17 Aldi Tips and Tricks Used by Aldi Professionals! (your complete guide)
Shopping at Aldi can be a very liberating experience – no need to worry about which brand of Frosted Mini Wheat to buy! No more digging through your wallet every time you buy groceries! However, if you’re not familiar with the experience, it can be confusing and frustrating.
You don’t think so; Aldi does it a little differently than its competitors, and it might take some time to learn the ins and outs of shopping there.
Luckily, we’ve done our homework and got it for you – here are 17 Aldi tips and tricks used by the Aldi pros!
17 Aldi Tips and Tricks Used by Aldi Professionals
1. Check the circular first (or the Aldi website)
Aldi circulars are available in both physical and digital formats. The physical ad will arrive in your mail (look for it on Monday or Tuesday before Aldi’s new week starts on Wednesday); the digital version can be found here.
You’ll find the Everyday product listings for all the new Aldi Savers (their version of the “Sales” item), as well as Aldi Finds.
2. Keep your dorms closed
To become a regular at Aldi, you need to have your place nearby in order to rent a trolley.
A great way to do this is with an Aldi quarter keeper.
A few times a year, Aldi releases new keychains called quarter keepers, which are cutely shaped like different items — a glass of wine, a piece of watermelon — and come with a pocket that fits your Aldi shopping cart quarters.
3. Looking for a deal?shopping wednesday and sunday
We all know that Aldi’s Wednesdays are the best days to shop, especially in the morning when they’re open for fresh stock.
Since this is the day the new Aldi Savers start, you can find great discounts on everyday groceries.
Sundays are big because the old Aldi Finds that are still hanging around have discounts – sometimes as much as 70 per cent off.
These are called Hot Deals and have special shelf labels (more on that later).
4. Stick to the A-List
I cannot stress this enough: if you want to shop on a budget, make a list and resolve to stick to it!
With their low prices on everything, it’s easy to grab an extra bag of chips here, a garden hose there, and suddenly your bill doubles.
5. Stock up on deep discounts
From time to time, you may visit the store at the right time and find that the meat section is full of discounts. As more shoppers take note, these are limited and tend to run out quickly.
If you reach the meat aisle and see a bunch of discounts, fill your cart and plan to make room in your freezer. When Aldi slashes the price of meat, you’re getting an insane deal.
6. Know your labels
Some people feel uneasy when shopping at Aldi because they buy something once and never see it again. Astute Aldi shoppers know that different shelf labels can provide clues about an item’s durability.
Aldi Mamma on YouTube posted a great video breaking down the different labels.
A yellow label means it is an Aldi Everyday item. It’s a core staple that stays on shelves year after year.
Green labels dot the produce aisle.
White and red tags identify favorite Aldi Finds items. These are limited edition items while supplies last – no new stock will arrive.
Aldi Finds are also identified by white and black tags; they read “Limited Time, Premium Buy” and are most commonly found in the freezer aisle (i.e. floor coolers). They can also be applied to designer goods, the white and red Aldi Finds that stores want to move out.
Unfortunately, these items are also considered complete once they run out.
The last type of label you’ll see in Aldi is the blue label to signify that an item is new (they’ll read “New at Aldi”) or what’s called a “seasonal favourite”. Seasonal favorites tend to return, whether once a year or more often occasionally.
7. Be wary of name brands
Obviously, there is nothing wrong with the quality of Aldi-branded merchandise, but prices can sometimes be beaten by rivals such as Walmart.
Take Cheez-Its, for example, which Aldi sells for 28 cents an ounce. That was beaten by Walmart, which sold a box for 23 cents an ounce.
This isn’t always the case, but if your goal is to save the most money on each grocery haul, being on the lookout for name-brand items and doing a little research can help.
8. Check your email
Not only will circulars be mailed sometimes – rarely, but sometimes! – A coupon is attached at the top of this circular. $5 off orders of $30 or more.
9. Skip the personal hygiene part
It’s not so much the price, it’s more that there are too few choices. For example, if you are a woman who needs tampons, Aldi is not the place to be.
Everything is pretty basic, so if you’re picky about which toothpaste or body wash to use, Aldi won’t cut it.
To find out more, you can also check out our other post on what not to buy from Aldi.
10. Instacart is about convenience — not money
Aldi’s partnership with Instacart is great – convenient, intuitive and constantly improving. That said, if you have a budget and must stick to it, skip Instacart.
Prices go up slightly, plus you also pay delivery/pickup fees and a tip for the driver.
However, if you have a little leeway with money but less time, Instacart is a great option.
11. Eat less special diet foods
gluten free? vegetarian? Organic or Bankrupt? Aldi offers you a wide range of special diet foods at low prices.
If you skipped Aldi because you thought their selection was poor, think again (they expand these lines regularly!).
12. Renovate on a budget
Aldi shoppers love seasonal items, especially around major holidays like Halloween and Christmas.
What they know you may not know is that Aldi has found some really cute and high quality home decor during these times.
Past projects have included door signs and placemats, holiday garlands, lights, pet clothing, table runners and placemats, and wall hangings.
13. Shop with confidence
Next time something from Aldi doesn’t quite meet your expectations, you should definitely take advantage of the Twice As Nice guarantee. The policy states that if anything doesn’t satisfy you, you’ll get a refund and a replacement.
Guess what – Aldi’s staff won’t hold back or make it a hassle with your return, so don’t feel bad about getting a refund and exchange!
Shop with confidence knowing that anything that falls short will be made up at your beck and call.
14. Bring your bag
If you want to save even more money on your next Aldi haul, bring your bags along.
While Aldi has the bags in stores, you have to buy them for pennies each. Do better for your budget and the environment with reusable items.
15. Taste luxury food from select brands
I love the Specially Selected label; some of my favorite Aldi products are from this line, including crab and shrimp ravioli, raw honey and lattice-cut kettle chips.
These are knock-offs of the high-end stuff you can find in fancy markets and stores, and they’re great.
16. Don’t block the line at checkout
Prepare the checkout line as you would any timed test. Be ready to pay as the cashier will check your items on the fly.
Don’t try to pack anything when you check out; that’s what the bagging desk is for.
17. Avoid crowds when shopping
If the thought of driving these giant trolleys through the crowds doesn’t appeal, and you have some flexibility in your schedule, I’ve found that the best time for quiet shopping is an hour or so before closing time.
This is true in my small city as well, we have 3 stores within a 10 mile radius, but it’s worth checking out yours too. One caveat, though—shopping late can mean the shelves have been emptied of items. Still, the calm is worth it.
To find out more, you can check out our related posts on the best times to shop at Aldi, our guide on Aldi restock times and Aldi’s returns policy.
in conclusion
It’s no exaggeration to say that shopping at Aldi can be a life-changing experience, and the more you shop, the more knowledgeable you become, so the more you save money and time.
Let these Aldi tips and hints guide you and you’ll be an Aldi expert in no time.
