We need to talk about grocery store etiquette.
Is what I was thinking as I circled the parking lot for the sixth time. In the rain. With two children.
So maybe we need to talk about parking etiquette.
Here’s the thing: I think, overall, I used to be a lot cooler and calmer about grocery shopping. I would shop at different stores on their double ad days, getting a few things here, a few things there. I rarely had to lumber to my car with an entire cart full of food. I only had one child back then, and it was the most peaceable one, so transporting her in and out of stores was never on the forefront of my mind. I lived in a place with relatively nice weather year round, so the distance from my spot to the car wasn’t something that stressed me out. And most importantly, there were MANY grocery store options in my part of the city, and many options throughout the city as whole, so the entire populace did not find themselves squeezing into one small parking lot, dashing into the store only to fight to the death over the last can of Red Gold tomatoes.
But now? Now I am stressed out all the tiiiiiiiiime when grocery shopping.
And it starts in the parking lot.
The parking lot at my Kroger is never not full. I have been at 8am, 8pm, and every hour in between and this place is always packed like Christmas Day at Disney World. But I live in a small town. Who are all these people? Are they commuting here for the grocery shopping from other, bigger towns? These can’t all be employee cars. There are, at any given moment, seemingly only five people who work at this Kroger. Who do these cars belong to?
When I got in the car with the Teacup and the Frying Pan, the sky was a little grey. By the time we drove the, I don’t know, 3 miles to the store, we were in a full on torrential downpour the likes of which I had never seen. Since last week. So okay. I start making my game plan in my head. I’ll park as close as I can, strap by bag across my back, hang my reusable grocery bags around my neck like a mule, and hold one child in each arm. I can do this.
But every parking spot is so far from the entrance I might as well have walked from my house. Then, I see him. An older gentleman with only one shopping bag. He made his way to his car, which was parked in a prime, close to the door type of spot. I waited as he entered his vehicle, drumming my hands excitedly on the steering wheel. I bounced in my seat as his brake lights beamed, a clear sign his engine was running and he was just seconds from exiting this highly coveted spot. I gave the Frying Pan a quick thumbs up in the rear view mirror, keeping one eye on the car that would inevitably pull out of the spot…any second now…just pull out of the spot…c’mon fella…
What was he doing, I wondered. Was he waiting for someone? Was he about to leave but then he remembered he liked hanging out in parking lots? Was this some kind of revenge? Had I wrong this man in a past life??? Of course, he was within his rights to sit there as long as he likes. But maybe, if you know the store is always crowded, if you can see the weather raging around you, it would be a nice gesture to let the car that is clearly waiting for you to leave have the spot?
I circled the parking lot three more time, giving him a little more time. He did not budge. And as I ran past the gentleman in his snuggly, warm car, my own arms wet and laden with children, I had to wonder, what would the SavEars have done in a situation like this?
- Avocados (4)-$2.76. In store sale, $.69 each.
- Bananas, 1.90 lb-$1.12.
- Bell Peppers (3)-$2.97.
- Blueberries, pint (2)-$4.98.
- Boar’s Head Sandwich Pepperoni, .5 lb-$4.75.
- Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts, 5.10 lb-$10.15.
- Kroger Sausage, 1 lb-$3.49. No sale. I just needed some sausage.
- Mangoes (4)-$2.76. In store sale, $.69 each.
- Merry Estate Gouda-$4.59. Manager’s Special!
- Porkback Ribs, 15ish lbs-$13.52. Buy One, Get One free!
- Private Selection Angus Steak (5.12 lb) -$25.55. $4.99 per pound.
- Private Selection Wildflower Turkey, .75 lb-$7.79.
- Private Selection Wheat Bread-$1.99.
- Red Leaf Lettuce, .54 lb-$.91.
- Simple Truth Baby Food Packets (10)-$10.
- Simple Truth Almond Milk-$1.90.*Digital Coupon* for $.60 off.
- Silk Almond Milk (5)-$9.95. Buy 5, Save $5!
- Strawberries, 2 lb-$4.99.
- Apps I’ll submit to: Fetch Rewards, Ibotta ($.10 Off Any Item), CoinOut
Total Budget: $104.50
Total Spent: $114.17
Total Saved: $65.35
Deducted from Next Week: $9.67
So what would you have done? Gone home and tried at a less rainy time? Gently honked your horn and asked the kind sir if he would be leaving? Cried and write a blog about it? Choose your own adventure in the comments!
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!