Four Ways to Get Your Groceries Delivered for Free in January

Many people hate grocery shopping. Today, there are many delivery options that will do it for you. Here's how to shop and get your groceries delivered for free. 

I am one of those people that doesn't like grocery shopping. I think the time it takes is what I dislike the most. By the time you drive to the store, cruise the aisles to fill the cart, wait in line to check out, drive home and then put everything away, you've lost a couple of hours of your day. My dad always said "time is money," and that's why grocery delivery services are worth it. It's even better if they are free. Here are four ways to get your groceries delivered for free in January.

First, we need to talk about the different services. There are store-specific delivery services and third-party shoppers. My wife says the biggest difference in using a service like Shipt or Instacart is that you don't always get the store's special prices. If Meijer is having a 10 for $10 sale, for example, you might not get that with Instacart. That doesn't always mean the in-house version is the best, as some of the apps are clunky and she gets cranky when her order disappears for the third time.

Although they have offers from time to time, neither Instacart nor Shipt are offering a free trial right now. Each service is priced at $99 for a one-year membership. There is a minimum order amount for delivery and other fees may apply for special delivery times. If you are a subscriber, Instacart will shop for you at Aldi, Costco, D&W, Earth Fare, Family Fare, Fresh Thyme, Gordon Food Service, Sam's Club, and Target. You've probably seen Shipt shoppers at Meijer, they also cover Fresh Thyme and Target. But where can you get delivery for free?

D&W Supermarkets 

• Use their online site shopthefastlane, and get your first 3 orders delivered at no charge.

Meijer

• Generally, your first delivery is free on orders $75 or more. A special offer now through January 29 gets you free home delivery on all orders $35 and up now through January 29.

Walmart

• The Walmart+ plan lets you order as often as you like for free with a $35 minimum per order. A 15-day trial will allow you to sample the service for free.

DoorDash

• This one might be a surprise. Known for restaurant delivery, DoorDash also promises "everything on your grocery list delivered in under an hour," and offers a $0 delivery fee on your first order. DoorDash will deliver items from Fresh Thyme, Harding's, and Meijer.

Keep in mind, this is not an exhaustive list, delivery areas vary widely by location. Also, the quality of your experience can change a lot depending on who your shopper is- the good ones deserve a good tip.

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