Cool Store Profile: ALDI

As many of you know, I've been on a quest this summer to find cheaper groceries since finding cheap gas seems like a losing battle. I think I found the answer. A reader posted a comment recently about ALDI, a German grocery store that has a few stores in the Washington area. I went to the Alexandria store this week, bought a few groceries, and determined that I cut $40 off my regular shopping trip. Here's what else I learned: If you're someone who finds the shopping experience as important as the food selection and deals, then ALDI is not your place to shop. The store is simple. Food is neatly presented in its own large cardboard box so you're not browsing shelves of food. You have to pay a quarter to use a grocery cart but you get the quarter back when you're done shopping. The carts are nice and big though. The company says... [read full story]