I had big plans when I sat down to make my grocery list for my first ever Instacart order.
I live in an apartment, so usually grocery shopping means slinging 20 grocery bags on both arms — effectively cutting off all circulation — and then taking small steps, breathing heavily, until I make it to the apartment.
Because I WILL make it in one trip.
As you can imagine, the idea of having someone haul those bags right to my door sounded pretty dreamy.
The national grocery delivery service Instacart moved into the Tucson area Tuesday, Aug. 8, joining other delivery services such as those via Safeway and Albertsons. Other stores like Fry's and Walmart let you order online for in-store pickup. Some stores working with Instacart also have that option.
I placed my order on Thursday, Aug. 10.
When you sign up for Instacart, you get your first delivery free. Usually orders under $35 have a $9.99 delivery fee. If you spend more than that, you pay $5.99 for delivery. There is also special pricing for busy periods and one-hour delivery. Or you can pay for Instacart Express, which is $149 a year ($14.99 a month) to get orders over $35 delivered without a fee. You'll still pay $9.99 for orders less than $35.
Because I had this one, free delivery, I really saved it up, planning to do the week's shopping in one fell click.
I had such big dreams for Instacart and this grocery list.
That morning, my husband and I woke up to no creamer, no milk and no toilet paper.
But don't worry, I assured him, we will be well-stocked by the end of the day.
Once I set up my account, I had access to inventory at Fry's, Bashas', Costco, Natural Grocers, Petco and CVS. Every store except Fry's and Costco offered the same in-store prices. Fry's had higher-than-store prices and Costco prices varied, according to the site.
Apparently, Whole Foods Market is also available in some areas of town.
As I went through my shopping list, I price checked almost every item at every store to see where I could get it cheapest.
Fry's is typically my grocery store of choice. I don't have time to hit up multiple stores, it's close to home, and it has a handy app with lots of coupons. As I shopped, I kept running items through the app to see how prices compared to the in-store prices.
The prices on the left are from the Fry's app. The prices on the right are Fry's Instacart prices. Bashas' prices via Instacart were $1.39 and $1.59.
Consistently, I was disappointed, even with coupons and the option to compare prices among stores. I also felt that my selection was a bit limited compared to what I would get weaving the aisles in person. I'll admit: That could be the control freak in me. I want to pick my own strawberries and scrutinize the lettuce with my own eyes. If there's a bruise on my apple, I want to know it was my own doing — even though Instacart personal shoppers do have strict standards for making their selections.
I also appreciated the option to select substitutions in case the store doesn't have something in stock. For example: I opted for red onions in case no sweet onions were available.
For a while, I had two lists running — one at Fry's and one at Bashas'. When I went to check out, I discovered that my free delivery only applied to one store. I would still have to pay the $10 delivery fee to get groceries from the second store.
Suddenly, my fantasy of easy groceries disappeared, replaced by a stronger desire to save money. I already have a hard time sticking to my weekly grocery budget. I didn't need to tack on another $10, a service fee and tip. I would rather put in the legwork myself.
I could get toilet paper, creamer and bananas from Fry's for cheaper than I could from Bashas' and at a cost comparable to in-store prices, so I dumped my Bashas' list. At least we were getting some necessities.
It seemed I would be making my Saturday pilgrimage after all.
I placed my order around 11:30 a.m. and was able to select from one-hour blocks when I wanted my groceries delivered. I chose the 1-2 p.m. option.
My final order was not what I imagined. But hey, at least we had toilet paper and creamy coffee. Priorities.
Not long after placing my order, I got a text from Instacart telling me that someone was already in store shopping. Around 12:30 p.m., Instacart texted to say my delivery was en-route with an ETA of 12:55 p.m., and that's about when my groceries arrived.
Because I had already paid and tipped online, all I had to do was take my groceries when the shopper delivered them. And I will admit, I did love not having to make a frantic toilet paper run that afternoon. Plus, even the perfectionist in me was satisfied with the bananas selected.
My takeaways: Instacart is not for me. I have the time to take on the grocery store, even if I don't like to, so the added cost of paying someone to shop for me is just not worth it right now. Keep in mind this was my first order: Maybe you can get really Instacart-savvy and mine tons of deals.
I could see myself loving this as a way to have a gallon of milk delivered to my office midweek, but with a $10 minimum for orders, I would have to use the group cart, which enlists coworkers, friends and family members to share a cart and place an order together.
I can also see how convenience could win out for new mamas, car-less college students and others who just don't have the time or means to make it to the store.
But for now, I'll see you in the produce section.
