Now that I've joined the ranks of the impoverished I have discovered the poor man's mecca, and it is ALDI. If you've never shopped there, here's a primer.First, bring your own bags and boxes.
Second, have a quarter handy. You put your quarter in the slot on the grocery cart outside, and it unlocks from a chain. At the end of your ALDI adventure, you put the chain back in your cart and your quarter pops out! Keeps the carts coming back, and they don't have to pay extra folks to bring them all in every hour. Then again, if I'd walked away fast, I would have a fabulous cart for a quarter and I'd be ready for my life as a homeless person.
Third, lower all your expectations for organic, locally produced, high-end, artisan food. ALDI sells staples dirt cheap - perfect for families in survival mode like mine. We came out of there with 3 large packing boxes full of potatoes, onions, canola oil, cereals, brown sugar, frozen pizzas, chocolate chips, bananas, pasta, graham crackers, and plenty more. I KNOW this load at my usual store would have cost over $140. We paid $85!!! We ventured across the street to a normal grocery store for a few "extras" like hamburger and store-brand pop. We left there with 2 weenie little grocery bags full and a bill for $118!
However, there are just some things I can't bring myself to buy there, like meat, milk, and eggs. I still have SOME standards.
2 comments:
I am still skeptical, but I will give it a whirl sometime soon because I value your opinion.
Our Aldis closed, if you can believe that. All of our discount groceries closed, in fact, after the WalMart expanded their grocery section.
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