How much time to shop?

My elderly neighbour gives me her shopping list and I do her shppping for her weekly. She tries to pay me for my time but I just don’t want to take money for it. It takes me maybe a half hour a week so not a lot of time. Now another neighbour asked me to shop for him, which I will do and the two of them will pay me $30a week. I spend an hour a week in the stores for myself and this will probably add up to two hours I total. Fair or not?
P.s. I don’t enjoy shopping much and it will be a chore for me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sueshe

My elderly neighbour gives me her shopping list and I do her shppping for her weekly. She tries to pay me for my time but I just don’t want to take money for it. It takes me maybe a half hour a week so not a lot of time. Now another neighbour asked me to shop for him, which I will do and the two of them will pay me $30a week. I spend an hour a week in the stores for myself and this will probably add up to two hours I total. Fair or not?
P.s. I don’t enjoy shopping much and it will be a chore for me.

---

I guess my thought is how much effort do you put into the shop? Do you strictly buy what's on the list at a set store? Do you PM the items or coupon for their items too?

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

30$ sounds like a great deal for an hours work and $15 each for them is awesome for them.

I get paid by a family friend when I visit her and help with her shopping. It's a little different in my situation since we do the shop together, I really enjoy my time in the grocery store, and we normally take at least 2 hours. But I go with her for the money saving aspect that is incorporated through couponing. Since I normally save her between $200 and $300 every time we go. I normally get $20 which is a nice little something. So I would say getting $30 for a total of one extra hour in the grocery store is a very decent return.

I rarely coupon and never price match..That would increase my time in the stores and it’s not a trade off I’m willing to make. I usually shop at superstore and shoppers drug, occasionally London drugs and I can get everything at these stores on all the lists. My neighbours don’t seem too interested in saving money, but I would not overspend for sake of convenience. I haven’t been to a Walmart in years and both neighbours are fine with that as we all like to support Canadian stores. I’m going to give it a try and see if I like doing this, the money will help with gas for my car,etc. I’m retired, live in a 55 plus development and although I would do this for free, it makes sense to receive a little cash for my time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sueshe

I rarely coupon and never price match..That would increase my time in the stores and it’s not a trade off I’m willing to make. I usually shop at superstore and shoppers drug, occasionally London drugs and I can get everything at these stores on all the lists. My neighbours don’t seem too interested in saving money, but I would not overspend for sake of convenience. I haven’t been to a Walmart in years and both neighbours are fine with that as we all like to support Canadian stores. I’m going to give it a try and see if I like doing this, the money will help with gas for my car,etc. I’m retired, live in a 55 plus development and although I would do this for free, it makes sense to receive a little cash for my time.

---

Sounds like a good plan. A win win for you all!:)

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

I am curious how the second neighbour knew to ask you to help with his shopping. You may wish to let both of the neighbours know you are only doing the shopping for them while you can do it (without elaborating) so if they talk to others, they are not unintentionally creating a surge of new people wanting you to shop for them.

For some seniors, they really do appreciate help with their shopping but even a few of them might be prone to taking advantage of others. It does not seem to be the case here unless you learn otherwise.

In Ancaster, there is a community bus run that alternates between three stores on different weeks and requires $6 payment. However that bus no longer offers medical appt service in town (it used to) and I'm sure there are local seniors who are hard pressed to find a way to get around to appointments out of town without a friend or neighbour chipping in the drive--not all seniors want to take the transit system and some have had bad experiences relying on volunteer drivers through community organizations (I had a conversation last year on these very things with someone who came to town to assist a local person one Saturday because these issues impacted the senior's ability to attend appts as he could no longer drive).

Seniors may also like the social connection with others who help them do shopping who are not family. You may not really want to discuss their family or personal lives but you may both have something to say about current events, local politics or the price of things!

Because I’ve been away for awhile, I’ve got big shops to do for my neighbours today. Superstore, London drugs and The pet store for dog food. We have very smoky skies here and my neighbours couldn’t get out on their own and that’s why the lists are so long!