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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Curious2468 · 28/09/2018 23:26

I love Aldi. I recon I save at least £100 a month and everything we buy seems gresg quality. I love the simplicity of it too, we can do a full
weeks shop in 20-30 mins max with 2 autistic children without too much drama. My husband finds the till stressful but I just find it efficient. Once you have a system you will be fine.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 28/09/2018 23:28

I can’t buy shampoo or wash powder there, but most other stuff is fine. I’ve given up on Tesco as it’s not worth it unless I want lots of heavy stuff delivering, and even that’s purely because I don’t drive.

WorraLiberty · 28/09/2018 23:28

The only thing I don't like about my local Aldi is that they don't sell freshly baked rolls/baguettes/french sticks.

Is that the same for all of them, or just my local?

I used to work near a Lidls and I miss their freshly baked things.

cricketmum84 · 28/09/2018 23:29

Love Aldi and Lidl for the prices, we save a lot of money versus an Asda or Morrison's shop.

I am rather vocal when they start throwing things at me though. Think "calm the fuck down Janice and stop throwing my shopping at me!" My husband prefers the PA route and puts things back in the trolley as slowly as possible whilst eyeing the checkout staff almost daring them to knock something off.

willstarttomorrow · 29/09/2018 00:01

Love Aldi but I think they may vary in produce. I have one a few minutes from work and it is on my way home, they stock everything and I can get around in a few minutes (although they recently refurbished and changed the layout which has upset me). The check out staff are lovely, happy people but keep things flowing. I have the knack and load the belt so I can pack at the till. The lines and tardiness in Lidl give me the rage! Aldi, a bit of a wait at the till and they get more open and move it through. Lidl, one till open and they take forever with each customer. It is a supermarket, I want in and out (and a bit of a random buy from the middle obvs).

MumW · 29/09/2018 00:03

I understand that the reason they rush your shopping through the till i Aldi is because they have scan rate targets to meet.
We saved lots by shopping in Aldi. I always look for the best bbf dates (from the back), though.

Cindersdonegood · 29/09/2018 00:18

I too spend around £250 a month at Tesco and I have to say, I spent a similar amount when I shopped at Aldi as I still had to go back to Tesco to get the final £40 of stuff that Aldi doesn't sell. So roughly the same amount of shopping for maybe a few quid less BUT, not all of it tasted nice. Much of it was okay and similar but I found the Aldi mince gristly whereas the Tesco cheap £3 for 750g mince isn't. Aldi veg and fruit was cheaper but went off in a few days, Tesco's keeps fresh. Things like Aldi's Pepperami's were spat out by the kids (and me). The Aldi sauces were meh. Nothing special. The soup was rubbish compared to Tesco's own brand. The frozen sweet corn was full of hard bits. Everything else was similarly priced to Tesco.
I'm afraid that many Aldi items wouldn't pass the blind "eat well for less" test because my kids noticed immediately with most of it.

I love the aisle of random stuff though. Pyjamas and wheel nuts. Bird feeders and steering wheel covers. Hosepipes and Hay nets! So much stuff that you never realised you needed!

PickAChew · 29/09/2018 00:27

I only ever top up shop at either but alfi is much better than lidl, here. Not just a better range but the staff are constantly kept on alert for queue surges and respond to them. Lidl, in comparison are really slow and the only pull is a special event.

willstarttomorrow · 29/09/2018 00:36

As a response to the above poster I read that Aldi source from supliers locally for fruit and veg to keep costs low. This is why people have such varying opinions ad to shelf life and quality. Our local Aldis are amazing for fruit and veg (and stock everything from avocados to pomegranate). I have never had a problem with their meat or any other product. If I have had to return things it has been a no quibble refund. Their ski stuff is amazing quality for the price (hence why their is always a crowd at door opening). There is a reason large UK chains are now looking to replicate the aldi model. Good quality produce, less choice, less money spent on store presentation. I hate supermarket shopping so Aldi and Lidl are perfect. I do not want to spend 1 hour in a massive supermarket choosing a brand of beans!

willstarttomorrow · 29/09/2018 00:39

Sorry loads of typos. Wine has been opened and had to bathe the cat so huge blood loss!

unicornchaser · 29/09/2018 00:57

Used to use Aldi religiously for our shops but they only ever had 2/3 tills open during peak shopping times so long ques meaning they scan your shop through so quick you just have to chuck it in the trolley and try and sort the mess after paying.
And having to go to morrisons or Asda to get the top ups (coffee pods, DH deodorant/toiletries, certain sauced & cupboard bits) resulted in me picking up extra stuff too so was spending more.

I find just doing my big shop carefully in Asda costs pretty much the same as Aldi and can get everything at once.

Aldi is good though for just grabbing a few bits - milk or chicken etc for dinner if I go in during the day when it's not peak shopping times!

Belina · 29/09/2018 03:02

I use to be an aldi snob until the other day I brought a lot of bits which would of cost around 46 pounds in morrisons but cost me 31 in aldi

But their chicken isnt the cheapest right now tesco doing legs and thighs for 1.24 each aldi is 1.79

Belina · 29/09/2018 03:09

Products I have brought from aldi which are fine are their digestive biscuits, brown rice, coleslaw, cheese, bread, hummus, pasta, cat food which my fussy cat loves and meat stick for her.
Cleaning products and washing tablets good.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 29/09/2018 03:45

You will save money on your shopping, but not time. Aldi do not operate any express tills so there is no quick way through the checkouts. I’d still rather shop there than Tesco.

Charlie97 · 29/09/2018 07:45

@Creeper8 you've been told wrong, the staff in Aldi do not throw your shopping at you!! Try going yourself to form an opinion?

I love Aldi, cheaper, smaller shop so don't get sidetracked into buying other stuff. Staff very nice.

They don't stock 100% of what I want so may need to do a small Sainsbury's shop once a month.

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 29/09/2018 07:48

I save a lot on my weekly shop by going to aldi, I still have to do top ups at other shops though as there's a lot of things they don't stock. And the chicken always goes off before the sell by date.

Roomba · 29/09/2018 07:49

The staff in my Aldi do not throw shopping at you at all. They are very patient with customers especially those who need longer than usual to pack stuff in their trolley.

I love Aldi. It's cheaper - many pr9ice are comparable to other supermarkets Basics/Value/Smartprice ranges but taste just as good as others' Best Of/Premium ranges. The only things I've ever had from Aldi that we disliked were their faker Quavers (tasted fine to me, DS wasn't keen) and their Bacon flavoured supernoodles that I picked up instead of chow mein flavour by accident !

Fatted · 29/09/2018 07:50

If you go to Asda you will save money compared to shopping at Tesco/Sainsburys! If I ever end up having to shop in Tesco, I know it will end up more expensive compared to what I spend at Asda!

I personally don't shop at Lidl or Aldi. The times I have been in, I don't think they're products are any cheaper than Asda own brand stuff.

papayya · 29/09/2018 07:54

I was spending £80pw in Tesco/Asda and never spend more than £40pw in Aldi. Literally halved my shopping bill - now can't bear the thought of wasting so much money in other places!

KlutzyDraconequus · 29/09/2018 07:54

If you shop at Tesco / Asda / Sainsbury's or any of the 'big' stores and buy branded stuff, you'll save a fortune at Aldi and Lidl.

But if you go to the big ones and buy their own brand stuff, you'll save a little at Aldi and Lidl

If you got to the big ones and buy carefully and only the budget on brands, you'll likely not save anything.

They advertise massive savings because they often compare big store Branded to budget Own brand.
Eh: Snacktastic crisps Vs walkers..

Amanduh · 29/09/2018 07:55

People will say its no cheaper etc. But I do the exact same shop as I do at Sainsburys and it’s literally £30 cheaper.

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 29/09/2018 07:56

I love Aldi and definitely save money by shopping there. I'm so used to the frantic check out experience that it feels painfully slow if I go to one of the normal supermarkets now!

Regarding queues, that will depend on the particular branch, I'm lucky that neither the Aldi or Lidl nearest to be suffer with problem queues but you might not be so lucky.

I like the 'speed' and size of Aldi and can do a full shop and have it bagged and in the car in about half the time it would take in Sainsbury/Tesco/Morrisons

You will still occasionally need to shop elsewhere for more obscure specialist items but I find I can get 95% of what I need in Aldi and have no complaints about the quality

kirstybabe · 29/09/2018 07:59

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BuntyII · 29/09/2018 08:00

Sometimes I wonder if the reason I save at Lidl is because I'm not getting the lovely treats I buy at Tesco, and no Method cleaner or Ella's snacks etc. Yes you save not buying the brands but I like some brands.

AudaciousCockerel · 29/09/2018 08:02

I love it when people say they won’t go to Aldi - good! Stay away! We don’t want you filling up our amazing shop and taking all the aisle of wonder bargains.

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