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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:
CaptainCorrigan · 29/09/2018 08:02

Aldi is great, but takes a lot of getting used to and we've found you have to be a lot more organised when shopping there. Also you have to be prepared to do a mini shop elsewhere for things you can't/ won't buy there. Otherwise we've saved a fortune, we were coming out of sainsburys £130 lighter with barely enough meals for the week and now we do a full weeks shop including nappies etc for £60 and about £20 in sainsburys for washing gel, cosmetic stuff and baby milk

Gileswithachainsaw · 29/09/2018 08:04

Depends what you buy.

We found that we spent nore no at because we couldn't get everything and had to keep going to get stuff else where. And we also had to keep replacing the fruit and veg as it didn't last I didn't drive at the time either so it involved paying for taxis and then having to pay further his fares to get to the otger shops. Proved very costly Indeed.

Popsicle434544 · 29/09/2018 08:06

Love aldi , they don't dont throw your shopping at you, they just scan quick and u pack back into your trolley to bag yourself at the side or once your well practiced have bags open on trolley ready, lay on belt in order of packing and it can be done at the till.

Yes queues are long but they move a hell of a lot quicker than other supermarkets.

I do a week shop for 7 people on £60

42andcounting · 29/09/2018 08:07

A couple of years ago I did my weekly shop at Aldi, then input exactly the same non branded shop at Tesco online, and Aldi came out 35% cheaper. I keep thinking I should repeat the exercise and make sure it's still about the same.

I still have to do a separate shop for the branded stuff we like, but can often get most of it from home bargains rather than another supermarket.

Oliversmumsarmy · 29/09/2018 08:11

I usually spend £35 per week in Lidl/Aldi (we have both close by) and that gets me everything apart from quorn or soya products and some juices. Used to spend £25 per week in Tesco to get this stuff from but they have discontinued so much stuff that I used to buy recently that I now go to Sainsbury's.

Problem with Asda is they don't do everything I buy and what they do sell I can get cheaper and quicker in Lidl/aldi

CycleWoman · 29/09/2018 08:13

Yeah you’ll defo save money. I don’t do all my shopping there but get essentials (nappies, wipes, washing powder, basic veg, pasta, rice etc) and it’s much cheaper.

Only thing is.....it’s tempting to spend what you save on the own brand chocolate and biscuits!

RedDwarves · 29/09/2018 08:14

I won't shop at Aldi because a lot of the produce is imported (I'm in Australia, so no need to import most produce), and because much of their profits go offshore to lower their tax liability. Where I have the choice - such as with supermarkets - I will actively choose to support Australian.

cuttttie · 29/09/2018 08:16

I only spend about 45 on a weeks shop so to me aldi is no cheaper and sometimes I've found it even more expensive Confused

Creeper8 · 29/09/2018 08:16

@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 read it on pretty much every aldi thread its even been said on here. I know it sounds silly but I have anxiety so the thought of having my shopping thrown and me and not be able to keep up has put me off going.

GreenMeerkat · 29/09/2018 08:18

You will save money on general groceries at ALDI. As long as you am stay away from the special buys that is! They're my downfall in there. The only issue I find is I have to go to different shops for certain things they don't stock, but my local one is next to Sainsbury's so I just nip in there to pick up anything else I need

Oh and they don't 'throw shopping at you' Hmm. They have a different packing policy to regular supermarkets where they scan the items, you put them back in the trolley, and then pack them into bags at the counter at the back. I think it's better this way. I have the trolley bags too so I just pack at the till and can do it pretty quickly.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 29/09/2018 08:18

You will definitely save money. I tried Aldi for a few weeks but nobody here would eat the food and tbf I understood why.

ZenNudist · 29/09/2018 08:20

At ours the cashier will go as fast as you can pack and slow down if you can't keep up.

I lay goods on belt in order of packing, have bags open on trolley ready and pack straight into my bags in the trolley at the till.

I don't buy a lot of vegetables from Aldi, I don't mind the meat, I've had some good salmon steak from there, I won't buy much of the pre prepared foods.

I still go to Sainsbury's afterwards to top up so why weekly shop ends up costing me quite a lot still.

Best thing about Aldi is that it's a small store and there's not much choice and what they do sell own Branded is the same quality as anything I have been buying at the other supermarkets. So overall I find shopping much less stressful and takes much less time as I don't spend time comparing prices on different brands of goods.

PodgeBod · 29/09/2018 08:21

I love Aldi. Especially the quickness and lack of conversation at the tills. It is frustrating when you are stuck behind somebody who insists on packing at the tills, you feel like telling them to get with the programme. I've even got some of those trolley bags on my Christmas list to make it even quicker.
I go to a big supermarket about once a month to stock up on things that Aldi doesn't do, like Heinz beans. I find that I'm easily tempted by special offers so the smaller amount of product on offer saves me money.

MrsExpo · 29/09/2018 08:25

Another Aldi fan here. The checkout thing is interesting at first! If you plan to do a full shop use a large trolley and get a set of those bags which slot into the top so you can put things in easier, or put it all back into the trolley and pack at the packing shelf. Or I love the suggestion from pp to pack at your car.

Food’s good and love their Almat detergents, Lacura skin care, Gold tea bags and Valley spreadable butter.

I think the other thing about Aldi is that it’s smaller with fewer product choices so I don’t tend to “graze” when I shop and pick up odd things not on my list, which adds to the cost. (Except, I always do a trip up and down the centre aisle because I can’t resist looking what random items are there. Part of the fun!).

I pop to Tesco once a month for DH’s coffee, HP sauce and a couple of other brands.

bellinisurge · 29/09/2018 08:25

You will save money. Our Aldi staff are lovely, friendly and polite. You get the hang of the checkout set up. It goes straight from belt through cash till and into your trolley. You then take the trolley away and pack it yourself in a packing area (. Usually a big shelf along the front glass wall).
I have a particular way of packing- stuff in freezer bag, veggies in another bag, that sort of thing, so it suits me.
You get to know where stuff generally is in the shop, like any supermarket. Or where it's likely to be.
Saves loads of money and the own brand stuff is fine. We go to another supermarket for particular brands or items we can't get in Aldi but that's usually a basket full amount.

FinallyHere · 29/09/2018 08:26

budget brand so poor quality.

It's interesting that people tend to associate cheap with poor quality. I drive out of my way to a Lidl, especially when tbe Christmas food comes in. Theirs is the best marzipan you can buy in this country, and is sold at a remarkably low priced.

You need to know what good quality is, when shopping in Lidl, compared to the admittedly lovely marketing and promotion materials in Waitrose.

bellinisurge · 29/09/2018 08:26

Meat is fine. Veggies are fine. That's my test.

2isabella2 · 29/09/2018 08:27

The products are good and cheaper. The experience is significantly inferior which is how they can afford to be cheaper. I shop there for cost saving.

Babybearsporij · 29/09/2018 08:28

As long as you don't get sucked into the aisle of random you'll be grand. I spend less than £100 for a family of 4 per week.

greendale17 · 29/09/2018 08:29

I shopped there a few times and my shop was NOT cheaper.

It is not a proper supermarket- how anyone can do a full weeks shop there is anyone guess.

Ariela · 29/09/2018 08:29

It does depend what you buy - some stuff tastes awful, and other stuff is no cheaper than when on offer in other places. Last time I went to buy loo rolls thinking they'd be cheaper but actually Waitrose own brand were a better price. Butter is also cheaper in Waitrose for example. Ice creams on a stick are cheaper (& nicer) in Iceland. I do think Iceland is underrrated. Limited range of stock in Iceland, but always good taste and price.
Our Aldi is pretty good with opening/closing tills as required, you barely have to queue. Lidl is terrible for queues unless you go at 9pm.

springmachine · 29/09/2018 08:30

I started shopping at Aldi on maternity leave to save money.

I quickly realised it wasn't saving me money and was actually taking up a lot more of my time and was more stressful as I'd still have to go and buy the things they didn't sell elsewhere.

Some products I tried weee good but others were fit for the bin as soon as they were home.

Nappies were ok but not worth me shopping in there now I'm back to work.

I find I save most by doing an ocado and being savvy with the things on special offer.

greendale17 · 29/09/2018 08:30

Oh and their vegetables are useless- don’t last long and tasteless.

Compare their products weight for weight and it isn’t so much cheaper than the big 4

Thurmanmurman · 29/09/2018 08:32

I love Aldi. Used to shop in Sainsbury’s but was converted by my DM. The quality is great and I reckon we save around £50 a week on food shopping. I broke my wrist earlier this year which meant I couldn’t drive for a few weeks so had to do online Tesco shop instead and it pissed me off that I was paying more for the same or worse quality! As for throwing shopping at you, they really don’t. The staff in my Aldi are lovely!

PositiveVibez · 29/09/2018 08:34

I prefer Lidl to Aldi. The aldi's in the nearest couple of town to us are always messy. You have to manoeuvre your trolley round all the staff unloading and filling the shelves.

It is good value, but just too much hard work.

Lidl have wider aisles. They always stock wierd and wonderful vegetables that cost a fortune elsewhere.

It's a much more pleasurable experience. Imho of course.