3 Aldi Tricks to Score Big Savings

If your goal this year is to limit your spending and boost your savings, then you may want to make a point to shop at Aldi more frequently. You may not find every single grocery store item on your list at Aldi, since selection can vary by store and can sometimes be limited. But you're likely to find that when it comes to actual prices, Aldi's are hard to beat.

That said, there are steps you can take to eke out even more savings in the course of shopping at Aldi. Here are a few worth employing.

1. See what's on sale every week

Aldi is known for its generally low prices. But like many other supermarkets, it tends to put specific items on sale week after week. Spend a few minutes looking through your Aldi circular each week before hitting the store. And if that circular doesn't show up in the mail, you can access it online instead.

2. Forgo those brand names

Although Aldi carries some brand-name products in its stores, more than 90% of Aldi products are private-label ones from brands you've probably never heard of. If you want to save more money when shopping at Aldi, give those unknown brands a chance. In many cases, you'll find that they're comparable taste-wise to the brands you're more familiar with, only you might rack up a fraction of the credit card tab in the course of buying them.

3. Buy your groceries at the store instead of having them delivered

Like many supermarkets, Aldi allows you to order your groceries online and have them delivered to your door. But if you buy groceries online, you might pay more for them. Aldi expressly says on its website that online food prices may vary a bit from in-store prices. Plus, you'll have to pay delivery fees, not to mention factor in extra money to tip your delivery person (which isn't a requirement, but it's certainly a nice thing to do).

If you don't have a car or an Aldi near your home, then ordering your groceries online might make sense. But if you have the option to get over to an actual Aldi store and do your shopping in person, you might end up saving a lot more money.

Prepare to save even more

Shopping at Aldi can sometimes be a mixed bag because you never know if you'll be able to check every item off of your grocery list. But if you have an Aldi nearby and it's easy to stop in on a regular basis, then it pays to do so. It also pays to follow these tips so you can enjoy even more savings during your shopping.

As of March, food costs were up 8.4% on an annual basis, per the Consumer Price Index. So it definitely pays to see if shopping at Aldi helps ease the burden of higher grocery prices, especially if you happen to have a larger family to feed.