Grocery Shopping

I really dislike the entire process of grocery shopping.  I really don't find anything about it enjoyable.

First, you have to make a list and figure out what you want to buy.  When you're under a tight budget that means shopping all of the circulars and trying to fit whatever is on sale into your meal planning for the week.

Then you have to find the time to go to the store.  For a household of 2 full time workers, that means its either nights or weekends, and you can pretty much forget about nights.  Unfortunately, everyone else has the same sentiment and you have to carriage battle your way through the throngs of people also shopping on a Sunday afternoon.

Then there's the cost factor and the inner turmoil I personally go through every time I shop. Obviously, fresh fruits and veggies are the best for you, but they are also the most expensive...particularly if you've felt the need to buy things organic lately.  Each organic apple I put into the little plastic bag is accompanied by a little "ching" sign in my mind as the costs add up.

The other inner turmoil I struggle with is actually the FOOD.  I think I can admit I have a food "problem".  I'm an emotional eater, and that includes ALL types of emotions.  Since I'm a pretty emotional person, I eat all the time :)  But I'm on Weight Watchers right now and trying to watch it.  So as I'm walking through the aisles and seeing all the delicious looking cookies and pastries and chips and cheeses, I am constanty reminded that I can't have them.

Then there's checking out.  Loading it all onto the belt, helping to bag if there happens to be a baggers shortage that day, and dealing with a kid cashier (at least today) who literally had to count my cash 4 times to make sure he got it right.

*Here comes my ONE small glimmer of light in this process.  I wait to give my store discount card until the end.  Then I watch the total decrease.  I like to see how much I was able to save shopping the sales.  That's about it.

So then you have  lug it all out to the car, lug it into the house, and clean out the fridge of the old, gross stuff. By the time it is all done I'm exhausted!  And the worst part is, this isn't a once in a while process...it is a weekly ordeal, at least in our household.

And I usually do it WITHOUT any kids in tow!

When I'm rich, I will hire someone to do my grocery shopping for me...I dislike it that much!