So, I Finally Tried Instacart to Order Groceries!

1st, a disclaimer.. **This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Yes, that is how much I liked using the service! I signed up to be an affiliate! If you know me, I really only promote things I like or really believe in, so yeah I really do like this service. I have to say I put off using it for awhile as I had seen similar services like restaurant food delivery come and go and it was usually really expensive. Also, where I previously lived we were only 5 minutes from our favorite Publix Supermarket so it was not really needed and I like shopping in the store usually.. BUT we have recently moved to a new area and the closest Publix, or any grocery store for that matter is almost 15 minutes away, making it more of an inconvenience than before.

SO, After getting all settled in with the new house, we were in need of some staples that did not really make me too motivated to make the over an hour and a half of time it would take to drive there, shop, and get back home, I just so happened to remember I had received a promotional email from Instacart to try their service with a $20 credit if I bought $50 worth of food and that was all the motivation I needed to give it a test run! Of course I first had to check with the Boss (My Wife) to see if she needed anything else or was headed that way for anything else anyway, but she gave me the go ahead. So I was ready to put this thing to the Test!

To begin, I clicked the link in the promotional email and was thankful that my favorite store was the default, Publix Supermarkets. Now I must confess I live in the area that is Publix's home, near Lakeland Florida, so we are big Publix fans already and this will be a test to see how they execute this process also. After putting in my basic information and picking my closest Publix, I was ready to Shop! I was really impressed that the Instacart website made it very easy to find the regular sale items, the buy one get one free stuff, and even their store coupons were incorporated into the site/products and applied automatically making it really easy! I was able to quickly find the products I needed and loaded my cart up over the $50 requirement for my discount and then some so I hit the "complete order" button. Another great feature i really liked was the fact that they give you an option "if this item is out of stock, replace it with another item?". That to me is pretty cool. One of the items I ordered was a BOGO that the store ran out of and the shopper actually texted me to see if I wanted a replacement! Now that is service! Also, another thing I found out is if you need something from another store that is listed in your area, they will stop by and get those items as well! no more running from store to store!

Now I do understand that nothing in this world is free, and something like this that is a matter of convenience has a cost, but I have to say the fees were not that bad. probably about the same amount that it would have cost me in gas and time to have my stuff delivered right to my door! All in all I think it took less than one hour to have my order delivered to me. Just like any other type of deliver service you have the option to "tip" the delivery driver, which I did as this was a great experience overall for me. So, yes, I am now a big believer that this product, and especially with its partnership with Publix, is a great service worth the extra money I paid. Now will I use it all the time? No, I still like doing some of my larger shops in person in the store for sure, but I can see myself using Instacart a couple times per month when it does not make sense for me to make that special trip just for a few things I need. Another way I see myself using this service is if I am in the middle of cooking a special dinner and find I need something and have no time to run to the store myself, that can be a great option for sure! Make sure you at least signup for their email notices as they will send you discounts and codes to help you save some money to try it for yourself.

So, I highly recommend checking out the Instacart service yourself with Free Delivery on your 1st order and see if it can make your shopping a pleasure! I know I was super happy and impressed.