March 30: Planning ain't free

March 30, 3pm

All the SNAP Challenge resources I read suggested planning the week's menu in advance. Normally this exercise takes a grand total of about 30 minutes/week for me - the time it takes me to go to the store a couple times and buy my staples. I've already spent two full hours on it this week and I'm not even done yet.

Being on a budget, I decide to look at store specials. Safeway has a promo on cheese, but Walmart's eggs are cheaper, and I don't have time to go to both. And what about Walgreen's? Grocery Outlet? By the time I decide on Walmart I realize I've spent 30 minutes looking at flyers. I wish there was a service that would let me put together the shopping cart I want and then tell me which store could sell it to me cheapest that week. 

I peruse Walmart's online grocery selection - which proves VERY useful because they publish price per ounce. I put together my cart and realize I qualify for free delivery - especially useful given I don't have a car, and can use that time to complete more work. I have to leave for a meeting but I'll schedule a delivery time when I'm finished.

5:30pm

Shoot. No delivery spots left for tomorrow. And the price of oatmeal went up. Double shoot.

Now I have to solve the procurement puzzle. I have no car. It's too far on my bike. I look up bus routes - 30 minutes each way? Who has that kind of time? 

I start appealing to friends: "Hey, any chance you're going grocery shopping tomorrow?" Repeated nos. I look into zipcar, which would cost a $70 annual membership and $7/hour. Ha! As if my budget would fit that. 

11pm

Finally a generous friend comes through and allows me to borrow his car, saving me the hour round trip bus tour. I've now spent three hours on the shopping list, and a full hour on the transportation quandry. That's 8x my normal time spent grocery shopping - which, at minimum wage, is $40 of lost opportunity for income. And I haven't even bought an ounce of food yet.