3 Ways to Save Money at Aldi This Year

Get ready to spend less when grocery shopping.

Whether you have a large family to feed or it's just you and your own appetite to manage, groceries can be a major expense in your budget. And if you're looking to add to your savings account balance this year, then you may be motivated to shop for food as frugally as possible. That's where stores like Aldi come in.

You may not be all that familiar with Aldi, and there may not be an Aldi in your neck of the woods. But if there is an Aldi that's convenient for you, it pays to shop there. More so than that, it pays to shop at Aldi strategically. Here are a few ways you can stock up on groceries at Aldi without racking up too high a credit card tab in the process. 

1. Try those brands you've never heard of

If you've ever shopped at Aldi before, you may have come across different brands whose names aren't at all familiar to you. Don't pass those items up. If you buy an off-brand product rather than a name brand, you could end up saving a bundle of money without necessarily compromising on taste or quality.

In fact, Aldi even says on its website that more than 90% of the products it carries in its stores are exclusive brands -- ones most consumers have probably never heard of. This allows Aldi to provide customers with products that are high in quality without passing on the hidden costs associated with well-known brands, like advertising.

2. Keep an eye out for clearance items

Just because Aldi's prices are low to begin with doesn't mean you can't score even deeper discounts. Aldi has a clearance section whose inventory can vary from day to day. But it pays to scope it out, because you might manage to check some items off of your list at a fraction of their usual cost. 

3. Return your shopping cart like you're supposed to 

Many supermarket chains hire workers to collect stray shopping carts from parking lots and return them to their respective docking areas. Aldi doesn't. The reason? It wants to save on costs so it can pass more savings along to consumers. 

For this reason, you need to put down a $0.25 deposit to use a shopping cart at Aldi. You'll get that deposit back once you return your shopping cart to its rightful place after you've packed your groceries into your car. And while it's easy to argue that saving $0.25 won't really do much to improve your financial picture, if you shop at Aldi several times a week and always make it a point to return your carts and get your quarters back, the savings could add up.

Besides, returning your shopping cart, as opposed to leaving it smack in the middle of a parking lot, is just plain the nice thing to do. It makes life easier for other shoppers and helps avoid a scenario where cars get dented by a wind-blown cart on a blustery day.

Shopping at Aldi can be a money-saving experience by itself. But if you employ these tips, you might manage to reap even more savings this year.