After working at my local grocery store for about a year and a half, I'm so grateful that I made the decision to apply there! I have advanced my position, saved up a lot of money, and lessened some of the everyday expenses for my family. Here are some of the pros of working in a grocery store!

1. Cheaper groceries

It differs from store to store, but almost every grocery store has an employee discount of some kind. I work at a Kroger, and I get 10% off Kroger brand products every day and 20% on certain holidays. It doesn’t look like much at first, but it adds up over time to end up saving you a lot of money.

Along with groceries, if you work at a store like Kroger, you also have the potential to save more on gas too.

2. You can always buy food on break

No matter what type of food you’re in the mood for, it’s a two-minute walking distance away at most. If you’re working a long shift and forgot to bring food, you can just clock out, grab the snack you want, and ring yourself up at a self-checkout lane within a few minutes time. Even better, get a store brand snack and receive 10% off. (if your store doesn’t have a self-checkout it might take a couple more minutes)

3. Frequent pay that is cashed for free

I get paid every Friday, and my store cashes it for me for free. So if it’s Wednesday and I realize I’m low on cash, no worries! I just have to wait till Friday. If you choose to do direct deposit you get it a day earlier!

4. Flexible scheduling

When I have something on the calendar, I request off for it and it’s almost always approved. Grocery stores typically have a lot of workers, so they can give you the days you need off. Also if you find yourself in a hard spot needing hours, they usually have other departments you can help out in. It's a great thing to hear about an event and not worry if you'll be scheduled!

5. You have a long list of people you can call if you need to trade a shift

Flexible scheduling doesn't help if your important event is suddenly two days away! I’ve heard of friends of mine not being able to go to something important just because they know there is no one that can take their shift. If you only have a handful of coworkers, and they are all either already working or have something going on, you’re in trouble. At a grocery store (assuming you work in the front end) you’ll have a list of 15-20 people you can ask to switch shifts with.

6. A diverse family of coworkers

If you work at a grocery store long enough, your coworkers turn into family. You'll have friends that feel like siblings and adults that feel like secondary parents. I have loved getting to know my coworkers over the past year and a half. I always know that if I'm having a hard time, there will be someone there working that day I can talk to.

7. Great benefits

Since I’ve worked at my store for over a year now, I get one week of paid vacation plus two personal days (paid days you don’t show up to.) Starting next year I’ll be eligible for tuition assistance! My store also offers complete health benefits even for part-time workers.

8. Opportunity for advancement

There are so many career levels at grocery stores! I started as a bagger at my store and now I cashier and occasionally supervise the front end. Looking ahead I might work customer service once I reach 18. Even if you start at the lowest position, you could end up advancing to something better within a few months time!