Earlier this year I tried grocery shopping with three kids. My baby was little, and often asleep, so I would keep her in her infant car seat and place her in the basket of the cart. My three-year-old would sit in the front of the cart with the seat belt, while my six-year-old would complain about how it wasn’t fair that she was the only kid in the family that had to walk. No matter how you look at it, it was a tough situation for grocery shopping. In addition to the next-to-impossible task of keeping three kids happy in the store, there was nowhere to put the groceries! I tried placing stuff on the very bottom of the cart under the basket, but stuff would often fall over or fall off as I sped through the store. The whole experience was plain, old frustrating!

One day I was chatting with my sister, who mentioned to me that she had started online grocery shopping. A light bulb went off in my brain… What a great idea! So I gave online grocery shopping a whirl, and I’m here to tell you, it changed my life. No more fussy kids in the store, no more struggling to fit everything in the cart, no more wasted time shopping. I simply place my order on the computer, chose a time to pick it up, send a text to the store when I am there for pick-up, and they bring everything out and load it into my car for me. It is so worth the $2 convenience fee my local grocery store charges.

If you want to give online grocery shopping a try, here are a few things for you to consider.

Will online grocery shopping save money? Possibly. If you grocery shop online through your local grocery store, they will usually have the same sale prices online that they do in the store. There is usually a convenience fee, but typically it is not more than $5. If you are big on clipping coupons, you might not like online shopping because most coupons are not valid online. On the flip side, there are also promo codes and deals that apply only to online shoppers. One way grocery shopping online has saved me money is that I no longer buy things on impulse. It is much easier to stick with your list when you aren’t inside the store.

Will online grocery shopping save time? Yes! Initially it might take some time to set up an account and learn to navigate the grocery store online, but once you get the hang of it, it is quick. Many online grocery services have ways for you to save your favorite items on your account, which makes it much faster the next time you shop. Whether you choose a service with home delivery or store pick-up, you don’t have to wait in lines, fight the crowds, or physically walk around the store looking for everything you need.

Will my online groceries be of the highest quality? Likely yes. Because grocery stores want you to use their online services, they spend time training their employees to choose the best produce, meat, bakery items, etc. for you. However, if you are super picky about your non-perishable items, you might not like online grocery shopping. You have to be comfortable with the idea of someone else choosing your food for you.

I hope this helps you figure out if online grocery shopping is right for you. Best wishes in your online shopping endeavors!