Aldi: Not just for groceries!
You all know by now that I adore Aldi for their super-low grocery prices, but I haven't really talked about any of the non-grocery items I've bought from them. Normally, it's a really bad idea to buy anything except groceries from a grocery store, as the prices are usually really inflated, but I've found some great deals at Aldi.
Aldi carries a number of different non-grocery items, including clothing, household items, plants, and even furniture. I can get clothing more cheaply on clearances, at Goodwill, and from Freecycle, and the furniture is never high-quality, but I do like their kitchen items and plants!
Housewares
You might recognize this pan from the pictures on my Chicken Tacos post. I got this cast-iron skillet from Aldi as a replacement for my nonstick skillet, and it works great...I've had very little trouble with food sticking and I know the finish will improve even more as I use it.
I do have a glass-top stove, but I've found that enameled cast-iron cooks just fine on it and doesn't leave scratches or marks. Now, if I dropped the pan on my stove, I'd have a problem, but for cooking purposes, it works fine!
After checking in vain for glass bowls at Goodwill, I was about to go to a regular store and buy some when Aldi had this set as a special purchase.
It cost me a whole $10 and even came with a 1-cup measuring cup. I highly doubt I could have found three mixing bowls and a measuring cup for that price even at Goodwill.
Because these mixing bowls are not plastic, they're pretty enough to be used as serving bowls, and that makes me happy.
I love things that do double duty.
Another thing absent from my Goodwill is a metal strainer. I use these for draining yogurt (to make yogurt cheese), for sifting baking powder and baking soda (to get rid of lumps), and for straining my milk when I pour it into my yogurt jars, among other things.
So, I was very tickled to see this set at Aldi for less than $10 (I bought mine from their clearance rack).
I use the little one incessantly, but it's nice to have the larger sizes available too.
Plants
Aside from kitchen items, my other favorite non-grocery merchandise from Aldi is their plants.
I got these tulips last fall from their clearance rack, and I love them to pieces. Bulbs are a great frugal plant since they keep coming back every year.
This azalea looked a lot more impressive before the flowers started falling off, but trust me, it is a lovely, healthy plant. And it cost less than $5.
Remember the hydrangea from my patient gardening post? That was from Aldi, and it's just starting to come back this spring.
And though they're not much to look at yet...
...I bought 6 berry bushes sticks from Aldi this spring, and I'm hoping that in a year or two, they'll provide us with some very local fruit. 😉
I should let you know that Aldi doesn't always carry these items...every week they have a limited quantity of a few special purchase items, so when they have something you want, you should probably snatch it up (unless it's something you won't die without. In that case you can be stubborn like me and wait for it to move to the Aldi clearance rack!).
p.s. Thank you for being so lovely and polite in the comments on yesterday's post. I was slightly nervous about the Easter Bunny/Santa Claus topic, but I should not have worried. On other blogs, there might have been a firestorm in the comments, but not here (and it's not because I deleted comments!). You all are awesome. Mwah!
We've also had some really great luck with Aldi household items. We have a little plastic cabinet that we got for $40 and it has held up great. It was used for food storage in our laundry room and now holds extra linens and other miscellany on our balcony.
I recently purchased a small shredder there for $20 (about half what it cost at Wal-mart or an office supply store) as well as a small lockbox for our important documents (also $20, also half what it cost elsewhere. No, they're not brand-name, but they are certainly serving their purpose and doing it well.
We bought a patio set there......... and we love it. IT was last weeks special purchase I believe. GO ALDIS!!
i've made out well at aldis well too. i got a huge divided crockpot there for only $20 last year!
I would love to see your yogurt cheese recipe. You are making me sad that I don't have one of these lovely stores on the eastern shore. Tulips are one of my favorite flowers!! They look so pretty around your mailbox.
I have always been hesitant to buy things other than groceries from Aldi. I am glad to hear from you and other readers that it might be worth it to check out some of their other items.
Glad you were happy with responses from your post yesterday. I personally do not see the big deal. I feel that is someone has a problem with what YOU do with YOUR family; they need to get a life 🙂
What kind of berry bushes did you get?
Last spring I purchased two blueberry bushes, and was tickled pink when fruit appeared (I was told it may take a few YEARS). My kiddos could not wait to get their grubby little fingers on them, but I made them wait. "They weren't quite ripe enough".
Unfortunately, the local birds missed my memo. Invest in cheese cloth before it's too late! 😉
Thanks for the Aldi info! Your blog has been such a wonderful tool for me and my pocketbook. I will admit, though, I've yet to shop in Aldi's ... but if anyone convinces me to do so, it will be YOU. 😀
Hello Sister-in-Christ Jesus!
I am posting a comment my very first time. I always wanted to post one here on your website! You are a fantastic mom, I think! Praise God for people like you who use your talents for his glory. Well, let me get to yesterday's thoughts...I have started tithing awhile back and believe me it has really come back double and overflowing... God is so awesome! We continue to tithe and still see blessing apon blessing... I have found your website unbelievable and down to earth! I love your sens of humor, your photos, wisdom and strength...OK...I better leave it at that, gb!
Oh my, a holy roller!! 🙂
Nice pan there. I already have a set of cast iron pans. I'm really hoping that the lardlord of the place we're moving into doesn't have a glass top or induction stove. Gas doesn't go out that far but maybe I'll get lucky with a coiled stove?
Is the Aldi's near you nice? I checked out the one nearest me and it was scary. It's in not-so-safe neighborhood and they make you pay $.25 to rent a grocery cart.
What do you think of Shopper's? (Formerly, Shopper's Food Warehouse before they tried to upmarket themselves.) The one in walking distance from my house used to be kind of dirty but they renovated and now are pretty nice. I'll go there for dry goods and alcohol. I won't buy meat there-I used to but found the meat to be rotten several times.
As for iron skillets-is that one pre-seasoned?
All Aldi's require a "payment" of .25 to rent a grocery cart. BUT--you get it back when you return the cart. It's a nice way to make sure people return the carts so that they don't have to pay people to collect them--that's one of the ways they keep their prices low. 🙂 I'm sorry to hear that your Aldi is in a scary neighborhood, though!
Mwah back atcha!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
No Aldi's in Portland, OR. We have Winco, which sounds similar, although many items are lower quality and I would never dream of buying fresh fish there.
As far as the "polite" comments, I think you set the tone yourself by never being preachy or superior. You answered the questions factually and in a non-judgmental way and didn't insist that everybody do it your way.
I have bought fresh fish a couple of times from WinCo and haven't had a problem (yet). But I looked it over pretty carefully and asked to sniff it first (if there's no fishy smell it's fresh). I have found good quality products at WinCo too. Their bakery items are excellent, for example.
Grocery Outlet in Portland also has great non-grocery buys from time to time. My favorite find was my dishcloths: 6 for $1. I bought two packages three years ago, and they're just now starting to fray around the edges.
Winco is way bigger than Aldi and carries several brands, including name brands. Aldi basically carries only one house brand. So if you're looking for cheddar cheese, there aren't a hundred options, there's just one Aldi brand block and one Aldi brand shredded. It actually makes shopping so much faster to not have to choose between brands/sizes/flavors/etc.
I haven't necessarily found Winco to be lower quality, mainly because I'm buying the same brands I would at Fred Meyer or wherever, but at 25-50% less. Though I don't really frequent their deli or bakery (except the garlic bread 😛 ).
I've been trying to figure out if there's an Aldi in Portland but I guess I just found my answer. 🙁
We're always picking up something other than food when we visit our Aldi. A really great find we came across recently was in their clearance rack. There were two HGS Damastmesser knives, a 5" and a 7" for $9.99 each, normally $29.99 each. My husband says they're one of the best German knives made and we'd be stupid for not investing in them. We bought both! Yay, Aldi! I showcase it on my last blog post:
http://frugalisticintheozarks.blogspot.com/2010/04/unexpected-expenses-and-chicken-noodle.html
After reading your post I'm now quite sad we don't have Aldis here in Canada (BTW all our discount grocery stores do that 25-cents-for-a-cart thing, too).
Raspberry canes are a great investment. I planted some 3 years ago and they have just taken off wonderfully! In fact they have taken over the whole space I had "assigned" to them in my little urban backyard (about 4 x6 feet) and are now wandering into my strawberry patch. I'm digging up the ones that have roamed outside their domain to sell at my upcoming yard sale 🙂
You make me wish we had an Aldi's.
I love clear glass bowls. I have quite a few--a set of Pyrex, a set of Anchor, and probably a couple of others. They're great in the microwave, oven, and on the table. About 75% of my baking & serving bowls are clear glass, and the other 25% is Corningware French White.
Wow, the azalea that we planted at my mom's house looks just like that. When we bought it, it was pretty and in bloom. My mom thinks they do that because the roots aren't that deep 🙁
I like the ground turkey meat at Aldi's, yogurt, milk, butter, thier fruit and veggies. At times I do but fresh fruit and veggies at a diff. store called Tony's. Their prices are very good for food. I live near Chicago so I don't know if you have one It is a larger grocery deparment but it isn't like a LEADING (or chain) type as in Dominick's or Jewel or Safeway. I have never tried the toiletries at Aldi but I should, considering get things at Sam's were I usually go but easily find that I can load the cart with things unexpectedly..:(...I would love to the try the fruit bushes from Aldi because like to garden too! Especially that someone posted that they grow fruit pretty quickly! Sweet! 🙂
Has anyone bought any grocery/toiletry/laundry items at Target or Walgreen's or Dollar General? I'm just wondering how they compare price.
I go to Target and Walgreens for all my toiletry/laundry needs. Ours (near Chicago) just got a grocery section. I bought a 5# bag of potatoes for $1.50 on sale, which was a nickel or so cheaper than Aldi.
I use coupons for everything at Target--we get free coupons sent to our complex on Saturdays and I clip whatever we would normally use. Since Aldi doesn't accept coupons, it's a way for me to reduce Target prices, keep name-brand stuff (I CANT do cheapie contact solution... my eyes hate me for it!) and still get a great deal.
Walgreen's is a bit pricey, but you can load up on regular sunday/saturday coupons and instore coupons. Timed right (if you have time to look at both ads) you can get super deals.
Don't have time? Aldi is fantastic option. Target and Walgreens of course will be more $$ because of the brand names. Target brand is comparable to Aldi I think. Aldi is convienent, tho they have better prices (even with coupons!) on paper towels and toilet paper. I find their quality reasonable! (Walgreens for bleach! 99 cents or less!)
I go to Target for toiletries, because they have some exclusive brands I like, as well as clothing, some food items (they have some great house brand Indian meals in a box), office supplies, and laundry products. Their groceries don't seem to be a screaming deal, just average.
I get a ton of my cleaning supplies from dollar stores because they are soooo much cheaper and work just as well. Even things like sponges, brushes, brooms- they're going to wear out eventually so why spend a ton on them? And they carry some name brands like Softsoap and Woolite. Also sometimes the electronic, office, and dinnerware sections can be surprising. However I don't do food there. A lot of things are the same price or even more expensive as a regular store but just reduced quantities, others are bad quality.
I don't get much at Walgreen's because I find it overpriced.
I got an oblong metal mesh pasta sieve at Aldi that I like. I like that it was cheaper than the same one I was going to buy at Target!
Having just moved to an area that actually has an Aldi (living on the north side of Baltimore now) - I have to say, I am a huge fan of Aldi! The one I go to is in a mildly skethcy part of town, but I am definitely addicted. I will have to check out their non-grocery items.
We enjoy Aldi as well 🙂 When you have time, can you please share how you make yogurt cheese??? Sounds yummy, thanks!
I bought the same glass bowls from Aldi and love them! I was unsure about purchasing plants from Aldi (see this post: http://sproutsshootsandsunshine.com/floral-friday/) and was glad to see you had a good experience!
Yes,i'm origanal from Germany ,been living here in Florida for 22 years, unfortuanly we dont have ALDI in the Sunshine STate,I know all the Germans love ALDI its a booming chain ,the bring a lots of cool items and very reasonable.the even have Liquer ,wine ans schnapps. Thank you for sharing and teaching us the importend stuff in life . I don't have a smart phone either, i use Trace phone.
I'm one of the lucky ones, there's an Aldi across from my office at work. Today, I bought 3 Cleveland Ornamental Pear trees, marked down to approx. $5 from $16 and a Chinese Lilac bush for $8. I live on my family farm so there's plenty of planting room for deals like these. I didn't know Aldi sold plants/shrubs/flowers until my aunt told me she bought iris bulbs there when I visited her last week and saw the beautiful blooms in her yard. My 85 year old mother introduced me to Aldi and she's been a loyal shopper since Aldi came to her hometown several years ago. The vegan plantain chips $1.69 are very good but were out of stock today at my store. I also purchased the garden cart $19.99 to coral all of my gardening hand tools as they tend to travel all over the yard and hard to find when I need them. today was a lucky day at Aldi, as I bought 4 cushions @ $12.99 each for my patio furniture after looking at Lowe's and Walmart last weekend at comparable cushions prices at $24 and up. my current ones are dry rotted and I'm happy to be able to replace them all for only $52.
Did you get your Berries from your Berry sticks?
Yea, I know it's nearly ten years ago!!!
Sadly, no! Mine died.