EDITOR’S NOTE: a slightly edited version of this post ran on Money Saving Mom back in August of 2017 under the title “How I Save With ALDI Special Buys.”
Conversations like this are common in my house …
Husband: “We could use a new skillet/bath mat/camping tent/veggie spiralizer/etc.”
Me: “Okay. I’ll wait until Aldi sells it as a Special Buy and then get it.”
When the Aldi ad comes out each week, it’s a little bit like Christmas. My husband and I both look forward to seeing what unique items will be on store shelves for a limited time. We’ve learned that with patience, you can get many things you need from Aldi: bed sheets, bath towels, lawn furniture, kitchen gadgets, lamps, shelves, home organizing supplies, and more.
The only catch is that because Aldi is a low-inventory store, it doesn’t sell all of these products at once. However, Aldi does tend to sell the same (or similar) Special Buy items on a yearly rotating schedule, so if you’ve seen it in the store before, chances are good that it will come back at some point. So that patience factor is pretty important.
Rather than feeling frustrated because I can’t buy what I want when I want from Aldi, I’ve learned to view this as an advantage. I could simply go out to Walmart or another retailer to immediately buy what I need, but often I don’t.
Here are three reasons why I like waiting for Aldi to stock a Special Buy product:
Waiting helps me curb impulse spending.
Waiting allows me to think about whether I really need to buy a product. Often after giving it some thought, I’ll realize I don’t really need a new comforter (the old one still looks fine) or shiny new skillet (it’s still serviceable) after all. Waiting also allows me to budget for when I do eventually make a purchase. I feel more confident when it’s a purchase I’ve planned perhaps months in advance and I know it’s something I truly want or need.
Waiting may get me a lower price.
Aldi’s non-food Special Buy items are not always cheaper, but they often are, even if it’s only by a small amount. This is sometimes true even of brand items that you could find at other stores.
Waiting allows me to support a business I like.
Sure, Aldi is still a chain store, but Aldi treats its workers better than Walmart. Workers are paid well compared to other grocery chains and receive benefits. I like supporting the smaller guy over the big corporations.
Sometimes waiting for Aldi to stock an item is not possible, like if my daughter’s bed sheet suddenly rips and I need new sheets right away. It’s happened. However, when I can wait, I do wait.
How about you? Do you wait for items you need to come around as Special Buys at Aldi, or do you prefer to buy them immediately from other retailers?
“When the Aldi ad comes out each week, it’s a little bit like Christmas.” This is exactly how I feel about Wednesdays – I love browsing the new week’s finds over lunch! 🙂