I've been an Aldi convert for years. This wasn't always the case though.
My first trip into Aldi turned me right off the place for years:
Walk in, grab a trolley... oh wait, I can’t. I don't have a dollar. Walk to the nearest Coles. Pinch a trolley and proceed to backtrack 300 metres to Aldi doing the Aldi ‘Walk of shame’.
Wander up and down 4 aisles. Is this what it’s like in communist Cuba? There is only one kind of toothpaste!
No music playing.
Store staff rushing around like crazy.
Why on earth do they have mountain bikes and welding equipment for sale in the middle of the store?
A trolley load of groceries. Do I have bags? Do I want to buy bags?
The cashier scans through items with blurring speed.
Looking dumbfounded. Everyone starring. Whoops. I’m meant to load the groceries myself.
Where are the bags?
Sigh.
I left feeling a bit lighter. It might have been the reduced ego or it could have been light headedness caused by the dizzying pace at which the cashier whipped through my groceries. Either way I made a decision never to return to that horrid place.
Aussie’s spend 17% of their income on groceries. I’ve spoken to a few people who say it continues to be their greatest expense with bills averaging $300-$400 per family. I can categorically, unequivocally, indisputably guarantee, or at least almost guarantee, that you will save a minimum of $100 off your average shopping bill. When visiting my local IGA I can carry home $100 in groceries! Don’t snub the savings. $100 a week can turn into nearly $2 million over a period of years invested!
Anyway, long story short, years passed and I accumulated more and more kids (or giant tape worms in human disguise) who proceed to eat me out of house and home. My wallet was suffering a monstrous hit. I sucked up my pride, returned to Aldi with a dollar in my pocket and a determined look that was prepared to take on Aldi’s scanner of the year!
My family of 6 spends has a budget of $160 per week. The only way to hit budget on this modest amount is to buy copious amounts of food from Costco and eat corndogs for the entire week, turn our backyard into a giant veggie patch, or shop at Aldi.
I’ve included a photo from a recent shop that amounted to just $135. You get a lot of bang for your buck at Aldi.
If you’re an Aldi hater, here’s a few tips:
• Bring a dollar.
• Bring your headphones and race up and down the music-free aisles listening to all your favourites.
• Learn to appreciate the minimal aisles. Understand that while you may not get that special coffee brand you are accustomed to, you can quite easily complete your shop in 20 minutes!
• If you have a typical grocery list that you tend to follow, photograph your local Aldi’s layout so you can create your meal plan shopping list aisle by aisle. Most Aldi’s have the same layout so they are easy to follow.
• Beat the cashier by placing everything immediately back in the trolley, cart it back to the car, and then transport it from car to the bench in a box.
Aldi has some fantastic products. You may find that they don’t stock your favourite brand but don’t assume that a lower price always is indicative of a lower quality product. The savings can be huge over a year and I find the time saving in doing a 20 minute grocery shop while listening to my choice of music can make me easily shrug the mainstream supermarkets.
My added two cents: If you shop at Aldi to save, don’t buy the middle aisle stuff unless you absolutely need it. There is some really cool stuff but it is only of value if you need it immediately, not 3 months, 3 years or 3 decades in the future.
For the love of Aldi
October 12th, 2015 at 11:12 am
October 12th, 2015 at 11:48 am 1444646888
October 12th, 2015 at 03:21 pm 1444659661
October 12th, 2015 at 03:29 pm 1444660148
October 12th, 2015 at 04:05 pm 1444662343
Aldi is basically bare bones. I agree-- I don't buy the nonfood stuff like lawn ornaments, Christmas stuff, or household stuff. I guess that is the way they supplement their profit margin. But, my mom shopped at Aldi for years and we have continued the tradition. I don't mind no frills. We use reusable bags for all our grocery shopping so taking bags has become a habit. And sometimes fewer choices is a blessing. I was at Walgreens Saturday trying to buy a tube of toothpaste and there must be 10-15 different types in just one brand. Yikes!
October 12th, 2015 at 06:59 pm 1444672761
October 13th, 2015 at 12:49 am 1444693754
MizPat, the $1 is for the shopping trolley. It forces you to return it or forfeit the dollar. Even that has inflated since I was child. I remember returning everyone's abandoned trolleys for a 20 cent profit.
I've found the staff and clientele there to be quite friendly. In fact, there are numerous occasions where I have seen people allow those with one or two items to jump the queue. The limited brands is a turn off for some but I like the time saving factor that reduces indecision.
October 13th, 2015 at 06:53 am 1444715633
October 13th, 2015 at 01:12 pm 1444738335
That being said, there are some Aldi stores that do feel quite sketchy. I think 5-10 years ago they were put solely and primarily in low-income neighborhoods (not that this means they're sketchy, but I can understand why people would have that perception). I've seen many more built since, and for the most part you find the same products everywhere you go. Definitely worth it!!
Also, in the states you only need a quarter to use a cart, not a dollar