Save Money by Shopping at ALDI

Here's a comment left recently on my post titled Can You Save Over $2,000 a Year Using Store Brands?:

This is why I frequent the local ALDI store in my town. They specialize in only selling their private label brands. The funny thing is, a bunch of the products that are under their private label are manufactured by the same companies the big brand use. They just change the label.

My wife shops a bunch at ALDI too. They have very limited selection, but what they do have is dirt cheap and usually pretty good in quality. Anyone else have experience with them?

Comments

[UKMoneyPot]

My local Aldi (UK) stocks the best pesto sauce I've found! To name a few: Parsley and Ginger, Pistachio & Fennel, Coriander & Chilli..

But they also sell cheap wetsuits and motorcycle crash helmets and boots in summer. Plus the occasional plasma TV or petrol chainsaw!

Quite a diverse selection in the UK and a lot of the food is made up of popular European alternatives.

[Kay]

Well, Growing up my mother would shop at ALDI's (im 28). However after growing up some and trying to become "food healthy", I would have to say that ALDI's is one of the worst places to shop. However this is my opinion. I think the more processed foods we ate the worse be become and I think its an contributing factor to why we see alot of 10-12 year olds with big rear ends, breast...because of the hormones.
So I would be careful.
Don't me wrong, I still have trouble staying away from processed foods but if you would read the back of the label of some of their foods, its a silent killer.
But yes, they do have cheaper prices.

[Brent]

Aldi is cheap, no question. Their produce is horrible, however.

[Terry]

I hate to sound like a snob, but it is just not worth the extra money at least in my part of the county to shop there. It is like going to Wal-Mart only worse here. As I walk into the store I have this overwhelming feeling that I HAVE to leave.

We do the weekly Costco and Wal-Mart grocery run. Sure I might save $10 a week, but when I figure my extra gas, time and aggravation, it just does not add up to add a third stop.

[financingyourfamily.com]

I've done two posts recently about the value vs. cost of stores like these.

I enjoy Aldi's "Great Tasting Sweet Valley Cola"

[Lin]

There must be a big difference in stores. The one I shop at has always had fresh produce at good prices.
For me, it's a good place to get basics: produce, frozen veggies, trash bags, coffee filters... I'd like their milk prices to be more competitive.

[F. Morana]

Aldi's low prices are a direct consequence of their business model, which is absolutely free of the usual promotional and marketing gimmicks that you find in other stores. They don't try to fool you with a false plethora of "choices," but rather, they simply carry (often under their own label) the best available product of each given kind. They make every effort to keep all items regularly in stock, rather than focusing on special "sale" items that are here today & gone tomorrow. There is no bagging, no window displays, the employees are sharp, and the ambiance is relaxed. The non-food items, by the way, are not particularly priceworthy, but the food certainly is. It goes without saying that you must check labels frequently, for everything you buy, whenever & wherever buy. Their produce is delivered every other day, and while some of it may be of cheaper quality, the high-quality produce is also available at far below typical supermarket prices.

[Tom]

I love this store! They have probably built about 5 of them around my area in the past few months. The one around me carries a lot of name brands for a very cheap price.

I wish most stores would stick to the warehouse look to save money. A look doesn't matter to me at all if it means saving money :)

[My New Choice]

We get quite a few things at Aldi and it certainly does provide a nice savings over the standard grocery stores in our area. As mentioned above, we shy away from their produce but most other things are of the same quality of other stores.

[GLM]

I've shopped Aldi's sence about 1992. When we moved in 97 I missed them . They opened in my new area about three years ago - even better then the other store was. Their produce is wonderful. I generally shop Aldis first and fill in the gaps at a "regular" grocer.

Their staples are great and I like several of their convience items.I also like the quick in / quick out of the smaller simpiler store - but then I do shop at slow times. To keep costs low their staffing is spartain so don't go when thwy are busy you'll wait in a long line.

[ciji]

Never even heard of ALDI. They are non-existent in Cali.

[ciji]

Never even heard of ALDI. They are non-existent in Cali.

[Carmen]

Aldi in Australia is fabulous. They not only have the best prices but they also support Australian farmers by almost entirely stocking produce grown here. Their produce is well-priced and very fresh.

I don't buy much in the way of pre-prepared or convenience foods, but there is still plenty for me to buy at Aldi. They have a lot of the staples - rice, pasta, flour, dairy, tinned legumes that I use and usually at less than half the price of other places.

It saves me about $30/week for our household of two by doing most shopping at Aldi rather than one of the other supermarkets.

The only drawback of shopping at Aldi is that their limited range of products means that I have to go elsewhere for specialty items like spices and fresh herbs.

[PaulD]

I like Aldi's. When we started shopping there I saw my monthly grocery bills drop by about $100 per month. (our family is comprised of two adults and four children). That was about six years ago so the savings now might even be greater as grocery prices have increased and our children have grown to teenagers. I find Aldi's prices especially good on milk. We do not buy everything at Aldi's. The produce is hit or miss--sometimes good, sometimes bad. Many products we want or need are not carried at Aldi. Still we try to purchase as much as we can from Aldi and have saved significant money by doing so.

[ArmeL]

An Aldi just came into my area a year ago, and it is pretty neat. I usually buy stuff like can goods and other packaged stuff, for cheap! and it isnt that bad. I guess it all depends on what you want/need to buy. Some Aldi products are worth getting than paying for higher priced items somewhere else.

[Kirk Walsh]

I can tell you that almost all of Aldi's products are picked up at the same factories as name brand products. Their cereal is produced by General Mills, for instance.

Not only do they not advertise, but they don't pay anything for shipping, which also holds down prices. They also don't pay anyone very much in the stores.

Though I do miss the days when the employees had to memorize the prices of the goods in stock because Aldi was too cheap to put in scanners. Lines seemed to move much faster when the items didn't have to be scanned.

[MrAtoZ]

FYI, Aldi owns Trader Joes, which may be a more familiar name in the States (since Aldi is a German company). Their business models are similar, of course.

[Word]

Aldi is great for some foods like cereal, milk, eggs, chips, bread, frozen veggies, caned nuts, crackers, and other items like that.
Stay away from the meat and canned soups. I can walk out of Aldi and spend $40 for what would have been $100 at my normal grocier. A dozen eggs is like $0.75.

[Bashful Bob]

We shop at a similar type store, Save-A-Lot and you can save a fair amount by shopping there. I do most of the grocery shopping and shop at that store, Wal-Mart, and Krogers (twice a month and a 12 mile round trip).

We scan the Krogers ad in the free weekly advertiser, plus there are a number of food items that Wal-Mart always carries at a lower price than the other two. And the same can be said of Krogers. You just have to educate yourself on each store's pricing policies.

So it is possible to eat well, nutritiously and save money on your grocery bill. It just takes some planning and thought.

[Brent]

I guess there must be a difference in Aldi stores. The one that I have been to (in suburban Kansas City) has consistently terrible produce. I mean, really, really bad.

That aside, the rest of their food is great value.

[dk]

I don't shop at Trader Joe's (owned by Aldi) and I figure I save about $40-$50 a week over the big supermarkets. My family and I eat mostly organic (at the very least all natural) and TJs saves us a bundle. Just last night I had to run into the local supermarket (in a rush) and grab a bottle of laundry detergent. I paid $11.99 for the same bottle I get at TJs for $7.99, thats 50% more in the big store. Over the years we have shifted from a small percentage of our weekly shopping at TJs to 100% today.

And for ciji, they have Trader Joe's in Cali, the company started their.

[Jim]

Aldi is not for everyone. Some people will never shop there, and that is fine. However, most people don't realize that most of Aldi's products come from national manufacturers. What doesn't come from national manufacturers are put through the harshest tests of quality you will find. Ask anyone who deals with Aldi as a supplier. I guarantee you they will tell you that Aldi Aldi is pumping millions into renovationg their stores and removing the "poor person store" stereotype. If you have not been in an Aldi store lately, give it a try. I guarantee you will be amazed at how far your dollar will go.

[Amy]

I really love Aldi and everything that I have gotten from there. You do need to be more particular about the produce, in our area, but the deals just can't be beat. I couldn't shop Aldi this past week because our car had broken down. I ended up hitting Walmart and the deals there were horrible in comparison. I spent fifty dollars more and got about a hundred dollars less in groceries.

If you click on my name, it will take you to The Aldi Queen blog that I started. I share recipes using only Aldi ingredients.

Aldi has now added menu-planning and grocery list capabilities to their own website too.

If it wasn't for Aldi, I couldn't stay home with my children. It has truly saved me that much money.

[BeBe]

I used to resist shopping at Aldi's but when I lost my job and the price of gas started going up and up, etc.
I did start shopping there and now with few exceptions, that is where I shop. There is an Aldi's not too far from me that has most of what I need. I haven't tried shopping at the one a bit further down the road which I was in once and looks nicer. Maybe someday.
I know one thing for sure is I can get what I need at Aldi's for a lot less than at Kroger where I used to shop. Even using the "Kroger" card the price(s) are still more than what it cost at Aldi. I've found that I like there mushroom soup just as well as name brand Cambell's and it cost a lot less.
Again- with the exception of a few things i.e. cannned tomatoes (I wont' buy anything other than Hunt's or Del Monte) or dish detergent (Dawn) or TP. I will make most of my purchase at Aldi.

[ItIsYou]

Our Aldi here (Southhaven, MS) do have a good selection of produce. I noticed people like buying their grapes, so I got me a container. Now I know why, it is not only cheaper but also they are sweet... well at least 99% of the time I bought their grapes. They also have good prices on their kitchen gadgets (I believe the brand is Crofton). Over all, I like shopping at Aldi... just a matter of knowing what you are getting.

[mary sharp]

I have a question. I noticed some
of the fish is a product of china,
which is common. However, some
of the the other products are not
labled with a product home. Some
say a "product of the USA", like the
peanut butter. Everything of course,
says "distributed by ALDI". I just
worry that some of Aldis products
are being shipped from countries that
dont have the States in their best interest.