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Days gone by I passed Aldi's with my nose high, thinking it was one of those places that sold almost out of date cans/boxes.
One day, I decided that was unfair and went in to see what it was all about. To my surprise, there were a few items that I bought every week at the Big Box. Tried a few of Aldi's own brand stuff and was pleased with the quality.
When they started selling fresh meats, I became a relatively regular customer. (Still some things they don't carry that I must have) Have to say the pork chops are wonderful. Moist, flavorful, tender. As far as the unreliability of certain products being in stock, yes, that's true. I try to stock up on some things that are really a great value.
I don't really have to comparison shop my regular market, because I already know roughly the prices there.
Here's one I can't believe - Bought a loaf of rye bread in the Dollar Tree, right, for a dollar. Considering that I was paying over $3.00 for Arnold's or Pep Farm, I'm sold on the $ Tree!
I started going to Aldi this year and it definitely has saved me money. One specific thing we save on is the 1lb bagged salad which my hubby buys for work. At Walmart it's $1.99, at Aldi it's .99 so that's a whole dollar saved. We also buy the large fudge bars which are identical to the Weight Watchers fudge bars--those are $4.99 or more, and Aldi's version is $2.49.
What meat I've had has been great--did a corned beef brisket from them on St. Patty's, and we regularly buy the peppercorn encrusted pork tenderloin.
The bagged salads at my local Aldi's are only 12oz. They still are cheaper than the three mega-chains where you will pay a minimum of $1.99.
Over the years, Aldi has been selling a better variety and a better quality goods, always at a fraction of what you'll pay anywhere. Many of their cookies are 1st quality products made by Dare in Canada. There are also a lot of Belgian chocolates.
I like Aldi stores - when I lived in Germany for many years I shopped at Aldi about once a week. They are the one of largest grocery chains in Germany and central Europe. It also explains why most of the Aldi house brand products are very good - they have good prices, but they don't sell junk.
There are no Aldi here on the west coast, but I've been to several in Ohio and other places in the mid-west where they are fairly common. I thought the Aldi that I visited here in the US were good markets, and worth visiting if they are in your area. Of course, Aldi owns Trader Joe's which is based here in Southern California. TJs is a specialty grocery store chain that follows a lot of the Aldi traditions - lots of good quality house brand items, good prices on most items, and many items that you don't find in the big chain supermarkets. I'm off to TJs right now to stock up on a bunch of items that will last me a few weeks.
I don't usually shop there because I do not like standing in line. However, I have to give them credit, they have good prices and all of the stuff of theirs I have tried has been good quality.
Saving money by going to different mkts in some cases could be a crap shoot.
The price of gas and distance driven plus the wear and tear on a car can be costly over time and fruitless in the long run.
Having been in the grocery trade knew my prices (whlse and competetive retail).
My dear wife still would drive across town when something was 4 for $1 when the reg price was 25 cents each. She could not see the logic and the math.
Those days can goods were selling 8 for $1; 7 for $1; 6 for $1 etc. I'm talking the mid 1950's.
Today the numbers will vary of course...still chain stores buy the same mdse from the whlsers in drop shipments. A chain store would at times send a couple of people to check out the competition prices to stay competetive. All stores will have "Loss Leaders" that are sold at close to their cost to attract people into their store assuming that the people will buy other items in addition to the "Sale" products.
People that go into a mkt in general to buy one or two items invariably will pick up something in addition to the preferred items thus helps the store profits to level off.
I could discribe in detail a grocery store operation as I was in the Inventory field (owner) and worked with mgmt/owners and accountants.
With any Retail business there are many factors in an operation...some prices higher and some lower then the competition...districts and clientile make the difference.
Well I'm goin to butt in here again. Had to go across the border for some groceries and have some Lab work done at the VA clinic same time. I talking abot San Diego area here.
Chula Vista is south of SD and has two Walmarts, Albertsons and Henrys mkts which is a small chain that pushes meat, Produce and health items (vitamins etc). Go there any day of the week and they are just busting with clientile.
Draw is the quality and prices of their Produce, meats, Deli, Bakery items etc.
I bought 10lb russet Potatos for 0.99 cents a bag. Pineapple pie $3.50, Corn on the cob 6/1.00. I saran wrap the cleaned corn and freeze. 5 min in micro...butter and salt...ready to eat. They have other specials as well...will not dwell into the whole ad. They also had a 20 pkg Lge AA eggs for $1.78 while Walmart couple miles away they had 18 pack for $1.77. Not much still two eggs for 0.01 cent.
All three places ar in close proximity so it's a winner for me to make a list and buy two of everything thats on sale or reasonably priced in my book. I walk the store looking at the prices and choose accordingly. I like Imperial Margarine (cubes) which is at 0.77 cents...bought two. Another item did sell for 0.99 cents in the past , went up to $1.28 I think it was...well today it was 0.98 cents so I bought two.
So now you understand the priceing logic of the store. An item may go up dramatically and then drop below their previous price. All a matter of buying the product at the right whlse price and moving it off the shelf.
Hope I haven't bored anyone here...just a bit of info and comparison in the Grocery trade.
Shopped at Aldi today for the first time. Wow - it SOOOO exceeded my expectations. Here I was expecting a stinky, rancid smelling discount store like Sav-a-Lot with grungy Wal-Mart type clientele and crappy foods. I couldn't have been more wrong. This store (it's new) is sparkling clean, like right out of a commercial. The clientele was a mix of hip students, savvy seniors and Europeans. Not a lot of selections, but what was there was mostly good quality and so CHEAP! I just couldn't believe it. Yes, you can say I am now really a fan and will go back again and again!
tkramar - thanks for reporting your research. I have never actually done comparisons, just what I remember in my head. I do think certain items are not cheaper when the big chain stores have sales though (like around holidays: ham, whipped cream, pies, etc).
I got laid off in 2008 and Aldi was all we could afford and I was pleasantly surprised.
I like their specials - like Italian foods and German foods, etc. Are quite good. Also cheap: their plastic sandwich baggies, etc.
I also hit the ethnic food aisles in a local chain here because we eat a lot of ethnic foods. And because those are not national chains the prices are quite reasonable as well. Pasta here is really cheap .79 cents a bag from Italy. We stock up. Aldi pasta kind of s*cks and doesn't cook up very well. And the ethnic foods have less "shrinkage" than what I have noticed with the national brands.
Aldi is a lifesaver for us!!
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I just couldn't believe it. Yes, you can say I am now really a fan and will go back again and again! 
