Instacart

You may have recently heard some chatter surrounding Instacart, an online grocery delivery service based out of San Francisco and now available in 19 states. The way the platform works is, users set up an account, enter their zip code, and are then free to shop from all available retailers within their delivery range. Users can add items to their carts, apply coupons, and select delivery dates/times that work best for them.

Some major retailers you may find on Instacart include Kroger, Publix, Target, Sprouts, CVS, Aldi, Costco, and many more. Instacart can fulfill orders in as little as 2 hours and as far out as several days per request. Sound to good to be true? I thought so too, so I gave it a try, and was 100% satisfied!

In fact I found that, Instacart may be a great grocery delivery option for aging individuals who have trouble with mobility and driving, as its added convenience makes it a great option for individuals of all ages. So I did some research and found that many individuals have began using Instacart for their routine grocery needs. Other individuals even use this to ensure their elderly parents have their weekly grocery needs fulfilled too. Wondering if this service would work for you or your parents?  Here’s a breakdown on some of the questions you may be asking;

Is “signing up” a hassle?

I wondered if creating an online account may end up more troublesome than an actual trip to the grocery store would however, I found the signup process on Instacart to be extremely user friendly for all ages including seniors. The site immediately prompts you to enter your zip code in a clear, bright, and large box. It then pans you to the next screen where you can sign up by entering your email, if you have Gmail or Facebook you can simply click each button respectively and it will use the smart technology to sign you up on your device and automatically input your info. If you are worried this might be too difficult for your elderly loved ones, you may consider setting up the account for them or using your own account to help them place orders. You can also bookmark and save login information to their desktop or device that way they are always logged in and ready to go.

Is it easy to find items?

Yes, incredibly so and in my opinion even easier than parading back and forth through the grocery store searching for items! Once you select the retailer you wish to shop from that day, you can either browse by category and look for items you may need, or simply type in the item at the top search bar and voila! I love this because from then, you can select the best priced items, read nutritional values, and consider options all from the comfort of your home. Another useful feature is the site will even recommend complimentary items it think you may need based on your browsing history. Looking at cake mix? The site will likely then recommend some eggs too! If you think it may be difficult for your loved one to know how and which items to select, consider having them write down their grocery list the old fashion way (pen and paper) and then typing that list into their search.

What about the cost?

So I was pretty sure that the catch here would you be an additional $20 plus in “service fees” and to my surprise that was not the case at all, I actually ended up saving money!  Aside from the fact that you can filter items by price, making it easier to select the best deal, you can also apply coupon codes offered by retailers to your items. When it comes to Instacart’s service fees they aren’t too bad with delivery ranging from $3-$7, $2 service fee, and optional tips. The best part is however, that most of the different vendors typically offer free shipping on your first few orders as well as during random promotional hours. Not to mention you can easily get $10,$15, $20 off your entire first and subsequent orders with promo codes, I myself googled one that worked instantly and saved me $20! You can also purchase and gift yearly subscriptions which will waive shipping completely.

In my opinion Instacart is a worthy option for aging individuals who need help with grocery shopping. Try it out yourself with free shipping and $10 your first order and rate it yourself!

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