I’ve been buying dog food online and enjoying the convenience of having it delivered to my home for years.
Now I’m starting to buy groceries online too. Of course this includes a slew of frequently used household products as well.
It’s definitely better for the planet… and for your family!
For most of us, going to the grocery store is a weekly necessity. Some even make trips to the grocery store more than once a week.
Staying home and ordering groceries online is not only quicker and cheaper, it’s also kinder to the environment.
RELATED: Walmart Grocery Curbside Pickup Review
Here are 3 ways that grocery shopping online can save you time and money and reduce your carbon footprint AND save you money!
#1 – Buying Groceries Online Saves Fuel
Doing your grocery shopping online avoids the need for a trip (or several trips) to the store.
Unless you walk or ride your bicycle, a visit to the supermarket consumes gas.
Allowing a delivery truck to bring your groceries home reduces your impact on the environment.
The delivery truck, while still being a huge gas-guzzler, will use less fuel than if the customers it delivers to all drove their cars to the store independently. The truck is making the trip anyway — so the more deliveries, the lower the overall carbon footprint.
#2 – More (And Greener!) Items Are Available Online
There are lots more products available online than in the retail stores. Store shelves can only stock so much.
Eco-friendly items are one type of product that supermarkets typically choose to leave off their store shelves. They might have one or two, but for the greatest variety, you’ll want to look online.
In addition, there is more detailed product information available to you when buying groceries online. In grocery stores, you only get to see what’s printed directly on the label — which can take some time to read, dissect, and scrutinize. But online, you get to see these things before you buy:
- what other consumers think about the item (reviews)
- more about the manufacturer and their other brands (reputation)
- what the product is being sold for at various locations (comparison pricing)
At home, it’s so much easier to compare brands, check prices, and read reviews before buying a product.
Shopping around — without even leaving your home — enables you to find the best products for your needs and make greener choices at the same time. This definitely lowers your carbon footprint!
#3 – When You Buy Groceries Online You Consume Less
Selecting your groceries from the comfort of your kitchen table reduces the risk of impulse buying.
You can order your groceries when you are relaxed and at a time which suits you.
Because you have more time to plan, you are less likely to put unnecessary items into your online shopping cart. You’ll only buy what you really need, so you use less — and less is so much more when it comes to the environment.
Buying less, and therefore consuming less, is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
Where To Buy Groceries Online
I started by buying groceries through Amazon. The selection is incredible.
I especially like how much money you can save with Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program. Simply enter the items you buy all the time, schedule the frequency that you’d like them delivered (weekly, monthly, quarterly) and the items will magically appear on your doorstep without ever having to think about buying those items again. Now that’s peace of mind. And it frees up so much time that you can be doing other things!
Not only are you saving big bucks on things you buy all the time, you get FREE SHIPPING through Amazon’s Subscribe & Save too. (NO Prime Membership required.) You can skip a shipment at any time, change your delivery day or frequently, and cancel any time. There’s no obligation.
Wondering what type of grocery items people are buying online this way? Check out Amazon’s Best Sellers in the grocery delivery department.
Other popular places to buy groceries online are:
Even Google is testing same-day delivery of online groceries.
No doubt about it, buying groceries online is definitely the way the industry is moving. You don’t want to be the last one to catch on!
Here are more great options by region, specialty, organic, etc: 50+ Places To Buy Groceries Online
Always on the lookout for a good bargain, I consider myself a frugal person — but not cheap. And not afraid to spend money on the things that matter.
I like to share good deals with others when I find them. One of my favorite ways to save money is to reuse items in ways other than their intended purpose — so I write a lot about outside-the-box ideas that most people wouldn’t think of!
When I’m not saving money or looking for good deals, you’ll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
