20 replies to this topic

[fredspike]

hello everyone,

I am on my way to being completely independent after my injury about a year ago. One of the last major things that i have yet to figure out is going shopping. Currently i set a hand basket on my lap but that only works when i need a few small items. Does anyone have any advice for me on how to make this process easier.

josh

[ems]

I take a half trolley and push it to the beginning of an aisle, and load my lap with the things I want in that aisle, and then dump it in the trolley. Push it the three metres to the next aisle, and and do the same ;) We only go shopping once a month, as we get all our fresh produce delivered, and we have a local butchers. Sometimes I do an internet grcery order instead.

[Ches]

You're so smart ems, I would've never thought to leave the buggy at the end of the isle. And, I'm completely serious!

[E-DOG]

From what I understand, you can ask the manager to get you someone to push the cart (what the hell is a trolly?) around for you while you roll yourself.
They'll also grap the stuff you can't reach.

Always helps to tell 'em you were injured while saving many American lives during combat.
Tell people what they want to hear. They'll hear what they want to hear, you'll get what you want to get. LOL

E-dog

[JesseB]

E-DOG, on Dec 5 2008, 12:51 PM, said:

Always helps to tell 'em you were injured while saving many American lives during combat.
Tell people what they want to hear. They'll hear what they want to hear, you'll get what you want to get. LOL

E-dog

Hahahhahahahahahhahahhahahahahhahahahahhahah!

[Trinity]

Internet grocery shopping is definitely the way forward. No cues, no hassle, no wondering how to get heavy things home. Just wait for it to be delivered!

[topperf]

Yes! Trins idea = more time on apparelysed

[LuckyinKentucky]

Yeah pushing a cart isn't to bad as long as it's not too full. In addition to leaving it at the ends of the isles I'll usually start at the back and move forward so by the time the carts heavy your also near the check out. And pick up the big heavy bag of dog food last!

[KarenFerguson]

Grocery shopping does indeed suck. Hubby & I used to both put little baskets on our laps and get groceries that way - kind of like Tetris putting all the groceries in those little baskets trying to make them all fit. Then we discovered online groceries - our brains exploded - we loved it! Then we moved. Our Vons doesn't deliver, neither does our Ralphs. UG. So, we had to do the double little basket deal. Then my mom moved back to town and thankfully she helps us get our groceries.

The problem with the big baskets, is not that I can't push them around the store, it's getting the stuff out of the baskets to put on the check stand. How do you guys deal with that part?? Believe me, I've tried...

[E-DOG]

KarenFerguson, on Dec 5 2008, 06:53 PM, said:

The problem with the big baskets, is not that I can't push them around the store, it's getting the stuff out of the baskets to put on the check stand. How do you guys deal with that part?? Believe me, I've tried...

Karen. Dump the pride thing and get some pimply face bagboy to do it. That's what he's paid for.

I tried the internet thing but kept forgetting to press "enter" when I was supposed to.
DANG but I'm gettin' hungry!
E

[ems]

I use a big trolley if theres none of the others left, and I've never had a problem getting the shopping out, probably diffent style of trolley over here. It is an effort, but you can knock things to within reaching distance with other products etc, but put tall things at the highest part, and smaller things on top of them or in front. then you can always reach them. My man hates coming shopping, I'm pretty obcessive about how I like my groceries put out at the checkout. Veg and fruit go in order of hard to soft, etc.
I've never had any help with shopping, the sainsburys ppl at our local store always offer, and they still haven't got the message ;) They are very kind though.

[JT80]

definitely tesco.com.
pre sci i avoided supermarket shopping and its gonna stay that way.

[carole338]

Stay home and make a list and get some nice, sympathetic person to do it for you.

[Hapahowlee]

Once in a great while, hubby will go to the grocery store for me and he always gets someone to help him. However, he usually comes home with the wrong thing no matter how well I explain what I need and I even give him visuals. I think it's a guy thing. Either he can't retain the info, or he's trying to aggravate me so I won't ask him again - HA!

The store where I shop has full size carts, small baskets and half double decker carts that are nice for when the baskets are too small and carts are too big. You still should be able to ask customer service or the store manager to get someone to help you. If you don't want someone with you all the time, you can always just fill up one basket and leave it with one of the checkers and keep filling up baskets.

I'm AB and I don't hesitate to stop an employee to get their help. Most of the time when I go just to get a few things, I grab one of those little baskets so I don't buy more than I planned. But as usual, I do get more than what will fit in the basket, so I'll stop an employee or even a manager walking around to ask them to carry my excess to the checker while I finish. Believe me, they are happy you are buying their stuff.

I heard online shopping is great for a lot of people, but I like the interaction and there are some things on sale at the store that wouldn't always be advertised in the paper or online. It all depends on what you'd prefer. Good luck.

[BillS]

I just do the handbasket in my lap thing. Once it's full I check out and if I need more things then I go back in and do it all over again. It's more trips through the check out line but if you get the right number of items on each trip you can use the 15 items or less line.

[Hoanui]

I know it's great to get out but I sometime do my shopping on line. That a possibility for you?

[nomis]

I've done the shopping for so long I've tried many methods. Currently, I use a mobility scooter and that's fantastic with no car parking worries, 2 baskets on the machine and easier to reach high stuff.

I've done the pushing the shopping cart around when on a big shop. It can be tricky to handle those things sometimes - got to be careful not to get one with a bung wheel.

With the car, I shop with a basket on my knees which is best for speed and ease. On a big shop I might do three trips, each time gradually filling up the boot/trunk in the car.

Internet shopping has big advantages but some sad losses, too. People contact for one and I like to see what I'm getting, specially with fruit and veggies plus I get little buzzes of fun from picking out specials, etc.

[fredspike]

thank you all for your input.

i looked up internet shopping in my area and i didnt find anything around here so for now that option is out.
i know most places will have someone help you but usually i have no clue what i'm goign to buy and just buy it when i think it is something that will work for dinner so i feel kinda weird dragging someone else along on the adventure.
I have yet to try pushing a cart i just know it was hard enough to push those miss aligned things when i could walk let lone now but i guess like anything else in a chair it is by trial and error.

[fredspike]

well i went shopping today with a friend and tried just pushing the cart at the end of the isles and it worked fairly well and if i were to leave it at the end of the isle it would be fairly useful as long as it isn't to heavy, it is still kinda awkward but what isnt at first as i person with a SCI, now i just need to learn how to better deal with the snow going to school in erie pa and living in buffalo new york

[wheeliebear75]

When ever I've needed to get some shopping done with OUT the help of friends or family it's never been a problem. Management would usually have a "box boy" push my cart and get the items I needed. Their only request was that I try to do this during their non-peak hrs. as it did take away a staff member who would normally be doing other tasks. This has held true for grocery stores as well as pet stores (pet smart), and Wall-Mart has had no problems with helping do my Christmas shopping. You might phone ahead to your local market and explain you will need someone else to push your cart for you. If you go down the next aisle for your next purchases you could find your cart on "go back" or someone ELSE taking off with it. Just MY reason from not leaving the cart at the end.

[Murray]

You know how it felt when you finally figured out how to open one of those damn big glass doors with the closure system on them? Set your bike at just the right angle and whip the puppy open, get part way in and catch the sucker with your free hand, using the door's weight as your other wheel - I was tickled to death the first time I managed that - thought I was pretty slick. In the same way, I figured out how to push a shopping cart with one hand, letting the cart do the steering, and forward motion maintained with the other. People look at me kind of funny, but that's nothin' new. Just smile and keep on truckin'. Give it a crack. Good luck! -Lynn