Grocery Shopping on a Tight Budget? Aldi Grocery Store is for You!

It's the end of the month, the ultilies and rent were barely paid, and money is tight. Your refrigerator and pantry is practically bare. You have $50 to spend on groceries, and that's it! That won't go too far in a regular grocery store. But if you have an Aldi nearby, you're in luck, because that $50 will stretch to provide you with a nice variety of foods.

When I first heard about Aldi, I'll admit, I was quite dubious. I had seen one before, but mostly in sketchy neighborhoods where I did not particularly feel safe. I had never had the nerve to venture inside of one, or even consider one. Well, my money-savvy friend found an Aldi in a nice location, and encouraged me to give it a go. She said it would be well worth my time, and told me to leave my coupon organizer at home, bring bags, and bring a quarter. Hmmm?

I did as I was told. Upon arriving at the front of the Aldi store, I found that all the grocery carts were locked together. To get your cart, you insert a quarter into the slot at the top of the cart, which then releases the cart from the group. The quarter stays in the slot until the cart is reconnected to the group at the end of your shopping trip, which pushes the quarter forward into your grasp. This is a great incentive to have customers bring carts back to the front, thus eliminating another job that would hike up your food costs. I was already impressed with this store!

When I went inside, I honestly felt it would probably be some poorly lit, grimy type of establishment. I could not have been more wrong. It was very well lit, clean, and completely organized. Groceries are stacked in the boxes they arrive in, with prices below, clearly marked on cards so that that the price is in full view, which I greatly appreciated. Everything was orderly and neat, with an employee in one of the aisles working busily, replacing empty boxes.