3 Unexpected Drawbacks of Shopping at Aldi

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Groceries are a big expense for a lot of households. So it's natural that you'd want to find ways to save money on yours. And a good way to do that is by shopping at Aldi.

Because Aldi doesn't tend to carry much in the way of name-brand products, it's able to offer up lower prices than many of its competitors. But despite that benefit, you may find shopping at Aldi to be a frustrating experience. Here's why.

1. You may not be able to complete your shopping list with a single trip

Many people are used to walking into a supermarket, buying everything they need, and moving on. At Aldi, that's not always possible.

Aldi intentionally sources low-cost products in the hopes of passing savings along to consumers. What that sometimes means is that Aldi won't have a staple item -- or many staple items -- in stock.

Now, imagine going to the grocery store only to find that you can't purchase cucumbers for your salad or oranges for your kids' lunches. That's annoying. You'll either need to do without those items for the week or make a trip to a different store. Either way, it's a hassle.

2. You might end up throwing your money away on off-brands your kids reject

If you're not particular about brands, and you're only shopping for yourself, then by all means, load up on Aldi products. If the boring beige pasta box that's $0.70 cheaper than a major brand doesn't bother you, then why not save the money?

But if you have picky eater children at home, you may end up wasting money by shopping at Aldi in the form of thrown-out food.

Kids tend to be particular with what they'll put in their mouths. Sometimes, all it takes is a different-looking package for a young child to refuse to eat the cereal or snack bars you've purchased. So all told, you might end up having to dump some of your Aldi purchases, which won't be good for your wallet at all.

3. You might spend more due to having to tweak your meal plan

Shoppers are often encouraged to plan out their meals before hitting the supermarket. This way, you'll be more efficient with your purchases and less likely to waste money on ingredients that don't end up getting used.

But remember, you're not guaranteed to find everything you need at Aldi. So you may have to pivot mid-trip and adjust your meal plans accordingly. That could put you in a position where you end up buying more expensive food than what you planned on.

For example, say you decide you're going to make spaghetti and sauteed vegetables in marinara, only Aldi is out of the sauce you expected to use in your recipe. You could grab a jar of premade vodka or pesto sauce instead if it's in stock, but that might cost double what a jar of basic marinara sauce runs you.

All told, Aldi has the potential to be a source of grocery savings. But be aware of these pitfalls before you head over. And if you're pressed for time and can only hit a maximum of one supermarket per week, then you may want to buy your food somewhere other than Aldi.

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