Sometime last year, Bloomberg announced that America’s spending on dining out overtook grocery sales for the first time ever. But here’s the catch: the report did not include grocery foods from major retailers the likes of Target, Costco or ALDI US.
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Other studies have shown that, in fact, spending on groceries increased compared to previous years.
In 2012, Gallup posted the results of a study in relation to the average American family supermarket spending. According to that poll, Americans spent at the time an average of $151 on food per week.
In 2015, Gallup followed up with results of another poll that revealed similar patterns in baby boomers shopping habits: grocery spending outperformed other household costs and paid services.
Given that much of the annual household income (about 13 % according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) goes toward food costs both at-home and away-from-home, of course you try to find as many ways as possible to save money.
And knowing where to shop and what to shop for is where it all begins. Read on for some tips and tricks to save you money at ALDI US.
Shop ALDI brand items
If you like shopping big brand names, then maybe you’re a bit reluctant about trying ALDI’s mostly in-house products. It’s true that most of what you’ll find here are ALDI-exclusive brands, but the supermarket does carry great product quality. You don’t have to switch to buying all your groceries from this retailer all at once, but you might one to try to substitute your favorite big branded item with ALDI brand and compare the quality. If it meets your needs, then why pay more for same product quality when you can pay less?
Shop in larger batches
ALDI US isn’t your local Costco – the place where you can bulk buy and split the bill with your friends. However, it’s a good place to do your monthly shopping and avoid those quick trips to your neighborhood grocery store that inevitably and more often than not end up with you inching your grocery bill because of impulse purchasing.
If you own a larger freezer and/or a pantry, think about stocking the shelves properly. Buy your flour, your cereals, your pastas, frozen and canned foods, and everything else you know you are going to need for a month. Make this an experiment: do your monthly shopping one time at ALDI US and another time at any other supermarket of your choice, and then compare the bills. You’ll notice the difference in price straight away.
If you don’t have enough storage space, then opt for a weekly shopping plan and do your best to stick to it.
Don’t forget about the ALDI Weekly Ad
ALDI doesn’t do a lot of advertising, as a way to cut back on costs and provide lower prices to customers. But they do issue a flyer two weeks before sale starts, and they also do have a mobile app that lets users download ads.
The thing about ALDI is that it isn’t the kind of supermarket where you should expect to find everything you like all the time. But they do run some really good bargains and regularly stock special items. You can either use the digital option or look for the weekly ad in your local newspaper to make sure you’re updated on their special buys.
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You should expect to find fantastic deals for meat, the first to sell out, block cheeses, organic and gluten-free items, specialty sweets, and frozen veggies.