Safeway Grocery Pickup

Since March we have been getting our groceries delivered. I don’t feel comfortable going in to the store as we are in the “at risk” category. Primarily we use Giant, and have tried Instacart for Harris Teeter, Fresh Market, and Wegman’s. I prefer using the in store options rather than instacart. This week we decided to try a grocery pick up service. After paying for delivery fees and tips, it can get expensive on top of the inflated grocery prices. I’ve got all the apps on my phone now, including Safeway. We used to go to Safeway every Saturday because we love their bread. Since moving to Northern Virginia, Giant is just a couple of blocks away so we haven’t been to Safeway for a while. So I ordered up the groceries and picked a three o’clock pick up time. We received an email and text when it was ready and we drove to the store. Ironically, the Safeway near our house doesn’t have this service. When we arrived we pulled in to one of six spaces that were designated for pick up, called the phone number on the sign, and waited a few minutes. We opened our trunk and the groceries were dutifully placed. Since we can’t tip on line we gave the store personnel cash, which is a disadvantage over on line options. In the end it wasn’t such a bad idea, but if it was inclement weather it could get dicey. Pick up gives us another option for groceries. I’d like to try Harris Teeter because it looks like the only place that has angel food cake, aside from Fresh Market which is very expensive compared to the others. How things have changed since last year. I don’t like any of it. 

 

Flu Shot Time at Safeway - Plus a Coupon

I used to get my flu shot at work. It was always in October. Then we would find a place for my husband to get his. We have been to CVS, Giant, McLean Pharmacy, and Safeway. Because I am now retired, we have been going to Safeway for the last two years because we are now registered there, and you also get coupons for 10% off up to $200 on groceries - something you don’t get anywhere else. Last week we thought we might try the CVS down the street, or even the MedStar Clinic associated with our doctor office. But we just didn’t get there. I just wanted to get it over with. So while grocery shopping on Saturday we thought it might be a good time. But there was a line and my husband didn’t want to wait. So we drove to McLean Pharmacy and saw too much activity and decided to wait - again. It’s not like we had anything better to do. Then we thought we would get the shot before dinner on Sunday, but the Pharmacy was closed. So this morning we didn’t take our usual morning walk and headed out to McLean Pharmacy. When we walked in they said they ran out of shots on Saturday. This was getting annoying! So we ended up back at the Safeway where there was no line, we were seen right away, and we didn’t have to process a lot of paperwork because we had been there last year. And we got not just two - but three - coupons because there were two left on my paperwork clipboard. So in the end it was worth it. We don’t go to our doctors office for the flu shot because it is advised to stay away from a waiting room of usually sick people. Although it seemed to take a while to finally get this annual immunization done, it worked out in our favor. 

Spooky Safeway

It was just weird! Having experienced high winds for the last day and more, a lot of northern Virginia lost power. And after being cooped up inside we were desperate to get out of the house. So we drove to our usual haunt in McLean for breakfast, but the line was so long we decided to skip it and go get groceries at the Safeway across the street. It looked okay from the outside, but when we stepped in, only a few lights were on. The place was really dark and I couldn’t see. But my husband wanted to forge ahead to pick up some basic necessities. Obviously the power was out because none of the items that required refrigeration were in sight. No meat, eggs, orange juice... it was a really odd experience watching the few people wheeling their carts through the dark and spooky place. There was one register open and just a handful of staff on hand. We were happy to get out of there and were reminded that just that little ordeal is the usual for a lot of people. Thank goodness we have underground power lines in our neighborhood. It’s one of the few things that usually works. That’s almost too good to be true! 

LU Cinnamon Sugar Spice Cookies Can't Be Replaced With Pepperidge Farms Gingerman

My husband loves cookies. He especially loves LU Cinnamon Sugar Spice cookies. Unfortunately for him, they are becoming very difficult to come by. The LU brand is available most everywhere, and he likes the chocolate coated and fruit filled cookies, but it's the cinnamon delights that he prefers. There was one Safeway that carried them near us, but not any more. So that prompted me to write to Safeway and ask if they stock them any where else near our address. I got a response, and they requested the UPC number and the locations of the stores we typically shop. I responded right away and haven't heard from them since. That was in early August. In the meantime, we tried some Pepperidge Farms Gingerman cookies. That didn't work at all. For whatever reason, cinnamon cookies of any kind are just not available? So I took matters in to my own hands and got on Amazon to see if I could locate these darned cookies. Yesterday they arrived - and it was a surprise for my husband. I had asked him regularly if he wanted me to order them and he would always say no. But when he figured out that this package was filled with cinnamon cookies he was pleased, as you can imagine! 

DC Rush Hour Traffic, Subaru Maintenance, and Safeway Flu Shots

It's never a good idea to schedule an appointment anywhere in this town if it involves rush hour. But we did. We had a 1000 Subaru service maintenance appointment in Alexandria. Our Subaru Forester is almost a year old and needed a check up. Aside from the typical mess, there was a stalled vehicle smack dab in the center lane creating an even bigger mess. In spite of it all we managed to get there right at 1000. Twelve miles took almost an hour. But rather than sit in the waiting room for two hours, we decided to walk across the street to the Safeway grocery store and get flu shots. This is the first year I'm not at work to get one, and our medical clinic is not a place we particularly care for. My husband has been getting his flu shots at CVS and such for the last few years. We were early enough to avoid a busy time, but the pharmacist was all alone and getting frequently interrupted. We sat in a space that looked just like a doctor office or clinic. Wouldn't you know my husband's insurance paperwork was accepted without a hitch, while mine was creating a glitch (in spite of the fact that we are both on MY self plus one insurance from work!) An additional benefit of getting a flu shot in this setting is that there is no co-pay and we got two coupons for 10% off on groceries at Safeway with an end date of March 2017. When we got back to the Subaru waiting room and got a coffee to warm up from the air conditioned waiting area at Safeway, the car was ready. So having service at the car shop is best during the week and after summer is over. Just make sure there is a Safeway across the street to get your flu shot and kill two birds with one stone. 

A Forty-three Dollar Melon at Safeway

Always check your receipts. This we learned again today after going to Safeway to restock up on groceries after being away to Florida for a few days. Earlier this week we went to Harris Teeter for mostly fruit. But it is expensive to buy groceries in DC, so we usually get most of them in McLean, Virginia after breakfast at McLean Family Restaurant. The Safeway is just across the street, and it is much cheaper. We did pick up more than usual, but the final bill was much higher than what it should have been. As we were walking out, we both looked at the receipt and noticed a whopping $43.00 charge for not one, but eleven melons. So my husband went back in to fix the oops. While I was waiting outside, I noticed everyone else was scrutinizing their receipts as they were walking to their cars. I just wonder how many times we didn't notice a glitch here and there. Neither one of us can imagine being that careless in our jobs. I'm sure it was an honest mistake, but it seems to happen much too often. I'm just glad we noticed it before we got all the way home. 

Safeway Cuisinart Cutlery Stamps

We used to collect green stamps a long time ago.  They could then be exchanged for gifts, or items to use around the house. My husband likes to go to Safeway grocery store after we have brunch on Saturday in McLean. For the last few weeks, he has been getting Cuisinart stamps - kinda like the green stamps. Yesterday, he got a few more. I finally read the instructions after putting the last batch of stamps on the card and they finally surpassed thirty. That amount qualifies for a pairing knife or shears. His goal was to get a decent cutting knife. But I think the time has run out because the giveaway ends on January 6. So he told me he may take a ride out there before the deadline and collect his freebie, which he rarely does. Aside from that, he'll pick up more groceries that were out of stock over the long holiday weekend. So the question is - will he get the item he has enough stamps for that he doesn't want? Or pay a few bucks more with the stamps and get what he really wants? Or maybe nothing at all? I guess we'll find out this week. 

That Darn Eggplant - Harris Teeter Here We Come

I am getting tired of going to grocery stores. I shouldn't complain because my husband always does the grocery shopping. As an added bonus, he LOVES to cook, so I am off the hook for that too. So I have become extremely lazy in this department. But since we are having five people over for Thanksgiving, we needed to pick up a few things. A week or two ago we got our whole turkey in a bag at Target. I love this bag thing because it is so much easier, and it is the one thing that I have the responsibility for. Yesterday we spent what seemed to be a  day in Costco. We decided to finally become members and try the place out for the first time. It was great for large bulk non perishable items, but not so good for a few little things. So after brunch this morning in McLean, we stopped at Safeway and got the gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and sliced ham -  but the eggplant just didn't look any good. I knew what that would mean - a trip to Harris Teeter. Yes, they did have the best looking eggplant. And I know someone who loves pumpkin pie so we had to get one of those. And then a little milk would be needed for the mashed potatoes. And a little yogurt is always nice. When does it end? I guess never - not as long as there are holidays and stomachs to fill.