Friday Fun - at Aldi? And a lesson in living Poorganic!

Recently my friend blogger Katrina, who writes at The Poorganic Life, wrote her entire grocery list for the month as a post. I know that's a little strange right?? Even she was wondering how this could possible be interesting to her readers. However, a few things stuck with me.

1. Aldi - cheap discount store! I couldn't believe the prices and thought wow she's so lucky to have one nearby, must be a North Carolina thing.

2. I thought maybe I'd start a monthly grocery list and write down all the prices in a nice Excel chart, so I did! $151.34 later I've got all these neat little stats about our food purchases for the last 9 days.

Then I spotted the newly opened Aldi near my home. Just a tiny bit further than our typical grocery store. So when we ran out of bread, milk, juice and there was a sudden demand for carrots I had to check it out! It only took convincing a 3 year old comfortably watching Beauty and the Beast that we had run out of food and absolutely needed to run to the store in order to have dinner - that was the hard part! Once we got out the door it was only a matter of getting two small ones to clamor into the van and off we went to this wonderland of discounts.

Upon entering the store I could not find any baskets or carts? Back outside we went and they were all chained up? Puzzled, 35 weeks pregnant does not help deductive thinking, I asked a man putting his cart away if I could have his. He nicely explained that you need a quarter to check out a cart and you get it back when you return the cart! Then he gave me his cart, good thing because I can't recall carrying change in forever and a day!

Inside we browsed the small neat store with insanely low prices posted in an even row along the wall. I noticed they are a bit naughty about putting all the candy and chips first but that did not deter us, we had 4 items on our list! First the Honey Wheat bread for $1.29 a loaf, then Milk for $2.89 ($1.00 savings from Publix), then Apple Juice for $0.92 ($1.00 savings from Publix) and finally baby carrots for $0.99.

Considering we buy 2 gallons of milk a week X 52 weeks, that's $104 annual savings. Same for apple juice 2 per week is another $104 annual savings!

My Poorganics friend has spent the last 6 months (that I've known her) talking up a life of living frugally and giving away in return to those in need. She's inspired me to give away $100 per month to mission needs this year and I'm just astonished that I've found this savings for the two months that I've already given away! I guess God really does give back to a giving heart!