13 Clever Tricks To Save You Money At Aldi

With inflation affecting everything from the gas you pump into your vehicle to the cost of eating out, it makes sense to look for strategies that help save you money at the grocery store. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, Americans spent $5,703 per year or $475.25 per month on groceries in 2022. Although inflation has slowed a bit from a rapidly expanding high of 13% in 2022, food costs are still high. That's where stores like Aldi come into play, with lowered prices for food items and other benefits you can use to your budgeting advantage. When it comes to what the minimum budget for a healthy but thrifty food plan should look like, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests an average monthly grocery cost of $243.60 for individuals 20 to 50 years old and $226.20 for people ages 50 to 71. For a family of four, that monthly budget ratchets up to $980.60, which is again, considered a more frugal monthly grocery bill.

As per Statista, the largest percentage of Aldi shoppers are Millennials between 30 to 49 years old at 27%, followed by Gen X at 26%, and then Gen Z at 24%. What this shows is a fairly even amount of people across generations are interested in cheaper groceries. Still, there are tricks to saving even more money at Aldi if you're in the know. Here are a few of the best.

It's safe to say everyone loves a sale, and although we live in the age of online shopping, it may surprise you to learn that 79% of households still peruse paper flyers delivered in the mail, and as many as 73% of shoppers prefer physical flyers over online marketing for ease of perusing. On top of that, 54% of shoppers say they are more likely to purchase a product after reading about them in a flyer. Where Aldi is concerned, not paying attention to online marketing would be your first mistake.

You may or may not receive a paper flyer in your mail depending on your proximity to an Aldi. If you don't have one in your neighborhood, you may have to rely on the online flyer for the Aldi closest to you — you can find this on Aldi's website or mobile app — where you'll find all the products on sale for that week. Although Aldi always allows you to shop frugally, you can get the heads up on special sales items that should squeeze a few more savings out of your grocery bill. 

Bread and other baked goods are more expensive than they've ever been. In the four years between 2018 and 2022, the amount spent baked goods in the U.S. rose, on average, by more than $100. The annual spend on baked goods in the U.S. in 2018 was $392. By 2022, that amount grew to $497. As the war between Russia and Ukraine — the fifth-largest exporter of grain to the world — carries on, the disruption of Ukraine's output has also seriously impacted the cost of baked goods. Add an avian flu outbreak in 2023 which affected egg production and a few bad years of wheat and corn harvests in the U.S., and you have the perfect recipe for making baked goods one of a few grocery items with the highest store markups.

Aldi allows you to take advantage of a 50% discount on bread that is displayed two days before its expiration date. According to the USDA, commercially purchased bread can stay good for up to 14 days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer. That means purchasing baked goods two days before expiration is far from a deal breaker, and will only cost you half as much. 

Comparison shopping is key to making the most of your Aldi shopping experience. While Aldi is generally considered a place for cheap groceries, you never know when a sale across town is going to offer you a better deal or vice versa. Leverage online comparison shopping tools like Google Shopping, where inputting the items on your list automatically generates comparisons of similar products at nearby stores. You can also make use of apps that are always available, up to date, require no planning, and can even offer cash back benefits like Price.com.

Where groceries are concerned, be sure to pay attention to unit sizes since that can have an impact on how much you're actually saving. For instance, a half-gallon of milk half the price of a full gallon of milk isn't actually a discount. Also, consider bulk pricing in your comparisons since more expensive nonperishable items like toilet paper can make more sense to purchase than cheaper perishable items like produce that can be a waste of money if the product spoils in your crisper. 

If you've got a clear enough schedule to do your grocery shopping on Wednesday or Sunday, we suggest you do so. Every Wednesday or Sunday, depending on the store, Aldi restocks its shelves with new items, including limited-time offerings. Finding out which day is as simple as calling up the store and asking, asking an employee the next time you're in an Aldi, or heading over to the store's "Special Buys" for some serious deals. Even if you aren't available on either day, Instacart allows you to order your groceries online and have the discounted groceries delivered to your door.

As an add on to the aforementioned online sales flyers and comparison apps, Aldi displays their weekly specials and upcoming sale items on its website. For example, Aldi's upcoming sales currently go up to the first of October, which gives you lots of time to budget and plan for your next Aldi shopping trip.  

Private label products are proprietary Aldi brand products that are meant to be a cheaper alternative to other major brand name products sold in stores. There is a good enough reason to avoid the more expensive name brand products if you can find the equivalent item on Aldi shelves. According to the Aldi corporate site, Aldi brand products can cost as much as 50% less than name brand products due to Aldi's agreements with suppliers.

Market research has shown that products like apple juice, sliced turkey, and ketchup quality were on par, and in the case of another Aldi brand product — toaster tarts — even better that name-brand competitors. Price-wise, Aldi's turkey slices were 42% less expensive, with apple juice at 71% and ketchup an impressive 79% cheaper than their name brand equivalents. Oh, and those toaster tarts priced at $1.65 at Aldi, versus the $2.99 name brand version found at a Kroger store, offer an additional savings of 57% to the average shopper. So not only are Aldi private label products far less expensive than name brand counterparts, but in many cases the difference in quality is undetectable. Even better, when there is a noticeable difference, the Aldi private label products are sometimes even better.

As per Statista, Americans gave away an extra $150 per month to impulse purchases in 2023. Food and groceries accounted for 30% of that impulse spending, which accounted for the second-highest impulse product purchases behind clothing in the number one spot. While Aldi is known as frugal, like most stores, it also takes advantage of seasonal pricing for products the company knows are in demand and tends to price them higher accordingly. If possible, stay away from shopping for items on a seasonable basis.

However, that will be admittedly harder since some stores have started placing their seasonal products on shelves outside of traditional seasonal shopping periods. For instance, Halloween products have started popping up in Lowes and Target stores in July and August, and according to research from Granularity, Amazon shopping habits in 2024 seem to confirm consumers are doing their Halloween shopping in August, a full six weeks earlier than in previous years. That means you'll have to be well ahead of the calendar to save, and maybe even getting ready for Christmas in July should become the new normal. Just be sure to only by what you need. According to a 2023 Google/Ipsos poll, 42% of shoppers say they've experienced buyers remorse after buying something on sale, with an equal number of people blaming impulse shopping on their regret. It's a common shopping mistake that will cost you but luckily, it's totally avoidable.  

While everyone knows Aldi can save you money on their discounted products, another way to save money at Aldi is to take advantage of cash back apps. There are a few different smartphone apps you can tailor to your Aldi shopping experience. Ibotta, for example, allows users to create shopping lists in the platform that are redeemable at over 150 stores, including Aldi. You can input items with special offers into your list prior to your shopping with the app, then share a photo of your receipt after shopping to the app for cash back offers and loyalty rewards. You can use this feature for both national and private label brands sold at Aldi to earn 25 cents on each receipt with the ability to receive your cash back once you've earned at least $20 in purchases. Checkout 51 is another app very similar to Ibotta in usage, and can also be used to get cash back on gas.

Note, however, that there have been reports on various TikTok accounts of a cash back scam with unscrupulous Aldi employees who have been caught attempting to steal cash back from these apps. During cashouts, some employees have attempted to steal customers' cash back payouts by secretly adding them to receipts without telling shoppers. That said, the apps are still a safer bet to walk around with than gift cards.

Earlier, we mentioned the buyer's remorse that many of us experience after purchasing things we really didn't need or even actually want all that bad. Aldi's Twice as Nice Guarantee is your insurance against purchases you aren't satisfied with after buying. Aldi allows its customers to return items with their original packaging and a receipt to a store manager for a 100% return. They'll also replace the product. While this doesn't apply to non-food related items, it's good to know the option exists at all.

Where non-food related items are concerned, like electronics and appliances, for instance, these are still covered under a 90-day return policy so long as the products are still in good condition and returned with the original packaging and receipt. No receipt? Aldi may still reimburse you with a merchandise credit gift card of equal value. A bonus here is your item may also be covered under a manufacturer's warranty which you can also claim. 

As per Statista, Americans consumed $112.97 worth of wine per household in 2022, with the restaurant markup represented at around $203.72. A perfect storm that includes the impact of COVID-19 recovery, inflation, and supply chain issues related to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war have increased the cost of wine production, who then pass that cost on to consumers. For example, glassware in 2023 was 20% more expensive than in previous years because Russia — an epicenter for cheap natural gas — has had prices raise more than 15 times since the start of the war. Natural gas is necessary to heat the kilns that produce glass, and since those kilns are never shut off in glass manufacturing facilities because solidified glass can damage the equipment, continued energy consumption has made even wine bottles more expensive for wineries. The impact of climate change on your next bottle of wine can also be felt in your pocket since inclement weather conditions have run roughshod over grape crops in popular wine producing regions, still below their average production levels. The high cost of wine has caused global wine consumption to fall to its lowest level since 1996.

Oenophiles can beat the sticker price on wine with several quality choices from Aldi's Specially Selected Label. There are currently 10 new premium wines under $10 from global wine producers at the store, and Aldi's private label wines — produced by eight out of 25 of America's best selling wineries — are also cheaper wine options.

According to the National Diaper Bank Network, one in four parents in the U.S. are absent from work or school due to the high cost of basic items like diapers barring them from being able to spend on childcare. Half of parent households can't afford to keep up with the cost of diapers, leading to health issues for their babies which include rashes and infections. In a 2023 study, the network found that 46% of households had to restrict other purchases, mainly entertainment, food, and utilities, in order to afford enough diapers to keep their child clean and healthy. This affects everything from the mental health of caregivers to household income and food insecurity. It's a huge factor in the cost of raising a child and although federal programs like Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) exist to assist lower income families, many middle-income households struggling with diaper affordability don't qualify for either.

Aldi's Little Journey brand offers heavily discounted diapers along with healthy, organic baby food, wipes, lotions, and baby formula. In 2023, TikToker @breerenee33 posted a viral video about her experience with Aldi diapers, claiming to have spent a grand total of $11 on 100 diapers. Under the video she writes "When you finally decide to buy 100-pack of diapers from Aldi for $11 and they end up being way more absorbent than Huggies & pampers that are $50 for a 100 pack." New parents, save your money at Aldi.

As illustrated by the last slide, reviews from fans of the store are another great way to learn tricks to help you save even more at Aldi. In fact, the chain itself pays very close attention to its fans, and likely, detractors. In 2023, Aldi released a list of 13 fan favorites, a practice started six years ago that was influenced by social media love on apps like TikTok. The list reflected the views of 70,000 Aldi shoppers and a partnership with DoorDash sweetened the deal with $10 off delivery for orders including three or more of the listed items.

If Aldi takes its fans' opinions seriously, so should you, and apparently, many consumers already do. As per Statista, 94% of Millennials in the U.S., followed by 69% of Gen Z consumers, purchased products seen or spoken about on social media in 2023. Just as interesting, according to the Digital Marketing Institute, social media creators have enough influence to sway 60% of shoppers to seek out suggested items while actually in the shopping aisle. So if you're looking for shopping advice, follow accounts like @aldi.mademedoit or @adventuresinaldi on TikTok and Instagram to keep up with the store's latest offerings and weekly specials. 

According to the World Economic Forum, the cost of healthy food in the U.S. contributes to 54 million Americans being food insecure, with only one in 10 of us getting the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables into our diets. That's because processed foods are typically cheaper than natural foods. One of the main reasons for this is because most of the additives used in very processed foods come from corn — high fructose corn syrup and oils — and the U.S. is the largest producer of corn in the world with 90 million acres of it grown every year. That means these foods are cheaper to produce for food corporations and less expensive when they get to the grocery store aisle. Add farm labor shortages and climate change impacts to agricultural production, as well as rising inflation, and producing natural, healthy food at affordable rates becomes challenging.

At Aldi, you'll find cheaper produce, breads and cereals, as well as dairy and meat products. A comparison of healthy products at a Whole Foods store in New York City's Tribeca neighborhood has a half gallon of whole organic milk for $6.49, while a half gallon of milk at Aldi near the same location goes for $4.19 in-store. That's a savings on organic milk of over two dollars per half gallon.

If you've ever gone shopping only to discover that the same item you picked up went on sale in the next day or two afterward, you instinctively know the value of this next benefit. Aldi will allow you to walk the item you purchased into the store and get the price of the item adjusted to the new lower sales price. While you only get this benefit at the same store you purchased the item from, this is still a pretty sweet deal. It's also understandable since Aldi's pricing can differ from store to store. Just be sure to keep your receipt handy and bring it with you to a store manager. You have 14 days from your purchase to make good on this arrangement, however, and be aware that this doesn't count for seasonal products the store would find difficult to sell after the fact or regularly sold products. This is strictly for "Aldi Finds" weekly specials. Still, it ensures that you never miss out on a discount even if you're a little early to the party.