I discovered a cool new thing at the local Giant supermarket in Waldorf, MD on Sunday. They are offerring a new way to shop more efficiently and it’s a little gadget called Scan It! It’s described as one of their new In Store Shopping Tools that can help you get in and out of the supermarket quickly. Scan It! is a hand-held scanning device that you activate when you first enter the store using your Giant Bonus Card or keytag.

Then, take the scanner with you as you peruse the supermarket aisles and do your shopping as usual. The really cool thing is that it gives you a running total on how much you’re spending and how much money you’re saving. You can bag your groceries while you shop with (those not so good for the environment) plastic bags provided on the Scan It! station, but Giant does offer an eco-friendly option as well. You can buy reusable shopping bags in the store for just $.99 each or an insulated bag for $1.99. Once you’re finished shopping, go through the checkout lane, scan your Bonus Card at the register, follow a few simple instructions, and return the scanner. That’s it. Your puchase is completed quickly and efficiently. No mess, no fuss.

I must say that I’m pretty impressed with this new technology, though I still think you should carry a list with you so that you are prepared to buy what you need and decrease your chances of overspending. I can see how it might be a little tricky to hold your list and the scanner and bag your stuff all at the same time, but with a some pratice or an extra set of hands, you should be able to get the hang of it.

Unfortunatley for me, I didn’t discover Giant’s new gadget until I was LEAVING the supermarket!! Anyone wanna try it out and let me know what you think?