Grocery Shopping!

I’m not your typical women, while I do have to have my hair and makeup done in order to feel like a human that doesn’t scare people in public I am more than content wearing a tank top and jeans and being barefoot. With that said, while other women like to shop for clothes, shoes and makeup my favorite type of shopping is for GROCERIES!

I usually grocery shop without a list and end up spending way too much money because while I am the first to admit I am picky as could be, I LOVE TO EAT! Most of my friends reading this right now are probably already laughing as the first words out of my mouth when I get somewhere are usually “I’m hungry” or I am head first in the refrigerator the second I get to one of their homes.

My purpose in stating all of this is that although I can’t cook (see previous blogs, its true it’s usually a disaster) I do understand the challenges of grocery shopping and being disabled. I have a few tips and tricks that although I do use, may not be for everyone but here it goes!

So first things first, the one thing that drives me nuts is that only the high end stores have the hand baskets and most places have self-check outs. That proposes 3 challenges for people in wheel chairs or with other disabilities: you really can’t buy too many groceries with a hand basket, self-checkouts have the conveyor belt that is meant for someone 10 feet tall so it is impossible to pack groceries and once the groceries are packed how the heck are all the bags going to get to the car without some help?

My solution: Find a grocery store where you can ask for help and know some people that work there. I go to my local grocery store and have met a few people there who are more than helpful. I can take as many baskets to the check out and leave them there while I grab another one and continue shopping. I am also able to ask for help carrying my groceries to the car and loading them in the back seat in a way that they know it is easy for me to unload them on my own. 

But having people you know there doesn’t solve all the problems. For example, I am sitting down, people who stack the shelves why do you put everything on the top shelves that I want to buy? I usually find myself using another product to knock something else off the shelf (make sure the employees aren’t watching and please make sure it’s not breakable.) I don’t think the employees would like the fact that I am using another product to knock another off the shelf but you gotta do what you gotta do!  If all else fails and its breakable suck it up like I do and ask for help. Asking for help is not the worst thing in the world, believe it or not everyone has to do it, and we just have to do it a little more often.

My point is whether you have to climb, throw things or ask for help, you can be independent and grocery shop on your own if that’s what you want to do.  Remember, ANYTHING is POSSIBLE and bottom line is “Its just a chair!”