brands will have their own BST groups.

Here are a few brand specific groups that I like:

Kelly’s Kids Boutique Clothing New & Used Resale

Lolly Wolly Doodle Fans and Addicts Resell Page

Remember Nguyen Smocked Resale

StellyBelly Lovers Resale

Generic groups are also great and offer a wider variety. They have groups targeted by gender, store, type of clothing etc. Here are my favorite generic groups for kid’s clothing resale:

Smocked Outfit Resale…WITH A FEW RULES

BOYS ROCK SMOCKS

Smocks Rock

Upscale Resale $20 & Under(Mud Pie, Rare Editions and More)!

Boys only name brand resale BST group with MINIMAL rules!

Buy or Sell!

If you want more info on how to sell, read this post where I explain it all! How to sell, creating invoices and the most economical way to ship!

Do you have any buy sell trade facebook lingo that I left off?

Filed Under: Buy Smart Tagged With: BST, buy, clothing, frugal, kids, resale, sell, trade

Crest Gum Detoxify – Review after week 1

March 12, 2018 by Stacy Craft 1 Comment

Ya’ll I hate going to the dentist. I can’t stand it. The smell, the sounds, the discomfort – all of it makes me cringe. Since I am not so fond of the dentist, my teeth suffer. My teeth are straight (thanks to childhood braces) and are reasonably white. But every time that I do go to the dentist, it seems like I have about a million cavities and plaque/tartar issues. I am always looking for things I can do at home to improve my oral health. I decided to try the new Crest Gum Detoxify Toothpaste set to see if I could see any positive effects from using it.

Crest Gum Detoxify 1 Week Review

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information. 

I have now been using the Crest Gum Detoxify product for about three weeks and overall I am really pleased!

What’s Included:

The product comes with 2 tubes of paste – the gum detoxify paste and a whitening paste. First you brush with the detoxify paste for a minute, you don’t rinse and then you brush with the whitening paste.

The detoxify gel has a pleasant taste similar to most toothpastes although it may be a tiny bit more chalky than others. I feel a slight tingly sensation when brushing but it is not unpleasant. I also use a Sonicare toothbrush to really get between the teeth and gums. After that, you spit that out and start with the whitening paste.

Crest Gum Detoxify Toothpaste Set

After only using the kit for about 2-3 days I felt a difference in the way that my teeth felt. My mouth and teeth felt much cleaner than when compared to using just a normal toothpaste. I could tell a decrease in noticeable tartar that I see appear in between brushing as well.

I haven’t really seen a noticeable whitening effect from using the product. I’m ok with that because I was more interested in gum health vs. cosmetic changes when I purchased this product.

Overall, I would recommend this new product by Crest. Here’s to hoping my next dental bill is a little lower! What products do you use to keep your teeth in tip top shape?

Filed Under: Buy Smart, Featured

No Cook 5 Minute Homemade Baby Food – Avocado Banana

March 29, 2018 by Stacy Craft 2 Comments

I have been making homemade baby food since my first daughter was an infant. There are so many fruits and veggies that are hard to find in premade baby food and I found that limiting. Like Avocado – I haven’t found avocado in a baby food but it is such a great, healthy fat item for your little one. Mix that avocado with a little banana and you have a yummy combo.

5 Min No Cook Avocado & Banana

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information. 

Homemade Baby Food – That sounds complicated

It’s not! Homemade baby food is so simple with just a couple of tools (and you don’t need the fancy baby food maker that you will see). Many of the “recipes” that I make don’t even require measuring or cooking! Here is what I use:

  • NutriBullet – I love this because it blends great & when you are out of the baby food stage, it makes great Green Smoothies for you!
  • 4 oz Storage Containers with Lids
  • Fruits & Veggies

Seriously, that’s it. I will show you multiple ways to make food that is quick and cost effective!

PYP Baby Eating Green Baby Food

Is it Really Cheaper to Make my Own?

It really is. My 5 month old currently eats at least 4 pouches of baby food per day (sometimes big boy eats 5 but we are going conservative for the analysis). The cheapest pouches that I can find are at Aldi or the Walmart brand and they are around .78 or .79 a pouch. So I’m looking at $3.16 a day in baby food or $22.12 a week.

If I make my own, I use different fruits and veggies so the cost may vary some but for simplicity we will look at the breakdown of the Avocado Banana mix and extend it across a week for comparison to pre-made pouches.

Bananas – $0.43 a lb or $0.16 per banana

Avocado – $0.78 each

Total Cost for this Batch -$1.33  (1 Banana – 0.16 / 1.5 Avocados – $1.17)

Total per 4 oz – Equivalent to one pouch – $0.3325

Total Savings

So if I fed him my homemade baby food vs. pouches for one week, I would save $12.81 that week! Ya’ll that is more money for formula or diapers! It is so simple to make your own. Here’s how!

5 Minute Avocado Banana Baby Puree

This is so simple and quick. You will have this whipped up in 5 minutes or less!

1. Prep your Fruit

Did you know Avocado was a fruit? I always think of it as a vegetable but either way it is a super healthy food! Simply peel your banana. Cut and remove the pit of your avocado.

Avocado Banana Baby food ingredients

2. Load your blender with the fruit.

3. Add a Liquid.

For this I just added water, but you can add breast milk or formula if preferred. I added 3/4 a cup of water in this recipe and it was still a pretty thick mixture but it is ok with my baby. If you want a thinner consistency, just add more liquid. I would add a little at a time so that you don’t end up with complete soup though!

4. Blend!

Avocado Banana Baby Food in Blender

5. Divide out into your 4 Oz cups.

Depending on your consistency, you may get more or less. I got 4 from this recipe with a consistency of guacamole. If I had made it a little thinner, I probably could have gotten 5 (making it even more economical) and easier on babies that may have trouble with thicker purees.

Pureed Avocado Banana Baby Food

6. Store

The purees will keep for a few days in the fridge but I usually put mine immediately in the freezer.  Every night, I just pull out the number of purees that I need for the next day and put them in the fridge to thaw. I had wondered how the avocado would hold up & if it would brown. It is perfectly creamy after being frozen and there was a very light browning on the top. I just mixed it up when opening the container and it blends right up to a nice avo green color. (The pouches brown a little too on the first bite if you look closely).

Avocado Banana Baby food in 4 Oz portion

I hope you will try homemade baby food for your little one! What are your favorite baby food combos to feed your little one?

 

 

 

Filed Under: Buy Smart, Featured Tagged With: 5 minute, avocado, Baby, baby food, banana, Cheap, frugal, homemade, no cook, puree

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 13
  • Go to page 14
  • Go to page 15

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Subscribe & Never Miss a Recipe!

A Little About Me

Hey - I'm Stacy! Join me on a journey to buy smart, plan and save so that you can also PLAY!

Copyright © 2021 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in