So I finally went to an Aldi's grocery store.

**heartofmine** · 08-09-2011, 06:28 PM

I was in another town and have heard about what great prices you can get there so I decided to stop by and check it out. I thought that if prices were good I could maybe stock up on can goods, dry goods and bring them home. If they were real good I was planning to make a trip maybe once a month or every 6 weeks to stock up on those things. I hate to say it but I was VERY disappointed. They are as high or higher than my local SaveALot store. I didn't see anything that was any cheaper except a bag of flour that was on sale for this week. Anyone ever done any comparison shopping??? I was quite surprised considering I've heard so much about it. I sure do miss the days when our SaveALot had 19 cents a can vege's.

**Syn D** · 08-09-2011, 06:46 PM

I didn't see enough savings to waste the gas to go to the other side of town, but there are people here that swear by Aldis..

**Momto5RN** · 08-09-2011, 07:20 PM

no sav- a- lot here.

some things at aldi near me are a good savings sometimes i can do just as well by watching sales or using sales combined with coupons.

i think alot may have to do with what else is around

**chickadee-7815** · 08-09-2011, 07:33 PM

Our closest Aldi's is about 50 miles away. We go there about three times a year, to stock up on canned goods. Compared to prices around here, it is well worth the trip. Cereal is a lot cheaper there , too.

**Imarachne** · 08-09-2011, 07:34 PM

We have a couple Save-a-lots but no Aldis that I know of .

**imagine** · 08-09-2011, 08:59 PM

The grocery store walmart and Aldi's are all near each other here Aldi's have the best everyday price the grocery store good sales that makes them cheaper sometime normally only if it is a loss leader or I have a great coupon and a sale and walmart has the most variety not the lowest prices though.

Most people I know here hit all three on shopping day

Oh and sometimes walgreens has a great price of groceries

This week Aldi's had eggs 89 cents a dozen milk was 2.94

Both of those are way lower then other store were selling them. And here their fruit and veggie weekly deals are almost always cheaper at aldi 's

**elphaba** · 08-09-2011, 09:08 PM

I find the can goods to be a little cheaper but I can usually do well at a sale in the local grocery store. I do love the cereal though. Great price and some of it tastes even better than the brand name. Milk and eggs are usually less as well as some frozen vegetables like peas and corn (the corn and the whole green beans are very good). Yogurt and cottage cheese are fairly reasonable but I've been making my own greek yogurt lately so I don't buy as much as I used to. Baking cocoa is cheaper as well as parmesan cheese. The kids LOVE the Clancy's veggie chips and baked potato chips. My store is about 18 miles from me but I only go when I'm shopping at other stores in the area or my dh will stop on his way home from work as it is on his way. I don't think I could shop Aldi's for all my groceries (I'm not a fan of the meat) but it is great for stocking up on certain items you like and use frequently.

**craftypam** · 08-09-2011, 09:17 PM

We love aldis large bag of stir fry and some of their cereals are really good and you don't have to wait for a sale to get good prices on it. I buy lunchmeat at a really reasonable price. I watch prices and buy accordingly.

**Contrary Housewife** · 08-10-2011, 12:13 AM

I had a similar experience, for most items they are the same price as other stores nearby. I check the weekly fruit and vegetable sales though, sometimes they have really great prices, and sometimes the food is even fresh. Some weeks the quality is pretty bad and I won't buy it, regardless of the price.

**nuisance26** · 08-10-2011, 07:41 AM

~Well Sav-a-lot and Aldi are similar stores. It's like trying to save money by trying a different dollar store. The difference is more in the products and your local stores' level of quality.
So many of Aldi's prices(at least at my store)go up and down like the stock market. I think they're modeling after Walmart's roll-back policy. So the price of pepperoni may be $1.99 this week, then it's up to $2.29 for a month and then they roll-back to $1.99 again. DH does the shopping there so I haven't bothered to make a record of how those fluctuations work and how often they occur. It seems planned to me but it may not be.~

**Jamielane** · 08-10-2011, 08:06 AM

We have both and I prefer Sav a lot also. But Aldi does in a pinch. One reason why I prefer Sav a lot is the canned food is cheaper and I like their meat. I do not like Aldi meat.

**imagine** · 08-10-2011, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~Well Sav-a-lot and Aldi are similar stores. It's like trying to save money by trying a different dollar store. The difference is more in the products and your local stores' level of quality.
So many of Aldi's prices(at least at my store)go up and down like the stock market. I think they're modeling after Walmart's roll-back policy. So the price of pepperoni may be $1.99 this week, then it's up to $2.29 for a month and then they roll-back to $1.99 again. DH does the shopping there so I haven't bothered to make a record of how those fluctuations work and how often they occur. It seems planned to me but it may not be.~

Our prices are fairly consistent although they change prices on milk eggs often maybe that is to compete or because they need to get those out while they are still fresh.

Flour and sugar change everytime they completely run out and restock that huge palate

**Ceashels** · 08-10-2011, 08:36 AM

My friend shops Sav-a-lot and says the prices are better but it is 3 times the distance for me and out of my typical travel path so I don't get to go. At least you've been able to do some comparison and that is a good thing!

**Josephhgoins** · 08-10-2011, 10:12 AM

I just started using ALDI's, no Sav-A-lot that I know of. I can greatly beat their prices on name brand items, but can't even complete with the AlDI's brands.

I have noticed that the ALDI's brands are of much higher quality than any of the off brands that I purchase at the grocery store. So to me, the ALDI's are comparable with other name brand and not other store brand items. I actually prefer the ALDI Potato chips to the name brands (hate the corn chips).

As for the canned goods, I rarely purchase those. I usually buy by the bushel or grow and can my own. Just as cheap and a lot healthier IMO. Also, I enjoy the excercise of doing it.

**shoiji** · 08-10-2011, 11:22 AM

Around here Aldi's and Save-a-Lot are basically the same store. I go about once or twice a year to one of the stores. You do need to be aware of the prices since I can usually get something cheaper at a regular grocery store with coupons and sales.

There is another discount grocery store being built in the area called Bottom Dollar. Haven't been there yet but am assuming it will be like Aldi's and Save-a-Lot. Since it will be just opening the prices will probably be cheaper on certain items so will probably go then.

I think it all depends on what types of stores are near you and what your family enjoys eating if a store will work for you.

I had tried to comparison shop at CVS and Rite-Aid but found CVS to be easier for me plus it is about a 4 minute walk to get there. Now there is a Walgreens opening up down the street so it will be interesting to see what happens.