I just got back from grocery shopping. I wish I could take a five hour nap. The walking around the store,unloading the cart on the check out and then into the car,then into the house and then into the cuppard it extremly draining. I am laying in bed at the moment don't know how I am going to walk to the kitchen and fine enough energy to make dinner. I think I am going to have to swallow my pride and start using the motorized carts. To bad the shoppinh basket attached to so small. Right now I avoid shopping until the last minute possible,I guess more frequent,smaller trips would be better. I wish I could order my groceries online and have someone deliver them,but they don't do that here. Anybody have any energy saving shopping tips?
I try to stock up once a month at Walmart or target. I made a list of the things that I need to buy for the whole month, then the other weeks I try to buy meat on sale and just pick up bread and produce at publix. My husband does help when I am to tired to go or at least goes with me to help with the lifting.
SueAnn
hehehe a subject close to my heart.
I HATE GROCERY SHOPPING WITH A PASSION!!!!!
In fact I loathe any sort of shopping at all, simply because I feel the same way as you do sleepy.Even shopping for clothes, you have to dress and undress, by the time i do that once Im ready to go home lol.
Iv said before that my husband is worth his weight in gold, this is one of the reasons why. He does ALL the grocery shopping for this house.
Before I was married I used to shop and just drop the bags at the back door, put the frozens and stuff away, but my girlfriends used to laugh at me for not putting stuff away.
Its all just TOO exhausting.
I am going to have to start going on my husband's day off. He is away at work for five days and only home for two. It seems impossible to stock up on food with my four kids. The more food I buy the more they eat!! This time I have several items I am going to hide in the garage. I also put several items in the freezer. My oldest daughter has a habit of making things for herself during my nap time. The problem is that there is nothing left for dinner. So hopefully frozen food with solve this problem:)
@Bopeep I love your husband:) My husband has done the shopping a few times,but only bought junk food. I should have kept my nagging to myself because now he doesn't want to help. He figures because he does most of the other chores I could do the shopping. He doesn't realize that is the hardest job!!
Hi Sleepy101,
I can totally relate! In the course of the last six months or so, I have been unable to make large shopping trips because I've actually "forgotten" how to do it. I know it sounds odd, but that is how my cognitive difficulties have manifested themselves. Actually I know how, I just can't execute the plan.
So I make a few small trips each week. I only purchase what I can fit in one or two handheld baskets, and I always bring a list. If I feel myself getting confused by all the lights or I'm having difficulty with making product choices, I just leave.
On the positive side, my grocery expenses are down. ;)
Hum me as well. I use to love shopping walking up and down the aisle looking for new things to cook for my family and seeing people that I new for a quick chat and hello but now I dread it. I seem like I have to force myself to keep going around and around it seems to never ends. And then just go home and veg out for awhile.
By the time I get home, I want to collapse. Putting the groceries away seems like a monumental task.
I used to love it.... and love to cook etc. (not that I still don't love to cook it just wears me out!) My husband is a really big help with the shopping. I enlist his and the kids help with putting away groceries. My husband just does it, but I usually have to instruct the kids to get crackin and help put away the groceries.
As far as being exhausted, we try to get stuff in bulk so I don't have to make lots of trips (which we end up doing anyway LOL). I also have decided to cook meals in bulk, so for the days during the week I am too tired--I have some already prepared. I think this will help a lot! Never hurts to have a frozen lasagna in the freezer when I am just beat.
I have a great idea and talked to one of my friends about it. We are each going to make a big meal x 5 on Sundays, then meet up Sunday afternoon and trade meals! She has psoriatic arthritis and gets beat down pretty hard too. We all have kids in tons of sports (I have one in football, one in cross country and another in tennis and basketball). I feel completely exhausted at the end of running to and fro from practice (although my husband is a huge help he takes them too etc) but by the time we get settled to eat it is nearly 8 pm and kids still have to do homework, and not to mention the laundry, dishes after dinner etc. I do have to say that I am extraordinarily blessed with a great husband in so many regards. He doesn't fully understand how I have felt physically and mentally/emotionally but he does pull a ton of weight in the house department... I am very thankful.
-Y
My husband has taken over getting groceries and he seems to like it ok. I think it's because he can buy what he wants, wander around and take his time and to me, it's just fine. I get overwhelmed getting groceries and if he's not home, especially putting them away after buying them.
He will be having surgery in a few days and unable to life for awhile. Guess what? I'll be the one having to do all the shopping, lifting and so forth. He might be able to put away. I will make sure I shop every 4 or 5 days so I won't have to buy much at one tme. That will help, instead of waiting until we're out of everything. Lucy
I tend to shop more often. (every other day) I pick up just a few items on each trip. If your children are old enough they can help. I often take time to rest. When our daughters got old enough they started to cook. If we had stir fry, or were grilling I cooked the main course but someone else did the food prep.
Yesterday I grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. Jan prepared the hamburgers and glorified rice. Few had salad. For a snack after we had some fresh fruit and nuts.
I believe that every one had fun since they came for dinner and stayed until 10pm. We had a house full.
I did the shopping for this over the previous two weeks.
Heck...just walking across the parking lot of WalMart and those other mega stores is enough to wear out a healthy person. Then you have to wander the three-acre store while fighting mobs just to get your groceries.
I don't know if this will help, but I've stopped going to those kind of stores (unless I'm feeling really energetic). I now shop at a couple small, locally owned grocery stores. Yes, the prices are a little higher (although when I compared prices, I was surprised how things seemed to balance out) but I can normally park near the front door, the store is smaller, the crowds are much kinder, and they carry out my groceries to the car.
With four kids to care for and a husband who works away from home (so does mine), it's no wonder you're exhausted. Be kind to yourself!
Best wishes, Deb
In addition to having taken over responsibility for grocery shopping, my husband now does 95% of the housecleaning. I don't have the juice to do it anymore. But I will occasionally accompany him for a short grocery run if I'm having one of my better days.
I do make the grocery list though for him and he will call me at home while he's shopping to get clarification ... i.e. the difference between a certain brand of a product or further details about the type of vegetable I was really asking for. Lol, poor guy he's recently had to learn more about the difference between kalamata olives and other olives that he never even wanted to know!
Grocery shopping is one of the worst. That along with floor cleaning. I did ask my doctor for a handicapped parking decal so at least at Walmart or large grocery stores I don't have to park in Idaho. Especially during Christmas season. Anything to save a little energy. The hardest thing is the bulk of my shopping usually has to be with 3 and 7 year old boys in tow. The two of them play off each other, get rambunctious, then fight with each other. I bring a list but still get so distracted by them I always forget something. It's always frustrating and exhausting. Somehow my DH seems to think that shopping without them them is some kind of relaxing break, and while it's much better then taking them with me, it surely isn't a trip to the day spa.
I know this isn't about grocery shopping, but it does relate to general chores around the home. These ideas may same you some energy overall.
Six months ago I purchased my first Roomba, a very talented automatic vacuum. This little gal has been a god send for me as I have two hairy dogs who shed constantly. I give me a task once or twice daily, and she keeps the floors clean as a whistle. I love her so much I bought her a sister for the basement!
Now I only need to drag the big vacuum out once a month or so to do so fine tuning, which has saved me a huge amount of energy.
I have also been redesigning my yard to make it less maintenance (there is no such things as maintenance free!) especially for spring and fall clean-up.
Every little bit helps us to hang on to one more spoon!
My husband has to do it now. I tried about a month ago and it wiped me out for hours. Now, with the progression, I probably couldn't walk through the stores anyways. The good news - the grocery bill is much lower due to the fact that he only buys what is on the list and doesn't add things like I used to. I'd pick up extra goodies while there, and he doesn't.
Check out if the grocery store has a delivery service. I doubt the WalMarts so.
We have an area grocery store in town that delivers and the pharmacy does too. I think the only do it 1 or 2 days a week though and you have to buy so much or their is a charge but it is not that bad.
Doesn't hurt to call up and ask if they do deliveries.
Yep, I agree . . . grocery shopping wears me out!
This morning I drove son to school, then went to two stores. When I got home, I had to haul everything inside - trying not to step on TJ (12 wk. old kitten), who wanted to know what all those bags were. ::)
Put things in the freezer. Put things away in the refrigerator. Take some items to the bathroom closet. Date the rest to go into the pantry. Whew . . . I'm ready for a nap!! :D
In a bit, I get to head outside in 27 mph winds to watch son in a golf tournament. Hold on Dorothy . . . will come home wind whipped and still exhausted.
Hubby has a meeting tonight so I don't have to fix him dinner. Yay! I'm not doing anything tonight!! ;D
And to think a couple years back I was contemplating offering a shopping service for people. They would make me the list of what they needed, and I would do the shopping for them. That is a lot more complicated than it sounds. For instance, if they wrote down - rice . . is it white rice, brown rice, long grain rice, boil-in-a-bag rice, boxed rice, bagged rice, etc. Do that for every item on the list ::). The list would have to be "brand" tagged, etc. I was probably going to have a pre-printed grocery list and just have them check off the items they wanted.
Anyhow, that never materialized and I couldn't do it now if I wanted too. And I don't! ;D
Bucky
I really feel sorry for my wife,, she works,, does the shopping,, I just cant do it,, I tried to drive again last night to go get the poison pizza,, she and my Doxie went,,, it was all I could do to stay on the road,, I felt like I was driving in a tunnel,, the sun beating down on the canvas top,, feet burning from the floor which is not carpeted,, darn neuropathy,,, I went in to pick it up,, kid said can I help you,, of course I just stood there like a complete idiot,, even though I had called it in,, I could not get the words out,, I saw a pizza box and it came back to me,, ya I ordered a large pepperoni pizza,, So he hands it to me,, this after I pay for it,, normally I put the bills in my wallet,, but since ht henads dont work to well, i just shove it all in my pocket,, so again he hands it to me,, I almost drop it,, man that thing felt hot,, dam neuropathy,, and no it wasent that hot,, get it home,, try to eat it without dropping it,, dam fingers,, oh boy,, two pieces,, there goes the stomach,, what is that noise my wife asked,, ahh,, same noise my stomach makes everytime I eat dear,, like somoen is being strangled,, oh,, ok,, ya pizza was real good,,, think tonight i;ll have tacos with jalapeno peppers and a box of chocolate cupcakes,,
Hi Sleepy:
I just seem to have this kind of fatigue.
Maybe what I take daily has helped. Don't know for sure. Check out this list:
TheraLIfe Autoimmune Dry Eye
TheraLife Fatigue - 2 capsules in the morning- more energy during the day, sleep better
Acetyl- L- Carnitine
Vit D, Vit- B12, folic acid, glucosamine condrotin, L-Lysine, L- Argenine, DHEA, Calcium citrate, Lycopene, Niacin, Red Yeast Rice, Vit C, CoQ-10;
I eat a low fat, no carb, no sugar, vegetables, lean meat diet.
Sometimes I feel down during the day, and force myself to go dancing, once there I get all my energy back and more.
Everyone is a little different. I figure if I don't get going, my joints will all be frozen and I will feel like an invalid. Not good.
Pegasus
Any one who hates shopping should contact my wife, she love shopping. If she goes out for a quart of milk at a store down the street she'll be gone a good 4 hours.
As for me, I go to smaller stores to make it easy, I don't need the choice of 40 different kinds of peanut butter or 25 different kind of milk. I didn't even know you could milk a soy bean or almond.
Epson, your wife would get along real well with my husband. A trip to Kwik Trip can take half the day.
Quote from: Epson on September 07, 2010, 11:52:39 AM
Any one who hates shopping should contact my wife, she love shopping. If she goes out for a quart of milk at a store down the street she'll be gone a good 4 hours.
As for me, I go to smaller stores to make it easy, I don't need the choice of 40 different kinds of peanut butter or 25 different kind of milk. I didn't even know you could milk a soy bean or almond.
Do they still sell milk that comes from a cow?
I'm in agreement with everyone. Grocery shopping blows!
First thing you want to do is get a handicap placard. It's much easier than I thought and after I got mine I wondered what took me so long. I love it.
Sencond thing you want to do is figure out which stores in your area do have the motorized seats with a basket. And keep them charged! You'd be surprised how many don't care.
Third, I'm all about short trips. Save yourself walking way to the back of a grocery store. If you just need eggs, bread or milk, Walgreens carries them at a grocery store price.
Fourth, you want to buy fried chicken or something like that from the deli department on grocery shopping day, so you can get off your aching feet immediately when you get home.
Yeah, it used to be more fun...or at least not such a chore. Like some one else said, traversing a 3 acre parking lot....or more....then battling with the cart, and wierd lighting and all those little video boxes of ladies telling you about their product....ugh. Hubby likes to go. I only like to go when I have a mission and I am in and out. I do need a handicap tag....and I have to get real and use a 'go cart'.
Hi all. I'm sooo lucky, lucky, lucky! My husband works nights at Walmart. I just give him a list and he buys it, brings it home and puts it up. What a man! 40 years in May, think I'll keep him! All 4 grandkids (we are raising) help put things up too - even the 4-year old. When I need to go shopping to get my four grandkids some clothes, school supplies etc., I just get over it and get the cart. Oh, I've stubbornly tried to walk with my cool, hand carved wood cane, but I usually have to send the oldest (14) with one of the other kids while I watch the youngest, up to the front of the store to get me a cart. I always plug them in when I'm through so someone else can use them.
I've had my handicap plaque for 4 years and I have to renew it next month. All you do is call your State/County office in the government pages of the (real) phone book and they send the 1-page form, and then you take it to your doctor. I think it cost me $10 - I would have paid $100!
I do most of my clothes shopping on-line. I've had pretty good luck with things fitting. You can get some really nice things and if you time it right, you can get free shipping or take advantage of clearance items or 30% off sales. I just bought 10 items for $80. Not bad... I paid $7.98 for a two-piece velour pants set.
I used to be a marathon shopper - no kidding 6-8 hours in one day. But, you adapt and keep on truckin'.
Hugs,
LeoLady
I'm with you LeoLady. I love my handicap placard! It's so easy to get and makes such a big difference. I too have tried to walk through walmart with my cane and had to give up and go get a cart. When I quit feeling bad about using them I actually had a little fun shopping once.
As my mom was dealing with her cancer treatments, walking in the stores became too much effort for her - so she agreed to getting one of the electric carts to use. Someone should have given her some driving lessons as she kept hitting the button too hard and took out several end cap displays!! :o LOL
It was like watching a little kid learning how to ride a bike . . . look out!!! :o It made us all laugh - mom included. ;D
Not only all the great points you all have made, but then I start sweating and by the time I get to check out I look like I got out of the shower, so embarassing!
Bucky, next ime I go I am going to get the cart and I will probally laugh cause I have this visual of your mom! lol....
I don't know thatI will do any better.
Cricket
Cricket, your not alone. I soak through my shirts. My face gets so red sometimes the checkers start asking if I'm ok. I don't get as embarrassed as I used to any more.
@Leolady
You are so lucky!! I am going to urge my hubby to take a second job at Walmart!!
@Bucky
Your story made me giggle. I wouldn't be suprised if I took out a few things in those carts also.
The carts are always stuck together,somtimes I am strong enough to get a cart. So I can only get what I can carry.
I am going to start making smaller trips,frequent trips.
Years ago, I use to go grocery shopping on a rigid schedule...every 2 weeks... payday weekend. In the last several years, that plan is totally gone from my brain. I find myself making trips every 3 - 4 days now because I don't have the stamina to endurance shop, deal with the Raynaud's and freezing temps in the stores, nor plan meals ahead for a week or two - week period.
Things are so off balance at meal time here anyway. I rarely sit down and eat a meal with my husband the last year and a half, because I have to puree my food. Because of this, I have gotten away from cooking big meals, and I feel bad that my husband isn't getting the well balanced meals that I use to prepare for the family any more either. He laughed...good naturedly a couple of weeks ago, when he came home from work to crescent roll dogs and potato chips! It's not usually THAT bad (I rarely make those, so this was actually kind of a treat in a way... PLUS...if you give him a beer to go with it, he's on cloud nine. lol)
There have certainly been a lot of changes and adjustments over the years due to Sjogrens. It's been difficult for the perfectionist in me, but I've come a long way in accepting that things don't need to be done the way I use to do them, and that I needn't feel guilty if I do what I can for the day and need to take a cat nap to catch a second wind.
While I HATE grocery shopping, I still love to shop the malls...but I shuffle along at a much slower pace and don't cover near the number of stores that I use to. It's good exercise AND finding a good sale never ceases to cheer me up! :D (but if that kid at the kiosk that is pushing those sea salt hand lotions or neck pillows says to me one more time "excuse me, can I ask you a question?", I'm going to EXPLODE!!)
Julie :-)
Malls...I think I remember malls. Those huge thingys that you walk miles in ??? Haven't been able to step foot in one for over 3 years. :'( Bummer. Do some shopping for me, ok?
Hugs,
LeoLady
about malls-my poor kids might now even know what those are:) Most clothes shopping now has to be done online and at a one stop shop like target:)
LeoLady,
I moved to a very small podunk town in Alabama 3 years ago. The mall here... (if you can even call it that) is teeny tiny, so I guess that's why I can still manage a few of the stores there. If I go to the city malls, yes...it's overwhelming. I do a lot more shopping online these past few years too.
Take care
Julie
I like to shop at Trader Joe's and Aldi's, the stores are small, so you have a lot less walking to do. I know that not everyone has these stores near them, but it makes shopping a breeze. Clothes I buy on the internet, shoes I order over the phone and have them shipped to the house and let me tell you, I don't miss going to the store at all, well, maybe Home Depot and Lowe's
I miss Lowes and Home Depot too Epson,,, Its to depressing to go there and see what I cant do in the way of remodeling,, I knew the neuropathy was getting bad earlier this summer so I busted my butt and got the house painted and the shed doors replaced and got that painted,, Now I cant even hold a hammer let alone do any remodeling
I hear ya Navydad, I plan to paint the inside of the house this winter, one wall a day, I think I can handle that. Also need to build a flyball practice box for the dog, in the old days I would whip one up on a Saturday afternoon, now I have to think about it for a week before I even buy the wood.
I painted the laundry room 6 years ago and suffered horribly for days. A couple of the warehouse guys taped off one wall in my office I painted a few months ago. It took days to get over that. I won't try that ever again. I agree, if you're gonna try it, do one wall at a time. As soon as you start to feel bad, stop. Remember you still have the cleaning time to deal with!
I'm lucky that my sweetie will shop, but he's been doing a job that can take him a way for up to 3 weeks at a time, so that doesn't always work out.
My tricks for grocery shopping include:
* Stocking up on frozen things (get my helper to do that), so that I can thaw a chicken breast or some fish and cook it up quick. He also stocks up on heavy/bulky things before he goes.
* When I'm shopping, asking for help getting things from the store staff - i.e. lift bottles of seltzer, etc. The folks at the large store that I go to for certain things are really nice about it.
* Do my "fill in" shopping for fruits and veg and milk at a smaller store like Trader Joes. There is also a farmers market in my town, and I go there when I can, because I enjoy it, in addition to the good fresh foods.
* Ask that they pack the stuff that has to go into the fridge/freezer separately. That way, if when I get home I'm too tired to carry everything in, I just leave the non-perishables out in the car, and just bring in the stuff that has to be put away now. I will sometimes leave things in the car for days, but so what? I'll go get that box of tissue if I need it!
* I do use a grocery delivery service sometimes
One other thought - how old are the kids - are they old enough to do some of the lifting, putting away? Are any of them vaguely orderly and would enjoy searching for grocery items for you? Can you make up a "standard" list that covers most of what you usually get? If so, you could start adding the aisle that it's in, so that you can plan your trip better. When my daughter was about 8, I use to send her to specific aisles to get items that were easy to describe. As in "Go to Aisle 3 and get Honey Nut Cheerios, like you have for breakfast in the morning." She really liked that (and at the time I had tons of energy, just wanted to have her take some responsibility).