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The Jogging Stroller As A Grocery Getter
We live within a mile of two grocery stores, but the health food stores are a bit further away. I always bike or walk to the grocery stores near our house, but we drive to the health food stores (we always try to include multiple errands in one trip to avoid extra driving). There’s a Whole Foods about three miles from here, but it’s along a very busy road where I don’t feel comfortable biking. This evening, I needed some organic brown rice and blackstrap molasses, neither of which are available at the store by our house. I thought about Whole Foods, and about some of the trails and side streets where I’ve been running with our dog for years. I knew I could find a way to get there that didn’t involve the main road, so I got out the jogging stroller and an extra diaper, and set out with the baby and the dog. We had a great run, and managed to avoid traffic until we got right to the shopping area where WF is located. The bonus to this method is that you’re forced to stick to your shopping list, since anything you buy has to fit in the little mesh basket under the stroller, and then you have to run home with the additional weight in the stroller. I bought five pounds of rice, and a 32 ounce jar of molasses, and I didn’t even look at anything else, since I knew I wouldn’t be able to fit it in my stroller basket (and wouldn’t want to push any more stuff home with us!).
It was a great evening. The dog and I got our exercise, the baby had a stroller adventure (he’s wide-eyed the whole time, watching the world go by), and we got in and out of the store with only what was on our list. Now that I know a good back-roads route to WF, I’ll be making the trip on my bike with my basket for groceries from now on. Little by little, we’re increasing the amount of time our cars spend parked in our garage. Baby steps, but it all adds up.
What did you do with the dog while you were in the store?
October 3rd, 2008 at 9:33 am
@Lolgator - tied her to a bench outside the store. This particular WF has a great secluded spot out front with benches and picnic tables and bushes all around. I often see dogs there, but it was the first time I’d taken my own dog.
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:39 am
You are awesome. I read your blog daily, and I think I’m about your age but my life is chaos in comparison!
You seem to have everything SO TOGETHER, and are able to do it in a way that also saves money and the Earth a little bit. I definitely aspire to do the same one day!
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
@Sense - Thanks! Your comment made me laugh, because right now my kitchen looks like a “before” picture from a cleaning company ad. I am far from having it all together! But thanks for the vote of confidence
October 4th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
[...] Frugal Babe presents The Jogging Stroller as Grocery Getter. [...]
October 5th, 2008 at 4:04 am
[...] Babe talked about using her “Jogging Stroller as a Grocery Getter.” This is a creative way to save money by walking for errands rather than using the [...]
October 5th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Goodness…after reading your blog as well as Naturally Frugal I am so inspired to change so many things in my life…however being a military spouse and having to live in a town that I am frighten of and refuse to go out after dark let alone without the safety of my car I am sad that I cannot do the same…instead of nice walks and park days with my girls I am forced to be inside…although your ideas and lifesytle give me something to look forward to for our future..
October 15th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
*addition: 1) I meant I would not go anywhere without the safety of my car night or day…and also never in my life have I been a “scaredy” cat I have always prided (humbly) myself with the courage I have been instilled with, it is just that were we live is crime-ridden.
October 15th, 2008 at 1:30 pm