My mom was a blue ribbon window shopper. A child of the Great Depression, neither she nor my dad had a lot of money so shopping was a serious endeavor. But there were times when she just wanted to see what was on offer and would take me by the hand and we would walk to Main Street where the stores had the most amazing things in their windows.
We would find all sorts of things, most of which we did not need or could afford. While we most likely wouldn’t come home loaded with bags, what we did bring home was a collection of ideas that we would try to recreate at home.
A few years later we moved to a farming community that had all the essentials…just not a lot of them. Translate: one or two grocery stores, drug stores, etc. with limited stock. This move reinforced the concept of a one stop shop that predated the Big Box Stores.
I’m not knocking the process as it can be a time saver if not always a money saver. But once I began looking away from the hype of everyday low prices or brand loyalty, I started finding things that surprised me.
- Off brand items that were often the same or better quality and lower in price than the big brand items. This surprised me a lot – and it wasn’t that I had not heard about it from other sources.
- Looking above and below eye line to find items that could save me money without sacrificing quality.
When I started actively looking at other markets I found items that I could not find in my local store. This was great for me to experiment with as I searched for new meal items. I also found some great exchanges for things I took for granted. Some stores have a butcher on hand and some even offer meat without enhancements.
Sometimes the lack of a ‘favorite’ brand made me look at other brands and see if I liked them. Often I found that I did like the change, but occasionally I found I preferred my old brand.
Once I started using pick up or delivery services I found that costs were easier to check among the stores in my area. If you have a habit of tucking things into your cart that aren’t on your list, these services can be a game changer!
The best thing I discovered using these services is that finding a great shopper can be a fabulous experience. A good shopper knows the store, works with you to make sure you get what you want and makes the experience as painless as possible.
I went from patronizing one store to checking out as many stores in my area as I can. I have found items that make my meal planning easier and healthier. I have also managed to actually save time and money. All by taking the time to check out different stores.
My mom would be proud!
