When Convenience -FAR- Outweighs Premium

[Sentama Lin]

I've been thinking about finances again as of late. I've been meticulously careful with my money, only spending things I know that I can afford while I look around for a new job to better get me off the trouble my parents got me in. I'd even say that, because of living on my own for more than six months now, my skills in frugality have grown exponentially. But, I'm faced with a conundrum.

I work seven days a week now at two different jobs, and I work almost 5-8 hour days, not including my bus rides to work (which, depending on my work site, varies from 20 minutes to an hour ride each trip). Another skill I've cultivated is to use my time wisely, but, today, I can't seem to tackle if spending a little more money is worth the time I'm saving.

The situation is about groceries. I used to live close enough to my local co-op to buy groceries then walk back home after I finish work for the day. It's not a possibility now, and I'm really struggling on finding an answer to the convenience-premium question because I do need to eat, eating out is horribly expensive (though I do enjoy it), and the time I'd need to go to my co-op would only add another 30 minutes or so each way.

I've come up with three solutions, but I don't know if the extra I'll be paying for will make up for the time I'm saving: make my meals and snacks weekly at Let's Dish, sign up for online grocery delivery, hire a courier to grab me groceries at my co-op bi-weekly, or set up a grocery carpool.

Let's Dish seems a little pricey (24 servings, about 300-500 Calories/kcal per serving, of food costs 95 USD, most probably I'll eat one-two servings a day), but they grab the materials and prepare the ingredients; all I have to do is go to the store and cook it. With online grocery delivery I can have the staples delivered to my door (milk, eggs, bread, cheese) but with a shipping charge, slightly higher prices, and the non-support of my co-op (though it does support local businesses). A courier would require me to find someone in the neighbourhood to take this job and to take my money to my co-op to buy food, so trust would be needed. Carpooling would probably be the cheapest method, but I'd have to find people to go with. I'm not quite sure which would be better, but I'm really leaning towards using Let's Dish or finding a carpool.

ATGers, how do you guys decide if the convenience of something is worth the premium price?  

[God-Raped-Me]

I'm a cheap b***h! I'll shop for foods in containers so I can reuse the containers and I won't have to go out and buy containers or, depending on the type of container, large serving bowls. So I'm opting for the carpooling idea. There shouldn't really be too much more moneywise going towards gas if it's a friend maybe nothing at all if they're going to the same place. Who knows maybe they wouldn't even have to be a friend just someone going to the same place and is nice enough to give you a ride.

I know I don't live in a city, and I've always had my own vehicle, but your other options sound like it's more money when you don't need to pay it. Then again maybe that's just the cheapness in me talking again.  

[124-C]

You should see if an online grocer (like CobornsDelivers) offers pickup at mass transit stations that you use. You'd get the staples you need at a discounted delivery cost.  

[Sentama Lin]

@Grmmy: I do that too, but I usually never buy pre-packaged foods from a grocery store. It's too expensive when I can just make the food that's prepackaged. I have a good set of foodsavers though so I never really have to worry. I kinda want to do the carpooling idea too, but I don't know of anyone else who goes to my co-op. Maybe I can convince a friend of mine to join me in shopping there. We can even share my membership (meaning that we get 10% off during one trip each month).

@Tsuj: I was actually considering CobornsDelivers. Considering the packages though, it wouldn't be bus-etiquette friendly to keep it on the bus with me. My apartment is on a major bus route so it shouldn't be too bad.