Terminalcoffee discussion

Ok, do you consolidate errands? Plan them? I think I'm slightly psychotic about this. I'll think "Ok, I'm going to Costco, should I go to Best Buy, too? I don't want to have to drive the five miles back there again, you know." Errands that require drives of more than five miles definitely get consolidated.

Do you go on weeknights or weekends? The stores on Saturdays are way too crowded. I do what I can to avoid them.

I ask, by the way, because I'm about to go to Costco.

You?

I try to consolidate. If I'm going to the bank, I try to stop in at the vet's office next door for diet food for the fat cat or flea/tick meds.

I really want to go to Trader Joe's tomorrow, but do not want to mess with Saturday crowds.

I sort of just did this about an hour ago. I realized when I got some mail earlier this week that I needed to update my address with all my accounts (car loan, credit cards, checking, savings) so my route went something like this:

bank 1, other office, bank 2, bank 3, bank 4, library, post office, grocery store

I made all my stops and was back at my desk in 45 minutes. :) I'm finishing up the last of my lunch break right now with some beans and cornbread before flitting off to moderate an educational teleconference. I've had a very productive morning.

Go me!

I was very unorganized until I had kids, but with a 2 and 4 year old I've become a lot better at planning (and have much smaller time windows to do things!)

BunWat wrote: "Whadya get at Costco, RA?"

Ok, since you asked, I will admit that today, at Costco, was the second day of the new coupon cycle. So in the midwest that means Costco was near riot conditions. I got a lot...dog treats, chocolate chips, turkey, bananas, coffee, milk, uh, what else...raisin bran, strawberries, diet coke (for my wife), cheese, yogurt, Gogurt...I think that's it.

The sampling people drive me insane, yes! There's this weird license to abandon your cart to try some new kind of juice or whatever. Park your cart, people. Get out of the way.

What is the appeal of samples, and why do they turn people into shopping zombies? I just don't get it!

I'm not fond of the sample thing. The concept of "going around and trying one of everything so you don't have to eat lunch" that some people have doesn't work for me. I still want to go sit down somewhere and eat lunch. So now I've eaten a lunch and ingested 1,000 calories of samples. Not a great combo.

I have an errant strategy.

Food sample riot, hee! See, that's just it, Bun. Samples tend to be some kind of overly processed food, like Hot Pockets, that I don't want.

I must admit I like cheese samples, and fruit samples, but those don't seem to attract people like the other stuff. Yes, I will gladly take that hunk of a new variety of apple on a toothpick, thanks!

I've been mighty disappointed in the Costco food sampling lately! Most of it is food that no longer attracts me, even as a freeby. And my COstco was out of muenster! And Harvarti!

RA I went to Costco on Wed. and by golly once again FORGOT the coupon book! I don't think I've ever remembered it!

I consolidate errands too. Especially anything on the other side of I5. Note, that could be a measly 3 miles, but the psychological stress of crossing I5 is a killer! Seattle wasn't built for this traffic, and the few roads that cross I5 are pretty much one laners. ARGH. And that is why I rarely get to Trader Joe's.

I consolidate. I usually forego samples since I'm usually wearing lip gloss and have gum in my mouth. It has to be a really fantastic sample to get me to take out the gum and mess up my lip gloss. Something like $28 olive oil with dipping bread will do it.

BunWat wrote: "I tooootally do that. I keep separate lists by area of town. So if I'm going to Costco I check and see what's on the Costco/Target/Portos Bakery list. If I'm going to the library its Library/Dog ..."

You're good! When I'm done with Costco, between the drive there, the parking lot, the crowd and the checkout lines, I want to be as far away from people and shopping carts and 100 ft. ceilings as possible.

I definitely consolidate. I go so far as to plan my route so there won't be any pesky, time consuming left turns at busy intersections. My route is comprised almost entirely of right turns. I never go shopping on a weekend, I'm lucky to have days off during the week.

It's a 30km drive to town, so consolidating is necessary.

I used to love shopping. Now, it's a pain - literally. I tend to procrastinate and go at the last possible time. I need a new paid of walking shoes and I probably will leave it till next Friday night, or even Saturday on our way out of town.

I do as much of my shopping on Sunday mornings as I can, and I work through three or four stores depending on when they open.