I knocked out the grocery store before the crowd!
By Kareng
@kareng (59050)
United States
June 21, 2008 2:17pm CST
I decided to get up early this Saturday morning and get on with the chores. I was IN the grocery store before 8 am and there was hardly anyone else shopping. Usually Saturdays are busy and the store is packed so I wanted to beat the crowd and I did! Shopping was so much easier and faster! I was out of there around 8:30 and got everything I needed! No people in the way or blocking aisles and I just moved from aisle to aisle without any problems. There was only one lady in front of me at the checkout too! Do you like to shop when the store is empty? Do you plan your trips for times when you know the store will be slow in business like early morning or late at night?
14 people like this
51 responses
@lynn2457 (500)
• United States
23 Jun 08
I do not go into stores if they are crowded, I found that it is not healthy for me personally. I go in early morning or almost closing, I still get all the things needed, and I do not have to deal with the crowds. Since I do not do well with crowds, this works great for me,
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
24 Jun 08
Maybe that is why I prefer going to Super WalMart to do a lot of my grocery shopping from time to time. I find if I go to the one by me later at night especially like on a Sunday night, it is a lot quicker overall to get thru the line than going earlier during the day and having to fight the lines, or waiting 15 mins. or more to check out.
Since I work on Saturday mornings, I cannot go shopping then, so we try to go usually later at night when we have a lot of groceries to buy.
2 people like this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
22 Jul 08
Wow! That certainly would have made shopping much more easy for you. We'd do that here, but with 4 kids to get ready, it is usually 10am before we can even think about walking out the door!!!!
My partner likes to do the shopping, so I let him. He likes Saturday afternoons best, as that is when the best markdowns of foods can be found. There is no Sunday trading in my little town, so the markdowns are quite big.
1 person likes this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
25 Jul 08
Yeah, I'm pretty lucky. He also does all the cooking, so only fair he gets the shopping too, and the dishes.
1 person likes this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I always try to go when I know it will be slow, like early morning, or sometimes during the week. I despise grocery shopping even under the best of circumstances. So I try to make it as painless as possible by going during slow times, with a list, and get in and out quickly.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
21 Jun 08
You sound like me. I hate shopping too. Unfortunatly I always manage to go on Fridays or Saturdays when it's the busiest. Silly me. But when you're out of food, what can you do?
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
22 Jun 08
I have always liked getting to the shops as early as possible of a morning, it is one of the quietest times. As soon as the morning gets to about ten o'clock it is usually already busy where I live and then it is a nightmare!
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
21 Jun 08
My mom was always an early bird, she was up around 5am everyday or earlier. She always did her shopping at about 6am on Saturdays, then hit Walmart immediatly after. She was done with all her shopping, and back home, by 9am at the latest. She enjoyed it. She actually became good friends with another person who was there shopping that early every single week. They would meet up and have coffee at that store every saturday morning before they began their shopping.
1 person likes this
@kareng (59050)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I am not an early bird and have started trying to get up at the same time I do during the week, just to have a better routine. I tell myself that I can take a nap if I get up early...lol. I do give myself a break every now and then and sleep an hour later but that is still a lot better than 6 am! I'll never be one to get up at 5 am willingly. LOL!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
21 Jun 08
No I couldn't either. I was usually still fast asleep when my mom brought in the groceries, lol.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
24 Jun 08
I would much rather go when it is not busy. I use to go on weekdays after I took the kids to school. That way I could take my time and look through coupons and get the better deals on marked down meat and veggies.
1 person likes this
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
26 Sep 08
We seem to go grocery shopping during random times and usually it's not crowded at those times. For example, I tend to need food mostly on Mondays and Tuesdays, so we go after work. Maybe it's just that I'm not in the mood to grocery shop on the weekends, but whatever it is, it seems to work.
We've been there very late at night and gotten in and out quickly, however a lot of times if you go late at night there isn't as much stocked on the shelves
1 person likes this
@kareng (59050)
• United States
26 Sep 08
I have found that Monday is a bad day or night to shop for groceries here. Stock is eigher out or just about gone and several things on the list are not there. That aggravates me because I don't like to have to go back in a day or two for something I am out of.
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
25 Sep 08
[i]Hi Kareng,
Hubby and I loved to shop when there are less people...It's annoying for me to join a crowd and wait a long line when paying!
Anyway, every time we will go out, we will also think about this![/i]
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I love shopping late at night for the same reason. When I worked PM shift I would go after I got off of work at eleven pm Or I would go when I got off of work when I work the night shifts and got off at 7:30am
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
22 Jun 08
I do most of my holiday shopping late at night. I find I have more more to move around. I do not do well with a lot of people moving around me because I have problems with dizzy spells and it seems to bring them on with visual "Q's" like fast movement. Late night or very early holiday shopping is the only way to go.
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
1 Jul 08
I go shopping when ever, no particular day or time. When I know I need something and I am out I just stop and pick it up and then I usually end up picking up a lot of other things. I wait till I am on my way home from work so that I am not leaving food in the car all day. I used to work in a big grocery store chain and I started at 8am every day and you are right, hardly any customers till about 9am. So yes, this is a good time for you to shop.
1 person likes this
@craftymom (71)
• United States
22 Jun 08
I like to do the shopping around 8 a.m. Drop the kids off at school and then head to the grocery store. Not only is the store less crowded, but where I shop, that's when they mark down the stuff that's too close to the "sell by" date. I love to pay half price, or less, for veggies or meat or dairy or sometimes a little snack from the bakery!
I have become quite adept at saving on our grocery bills like this. You just have to make sure you have a good plan for eating or storing all items you buy like this.
Good luck if you decide to try this out.
@craftymom (71)
• United States
24 Jun 08
I used to go shopping when my husband got home (about 9pm). It was so much easier to go really late, sometimes after midnight, than to have to take the boys when they were that young:)
@drknlvly6781 (6246)
• United States
23 Jun 08
I used to do this when my mother worked late and I was in my own apartment. My mom would always want a couple of items from the store when we went, but she was working late, and usually would have to work the next day early when I got my food stamps. So we would plan to wait until midnight the night before I got them to go to the store. Shopping is lovely that time of night, hardly anyone in the store. No one to bump into in the aisles. You can really take your time and shop then. And like you said, hardly anyone in the checkout lanes.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
23 Jun 08
Good for you! It seems like I always hit a time that is busy. If I wait until after work it's crowded with people on their way home....and it seems like most any time there are lots of seniors.....this might be a very good time to try shopping!
1 person likes this
@Cocoa33 (921)
• United States
22 Jun 08
my mother do that sometimes. we go to walmart store at night where its open 24hrs. when there is no one there. the stock people are there unpacking. its great. we do all our shopping, and not to worry about the long lines. we are in and out.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
23 Jun 08
I am always there by 8am. No crowds, no lines, but often I beat the meat distribution! Haven't put out the meats or the meats on sale yet! But, I always find something - whatever is on sale that week is what I buy. I have found htat if I go on a Friday, the Manager's Specials are always marked down on Friday AM I am guessing so they get "rid" of close to expire meats before the Saturday rush. I inspect it carefull, and they usually go on sale half price at least and the expiration date is that next monday, but if I prepare the meat and freeze it immediately once home, it lasts awhile.
1 person likes this
@cinderella2007 (2662)
•
22 Jun 08
When customers come in our quiet time I always tell them its the best time to come as its always like that especially before 9amor after 6pm. If only I could do my shopping at that time, it would be great!! I always seem to have stuff to do but I generally do our shopping in bits and pieces.
I think most customers enjoy shopping at the quiet times as the majority of things are available on the shelf and there arent too many people blocking up the aisle like you said!! Also it gives the customers time to chat to members of staff and have a good look around at things rather than rushing in and rushing out!!
So is 8am going to be your new shopping time???
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
22 Jun 08
Yes, I do.. That way, I can take my time and not worry about being in a rush.. I like to pay for my things in a steady manner.. I am the type that loves to shop early in the morning, if I am given that chance.. I don't blame you, I would be happy to know that I am the only one in the store, enjoying myself.. It is so easier when you can shop when not that much customers are in the store.. It also makes the cashier's job much easier..
1 person likes this
