Generically Speeking...

I have heard it said many of times, "Beware of False prophets!" and I understand, "By their fruits ye shall know them..."

Well what does this have to do with generically speaking?

Publix says they have the best deals in town and the best products... Well go for one shopping excursion there and you will see, the fruits don't pay out!!

Kroger is less expensive but they still are more expensive than Wal-mart.

Wal-mart is the least expensive but the quality isn't always that amazing.

I went to Aldi the other day and found an amazing deal on milk (1.69/gl) and eggs (0.79/dz). I brought them home and was pleasantly surprised that the taste and the packaging were splendid. Usually I buy milk and eggs from Kroger or Wal-mart. Sometimes when I open the milk it has a sort of residue or milky crust around the lid. I wipe it off and consume the milk anyway. WELL... Aldi milk never has that!! So, not only did I find an amazing deal, I got a fresher, cleaner product.

As if that is not enough reason to shop at Aldi for the bulk of my groceries, I did a little test. I packed my shopping cart to the hilt. I expected that it would cost me nearly $300 because that is what it would cost me at Kroger or Wal-mart. The lady at the counter zipped through my items and gave me my grand total; $91. I asked her $191??? She said, "No, Ninety-One Dollars."

I about fell out... I pulled out my debit card and swiped with excitement. Seriously, that's a 66% savings in my book!!

So, what do you need to know in order to be a smart saver and Aldi shopper?

1. Aldi makes you put your own cart away using a quarter locking system. SO always have a quarter ready to stick in the locking mechanism to get your cart.

2. Aldi makes you use your own bags or purchase theirs. SO don't forget to bring your own bags.

3. Aldi has price differences weekly. It's usually a cycle; one week the eggs are 1.79 then for three weeks they are .69 -.79. Same with other products too. So buy them while they are cheap and hold off the week they aren't.

4. If you like amazing desserts, try the Deutsche Kuche products. My family loves them. Raspberry creme cake and flaky apple strudel.

5. The cheese is excellent.

6. Check out the clearance isle. You can find items more than 50% discounted and they have plenty of shelf life left.

7. Aldi doesn't accept Credit Cards only Debit or Cash so be prepared. Don't worry though, you won't break the bank. My Aldi also accepts WIC (though you won't need WIC because you won't spend an arm and leg on groceries anymore.)

8. Aldi has a flyer that shows the next weeks deals. Pick one up. They have seasonal items that are dirt cheap and worth the money spent. My husband and I picked up a full size, stainless steal propane grill with all the bells and whistles, brand new, in the box. It cost $130. The same grill at Home Depot was $250. The only difference was the name on the box. EVERYTHING else was exactly the same. It even has a side burner for beans or whatever.

Enjoy your shopping!!