Upon first glance, this trunk might look like a disaster.  Backpacks, band instruments, and bags strewn about don’t exactly equal a life-changing experience.  There’s more than meets the eye here, though!  The beauty of this scene is that I came home with a trunk full of groceries that

a)  I didn’t shop for, and

b)  I didn’t have to load into my car.

You read that right.   These days, I have a professional grocery shopper.  The best news is that YOU CAN, TOO, if you live in Northeast Tennessee!!  How much would you pay to get 2 hours of your life back each week?  I did, and only paid $4.99.  Great deal, right? 

Grocery shopping used to be such fun for me, but it’s become a cumbersome task to schedule into my already overbooked calendar.  It took a full 2 hours to get through the store, checking coupons and backtracking for the items I missed or forgot.  Thanks to Food City, my life just became TWO HOURS easier per week! Can you relate?  How much would you pay to get that 2 hours back in your life?

Food City has a new online shopping program called GoCart.  It’s free to sign up, and you can connect it to your current ValuCard number.  Search for your store, clicking the box for GoCart availability.  I found several in my area of Northeast Tennessee, and also saw some in Bristol.  Click “Set Store.”

The online shopping page looks very similar to any other website interface.  I usually search for my item in the top search bar, then focus the search by clicking “brand” on the right sidebar.  If you know the brand you want, you can also search that way.

See the little green scissors-square in the top right of these yogurt boxes?  They are coupon notifications.  That’s right, you can just clip the coupon right on the website!  Here’s what it looks like when you click it:

Before checking out, I go back through my cart one last time.  I’ve been consistently surprised that my cart was under budget each time. I’m saving money, getting everything I need for the week, AND saving time. GoCart is a real sanity boost, I tell you!

Now, select a date and time to pick up your order. This is one of the best parts.  You can get through the pickup line after school, and have your groceries just a few minutes later.  Amazing, right?!

I found that I needed to allow a 2 or 3 hour window for same-day pickup. There weren’t as many options available for same day, since the time slots aren’t open once someone reserves them.  I haven’t had a problem getting my desired time slot for the next day; your mileage may vary.    The checkout option allows me to use 2 “rewards” for a $5 discount, which pays for the $4.99 GoCart fee.  This is more than a fair trade, in my opinion.  I usually save well over that $4.99 fee in coupons, too.

My professional shopper at Food City sends me a text when my order is ready (thanks, Kevin!) When I’m within 5 minutes of the store (usually waiting in the car line at school!)  I send a text saying that I’m on my way. The GoCart team waits right out front of the store.  I pull into the lane, smiling all the way.  One team member comes to the window to get my payment (check or card only).  Meanwhile, another team member loads my groceries into the back of the car. Within 5 minutes, I’m on my merry way!  I even cook supper when I get home, because I still have energy.  Also, the food was still cold because it hadn’t been sitting in my cart THEN my car for hours.

GoCart at Food City changed my life.  It made me enjoy the moments of making a grocery list again.  I’ve cooked more meals at home, and my kids have food to pack for lunch.  Could GoCart make a difference for you, too?  Share this great news with a friend so that others can enjoy it, too!

I received no compensation for this post.