thoughts on Aldis and Save a lot

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-31-2008, 12:40 PM

We are getting an Aldis in our neighborhood. I have never been in one but I hear they are nicer then save a lot. Are they cheaper then save a lot?

I decided to do my shopping at save a lot this week because my list of needs was pretty basic and I knew they would have everything I needed. I was right I got almost everything expect for sour cream , cottage cheese and cream cheese. I needed all of these for various meals but I couldn't get them because they don't offer any of those in low fat varieties. :surprise:

So after I was finished at save a lot I went around the corner to Wal mart. While I was there I pulled out my receipt from save a lot and compared some prices. I didn't check everything just the stuff I walked by.

My findings:

Save a lot

capri sun drinks 1.99
3 lb bag of gala apples 3.99
bananas .55 a lb.
gallon of milk 3.69
bread .99
3 lb bag of onions 1.29
Total 12.50

Wal-mart

capri sun 2.50
3 lb bag of apples 4.48
bananas .64 a lb.
gallon of milk 3.88
bread 1.09
3 lb bag of onions 1.59
Total 14.18

Now I did notice that I paid .99 for a can of pineapple when I could have gotten a walmart brand can for .98. But when doing a price comparison on 7 items and only 1 of them was cheaper I will take my odds with save a lot. I just wish they offered low fat or fat free dairy. Does anyone know if Aldis offers low fat????

**VanVivCam** · 03-31-2008, 01:58 PM

i went to our newly opened aldi's and really didnt' enjoy it. i don't want to bag my own groceries, and i didn't find the savings to be any more then SAL. i will just continue to shop SAL.

**amyd** · 03-31-2008, 02:02 PM

Aldi's carries low fat cream cheese but I haven't seen sour cream or cottage cheese

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-31-2008, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by amyd

Aldi's carries low fat cream cheese but I haven't seen sour cream or cottage cheese

Thanks, I was afraid of that.

I think that shopping at a store like save a lot might save me a few dollars but I worry about my health. I was looking at the meat and none of it was lean. We mostly only eat lean while meats. I did some some pork chops that were only fatty around the edge and I could trim them but them I just paid for something I threw away. I really don't think any one can shop at just one store.

**Ali Lee** · 03-31-2008, 03:18 PM

I like both stores. Savalot carries Butterball gr turkey 1#chubs for .99. I went to Aldi's yesterday & spent 104$. That includes 4 bags of softener salt, 5/12oz hot sausage I got for 49c each! Also bought polish sausage (love'm on the grill), & a turkey ham..which I will cut up and repkg. I really like their fresh veg's. I bought 2-mushroom, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, celery, apples, bananas. I keep a small spiral notebook with prices in it. I also buy my dry milk @ Aldi's..that price beats every store around here!!

**changed4life** · 03-31-2008, 03:25 PM

I love Aldi's. Not for everything, but I have found many things that are great with wonderful prices. I don't generally buy their meat, but there plenty else I love.

~frozen veggies
~ice cream
~cereals
~brownie mix
~olive oil
~snack bars (fruit kind)
~all potato and other chips
~salad dressings
~cheeses
~whipped yogurt
~certain canned goods
~frozen shrimp
~potatoes
~pancake syrup (great price, great taste)
~pasta, macaroni and cheese
~prepared spaghetti sauces
~toothbrushes (much cheaper)

Hope you enjoy it.

**G'MaDebbie** · 03-31-2008, 03:33 PM

The Sav-a-Lot stores we have here are dirty if you ask me. I do shop there for certain items, but I just wish they would at least clean the floors!
Aldi's is on the other side of town and is out of the way for me. I have shopped there a time or two and it is a lot cleaner than Sav-a-Lot. I do know that Aldi's has great spiral hams at a great price!
At both stores, I still have to bag (box) my own groceries.

**mombottoo** · 03-31-2008, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by cokencaptgirl

The Sav-a-Lot stores we have here are dirty if you ask me. I do shop there for certain items, but I just wish they would at least clean the floors!
Aldi's is on the other side of town and is out of the way for me. I have shopped there a time or two and it is a lot cleaner than Sav-a-Lot. I do know that Aldi's has great spiral hams at a great price!
At both stores, I still have to bag (box) my own groceries.

I agree with you about Sav-a-lots being dirty around here...I won't buy my food from a dirty store...only God knows for sure what's crawling around. I used to go to the Aldi's store when my son had appointments in town regularly. Now, it's just out of the way for me too...

**AmyMCGS** · 03-31-2008, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by VanVivCam

i went to our newly opened aldi's and really didnt' enjoy it. i don't want to bag my own groceries, and i didn't find the savings to be any more then SAL. i will just continue to shop SAL.

At the Save A Lot here you also have to bag your own stuff, same as Aldi's.

**Holly** · 03-31-2008, 03:50 PM

I was in Aldis Saturday.
They were really clean and
I spent about $38.00 there and got a lot of stuff.
Bread was 75 cents a loaf.
I don't buy low fat anything so can't help you there.

**ukbb** · 03-31-2008, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by mombottoo

I agree with you about Sav-a-lots being dirty around here...

Where in MI are you? The Save-A-Lot stores I go to (Wayne, Inkster or Westland) are always spotless.

**tbs727** · 03-31-2008, 04:04 PM

Our local Aldi is getting remodeled and is expanding to be much bigger. I might go back when they reopen, because my biggest gripe is that they didn't have a big enough selection.

**YankeeMom** · 03-31-2008, 04:47 PM

Our Aldi's carries low fat cream cheese, but no fat free. They also carry low fat cottage cheese and sometimes have nonfat in stock. They do not carry nonfat or low fat sour cream.

They do have their own brand of healthier, low fat, low calorie foods called Fit & Active. I like the F&A cream cheese, canned fruit (canned in juice rather than syrup), dried berries, low sugar jam, etc.

**POOTERSMOMMY** · 03-31-2008, 06:52 PM

Our Aldi and Sav-A-Lot stores are both very clean and organized. You have to bag at both here in Indy.
We also have low cottage cheese and cream cheese heer at Aldi. Not sure about sour cream.
Both have some great prices, but I prefer Aldi prices.
Glad you are getting Aldi - hope it saves you a lot of $$$!!!!!

**Hannahs mom** · 03-31-2008, 07:32 PM

I just tried our Aldi's here last week. It was much cleaner than our Sav a lot and some prices were cheaper. Bread was .69,milk 2.69, frozen juice concentrate .75.

I agree - to get the best savings you can't just shopt at one store. I get my best deals at Kroger with double coupons and specials. I get a lot of staples at discount stores, but our Walmart's prices are outrageous! I guess that just shows how different prices are in different towns. I would definately check out Aldi's prices.

By the way, my Aldi's doesn't even have bags - it's more like a Sam's where they just put your scanned stuff back in your cart.