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If you had asked me to 5 years ago, I never would have stepped foot into an Aldi store. I was conditioned to shopping in a conventional supermarket and thought a food product had to be a brand I knew to be well known and trusted.

How wrong was I?

One day my parents made the switch and then my sister. I got talking to friends and family and realised Aldi was actually a revolution! I had heard some people say in frustration in the past that they couldn’t get everything they needed at Aldi, but this didn’t ring true for me when I gave it a go!

Today I am going to share with you my top 5 Aldi shopping tips.

1. It is more than just a food store!
Most mother’s will tell you to stay away from the middle section! Only because you might find yourself going crazy buying lots of stuff! For those who don’t know Aldi, the middle section of the store is home to a host of promotional items brought in for weekly catalogue sales. These items change from week to week and are based on a different theme. My favourite items have been children’s educational and books, men’s sports clothes and kitchen products. This week there are a range of Spot board books for $5.

2. Don’t miss the events!
Like major department stores, Aldi has events where they focus on sourcing specials. Coming up at the end of July is Aldi’s Baby Event. Here you can pick up a range of bargains which are much cheaper than in other stores like Closer to Nature bottles, nappy bins and refills. In my opinion as a Mum, you can’t go past their over the head bibs and singlets. They are cute and great quality.

3. Don’t be afraid to try a product you haven’t heard of!
While Aldi does stock some known brands, don’t be afraid to try something new. I have been blown away by the quality of their products. Washing detergent, dishwashing tablets and cleaning products are by far my favourite and are a fraction of the price, with the same and sometimes better results. The food is irresistible, and a whole other story that I’ll save for a future post!

4. Don’t be turned off by the fast pace of the check-out!
Aldi is different in that you pack your own trolley and items into the bags at the checkout. For someone like me who was used to having this done previously, you don’t have time to daydream at the counter or read the front page of a magazine. With conventional supermarkets moving more towards self service anyway, the extra time you spend packing your bags just leaves more money in your pockets. This is my favourite part of Aldi, the bill! You need to see it for your own eyes to appreciate the savings.

5. Grab the catalogue they give you at the counter!
The catalogue keeps you coming back for more! Look out for the Aldi special buys on Wednesdays and Saturdays. These shopping days are popular, so make sure you get to the sale as soon as you can to avoid missing out! The prices are so good they don’t always replenish their stock once it has sold out.

As you can see, I am a true Aldi convert! Stay tuned for more in my Aldi series! I can’t use the term Aldi-Mum, it is so popular that it is taken!

Next week, I am going to review my favourite products.

Z.