Around here, I get the groceries. The micro Manager does the shopping. In other words, the Micro Manager decides what to buy. Her shopping depends entirely on fliers and specials. She doesn't make a menu for the week and then buy groceries to fit the menu. She matches to the max. Unfortunately the Micro Manager is not physically able to run around stores and pick things up.
This morning I started out with a list for 5 stores. My plan was to only go to two stores. With these restrictions in finding groceries to fit the list it can get confusing. Grocery stores don't make it easy. There's a hot price but it's for one item only. I got caught an that one this morning.
So there I was trying to find out which store had cookies on sale and whether this store would match or not. They didn't match. Same with the crackers. Oh yes pick up my frozen stuff last. Just remember , I was 80 when I first bought groceries.
So needless to say I was a bit stressed by the time I finished the groceries.
As I was at customer service they asked me if my wife was in the store . Well no, but there was an Asian lady who fell and cut her leg. As I was leaving customer service another employee rushed up to me and asked if my wife was in the store. I just got out the door and another employee rushed up. I wondered , what have I stolen now? She also wanted to know if I had a wife in the store.
Just then another staff member rushed up to say that the problem had been solved. An elderly couple had got separated. The wife was waiting after paying for groceries. The husband was looking for his wife. Why were they chasing me? I had a red shirt and the guy they were looking for had a red shirt.
It may sound silly and funny but I thought how stressed these two elderly people had to be. I felt sorry for them.
I had seen the man with the red shirt. He looked confused. I almost asked him if I could help him. If I had asked it would have saved a lot of upset.
So with the challenge to find my groceries and being incorrectly identified, it was a stressful day.
I also do the shopping, but it is easier. We don't even have 5 grocery stores and WM is one, and I avoid the place.
ReplyDeleteWell, I could make this easier.
DeleteHi Red, your wife sounds like the same kind of shopper I am. I go to multiple stores just to get a deal and I don't plan a week's menu to help limit the food I buy. The thing I'm not good at it, is price matching. I never do it mainly because I tend to forget and also it's just an extra hassle for me. As you already pointed out, shopping is stressful so one can get confused and forgetful when there is too much to remember. I'm impressed that you are able to get the shopping done and that you only started when you turned 80. Well done to you. I hope you had a ogod rest after getting home.
ReplyDeleteEverybody has their own system of shopping.
DeleteGoodness, yes, that was too much stress for grocery shopping.
ReplyDeleteTom goes with me for grocery shopping now. He got trained, sort of, when I couldn't go right after my various surgeries. Now I just want the help, but I am definitely in charge, with the list and the instructions, like checking how many you have to buy to get the sale price. I only shop in one store, a Safeway that is only a few blocks away. That's stressful enough.
We always went together until the Micro Manager developed some mobility issues.
DeleteOh my...I go to three stores...one for fruit, one for basics, one for stuff I cannot get elsewhere. I am often exhausted after that trip although one is just a pick up because of the tourists and bringing covid to the area.
ReplyDeleteIn a small town it's not that hard to shop around.
DeleteSince the pandemic I've done all my grocery shopping online; their delivery charge works out less than it would cost me to go in person. It also has the advantage that I don't have to get involved in calculations about which supermarket is cheapest - and there's no danger of being given any lost wives they might find!
ReplyDeleteEverybody has their own system. Sometimes the systems don't work when people get lost.
DeleteRed I think you deserve to go to less stores!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the other red shirt guy had dementia. It would be very scary to be lost like that or to lose someone.
I hope your next grocery trip is stress free
I usually only go to one or two stores. I try to price match so I don't have to go to other stores.
DeleteWell - I never knew that Jean was Asian! I thought she came from Barnsley. A number of Asians live in the town nowadays but when Jean was banished to Canada there would have been almost none. Is she a Hindu?
ReplyDeleteWell, I never knew that the Micro Manager was Asian either! She lived in Royston.
DeleteGrocery shopping for us is a tow person job and will continue to be as long as we can manage it. Such a hateful job though. Shopping around is a necessity these days. If we can finish under two hours we count ourselves lucky.
ReplyDeleteThee are so many different products that it gets time consuming.
DeleteHubby and I do the list and shopping together. It is hard to run around to different stores shopping for sale items, our stores are too far apart we would waste gas. Take care, enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteWe keep the running around to a minimum. Our stores are fairly close together.
DeleteThere was a man who used to come to the store with his wife . She had alzheimers. He was so patient and gentle with her. She was so trusting of him. She did not remember who he was, but she always knew she could trust him.
ReplyDeleteThere are some very sad situations. It's not always peaceful.
DeleteMany years ago, my grandfather would drive around to three or four different stores looking for the best price of tomatoes and white bread, two things he always needed. I never understood him spending several dollars in gas (1980 prices) to save two or three cents a pound on a single tomato. But it made him happy knowing he got the best deal in town I guess.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if the Micro Managers shopping ends up being less costly. sometimes it depends what you want.
DeleteYes, it does sound stressful. I'm glad your wife has you to do the shopping, not to mention finding a way to write a good post after your adventure.
ReplyDeleteI really don't mind the job but sometimes it gets complicated.
DeleteI just go to one store and get what I need. I have found that going to different stores really doesn't save a lot of money in the long run as your gas and your time are worth something, too. I usually do plan a vague menu for the week and get what I need, picking up any sales I see for future use. You are a good sport to go to 5 stores.
ReplyDeleteI don't go to five stores but you can price match the flier prices.
DeleteGrocery shopping is not my most favourite thing, I just want to get in there, get what I need and get out. What an event-filled grocery shopping experience you had! While you went for the bargains, you can away with more than you bargained for!
ReplyDeleteThat WAS a stressful day! I like a bargain, but sometimes it's better to just buy what you want rather than chasing down pennies here and nickels there. Going from one store to the next, you probably spend on gas what you save in grocery costs!
ReplyDeleteI usually only go to one or two stores and use the fliers to price match other products.
DeleteIt's nice to hear the grocery store had some helpful employees, even if they kept asking you about your wife.
ReplyDeleteThose issues tend to blow up quickly so they wanted to cover all bases.
DeleteUh, you might be spending more on gas to go to five stores than to buy regularly priced stuff at 2. Just don't wear a red shirt. Hang in there. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI confused you a bit. I usually go to one or two stores but can match some things from other stores. The stores are nearby. With in 5 km.
DeleteOld age cometh not alone. As I'm discovering.
ReplyDeleteBut old age beats the alternative.
DeleteI wonder if you and the Micro Manager are actually saving anything by the time you drive to all five stores. It might be worth some calculations, or it might be worth it not to do them in the interest of marital harmony :) You had a stressful day for sure.
ReplyDeleteI confused you a bit as I wasn't clear. I usually go to one or two stores. I can match some things from the other stores. You're right. Tearing around doesn't make any sense.
DeleteThat sure sounds stressful. We don't have 5 grocery stores in our town, just one, Costcutter. It's never crowded, doesn't have a wide variety of choices but does have all the basics and it's a 1 minute walk from our apartment.
ReplyDeleteI only go to one or two stores. I am able to price match some items from other stores.
DeleteYikes! I left my smartphone in a grocery cart (I think) at the store yesterday. But I found that with location monitoring I could go on my PC at home, select my phone and it showed me a map with exactly where the phone was. I went back to the store, to the service counter, asked and it was promptly pulled from beneath the counter and handed to me. I was so pleased I took the worker's hand in mine and kissed it! (To her great surprise and apparent pleasure.)
ReplyDeleteSo what you're saying is that old people should have some sort of locator device. Sounds good.
DeleteRed, That's quite a story. Here, I do all the grocery shopping. It really is annoying to need to go to more than one store, but that's the way it has to be for me to find what I need at the best prices. Sometimes, I think the store managers get together and discuss what to carry and what not to carry to keep the customers moving around. John
ReplyDeleteTo set the record straight I usually only go to one or two stores.
DeleteWhat a sad tale! I hope you managed a bit of a rest!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how these two got separated.
DeleteThat was a stressful day. Is there anyway you could order your groceries online and just pick them up.
ReplyDeleteYes we have that service here but the Micro Manager would not let control go to such a service,
DeleteI have done all of our shopping for over 20 years. I go to two supermarkets (Kroger and Publix). I gave up driving 15 miles to get cheaper coffee when I realized I was spending more than the savings in gasoline. I make a list as I think of items during the week and draw a line through each line as I place it in the cart. I am not OCD enough (yet) to compose the list in the order I walk through the aisles in the store. My method works very well for me, and that is all that really counts. I have never lost a wife while shopping.
ReplyDeleteThere are many different ways to get the shopping done.
DeleteThough I enjoyed reading your post about this, that was a stressful day! I hope the next trip goes more smoothly.
ReplyDeleteLike everything else there are ups and downs.
ReplyDeleteWe grocery shop together and generally at only one supermarket, although there are at 4 nearby. One of these features weekly specials using digital coupons and we often shop those sales as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your email that some of my previous comments had gone to spam.
I'm not sure how far you have to drive to get to your grocery stores, but I might consider breaking those stores down into multiple days. You know what's 'hot', so just run into those stores to pick up the sale items over the course of the weeklong sale price.
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday, a store had a sale on unsalted butter for $1.90 a pound. I picked up 10 lbs. 9 1/2 lbs went into the freezer. That is enough butter to last me until after Christmas.
I felt nervous when you mentioned staff's query whether your wife really came to store or what
ReplyDeleteI too felt bad for elderly couple.it must be challenging for them to get groceries at this part of age