I really, really, really love a bargain. In fact, I'm sort of proud of being a cheapskate. Here are a few things that make me so happy these days:
Aldi grocery store--I've been very open about the fact that I'm not crazy about cooking and it's not an area where I excel in any way, shape or form. And yet...a family has to eat. In the days when my boys could be filled up with a kid's meal from any number of eating establishments, we went out way too much. In retrospect, it was not only very unhealthy but very expensive.
Now that the boys are bigger than I, they eat real, full-size adult meals, and it's definitely too much money to eat out often. A grocery cart full of food is also quite pricey, but those dollars go a longer way in Aldi.
I started slow. I only added a few more things to my cart each time I went. There are a few things that my family doesn't like but not many. Staples are really cheap. There are also many prepared foods that are excellent.
We had Barry's parents for lunch a couple weeks ago and bought everything from Aldi. Our menu was: Teriyaki pork tenderloin, homemade mashed potatoes (made by the fabulous Chef Barry), asparagus (that comes frozen and is still delish!), and biscuits.
I'll post a couple of other cheapskate thrills soon, but try out an Aldi near you this week. Take a quarter for a cart (That's one way they save money--cart rental. You get the quarter back when you return the cart.), either cash or a debit card and your own bags or boxes. I'd love to know about your Aldi experience. Don't forget to come back to comment, first-timers! Also, check out this cool blog with recipes made with Aldi goods.
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6 comments:
I LOVE Aldi's... but it's pronounced.... Aaau-ldi's. My friends make fun of me here. The Northern still comes out in words like coffee and call and walk. And, Aldi's.
They have great popcorn and for really cheap! 6 bags for a dollar and a half, I think it is.
Their salad stuff is so good. I love the butter lettuce... and yeah, it's in a bag.
Their Speghetti sauce in the jar... very tasty too. But, no matter what brand I buy, I always doctor mine up. Why not go for the cheap that tastes good and just make it better?
I've heard their fish is good, but I don't eat fish. Just the smell makes me gag.lol
I get a thrill on spending less, too. Especially at yard sales. Oooh! Oooooh! I love it! Sometimes I think I have a problem. Hahaha
LOVE Aldi's and hope I can find one when I move to North Charleston next week.... I like the simplicity of the store, the price and they have really added tons of products since I was a kid and used to go with my grandmother... can't beat the prices even if you have to bag your own stuff!
But if you get the quarter back.. how do they save money on it.. I've never understood that part? sometimes I just leave the quarter for the nxt person!
I've only been to Aldi's once but have always been a frugal shopper. It's out of my way, but I'll have to try it again :-)
Kim, I think the way they save money on cart rental is that they don't have to pay someone to go retrieve them all from the parking lot....maybe....
Making a good meal for cheap is great no matter what country you are in.
I've lived in our town now for 5 years and have yet to step foot in our Aldi's... Not that we have a lot of supermarket choices - Walmart Supercenter, Trigs (a local chain) and Aldi's. Most of the time, I shop at Walmart because I usually have to get something from there anyway that is non-grocery related (cat litter, new underwear for the boy child, etc.). I rarely buy name brand items, so I am not sure what has prevented me from shopping Aldi's before but I've already decided that the next grocery trip I need to make will be at Aldi's for sure! (I'll come back and let you know how it goes...)
Aldi's rocks...love their Fit n Active products...
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