What is Aldi?
The ALDI way of shopping has been continuously honed and refined since their first store opened in Southeastern Iowa in 1976. Today, there are over 1,000 Aldi stores in 31 states, from Kansas to the East Coast. And today’s Aldi store carries about 1,400 regularly-stocked items, including fresh meat, and, in certain locations, beer and wine. Though the original ALDI concept has been modified somewhat to accommodate their ever-changing tastes and preferences, the core concept remains: “honest to goodness savings.”
According to their website, shoppers save between 50 – 90% on Aldi’s groceries. Aldi’s items have their own brands, which you won’t be able to find at another grocery store.
Your first experience with Aldi will probably be different as you will not recognize many of the brands that they offer, however they do care some name brands. Their aisles are wide and shorter than a grocery store, which makes it easy to shop at. You can skip aisles that you do not need items from. Each Aldi has approximately 4 to 6 aisles depending on the location. The stores are usually smaller than your big box grocery stores, but they still carry all of your necessities! They have excellent prices on produce and staples like milk, eggs, and cheese. If you don’t use coupons, then you might find that you can save a lot more by shopping at Aldi.
Aldi has big signs over each item, making it easy to figure out the price. You will no longer have to search for the correct price on the shelves.
A typically Aldi trip last me around 15-30 minutes depending on my shopping list. The check out line might appear long, but it goes very quickly! Have your payment ready and bags out so that checkout will be fast.
When do the ads run?
Aldi runs “Grocery Deals” ads from Sunday to Saturday. They also have a “Special Buy” ad that runs from Wednesday to Tuesday.
How do I shop at Aldi?
Aldi is a great store to pick up items when you do not have the time to clip coupons (as they do not accept them) or when you are in a hurry. Aldi is also well known for their great dairy and produce prices.
Here are some tips that will help you with your first Aldi experience.
- B.Y.O.B. (Bring your own bag!) – At Aldi, in order to keep lower prices, Aldi encourages their shoppers to bring your own bags. If you forget to bring your bags, you can either purchase a paper, reusable or plastic bag at the register or opt to use their leftover shipping boxes. Bags usually cost around 5¢ for paper and 10¢ for plastic.
- Bring a Quarter! – A quarter? Why do I need a quarter? Aldi believes that if you deposit a quarter, you will bring your cart back to the cart return, thus lowering their staffing needs to round up the carts in the parking lot, thus giving you a lower grocery bill. It’s kinda a win-win situation. Plus you will not have to worry about your car getting dinged!
- To use Aldi’s carts, just insert the quarter into the cart to detach the cart from the line. Once you are done shopping, you will return the cart to the cart return and snap it to the cart in front and you get your quarter back.
- You’re the Bagger – You will bag your own groceries. The cashier will scan everything then place it back in your cart for you. Aldi has bagging stations for their customers and you are responsible for bagging your items.
- Stick to the Basics – When starting to shop at Aldi, stick to the basics. Milk, bread, butter, sour cream, etc. Every trip I add on 2 items that I would like to try to replace items that I cannot price lower at the grocery stores. Aldi has great canned veggies and frozen pizza (my favorite!). Remember that Aldi has the Double Money Back Guarantee policy.
What are the best deals at Aldi?
I recommend that you initially stick to the staples then start to venture into the Aldi line of products. If you are brand conscious, you might be surprised that Aldi’s brands are almost, if not better, than most of their products taste BETTER than what you find at your local grocery store at a fraction of the cost.
What are their methods of payments?
Aldi accepts cash, food stamps/EBT cards, and PIN-based debit cards. They do not accept credit cards or checks.
Do they accept coupons?
Aldi does not accept coupons. However, their prices are usually much lower than your grocery store, even with coupons, saving you time and your effort! On average, items are at least $1.00 less than other stores.
What is their return policy?
Aldi has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Aldi calls it their Double Money Back Guarantee. It does not apply to non-food Special Buys or Alcohol. They will replace the product and give you your money back if you are not totally satisfied.
My Aldi Deals:
Aldi deals are generally the same nationwide except for produce and dairy prices. You can find the weekly Aldi shopping deals HERE.
