To ask the best way to shop at Aldi?

[SoMuchPain]

My local Aldi is a good 20 minute drive therefore that in itself is effort with a toddler. I did do well for a few weeks making Tues my Aldi day. But I do find my local Sainsbury's so much easier but literally it does cost me twice as much. Please tell me A) to get off my lazy arse and head back to aldi and B) please tell me the best way to shop there - especially how to handle the tills!

Baseball glove to catch the items after scanning is recommended...

Go early- not on weekends, not after midday. Have a list and avoid the middle Aisles of Wonder unless you're in the mood (and budget!) for a browse.

Checkouts: spread 3-4 large (Ikea style) carrier bags in your trolley once you've emptied it of groceries. Put trolley at the end of the checkout. As the checkout person scans things, grab them and put them in your bags.

Place everything in the trolley as it is scanned at the till.
Pay.
Pack at the shelves provided for that purpose.

I'm not sure I understand what your AIBU is?

With the tills, just put everything back in your trolley and pack at your leisure on the shelf at the side. It really doesn't take any longer than packing as it comes through and means you can pack properly

Tills :- take massive blue ikea bags and leave them in your boot. Chuck everything that comes through the till into your trolley, pay and walk to your car. Pack the food into the boot. Bag for fridge.bag for cupboard. Bag for frozen and other stuff.

Shove everything in a trolley and sort at your leisure. Or shove it all in an IKEA bag straight into boot of car.

I tend to stack 3 of their bags in a trolley and ignore the rules by putting stuff straight into them. One for freezer, one for fridge, one for store cupboard etc. It's no slower really if you concentrate and especially if you think ahead and group stuff on the conveyor as well!

I pick a till that has a few people or a large trolley ahead of me.
Put on the belt in the order I want to pack
Arrange bags in trolley
Put items methodically in the right bag
Get behind and shove everything in the Ikea style bag I keep for that purpose
Sort it at the shelf!

Brilliant. Must check the 'wonder' aisles for a baseball glove on my return.

Yes, you have to be organised with bags as it really is so much cheaper. I now find the cashiers in Sainsburys really slow as we've got used to Aldi's speed.

Also, don't over buy, less is more in the trolley and then its easier to pack, especially with a toddler.

Sainsbury's is so so so slow....

Don't pack your things in bags at the till. The staff have targets they have to meet.

But if you can keep up monger (and some of us can!) then there's no problem. Like someone said- pick a queue with a good trolley full on front of you, line up the items in a sensible order (I generally have three bags - two for fresh one for cupboard and put the heavy stuff for each bag to go at the bottom followed by lighter) and then put it in your bags as they scan.
A bit of practice and you can be waiting for the cashier!
Agree that morning is best and try and avoid the weekend as stock seems to be lower at ours at least.

I'm thinking back to my Tues AMs. It is a lot cheaper than other supermarkets but things like salmon cost the same?

I'm another fan of the huge ikea bags, it doesn't take any longer as you're basically still throwing the shopping back in the trolley,it's just the trolley is lined with bags.
Sometimes, when I'm really fast, I even manage to separate the chilled stuff from the other stuff which makes life much easier when I get home as my fridge is in the utility room while the rest of the stuff goes in the kitchen.

I do exactly what SoupDragon does.
Went this morning, as it was flying through I was thinking 'oops I've gone overboard, this is definitely going to be over £100'. It was £80. I reckon it would have been at least £150 in Sainsburys.
I hate it as a shopping experience, but it saves us so much money.

I have a set of the trolley bags - four different sizes that roll together and secure with velcro for packing away, but then spread out across the trolley when you've emptied it on to the checkout - as fast as the assistant scans, I deposit into the relevant bag and the packing bit is done!

When it comes to the actual shopping bit - make a list before hand, menu plan too if it helps, and if it's easy enough to do, make the list in the same rough order as the store layout. Morning is a better time to go. I no longer shop anywhere other than Aldi unless absolutely necessary!

I usually leave my dd's at home with their dad, and go on my own.

Put things in the conveyor belt in this order
Heavy stuff
Veg and fruit
Fridge and freezer stuff
Soft stuff like bread/eggs etc.

Repack it into the trolley in that order.

If you have your toddler, strap them into their car seat with a pack of mini cookies.

Go to car and pack into boxes or bags in the order you put them in the trolley/conveyor belt.

Put trolley back walking with a swagger, and drive off smug in the knowledge you survived Aldi's

Thanks so much. It's the planning and thought that needs to go into it...right next week Tues it's game on!! Must meal plan and dig out the Ikea bags

I prefer aldi with my dd. Staff nicer, takes less time, three large bags in the trolley and pack as you go.

Also sooo much cheaper. The odd treat for dd doesn't bump up the price too much.

At our Aldi, there is a little 10'oclock club on Sunday's waiting for opening - we have a nice chat - then doors open and we're off.

The tills aren't that bad - the staff are not going to shove stuff straight onto the floor. Just watch as they go, and put everything straight in the trolley and pack at the shelf. I have never ended up putting potatoes ontop of eggs. Don't let checkout fear mean you spend an extra £30 per week!

Take a list, and go round in the same order each week - this helps get your speed up!

I spend about £65 per week, and expect to be packed an in the car driving away at 25 past 10..

(can you tell I am a big fan!)

I write my list in order of my walk around the shop, and only buy what I need that week.
Then as pp said I pack at the till. I can get to an Aldi 15/20mins away round the shop and back home quicker than I can get round the massive Asda that is only 5 mins away.
Also I find between 8 and 9am is the quickest time in our Aldi

Aldi is better with a toddler as it takes 1/2 the time than Sainsburys.
Alternatively, go in the evenings when your dd is in bed (this is presuming her dad is there - I'm not advocating leaving her home alone ). My Aldi is so quiet in the evenings.

Expect your fruit and veg to go off before your eyes, buy a pack of two gammon steaks and discover the one at the bottom ( where it could not be seen before purchase) was 75% fat and gristle, buy their specially selceted british back bacon and have it green and foul 12 days before it's sell by date.
Do not expect any customer service to deal with any of theses issues.
Alternatively save yourself the hassle, and stay with Sainsburys.

Load stuff on the belt with heavy things first. That stops items getting squashed.

Dont pack at the till, it is cheap because it is quick . you have five minutes to pack at the bench.

Have card or cash ready. The surprised at being expected to pay thing keeps everyone else waiting. Get card or cash out while in the queue.

Beyond greet and thank at the till, don't chatter.