An online grocery basket can look comfortably within budget until the last screen adds the cost of getting it to your door. That does not automatically make delivery a poor choice. It means the comparison should include the complete order and the practical alternative available to you.
Use a realistic list for the period you are shopping for. Enter the delivery address before relying on prices, availability, or time slots, since these may vary by location. Check whether the service has a minimum order and whether that threshold refers to the eligible merchandise total or another amount defined in its terms. Do not assume that every item in the basket counts toward it.
Read the charges separately. Delivery, service fees, bags, small-order charges, and optional tips may be presented differently by different services or in different places. Include the amounts that apply to your order, while distinguishing optional choices from unavoidable charges. A subscription that removes one fee may leave other charges in place, so the headline promise alone is not enough for the calculation.
A threshold is not a shopping list
If the basket falls just below a free-delivery level, compare the fee with the extra merchandise you would need to add. A useful staple already planned for the near future may be reasonable if storage and cash flow allow it. Unwanted food is a different matter. Buying more to remove a charge can still increase the total and leave you with products that have no place in the meal plan.
Look at substitutions and unavailable items before confirming. Decide which alternatives are acceptable and which products should be omitted if the original is missing. Check how the service handles price differences and changes to the final basket. For goods sold by weight, the amount charged may differ from an initial estimate under the service's stated process. Leave enough room for an acceptable adjustment rather than budgeting to the last possible unit of currency.
Now consider the alternative trip: transport, the ability to carry the order, time available, and any access needs. You do not have to turn every minute into a money figure. Delivery may be useful because it makes the purchase possible or manageable. The relevant comparison is with a trip you could actually make, not with an idealized free journey.
Choose a delivery window you can receive and follow the service's instructions for checking the order and reporting problems promptly. Save the final receipt, not just the earlier basket screenshot. It provides a better starting point for the next comparison and helps you notice whether the service still fits the way your household shops.