Don't grocery shop on weekends

Rethink the idea that weekends are a good time to get caught up on "have to dos"

What’s on your to-do list for the weekend? As I wrote this (about two weeks before you’re reading it) I knew I’d be hosting a large church picnic on Sunday so I stopped by Costco on Saturday (your retrospective thoughts are appreciated).

But in general, I try to avoid grocery shopping on the weekend. Weekends seem like a convenient time to do all those chores and errands that are hard to squeeze into the workweek. But just because something is convenient doesn’t mean it’s the best use of time. Being a little creative might potentially save you time and make weekends feel more relaxed.

The joy of an empty grocery store

On the saving time front, anyone who’s visited Costco on a weekend knows that the absolute worst time to go to the grocery store is when everyone else is at the store. On weekend afternoons, the Costco parking lot can be completely full. Any available spot will be a significant walk from the door. Most registers are open, which is good, but the lines can stretch well into the clothing section. Maneuvering around more people takes more time.

Contrast this with your average grocery store at 9 a.m. on Wednesday or, for that matter, at 9 p.m. It will likely be just you and the employees stocking shelves. You can zip in and out. I’m not saying you should ride your cart down the aisle like a scooter but…the aisles will be so empty that you probably could.

To be sure, in this day and age, it’s quite possible to order groceries online, and if that’s available in your area (and at your preferred store) that’s a great idea. Put in an order for Friday afternoon and you’ll start the weekend with plenty of food. No need to brave the crowds, or even brave the empty aisles!

But if that’s not happening, then choosing a non-peak time, like later on a weekday evening, can be smart. It’s probably going to be quicker. People often don’t use weekday evenings all that well anyway. If you’ve got little kids and they’re in bed, one parent can head out and knock this chore off the list. Indeed, if one parent tends to do bedtime more often than the other parent, this can be a great way for the first party to get off bedtime duty for a night while still seemingly doing something “productive” (I won’t tell anyone if you go linger somewhere quiet for a while!).

And then you don’t have to spend your weekends — when you could be having adventures or relaxing — doing errands.

Rethink what weekends are for

I know this doesn’t always work (if you see me in Costco on Saturday, say hello!). But in general I think trying not to view weekends as a time to get “caught up” on have-to-dos is smart. We do a lot of have-to-dos during the week. It’s not a big deal to add one more. Leaving other time open, on the other hand, can have a big payoff.