I loved this email that I got from Kimberly a few days ago:
I’m so excited I just had to share this with you. I read your post about shopping at ALDI yesterday.
I’ve been shopping there for over a year now but I realized I was doing it all wrong. I would do my regular shopping somewhere else and then supplement with ALDI, mainly on produce.
Well today, I made out my normal grocery list for my family of five, and went to ALDI first. I decided to get all I could there and then pop in to my normal store afterward.
WOW! Was I surprised at the check out! After a quick stop at my other store for about 8 items I could not seem to find at ALDI, I had a savings of over $50 over my normal weekly spending — all by just primarily shopping at ALDI!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I’m learning and saving so much. Oh and the time I saved was also amazing! -Kimberly
This is exactly how I do our grocery shopping: Aldi first, Kroger or Walmart second to get just a handful of items that Aldi doesn’t have. Saves tons!!
We don’t have Aldi around us, but we have Trader Joe’s, which is owned by Aldi and features a sort of similar approach. I shop there first and fill in the extras elsewhere. As long as you avoid their prepared food section, everything is generally a great deal.
Fifty dollars in one trip is awesome! Good for you, Kimberly!
I absolutely love that store. There is one that is less than a mile from my house. I love the fact that I can get a store brand food that taste great. You can also get their healthy selection foods for the same price as the regular food.
My question is on produce. The nearest Aldi is an hour away, and it’s not the best stocked or cleanest store I’ve been into. The produce everyone is raving about just isn’t in that store, all the produce is from different countries…I try to make sure I buy American produce and as many other products as possible.
The question didn’t post…..oops. But question is: what about the produce in your local aldi?
Jen I drive 90 miles to go to Aldis because they have some produce from the United States. Most of the grocery stores or even Walmart in the area I live which are all at least a 30 minute drive don’t carry a lot of produce for the United States. They carry peaches and apples but pretty much everything else comes from other countries.
It will take you a while to learn what they carry regularly, but you will learn. I have 3 lists…..Aldi regular, Aldi special purchase(keeping it separate helps me know where to look), and then my “other” list. I actually hit Target first, (and not every week) and buy what Aldi does not carry, I rarely have perishable items. Then I go across the street and do my main shopping at Aldi. I know when it’s special purchase item that I will use, to buy several….i.e. cans of green chilies. Their special purchase themes come around regulariy, so just when you think….I should make lasagna – the next week it Italian theme. Unfortunately, you just learned this when they are replacing their name brand HBC and some General Merchandise with name brands. I used their soap, fem products, even diapers and wipes (when kids were little), and it saved me from going somewhere else on a weekly basis. I saved a LOT of money by just not walking into a Target…I could seriously go a month without going anywhere but Aldi. Now the kids are in school and it’s easier to make another stop…thankfully since I’ll have to go elsewhere for my laundry soap, batteries and HBC items using a coupon somewhere else.
I meant to say they are replacing their private label brands with name brands (mostly P&G)
We had the same experience after reading that article! Our grocery budget for a family of 4 has been consistently ta $50 for a month now- down from $75-$100.
Just a tip, all the workers seem very friendly. I was getting ready to leave while missing about 5 items off my list when a worker asked if they could help me locate anything. We were able to fine all 5 of my items, just organized differently than I was anticipating. So if you can’t find something, try asking a sales associate and you might save yourself a trip to another store!
This is a good principle to use even if you don’t have an Aldi, ie., go to the cheapest store first. We have a grocery outlet type store with amazing prices, but what they carry changes constantly. One week they may have a great deal on cheese, but no yogurt, and then the next week there may be no cheese at all. So I go there first to get what I can, and fill in the rest of what I need at a regular store.
I shopped at Aldi for several years while living in my hometown of Chicago. I was very happy with all their items except meat and ended up buying only name brand frozen and fresh there. I am now back in California and we have nothing comparable. Food is expensive here and no double coupons, etc. Also the coupons available seldom correlate to sales. There are some deals to be had but in general it is very hard to save on food here.
You could look for a Grocery Outlet in CA, I shop there a lot and my savings are pretty significant 🙂
We only got Aldi in the Dallas, TX area a couple years ago. I am in LOVE! And now that they have so many healthy/organic options, I love it even more.
So thankful for Aldi!
19 years ago is when Aldi first showed up in our city. I can’t remember how long I waited to try it, but it was & still is Great! My kids were little and fought over who got to do the quarter in the cart, of course they still do fight, but because they don’t want to bring the cart back! LOL. I still shop at the original store & the one that opened 2-3 yrs ago on a weekly basis.
You might want to read this if you buy meat there. I’m not saying not to shop there, but…
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/feb/09/aldi-100-percent-horsemeat-beef-products
That is in Europe only and Aldi is very upset about it.
This particular issue came from a BEEF SUPPLIER passing off horse meat as beef to several different retailers. Aldi was not at fault. This could just as easily happen at Food Lion or my beloved Harris Teeter. You should be aware of what you buy regardless of where you shop, even if you shop only at places like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods–they are not immune from scams either.
… people eat horse all over the world. In France le cheval is a delicacy. What’s the difference between cow and horse? None except the selective squeamishness of our cultural ideas.
I thought the same, Le Cheval. Except there is one other difference. What can be administered to a cow being raised for food versus a horse that is NOT meant to be raised for food.
So sure, eating horse is fine. As long as the horse has not been given any medications that are inimical to humans. If horse meat was meant to be consumed it would be treated differently. (And I gather IS treated differently at least in France.)
Also horse meat is an unclean meat for many people. Not just Jewish people.
And yet so many of us eat gelatin (Jello or homemade) and think nothing about what it is. . .
Horse tastes fine.
I experienced the same thing this week. We recently moved to a state that has ALDI. I’m loving their low prices!
We are in a Savings Race in our community for the next 8 months (the winner wins 10k!!) Aldi opened up last week less about a mile from our house so we are beyond excited to see these same results!!
That sounds intriguing! I’d definitely be interested in a savings race to win 10K!! Good luck!!
Woohoo! Wish I had an ALDI near me. There aren’t any in NH :-(.
I’m in Maine and have even less choices as I am no where near the southern part of the state. So I hear you on this! I have a Walmart and a Hannaford and sometimes can get to a Shaw’s.
Actually, there’s one in Salem, NH. I’m thinking of checking it out soon!
Doesn’t help me as that is still a 3 hour drive but hopefully Sarah gets to visit it. 🙂
Aldi is one of my favorite shopping destinations. Not only do I save a lot of money, i prefer the smaller stores with less choices. It means I can do my shopping in about half an hour with no crowds, versus taking 2 hours to do the same thing at one of the giant grocers in my town.
I completely agree. My children prefer going to Aldi because it takes so much less time. I like it because it saves so much money. We didn’t have one near us until about a year ago. I’m quickly learning the benefits of Aldi shopping. 🙂
Yes! It is so quick, isn’t it? I usually do my shopping in the 30 minutes I have while my son takes a violin lesson down the street. I can make it there and back just in time to pick him up.
Way to go! It does take some getting used to but well worth it in the end.