Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think I will save money by going to aldi??

258 replies

user1471556443 · 28/09/2018 22:18

A new aldi has opened near my work and I am really looking forward to shopping there and saving money on my weekly food shop.
I already have a lidl near my work but I just cannot bear going there as the queues are so long and also I don't find it to be much cheaper than tescos?
I normally spend about 250 pounds a month on groceries in tescos / sainsburys
To any one that shops in aldi, are the queues aa bad as lidl? In my lidl they only have about four tills open at a time, hence the queues? Is aldi the same?
Also what foods are good to buy from aldi and what should I avoid???

OP posts:
Creeper8 · 28/09/2018 22:35

ive been told they throw your shopping at you in aldi to get you through as quickly as possible. for that reason ive never been in!

Losingthewill1 · 28/09/2018 22:36

They do throw your shopping at you, you put it in your troller and then there’s a large side area where you go and pack up etc.

Quite handy.

Love aldi

WorraLiberty · 28/09/2018 22:38

No-one throws shopping at anyone Grin

It all goes back in your trolley and you step away from the queue to bag it up.

Brilliant because it keeps queuing time down

Creeper8 · 28/09/2018 22:38

i dont like the thought of that tbh which is why i wouldnt shop there. the queues still looked long when i pass anyway.

SleepingBooty · 28/09/2018 22:39

I vary between Aldi & Lidl and I usually have a full trolley that causes the queues you're talking about. It is slightly cheaper in Aldi for the items we buy.

Thebasicweegie · 28/09/2018 22:39

Love Aldi. Don't care about how quick they fling the shipping at me for how much we save.

MadamePeony · 28/09/2018 22:39

I LOVE Aldi.
I buy anything and everything from there. I get foods, toiletries, laundry detergent, cleaning products...everything.
There food is great and it is much cheaper than other places. Sometimes they have brands in there but honestly I've never been a brand snob and all the food we have ever bought has been excellent.
At the tips the queues are not long and in terms of packing you put your items in your trolley once scanned and then pack at the side on a shelf type thingy. It's much better than rushed packing at the checkout.

MollysMummy2010 · 28/09/2018 22:40

I have trolley bags - as long as you put your stuff on the conveyor as you would like to pack it they work a treat

welshmist · 28/09/2018 22:41

You can shop in peace at say Waitrose, nice treats, plenty of staff, and pay more. Or brave the queues at busy times and save money. The former has to be paid for somehow.

Munchmallow · 28/09/2018 22:43

In an expert Aldi shopper and I'm quicker than the chuckers cashiers, I can get the shopping in my trolley as soon as it's been scanned.

I don't even pack at the designated area but take my trolley to the car and unload into the bags I keep in my boot. Super quick!

You will save money OP but you probably won't find everything you need in Aldi, I still have to do top up shops in tesco for the yogurt, deodorant, coffee and tea that I prefer.

stayathomer · 28/09/2018 22:45

We've always raved about Aldi but if you are already careful about how you shop in TESCO I'm not sure you'll find a huge difference in price? Definitely prefer their fruit and veg though and their meat too actually!And yes long queues but they fly them

Justask · 28/09/2018 22:49

I don't do a full shop at Aldi and always thought of them as a budget brand so poor quality.

I have started buying a few bits from them and the quality of very good. Their seeded loaf is a family favourite in our house. Great also for snacks and deli stuff like cooked meats and cheeses. Never tried the frozen stuff or fresh meat.

Fruit is good quality but never lasts as long as Morrison's etc.

As I only buy a basket load I am ready at the till and it goes straight into one bag, money out ready to pay and no one is held up or cross. If I bought a bigger shop, back in the trolley and sort it at the packing area.

Oh, and v important.....the wine is good and inexpensive!

Zara87 · 28/09/2018 22:55

I work as a buyer for Aldi, and I can confirm you will save money!!

HildaZelda · 28/09/2018 22:57

Aldi are great. I hate supermarket snobbery.

DrunkenUnicorn · 28/09/2018 23:03

Aldi are great. We used to shop in Sainsbury’s (closest supermarket), switched to aldi when it opened and our shop has dropped from £90+ per week to around £65

QueenOfMyWorld · 28/09/2018 23:04

I get a full weeks shop for 60 pounds for 3 of us including fresh meat,veg etc

CasperGutman · 28/09/2018 23:04

Aldi checkout queues move quickly. If I'm buying a trolley load then the queues are no problem. By the time I've finished putting items on the belt they're ready to be scanned (and thrown back into the trolley!) straight away. They are often frustratingly long if I pop in for a couple of items though. They're just not set up to deal with that. Quite often, at least in this part of the country, someone will let me go ahead of them in the queue, though.

QueenOfMyWorld · 28/09/2018 23:04

50 not 60

CurlyhairedAssassin · 28/09/2018 23:05

I found when I started going there 4 years ago that we saved about a third for exactly the same at Tesco

I haven’t had the chance to go to Aldi this week, the nearest supermarket is Tesco so we’ve nipped there a few times instead and I’ve Been horrified at the money we’ve spent in Tesco

I actually hate the slow packing at Tesco now I’m used to very efficient cashiers at Aldi. The Tesco ones seem very Slow. Fine if you have time to pack slowly and chat but I usually shop on the way home from work and the last thing I want to do is take time at the tills. Rushing suits me just fine.

WhataLovelyPear · 28/09/2018 23:07

I go to an Aldi in the next town, which is a posh market town. When it first opened the customers packed their bags at the till, so Akdi put notices on each till asking them to use the packing are. A significant number refused to knuckle down to the trolley regime and insisted on packing their bags. Apparently the official line now is the cashier will go as fast as you can pack and are trained to slow down if you can't keep up. Some people still pack separately, but I have some giant bags and pile everything in them so I move pretty fast, but still get to pack my bags at the till.
To answer your actual question, I swapped from being a regular Tesco online shopper to Aldi and saved about 30% overall.

NancyDonahue · 28/09/2018 23:09

You will save money, even if you only go in for toiletries and cleaning stuff. If you dont like queues, avoid Sundays and Thursday's as it's when the offers start.

I only pack at the shelf if it's bad weather, otherwise I pack straight into my car boot.

ButterflyOfFreedom · 28/09/2018 23:09

I love Aldi!

I used to be a snob and avoid it thinking it wasn't for me - now I wish I'd been shopping there all along!
We save so much money & did the produce just as good or better than other supermarkets.

The queuing time is quick, our local store will open a new cashier if there is more than 3 people at one till.
As a previous poster has said, get your bags ready in the trolley then just pack as it is scanned - push trolley to car, lift bags into boot, job done! Smile

Ceilingrose · 28/09/2018 23:20

My Aldi has really gone up in price recently.

lovestobeahermit · 28/09/2018 23:23

I love Aldi. Our weekly shop there is £100 and thats with 2 adults and 4 children in the house.

BackforGood · 28/09/2018 23:24

When we switched to Aldi about 8 or 10 years ago, my average weekly bill came down by about 1/3 and my 'time out of the house' came down by about 1/3 too.
What's not to love ?

I get the rage now if I ever have to go into Sainsbury / Asda / Morrisons, about how long i takes to get through the till, even when there is just one person in front of me Grin