To feel justified getting a taxi back from the shops sometimes -DH seems IABU

When my kids were young (about 45 years ago) I used to get the bus into town weekly with my two, wheeled shopping trolleys, load them up and do the journey in reverse. Lifting them on and off the bus and hauling them up the steep hill to the house ruined my shoulders! When it got too much I used to get a taxi back once a fortnight, to my door, which made a huge difference, but my shoulders were never the same again!

Get yourself a funky shopping trolley

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hoppa-Lightweight-Shopping-Foldaway-Guarantee/dp/B0CZF3XHH6/ref=mpssa111?crid=33RL6HLEICV4G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FrTKJY0olfXnxScnXkleZpqmicPoxODN0Kh9GYok7rRZeYAPRDM2lSO22xV2pxK-5vpttNgxlJTELQCQflJbMZKL9BYZyBwWdpJeTfmyepYEQR6pnwosmDsH7kn7LjYt9Fx9XrDPNfEvRP8h0p87NpFCqTkxkSg67f39iecPr24fOHRW7kK5cfICni8M8HoXmt9eJBZC6em-ZvQAqSjyEQ.64vNZnZ-aTMIOccC59kaLW3qIoRrKlmbBikwHFC4yc4&dibtag=se&keywords=shopping+trolley+funky&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1737148622&refinements=pp_85%3A20930949031&sprefix=shopping+teilley+fu%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-1

How I understood it, this isn't about regular grocery shopping, they have it delivered, this is about bigger items for the house which the OP wants to choose at a shopping center, because the items delivered from Amazon have inconsistent quality

I think I know what you mean OP about lugging shopping home. I think it's going out for one or two manageable items and ending up with the whole shop in your bags! Therefore you didn't order the two items online but still have a ton of stuff to get to your house.

Of course you get a cab Uber or whatever works for you. Why the heck not? Pay no heed to your DH just do your own thing.

I am a similar shopper. Go out for one thing and end up with the shop. My intention is not to take the car to get some exercise by walking into town or the local retail park for little bits and pieces, but now and then can't manage the heft of my unintended purchases and hop in a cab.

I've taken to bringing a fold up backpack with me now. As pp said, for heavy but not too bulky items they are brilliant if the straps are comfortable on your shoulders. I regularly carry about 10kilos back (walking) and hardly notice it on my back, but if I were to carry it in a shopping bag I'd be half dead. I also have a backpack with wheels which is a terrific piece of kit also. Not remotely resembling those tartan shopping carts that women of a certain age use, oh no I couldn't possibly! I'm 67 going on 68 BTW 😊

Of course use a taxi but if you order from better sites than amazon, you can get exactly the quality you desire

Why wouldn't you get a taxi if you had a lot of shopping?
Seems perfectly normal to me.

I don't do taxis myself. I have a shopping trolley I wheel out for the weekly shop and I've used my doggy stroller before for allsorts of things (taking big bags to the charity shop, picking up DIY supplies and giant bags of compost.....rarely used it for the dogs though!LOL).

If it costs loads to get home vs a £3 bus ticket and you're going to the shops several times a week... then he might have a point.

Could you use a wheeled trolley, there are much nicer ones than the old granny shoppers in tartan wipe clean fabric these days.

But if its a reasonable cost, I really can't see how getting a taxi back is a problem, certainly don't see why anyone would judge or come to the conclusion you're getting a taxi because you've had your licence taken away for committing some horrific driving crime. Surely anyone who knows you knows you can't drive, and anyone who doesn't, really doesn't matter!

While I totally do not begrudge you getting a cab when you have heavy stuff, I have to ask, so you know what’s causing all that chronic pain in your body when you’re in your 40s? Do you have a diagnosis?

You should get your groceries delivered. But of course it's fine to use a taxi sometimes. I only ever really either walk short distance or taxi further. Due to my disabilities. It's still cheaper than running a car.

Your DH sounds like a misery.
If you can afford it, go for it.
Even my dad (who was an epic penny pincher Yorkshireman) used to say it would be cheaper to get a taxi when needed than keep a car if it was just for shopping trips.

If it’s not an issue financially then I’d say it’s fine, but if money is tight then no.

What a strange post. My DH wouldn't care or question me getting a taxi.

Lol at this. Hardly anyone gets banned from driving. There are tens of thousands of people with more than 12 points who still have their licence. And doubtless loads more who drive illegally

I've never once seen someone get in a taxi and wondered if they have been banned from driving. Maybe just me but it seems ridiculous that the thought would cross anyone's mind. If you can afford it there's nothing wrong with getting a taxi. Especially with tins of paint and bulky items, no way would I be carrying them home.

20 min walk carrying food for 2+ people isn't enjoyable. Food is heavy. Definitely book taxi unless DH does the hauling. He could get a little trolley.

Depends a lot on the cost - it's £40 to get a taxi home for us vs £3 on the bus, only one road available from the city centre home so using a cab would be pretty wasteful, it's a 5 minute walk from the bus stop home, so justifiably I would only take a short cab home. I'm the same age and bigger so I do get the "not getting younger" feeling but I'm quite capable of walking around the city and carrying a few bags

@pernet
There's no triumph in making life difficult and potentially injuring yourself or others lugging furniture on public transport.
There's no shame in using a taxi.

Quite a few younger people I know have never learnt to drive including one of my sons, they think nothing of hopping in ubers even when not lugging heavy shopping! They live in cities, not worth the expense, hassle of parking ect. As soon as you drive a car out of the garage it depreciates by at least £1000 and continues to do so every year, insurance, road tax, MOT at least another £1000 plus fuel..........your positively saving money by taking the odd taxi🌻

I would order bulky items online as I couldn’t justify the costs of a taxi on the regular.

Yep.

Personally I begrudge paying for taxi so I can see your DH's pov - I feel a bit of triumph in lugging home an Ikea shop on the tube even though we don't have a problem paying for cab fares. But then I'm lucky not to have pain issues and I also get free public transport so there's a bigger cost differential.

I would look into any ways to get financial support with taxis - my mum has bad foot pain and gets PIP and a taxi card to put towards taxi fares. And consider items that would help you transport by pushing/pulling rather than carrying (I've used our buggy without a baby in it to push big shops home, and also pulled small bits of furniture strapped to rolling trolley I got in Ikea).

Is he afraid I will be judged getting into a cab and people will suspect I must be getting into a cab because I've had a licence taken away?

the over-thinking is on another level! People take cabs all the time, no one cares WHY

Of course if you don't want or can't book a delivery - sample the products in shops and order the full product later, you'd be nuts to carry everything yourself.

Might not be point of thread but have you got a shopping trolley for things like this
depending where abouts you are in Manchester I’d be tempted to opt for bus or tram instead of a taxi

It's not relevant to the taxi question but I have a little rucksack that folds up into its own pocket (the Vango ones are good). It is so much easier to carry things this way.

Or just go for a proper rucksack and use it as your bag.

It might help when it's that in between in terms of can you manage or not so they are less frequent and you can keep up your walking to maintain some fitness..

Is he afraid I will be judged getting into a cab and people will suspect I must be getting into a cab because I've had a licence taken away?
does he think only banned drivers use cabs? that's very odd