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Our Instacart definitive guide and shopping analysis, finds grocery delivery service fees, taxes, and tips add 20% to the food costs that may have a markup over in-store. Importantly, Costco offers the greatest value for consumers, followed by Aldi, Wegmans, and BJ’s. Remember, even buying through Costco from Instacart, you will still likely pay an average online markup of 15%, or more, versus in-store. Therefore, while it offers a nice aspect of optimization for a busy New Yorker, it is not the most frugal and economical source of groceries. Grocery Delivery Near Me, Now Damn It! We live in an instant gratification economy. While this might not necessarily be new, technological advancements are increasing the options for consumers. People increasingly want to use their smartphones via an app, or computer, to place orders online. For instance, they expect short delivery times, in a matter of days, if not the same day, more recently. Web-based services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Hulu, among others, offer OnDemand movies and TV shows. Instant gratification provides significant value for consumers when done right, according to an article written in Forbes, What The Instant Gratification Economy Taught Me About Happiness, by Ashik Ahmed. Within the article, he notes the following; “In a world where consumers don’t just desire instant gratification, but expect it, the window for a startup to impress customers is smaller than ever.” Like many New Yorkers and others, for instance, you want to optimize your limited time. Oftentimes, this means paying a premium to have someone else provide a service that used to be part of daily routines. For example, this includes the premium an Uber driver charges for door-to-door car service to some remote part of Brooklyn for a loft party. A shoeshine at Grand Central. Dinner prepared by a restaurant and delivered from Grubhub. And our topic of today’s discussion, grocery delivery. Grocery delivery around New York City (NYC) is an increasingly competitive market spanning national services to those more regional. Moreover, there are options galore for consumers, and they appear to be increasing with time. For example, there are many grocery delivery services for NYC, including Amazon Fresh, DoorDash, Fresh Direct, Grubhub, Instacart, Peapod, Postmates, Shipt, TaskRabbit, Uber Eats, Whole Foods delivery via PrimeNow and numerous others! We are going to focus on one service now, Instacart. Moreover, what are the lowest cost grocery delivery stores from Instacart in NYC? The goal is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the lowest cost grocery stores through Instacart as well as a definitive guide. Why? Because we need our guac, now! We are a needy species. How Does Instacart Work? First, Instacart differs from some other grocery delivery services because it doesn’t have its own stores or warehouses. Rather, it creates relationships with your local grocery stores to offer a delivery service. Second, it merely acts as an intermediary for grocery shopping with no inventory to keep on hand. In addition, for those more community conscious, it drives local grocery delivery business to stores in your neighborhood. As a user, you gain value from the grocery delivery service, optimizing your life a bit, at a cost of course, while also continuing to support local stores and employment. Conversely, services like Amazon Fresh, Fresh Direct, Peapod, and others use their own networks of warehouses as the source for your grocery delivery. Instacart, however, utilizes its network of shoppers to visit your local store you have chosen to order from, gather items ordered, then deliver them to your doorstep. Time needed: 20 minutes. Step-by-Step Guide for Getting Started with Instacart Visit www.instacart.com, or download the app (Apple app here or Android here) for your smartphone or tablet. Enter your email address and choose a password. Input your zip code; this will let you know what local stores you can shop. Select a store to start shopping. Users can search for or browse items and explore different departments. Select items you want, choose quantities, then add to your cart. You can indicate replacement alternatives for items on low, or out of stock. Special instructions may be added to orders for your shopper. Go to checkout once you have finished shopping. Choose your delivery window. There’s also an option for leaving the delivery outside your door (unattended delivery). Finally, enter your payment details and confirm your order. As an example, the video below provided on YouTube by Instacart provides a nice short overview of the process to get you started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PksAfCz6akw&feature=youtu.be Where is Instacart Available? Instacart provides service within various zip codes across cities located within all 50 states plus the District of Columbia within the US, in addition to some locations in Canada. The company provides broad service across New York State (NYS) and within NYC. That is to say, it includes all five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Take a look at Instacart’s grocery delivery service locations on its website. You can enter your zip code or browse states and cities across the US, where they currently provide service. What happens if Instacart doesn’t deliver to me? You can still visit the same page. Upon entering your zip code, you may choose to be notified when Instacart expands service to your location.   What Stores Are Available on Instacart? Available stores from Instacart will depend on your location, plus those that the company has a relationship with. Moreover, you can have a look at Instacart’s locations on its website. Select your state, then city, or simply input your zip code. For instance, check for details on NYS. Within NYC, there are several familiar faces when it comes to grocery store options. Likewise, these options will vary somewhat depending on your zip code, but many deliver to all five boroughs. Notable grocery stores include Aldi, BJ’s, Costco, CVS Pharmacy, Fairway, The Food Emporium, Key Food, ShopRite, Wegmans, Zabar’s. Additionally, local wine shops and liquor stores are often available. Above all, for the frugal shoppers, it is notable that Instacart provides service to Costco and BJ’s. Interestingly, you do not need to have a membership when using Instacart. If you do have one, enter membership information if possible to receive credit or other discounts. Sadly, for many, many New Yorkers, Instacart does not provide service for Trader Joe’s. How Long Does Your Instacart Delivery Take? Many first-time Instacart users are curious about how long their grocery delivery order will take. However, this depends on a number of factors, including the availability of shoppers, as well as the demand for Instacart’s service. Excluding the pandemic of 2020, prior to that, Instacart could often deliver your grocery order the same day if you ordered early enough. Meanwhile, most recently, during the epidemic, grocery delivery services, including Instacart, have been overwhelmed with demand. As a result, orders have taken longer to fulfill. Nevertheless, over the past week, they seem to be consistently offering next day delivery in NYC. Also, you can set orders for delivery up to five days ahead. Picture of woman delivering a package. For those who’ve taken to Twitter and other social media, to complain about grocery delivery times during the virus outbreak, shame on you. Certainly this is a high-class, first world problem. Above all, these complaints are disrespectful to all the workers on the front lines servicing you! Instacart Delivery Fee, What Does it Cost? Fees for using Instacart vary and are rather broad. The short answer as to what is Instacart’s fees, is, well, that depends. Let’s cover some of the most common costs you’ll encounter using the service. Again, remember, using grocery delivery isn’t usually the most economical option, but it does offer an aspect of optimization and automation to your life. One opinion I’d like to share. I hate additional service fees! I’d also venture to guess some other folks out there would be in agreement based on some Twitter commentary. https://twitter.com/QJohanna36/status/995310175274840064 Twitter commentary regarding the general disdain of service fees at Instacart. Delivery Fee The fee for delivery starts at $3.99 and moves up from there based on a combination of order size plus the scheduled time. Similar to Uber, if you are requesting delivery during a peak time, expect to pay a premium. Instacart does an excellent job notifying you if you are choosing a peak delivery slot. Refunds are possible for the premium delivery surcharge if your order happens to arrive late. Service Fee & Alcohol Fee For everyone that is not an Express customer, there is a 5%, or minimum $2, service fee that applies to non-alcoholic items purchased. There is an additional service fee related to alcoholic purchases, as detailed in the table below, to cover additional costs, such as ID checking. Note, there is no service fee for pick up items. Non-Members Express Members $0-$35 of alcohol: $2.00 fee $0-$35 of alcohol: $0.80 fee $35.01-$75 of alcohol: $4.00 fee $35.01-$75 of alcohol: $1.60 fee $75.01-$110 of alcohol: $8.00 fee $75.01-$110 of alcohol: $3.20 fee >$110.01 of alcohol: $10.00 fee >$110.01 of alcohol: $4.00 fee Instacart alcohol service fee. Heavy Fee If you’re purchasing bulk items such as cases of beverages and pet foods alongside others, then your order may incur another associated fee. This applies to orders, when these items deemed heavy, exceed 50 pounds. Users will be notified when this fee applies, and you’ll have an oppor

How to prepare for a layoff? This is a question that nags me well after it happened in my life. Layoffs happen, that’s life, unfortunately (see my other article, Employer at the Gates… An Essay on Exiting the Workforce). Yes, it sucks! More so during the current coronavirus than in recent history, but one should prepare and remain focused on the next steps. Layoff preparation is key to minimizing the stress and adverse health effects associated with unemployment and maintaining some semblance of normalcy within your life while unemployed. Reflecting on my discharge that occurred around two months ago, I wish I had prepared better, and it had gone somewhat differently. The primary question I think about, how should I prepare for a layoff? Had I spent more time preparing for this event, perhaps inevitable in today’s economy, I would be on better footing when pursuing my next steps. We’ll cover fifteen pieces of advice I wish I had taken into consideration ahead of my cutback as I entered unemployment. We will cover mental and physical health preparedness to a greater degree than others may touch on because I feel it is crucial and often overlooked. First, let’s touch on some terminology. Picture of a dictionary with the definition of focus Layoff is when the employer discharges the employee. Often this action is the result of restructuring or cost-cutting and is synonymous with headcount reductions. Furlough, like a layoff, is a dismissal of an employee but differs as the individual usually returns at a later time to the position. Fire is when an employer terminates an employee due to poor performance or other causes. Usually, there is a greater negative connotation associated with being fired as opposed to furloughs and layoffs. Don’t fret; you can recover from this too! It is essential to understand the distinctions between the types of employment dismissals as this could impact your insurance benefits, like unemployment payments, as well as future references. With that understood, let’s move on to the fifteen pieces of advice, helping you prepare for a layoff. For brevity and those with limited attention spans, a summary table is provided below. Layoff Preparation Checklist Initial Shock May Overwhelm: Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster and shock associated with layoffs. Seek Help if Necessary: Utilize benefits while still employed to prepare and address both physical and mental health. Everyone is Expendable, Leave Arrogance at the Door: No employee is invaluable, stay humble in your career, or your ego may be crushed. Get Your Office in Order: Literally, clear out excess personal items at work, including updating professional contacts via LinkedIn. It’s Not Personal, Usually: Employee reductions aren’t personal, although it will feel that way. It’s business focusing on the bottom line. Capital Preservation is Not Market Timing: If unemployment is imminent, consider selling riskier assets like stocks and accumulating cash. Understand Unemployment Benefits: Review unemployment benefits to see if you qualify, how much income it might provide, and for how long. Never Stop Learning: Always continue your professional development via certifications or licensing while employed. It helps when looking for your next job. Ask for More Severance: Strategize with a lawyer well ahead of layoffs and get them involved immediately to help negotiate a better severance. Budget, Understand Your Expenses: Organize your finances, understand your income, cash flows, expenses, and debts. This helps you know the minimum cash requirements. Cash is King, Emergency Fund Planning: Prioritize and build a six month or greater cash emergency fund in the event of layoffs. Credit Optionality: Extend lines of credit and add new ones, not to the detriment of your FICO score. This will offer a credit cushion to utilize if you are unemployed longer than expected. Maintain an Updated Resume: Always maintain, update, and revise your professional resume at least once a year and have a cover letter template on hand. Always Interview & Network: While employed, continue interviewing for alternative jobs several times a year for practice. This may open new opportunities, and it won’t seem so foreign. Be Less Committed to Your Employer: Yes, ensure the work you currently do is top-notch and respectable, but establish work-life boundaries. There are more critical things than pleasing a fleeting employer. 1) Initial Shock May Overwhelm Before a layoff, understand how much of your life is genuinely tied to your employer and coworkers. While you cannot immediately change this, it will help better prepare you for the degree of emotional shock. You can also put forth some effort towards rekindling relationships unassociated with your job, reconnect with both new and old friends. Begin the process of decoupling your identity with your employer to mitigate the emotional impact of employment loss. There is no sugarcoating the emotional impact of losing employment. Losing your job envokes feelings of grief and is demoralizing while disorienting, all at the same time. It hit my self-esteem like few other things have in my life. During the first several days of unemployment, I suffered from insomnia. When I did manage to get some rest, I would wake up mourning my loss with a distinct feeling of sickness inside. The ordeal can be wholly immobilizing, and it is fair to say I was generally unproductive the first month. It was vital for me to ask myself why I felt such loss and better understand the dynamic behind the emotions. Picture of man stressed, sitting rubbing his eyes. While millennials are often characterized as the job-hopping generation, in my case, I had been with my employer for almost ten years since first moving to New York City. The work was demanding and hours long, but also intellectually challenging in a way that caused one to become deeply devoted and involved with time. During a long tenure, even the most introverted of individuals like myself becomes friends with colleagues. These are the people I would spend the majority of my waking hours with, much more so than my partner, given the demanding hours. Beyond the workdays, it includes drinks afterward, business travel across the country, as well as birthday celebrations and other social activities. In short, I became close to my coworkers sharing much of my life with them. Neon sign saying work harder. My job had become my identity, and my colleagues represented much of my social circle.   This identity and social circle came to an abrupt halt the day my employment ended following my sacking and was the catalyst prompting a waterfall of emotion after the fact. Everyone is different, and individuals who’s careers are less involved with larger social circles outside of work likely will not suffer as much of an emotional impact. 2) Seek Help if Necessary For someone preparing for a layoff, it may be prudent to seek medical assistance. While still employed, review your benefits package and see what mental and physical health programs are covered and fully utilize them to the degree necessary. Develop a financial contingency plan post dismissal so you may continue these services as needed, perhaps on a more limited basis. Given the smorgasbord of emotions likely to flow after being let go as previously touched on, it could be beneficial to meet with a psychologist or psychiatrist ahead of the event and continue to do so after, so long as you’re financially able. Addressing mental health can help you prepare better psychologically while also discussing a plan for your next steps while unemployed. Ultimately, being mentally fit will smooth the transition and speed up the recovery process. Picture of prewar walkup building with a painted sign saying How Are You Really For residents of New York, check out The Office of Mental Health that includes telephone hotlines and other resources to get you started. At the federal level, you can look into The National Institute of Mental Health and MentalHealth.gov. Your preparation should extend beyond that of mental health and include your physical wellbeing too! Kate W. Strully, Associate Professor Sociology at University at Albany, has written on health implications from socioeconomic shocks of job loss. Within Job Loss and Health in the U.S. Labor Market published in the journal of Demography Strully researches health implications from job loss within the United States. Photo of a doctor on his phone. Losing a job has been linked to increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, as well as depression. Based on the research, when there is a job loss related to an employer closing, odds of an individual reporting fair to poor health increase ~54% while raising odds of a new health condition ~83%. Under a scenario when a person is fired or laid off, odds of reported fair or poor health increase ~80% and increases the odds of a new health condition by ~43%. The adverse health implications extend beyond unemployment, often continuing after finding new employment. So what can be done to minimize these physical health risks ahead of a dismissal? I would again suggest leveraging your employee benefits to the greatest degree possible before a layoff. Get an annual physical if you haven’t done so already. First, understand your key physical health metrics like blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and others. If you’re unable to complete a physical schedule a call or appointment to discuss your most recent test results. Second, talk with your healthcare provider to understand what can be done with your diet, physical activity, sleep, and other things to improve your health. You may soon have plenty of time and no excuses for pursuing a healthier lifestyle when you’re not working! Once you’ve left your employer within the United States, there is usually

The Pandemic Should Mark a Turning Point in Employer-Employee Relations Author William Craig’s Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad, details the German invasion of Stalingrad in 1942 during World War II. Invading forces believed overtaking the city post bombings could be done with relative ease; however, it lasted over five months, and almost two million lives were lost. Historians view it as a turning point of the war, a view I hope prevails after the pandemic regarding employer-employee relations. “The government and institutions will rain praise on first responders and everyday people for diligently fighting the virus.” An article on Medium titled Prepare for the Ultimate Gaslighting by Julio Vincent Gambuto more eloquently detailed the gaslighting that likely ensues once the government and corporate America deem it essential the economy restart. Millions under stay at home orders, furloughed or outright laid off will be encouraged to go back to work. It is for the greater good as well as your wellbeing to reengage the workforce and stimulate an economic recovery. The government and institutions will rain praise on first responders and everyday people for diligently fighting the virus. Now is the time to put your best foot forward and bring back some normalcy to daily life. Right? Like many others across the country and globally, I was not immune to the pandemic and found myself unemployed. The more time that passes has led to self-reflection about what my life was before and where an idealistic version saw it as well as a more pragmatic assessment looking ahead. “Take some time to assess your life and the employer-employee relationship.” I hope others reflect on their situations during this time, and something more comes of it, specifically the employer-employee relationship. For those of us out of work or remote, employers will be keen to have us back once the green light is given. Back to what? Did the employers care about my livelihood and work in my best interest during the pandemic? Before that, did they have my best interest in mind and provide livable wages while sufficiently saving for retirement? Were their actions before, during, and after the pandemic merely lip service to paint themselves in a better light? Take some time to assess your life and the employer-employee relationship. This situation is painful to many of us for various reasons, including the deaths of loved ones and those around us. I feel fortunate those around me have remained healthy or overcome the virus, but my circumstance of being let go still aches. The Invisible Hand Hurts Adam Smith wrote on the concept of the invisible hand in The Wealth of Nations in 1776, a metaphor on unseen forces that drive free-market economies. Freely exchanged goods and services allegedly bring value to the market. Changes in output, supply and demand, ultimately find a market equilibrium with time. As it turns out, the free-market economy determined my labor no longer held value several months ago as demand plummeted, and like many others, I was unemployed. In March of 2020, around lunch, I was called in my office to meet management in a conference room. During that initial call, I already knew what it meant, exclaiming, “well, this can’t be good.” The voice on the other end of the phone concurred, “you may be right.” Despite modest preparation, both consciously and subconsciously, since the day I started my career, it was still shocking. Newspaper clipping highlighting COVID-19 Layoffs “My job had become my identity.” The experience of being let go is demoralizing, hits you in the gut, and crushes your self-esteem. Sleeplessness persisted for several nights after. Over the following month, my mood would swing from the elation regarding the opportunity of starting a new chapter in life and drift back towards grief over the loss. My job had become my identity. Often, I still wake up early in the morning, nauseous over my job loss, with my subconscious still reeling throughout the night. A quote mistakenly attributed to Churchill said something to the effect of move past failures with no loss of enthusiasm. The point being, one must move on and try again while maintaining a positive attitude. I’m not there yet, but I am making a concerted effort to reassess my options. This is What I Know… The Rush Back to Your Identity Almost immediately after losing my job, I was trying to replace it. Within one day of leaving, I was upgrading to LinkedIn premium, shooting off emails to prior colleagues and people within my network. All of this, to fill the void, moving back to a position of normalcy in life. It feels off. Did I want to go back to that routine that consumed my life? Look, there was a lot that I truly enjoyed about my job. It was demanding and dynamic. Global news flow and the economic narrative driving the market keeps you on your toes. Colleagues were generally likable, many becoming friends of mine over the years. Those around me throughout my career were generous with their time, helping me and many others learn along the way. Conversely, there was plenty I came to loath about my position. Headcount reductions throughout the years pushed what seemed like a mountain of work on my desk. It evolved into a never-ending list of things to get done. I felt the need to be working on projects not only Monday through Friday, but also evenings when I would get home. Weekends were more often than not another workday, at least in part. My capacity was full, and I had no excess bandwidth to take on additional work without help. This situation gradually led to depression. No matter the hours of effort I put forth, I was unable to complete everything and felt increasingly despondent with the situation. Near the end, I felt like I was possibly turning a corner, getting some additional help, but still felt my career consumed my life. Beyond catching a movie at home in the evening, there was little else outside of work anymore, no semblance of work-life balance. I’m Not a Nihilist Donny… What Else Do I Care About? Several years after moving to New York City, around 2014, I became interested in my personal finances, specifically the lack of focus as well as a plan. An avid consumer of information, I scoured books on Amazon as well as articles online from business publications and blogs. One book, in particular, stood out, If You Can: How Millennials Can Get Rich Slowly by William Bernstein. It is free and worth the read. While I will not bore you with the details, needless to say, I did develop a plan to address my lack of financial wellbeing. Debts were repaid. An emergency fund was started. Over several years I continued to focus on improving my financial situation and research the subject. Personal finance evolved into a hobby of mine. “After leaving my job, I had to take inventory of my skills.” This contrasted with my career focusing on helping others pick stocks, understand companies and their industries. These people were individual stock pickers; I became an index investor. I tend to agree that most investors nor funds beat the market over time. After leaving my job, I had to take inventory of my skills. Not all the day to day in my career contrasted with personal finance. I was an avid writer capable of distilling complex ideas and analysis into easily digestible content for people with minimal attention spans. It would be rare if I would finish a day without writing, often extensively. I found myself genuinely passionate about personal finance, improving my situation as well as helping others. Parlaying a Skillset, An Exit Opportunity Letterbox sign stating Think Outside the Box “I have lower case f-you money, not upper-case F-you.” Several holidays ago, I tossed around the idea of writing about personal finance. I went so far as to register a domain and began learning about publishing online. This initiative was thrown to the back burner during a prior round of layoffs. This was common within the industry and at my previous employer, not to mention nerve-racking. More work was placed on my desk. There the idea sat until a few weeks ago. First, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue a different path. I am not financially independent. I have lower case f-you money, not upper-case F-you. My safety net likely only lasts six to twelve months. While there was undoubtedly a significant amount of hard work and savings associated, many others suffering from unemployment are not fortunate. That does not escape me. “…my primary priority is improving financial literacy for others around New York City and elsewhere.” Second, my next endeavor intends to help people across socioeconomic backgrounds become more financially literate, stabilize their situation, improving it, placing them on a path towards financial freedom and independence. Alongside this, I am setting forth some financial goals to keep me afloat. Through a combination of writing on my website plus other publications like Medium, potentially publishing a book, counseling others as well as investing and building my passive income and wealth. Is this a feasible exit opportunity? Neon sign stating “Change“ Who knows, but I feel it is achievable, and my primary priority is improving financial literacy for others around New York City and elsewhere. From an economic perspective, I aim to replace my lost income I would achieve reengaging the job market. Moving forward, I intend to provide frequent updates on my progress or lack thereof and hope we learn a bit along the way. I wish others will take some time and reflect on their careers if they are afforded the opportunity during this period and assess the employer-employee relationship. Question it and fight for equitable change that is mutually beneficial. Welcome to the journey, and stay safe! Man dressed for