5 of My Favorite Services, That Make Shopping a Breeze

Wear a mask, saves lives, has been my mantra for the last couple of months. My family  and I faithfully wear face masks when we venture to the limited places we choose to go to, during this pandemic. The new normal consists of car keys, wallet, cell phone, hand sanitizer and of course, a covering. But you know, like I know, those jokers are hot! Particularly in the blazing summer heat. That’s why lately I have been using shopping services and apps, that not only simplify my life and make buying necessities easy but also, give me a break from the personal sauna that is the face mask. Here are my top 5 services, that have been making shopping a breeze.

Prime Now

An extension of my beloved Amazon Prime membership, Now allows you to receive a variety of items, the same day you order them, sometimes as soon as an hour after purchase. As a flight attendant, your essentials typically stay in your suitcase but I arrived to my layover in Seattle one night and lo and behold, I did not have my cell phone charger. Thankfully, I was able to order one using Now and it was delivered within 2 hours.

Target Drive Up

I love Target, I really do but sometimes I just don’t feel like walking miles, past a bunch of crap that I don’t need, that haphazardly ends up in my cart anyway, causing me to spend $200, when I only came in for band-aids. Needless to say, I have minimal self control in Target, which is why their drive up feature is essential. I simply shop online, for what I actually need and they bring it right to my car, saving me time and about $190.

Kroger Free Pick Up

My local Kroger, is similar to a Target store, with specialty subsections in the deli dedicated to only cheese and sushi and a Starbucks, I’m usually 5 pounds heavier when I exit. Their free pickup allows me to keep my waistline and my dignity by shopping for all my necessary grocery needs online. The entire operation is totally contactless because they ask that you open your trunk, they load your goods and bid you adieu.

Instacart

For days, that I am a lazy bum and can’t even muster the energy to get out of pj’s or drive my car, there’s Instacart. Delivery right to your door and usually within a minimal timeframe. The first time I used Instacart, I had just had foot surgery and my husband had to unexpectedly go out of town on business. I placed my order and knee scootered myself to the door. Simple and easy! There is a membership fee for this service but it’s worth it if you’re at high risk for catching the Corona Virus, you’re super busy or you just don’t feel like moving.

DoorDash

First of all, if you can deliver me alcohol, you win. DoorDash will deliver food from your favorite restaurants, whether it be fast food or fine dining. I used to use Uber Eats, which is also a good service, on many of my work layovers but when I found out that DoorDash will also bring you a dranky drank, it’s become my go to because BOOZE! Oh and also because there are no delivery fees and no minimum order size.

I love life made easy. I’m always looking for ways to reduce stress, simplify daily tasks, and prevent me from overheating and melting with my mask on like the Wicked Witch on The Wizard of Oz. I’m thankful that our world of technology affords us these simple fixes. What services are you using that make your routine a little less complicated?