The Day I left My Shopping at the Supermarket

Do you have days when it is imperative for you to go out to the supermarket with kids in tow?

You're out of milk or bread.

Kids are home with you and there is no way tomorrow's breakfast and lunchbox are going to be filled if you don't go out NOW to get the ingredients WITH kids tagging along.

So I had one of that kind of day recently and never thought that I would ever leave behind my shopping. Not with just 4 types of items.

Off I went to the supermarket.

It was sunny. Beautiful afternoon. 

My kids were on their best behaviour.

We were in the supermarket.

I got the food items.

Then decided to walk down another aisle because there were a couple of trolleys blocking our way to the check-out counters.

The aisle happened to be the medicine/toiletries aisle.

I saw something on sale at the bottom most shelf.

Dettol Touch of Foam Lavender hand wash was on 30% off.

Knowing that it is the favourite in the house, so I grabbed 2 bottles.

Then we walked to the check-out counter.

Usually I would use the self-serve check-out, because I don't have to chat to another human being and my kids like to help scan the items in the shopping basket.

This time however I decided to use the manned counter because I wanted to use my $20 gift card that I could not use to pay for things online,and there are very few places that I would normally go to that accepts that particular gift card.

The lady at the check-out counter was courteous, scanned all my shopping and proceeded with my gift card transaction.

Did it once. It was rejected.

Did it a second time. Successful. She had to key in something though.

Got my shopping bags and off we went home. 

When we got home and as I was unpacking the bags, I realised that something was missing.

Yes, upon checking the receipt the 2 bottles of hand wash were missing.

I have never left any of my shopping anywhere for as long as I could remember.

The next day I plan to see if I could get the 2 bottles of hand wash back.

I wasn't sure if I could get them back, but I wanted to give it a try.

So after the kinder drop-off and despite all the suggestions that people working in the supermarket could treat me harshly, I went to the supermarket and once there I asked a lady staff about my shopping from previous day.

And she said she was the one who put those items away earlier in the morning and told me I could take them back.

Wow, I never thought I could get my shopping back, and I was treated nicely. 

All I had to do was to sign in a log book of items-customers-left-behind-in-the-supermarket.

Happy to get back my items, I am also amazed that a big supermarket chain do keep track of things that could have been left behind by customers.

Moral of the story :

STICK TO ROUTINE

It is okay to leave behind your shopping bags regardless of whether you could claim it back or not.

Just don't leave your kids behind.

That could get you in trouble with the authorities  :-)

x

MOMMY-MUST-HAVES: Online Shopping

Do you know that shopping is an activity that has it's own health benefits?

Apart from lifting up your mood and lowering your stress levels, shopping is also a form of exercise and it could also improve your mental acuity, thus helping you to live longer.

Now, what type of a shopper are you?

Loyal?

Discount?

Impulse?

Need-based?

Wandering?

The next question is, where do you shop?

Do you shop from home (which consists of mail-ordering, telephone-ordering and online shopping)?

Or from the neighbourhood shop?

Or are you a party shopper?

For Mommy-Must-Haves issue today, I highly recommend online shopping.

I never fancy myself as someone who would enjoy buying things online. What comes to your mind when someone mentions buying things without looking or touching them first? 

But after having kids, I can't imagine myself without online shopping! From clothes, electronics to groceries, shopping has never been this easy. 

No more dragging the kids and carrying them while browsing for stuff. 

Ahhh....a lot less stress.

If you do love online shopping, what type of a shopper are you?

Newbie? Reluctant? Bargain? Surgical? Enthusiast? Power?

But I still do the occasional mortar-and-brick shopping. In fact I miss the feeling of going through stuff and touching, or even trying on clothes from time to time. 

But for the time being, procuring goods from the comfort of my home is the way to go.

x


References

Mina,Kang. "Memorial Day Sales 5:Health Benefits of Shopping" 23 May 2013. Medical Daily. Retrieved from http://www.medicaldaily.com/memorial-day-sales-5-health-benefits-shopping-246157

Mark Hunter. "The Five Types of Shoppers". The Sales Hunter. Retrieved from http://thesaleshunter.com/resources/articles/retail-sales-trends/the-five-types-of-shoppers/

Shopping. (2014, July 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:04, July 24, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shopping&oldid=617539523

Melinda Cuthbert. "The Six Basic Types of E-Shoppers" 29 September 2000. E-Commerce Times. Retrieved from http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/4430.html

School Holiday Mania

I have been away from blogging for 2 weeks and I have the perfect reason for it.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

At first I thought I could do more writing and planning on my topics during the school holidays because:

• since the kinder-going-kid is at home and I don't have to be out and about so I will have more time at home and do my planning
• kids can entertain each other and can play with each other thus leaving me alone to do my thinking and planning
• kids won't bug me as much because it is the school holidays (I know,very naive thought!)

How wrong was I! Not only did they bug me all the time, I couldn't keep up with my daily chores because they bug me much much more compared to non-school holidays time.

I have to entertain them all the time. Even with all the toys and crafting supplies that I have stashed in my drawer, they would complain (more whining and whinging actually) about their daily activities.

Oh yes, I appreciate that I don't have to wake up early and make the lunch box (I still have to wake up early and prepare lunch for the hubby!),but I do feel that I have more things to do when the kinder-going-kid was at home.

The first few days of the school holidays were mostly spent indoors because the weather was horrendous. We managed to make a trip to the Carribbean Gardens for their monthly baby,kids and maternity market. We managed to buy a couple of things and also the much needed play time at the playground.

Not wanting a repeat of the dreadful first week, I decided that I would look for free school holidays activities nearby. 

Monday: Charlie and Lola, Stud Park

Kids love these two characters. I think they are all right. Show ran for about 25 minutes. Children well behaved for the first 10 minutes. After that, some were distracted by all sorts of things going on around them and in the end they were unruly.

Tuesday: Peppa Pig, The Glen

Much much beloved characters among the kids (and parents!). I confess, I did sing to their songs as well! We actually came for the first show of the day, came 30 minutes early and when we reached the stage, it was jam packed!! So we went to the shops first, and came back for the second show,which was also jam packed but as least we got front row seat. Kids (and parents) well behaved for the first 10 minutes, and yes after that they were just unruly.

Wednesday : Beanie Crafting, Springvale Homemaker Centre

I did not take any pictures because there were none to take. We arrived, seated and started to decorate winter benies with stickers and markers. We were there for less than 30 minutes,but it entertained my daughter.

Thursday : Mad Hatter (Illusion and tricks show), Dandenong Library

I enjoyed the show,but the daughter wasn't too impressed. She was enjoying it for the first 15 minutes, then she was just deeply distracted by the people coming and going so we left before the show ended. Nevertheless, it was a very good show organised by the library. Yes, it went unruly by the time we left but it was mostly done by parent/s who shoved themself/ves and their kids to the front or middle of already seated audience. 

By friday, I was exhausted with all the activities, so I decided to just stay home. It was mostly motivated by how much chores had piled up, urghhh.

So I hope you had a wonderful 2 weeks as well.

Cheers!

x