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Household "Subscription" Services - Do you use them?

12 years ago
Do you subscribe to any services at home, other than the usual utilities? Do you still have a milkman or have water delivered? If you could subscribe to have a box of paper towels and toilet paper delivered once a month, would you?

Share your experience! (photos encouraged)

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Comments (40)

  • 12 years ago
    Me too, actually. I need to put my cat food on a recurring order on Amazon. ;)
  • 12 years ago
    During the summer, I ordered groceries on line at my local Harris Teeter and had them delivered. Was so easy. Unfortunately, they no longer deliver, but will shop for me and I pick up. Costs a small fee
    Emily Hurley thanked grobby
  • 12 years ago
    I tried a dog food service about a year ago, but it was soooooo expensive, and the dog food bag came in a box. I couldn't justify the extra packaging, especially since it actually made it harder rather than easier with the extra weight of the box. I'll just have to buy smaller bags when I get too old.

    And I had a coffee service many years ago, but I stopped it when I had amassed about a year's supply of coffee--just couldn't drink it fast enough--and never resubscribed.

    I don't think I'll do it again unless I really can't get out...and by then, I'll probably be in The Home.
  • 12 years ago
    Pool chemicals...wish the pool boy was cuter
  • 12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    The closest to a subscription service is my 90 day mail order pharmacy...
    or Amazon Prime.

    Some years back I had a milk delivery in a big city, but it was before the prescription reflux meds came out, my better half was suffering, and he was trying to drown the fire with milk, and he got night sweats from said milk. At 8 gallons a week I didn't get a single glass of it and the sweats were insane and I said ENOUGH and Prilosec had JUST come out... milk delivery would have been great, but the more I had delivered the more he drank and everything just got worse. It was non rGBH hormone milk though, better than the usual store stuff.
  • 12 years ago
    I highly recommend having as much delivered as possible if you have ADHD child/children. It will save your sanity.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Fresh organically grown produce, prepackaged dog food and coffee.
  • 12 years ago
    Cat litter gets delivered once a month!
  • 12 years ago
    Amazon is our friend :D
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    I have a professional organizer come by a couple of times a year who's excellent at the couple of things we're bad at -- paperwork mostly. (I "pile 'til I file," so at least I know where things are, but we've got some "random stashers" around here.) She plows through a pile in an hour that would take me a day.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Back in the days of the milkman and the gentleman farmer we called "the egg man," I was the youngest of four and my siblings were...unkind. The egg man had a German accent, so my sister dialed #68 and hung up, which in those days would make your phone ring. She yelled out for me to pick it up, and in her best German accent, she insisted that she would be bringing over the 40 bushels of tomatoes that I was ordering, despite my desperate 5-year-old protest that I didn't want 40 bushels of tomatoes. I hung up in tears and my sibs closed in on me saying, "Mom is gonna kill you! What are we going to do with all those tomatoes? That's gonna cost a hundred dollars!"

    A few days later, my father's boss called. From Germany.

    Rather than a "...Yes sir, I'll get him for you," I responded to his call yelling tearfully, "Kathy, I know it's you! I don't want any tomatoes or eggs or anything!"
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    ...then there was the cute teenaged milk man spotted delivering milk to a neighbor down the street when I was seventeen. My mom stopped buying milk that summer and sent me out to flag him down...
  • 12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    I live in Toronto and have used Grocery Gateway delivery when I was working long hours in my younger days, and didn't always have access to a car. Now the only thing I have delivered is Nespresso capsules -- place an order online and it arrives within 2 days.
  • 12 years ago
    Only for big meetings at work; cases of heavy water, soda, etc.
  • 12 years ago
    shopping locally keeps more money in your community whether it's a small business or part of a large chain. that means more money for better parks and recreation, roads, etc.
    supporting small business is important from pet food to coffee, clothing and services. some of the stores may deliver for a nominal fee. remember the owners are your neighbors, members of civic organizations, family members of teachers and medical professionals and so on. online shopping and delivery are great but please remember to sometimes:
    SHOP LOCAL!
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    We definitely have water delivered to the office. I've been considering adding a barkbox subscription for the dogs, as well as a his and hers birchbox subscription for the family. They're great ways to try out new products and hopefully find something you really love!
  • 12 years ago
    Pest management company every two months.
    We got persuaded into a yearly contract - the sales guy knew his pitch! But having had them come out for the past 10 months, we've decided that we will not be renewing.
  • 12 years ago
    @TIAMAY, better cancel in writing way ahead. those contracts tend to automatically renew 6 or 8 weeks before expiration unless you notify them in writing.
    Can you tell I've been burned before!
  • 12 years ago
    I have coffee delivered once a month, meds delivered for the dog from a compounding pharmacy. Locally, we support a dog walker, housekeeper and lawn service-- these could be consider subscriptions!
  • 12 years ago
    I would love to have local groceries delivered - that would be dreamy.
  • 12 years ago
    I absolutely LOVE my produce delivery... Green BEAN for anyone in the Ohio/Indiana region. They rock.
  • 12 years ago
    When I was living in rural areas I'd get my vegetarian substitutes from Worthington, Loma Linda, Cedar Lake and Morningstar Farms delivered by the case since there were no local health food stores that carried them and Wal-Mart only carries 2-3 varieties. http://www.vegefood.com/ got a lot of use.

    I gave a subscription to "pasta-a-month" club to an elderly relation once and they were thrilled because they got pasta, sauce, and it is soft and easy for people with dentures to eat. http://www.amazingclubs.com/pasta.html

    I also belonged to a Tea of the month club for a year and wound up with so much extra tea it wasn't worth it.

    My ex-husband subscribed to a spice of the month club which ended up being completely pointless as much of what was delivered was not spices used in any recipes we made on a regular basis or was delivered in a form that we had no idea how to use. I know recipes that use cardamom for instance, but what on earth was I supposed to do with a box full of green cardamom pods? I was working on my Master's degree and working full time, my ex was a full time medical student and we simply didn't have the time to do the research to discover how to use what we got.

    Now the one time my ex's parents subscribed us to a fruit of the month club wasn't bad. Most of that stuff got used up pretty quickly. The Harry & David monthly goodie basket wasn't bad either.

    The Washington Post has a listing of community-supported agriculture (CSA) farms that you pay an annual or quarterly fee to receive boxes of fresh produce.
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/food/csa-community-supported-agriculture-interactive-map/
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    The first of my gorgeous orchids just arrived -- a lovely gift from my husband and son. They'll keep coming throughout the year.

    And my 2nd gift shipment from my Dad of fruit from Florida arrived yesterday -- grapefruit, anyone?
  • 12 years ago
    All natural raw dog food delivered every 6 weeks and stored in the freezer, cured my fur baby of most all her allergy issues.
  • 12 years ago
    I don't need anything delivered and am a local shopper as much as possible. Don't like to be in contracts!
  • 12 years ago
    My husband does the dollar-shave-club - unfortunately we have now accumulated enough razors to keep Zach Galifinakis smooth for a year!
  • 12 years ago
    I get nothing delivered. Only e-mails and post ;-)
  • 12 years ago
    We have a cleaner come in once every two weeks to do the big stuff around the house. Newspaper daily,
  • 12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    We have a daughter who has diapers delivered for her twins. That's a life saver and cost effective. Also, had a mail-type movie/DVD subscription that we just cancelled. Going with online DVD/TV subscriptions now.
  • 12 years ago
    We have Netflix for DVDs. In addition, our prescriptions are on automatic 90-day refill.

    We subscribe to a CSA but have to pick up the produce, eggs, fruit, dairy.
  • 12 years ago
    I had foot surgery in the fall, so ordered EVERYTHING for Christmas online. It made it all so much easier, especially since most places have free ship offers. Lots of cardboard though from the packaging. My husband complained about having to break it all down to dispose of/recycle.
  • 12 years ago
    Not sure what delivery would fit me just yet. Found some good ideas reading these comments...
  • 12 years ago
    I have someone clean every other week because of my allergies and actually find it cheaper to have my dog food delivered for 2 large dogs from Petco.com. For one I am going to go to repeat delivery so it wll be even cheaper.
  • 12 years ago
    I LOVE having things delivered to my home. It saves so much time! I use a home delivery service (Fresh Direct) that delivers almost everything I use in my home (from organic fruits, vegetable, meats, fish, etc to cleaning supplies, catering items, pre-cooked foods, bakery items, etc.) They are my online supermarket. All that is needed is to make a list, sit down in front of my computer, and plan my order, the day I want it delivered and the time (within a two hour window) that I wish the delivery to arrive. What a joy not to have to go out in awful weather, hunt for parking spots and then move items from store shelves, to cart, to counter, back to cart, to trunk of car, out of car and into house!! What a time saver!!! Unfortunately, they still do not carry every brand that I would like to order. However this is not a major problem as it is still fun to hop into a market every once and a while to see what is new.
  • 12 years ago
    Home Depot has a service where they deliver air filters for your furnace every three months! Reminds you to change the filters!!!!
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Well, I have my groceries delivered ...I go there on foot so I keep in shape, have it delivered ..so i don't carry all the heavy bags inside the house !
  • 12 years ago
    I have air filters delivered to my home using FilterFiller.com. Saves lots of time not having to hunt for filters around town and reminds me to change them, which ends up saving money on utilities. All I had to do was get my filter sizes, go online and sign up. Very easy.
  • 11 years ago

    Everything I can- groceries from Peapod, wine from Club W, toilet paper, cleaning supplies and toiletries from Soap.com, baby needs from Diapers.com and Amazon for everything else!

  • 11 years ago

    I have almost everything delivered directly to my home by a service called Fresh Direct. For years I dragged products from store shelves to shopping cart to check out counter, back to shopping cart, to trunk of my car, into my home, onto counters, and finally, to their proper storage places around the house. As I also required meats without antibiotics, seafood that was not farm raised, produce without pesticides, etc., shopping in special stores was a major chore.

    Then I discovered Fresh Direct!! I order everything (almost) that I need directly on line where the selection is huge, pick the day and time of delivery that works for my busy schedule, pay either directly from my checking account or use a credit card, and then simply unpack everything that is delivered right in my kitchen. WHAT A JOY!! If there is any product that does not meet my standards, the personnel working at this company are sure to either issue a credit or send a replacement in a timely manner. The delivery men are efficient, friendly and always on time. I chose to pay a minimal delivery membership fee rather than the $5.00 per delivery charge which saves me a great deal of money, as I order frequently. What a terrific service!! Wish I had this when my children were small, I was working a full time job and food shopping had to be a family excursion each Friday afternoon. I have been using this service now for several years and recommend it to everyone I know.