Why shopping at Lidl makes total sense
Blog by: Rebecca Rutt on Aug 16th, 2011
How much do you think this list of things should cost?
* A packet of crackers
* One tub of cream cheese
* A tin of tuna
* Small carton of milk
* Two fair trade bananas
* One apple
Last week I bought this exact package for the bargain price of £2.60 from my local Lidl and haven’t shut up about it since.
Recently I’ve discovered the German shop around the corner from my flat in Finsbury Park and it’s a godsend. The food is much cheaper than Tesco or Sainsbury’s but the choices can be a little odd.
I’ve found the best way to shop there is by not having a list - as the food seems to change all the time - but this can lead to a rather odd shopping experience. For example, last week I went in to buy something for dinner but managed to come out with a jar of honey soaked raspberries and four bottles of pear cider for £2.99.
I’ve now made it a bit of a (slightly annoying) habit to buy a bag full of food products and try and make my housemates guess how much it all costs.
It’s not just food that’s cheap either. The alcohol in these budget supermarkets costs a lot less than those from the main high street brands and tastes a lot better than you might expect.
A lot of the food won’t have English labels and you won’t be able to find your favourite brands but be a little open minded and you could save lots.
Sainsbury’s recently launched a huge ‘feed your family for £50 a week’ campaign but I think you could follow these same recipes, buy the food from Lidl or Aldi, and save even more money.
Inflation is up again for July and the cost of everyday food and drink is getting more expensive all the time. A weekly shop is something we all do and it seems everyone has their own personal favourite shop they religiously go to. But by breaking this tradition and trying out a discount supermarket you could save a lot of money.
Ever heard of approved food? Online sellers of short dated clearance food and drink
While Lidl prices may be good, check out another European Brand ALDI.
You may find some unfamiliar brand names but the quality and prices are excellent.
Bread, biscuits,chocolate, milk. cream and yoghurt are all much cheaper as are fresh vegetables and fruit.Their range of both continental hams and British fresh meat products will save you pounds as will their bacon. Basic household purchases like laundry detergents,toilet rolls ,shave and shower gels are also cheap but do the job well!
Things to maybe avoid are the tinned foods and electrical which cheap but are not that special but you can easily save overall on the rest.
I did a weekly shop al Lidl and found the bill was £2.50 more than I could have spent at Waitrose!!
I normally shop at Tesco, Sainsbury and Waitrose.
If you buy in bulk when their offers are on you can save. If you vary the main shop, these supermarkets give vouchers to entice you back. You can pay by credit card and I get cash back from my card. You get points at Tesco and Sainsbury.
You can't use a credit card at Lidl. Pay the card in full each month and you can manage your finances.
For those who say they don't have time to shop around ~ nowdays you don't have time not to. NEVER NEVER food shop on line.
Make food shopping a challenge and an expedition. Save a fortune. Beware the Aldi Liddle myth!!
I have to disagree on the comment "A lot of the food won’t have English labels", as many products are produced for the english speaking markets. Most food will actually have multi language packets.
Absolutely go to Lidl - we are in our 60's and recently retired. We have shopped at Tesco for years when at work but now we pop into Lidl and pick up incredible bargains. Staples like Milk, Bread, Cheese, etc are all cheaper and delicious but there are incredible special offers on meat and veg. fruit juices and cereals and biscuits(some a bit odd - but tasty) The wine and spirits are great too, so give it a go - they have a weekly newsletter with all the bargains marked for the following week so you can chose your menus, but hurry up the stuff is so good they sell out very quickly. Happy shopping. Lesley
i have changed loyalty from sainsburys to aldi.
6 free range eggs ina ldi-99p,in sains-1.58!
aldi bread very good too,loaf of wholemeal sliced-47p.
it really is worth looking into these budget shops.
Totally agree where else can you get 6 free range eggs for roughly 84p.......
I regularly shop at Lidl and have done so for many years. When items are on offr I buy bulk if I can afford to and the items will keep. I love the Three Corner Yogurts that are in packs of 6 especially when they are 1/2 price. I can never get everything at Lidl but usually make a very good saving on what I do buy and it is very good quality.
Good to know that the London elite are catching up with the rest of the country. Most people have been shopping around like this for the past 2/3 years through necessity not in an attempt to be unique.
So once again you have become fashion followers not trend setters.
The tins of baked beans from Aldi are my favourite, they even out- sell many of the big brand names.
I shop between aldi/morrisons and sainsburys but i think it all depends on what you buy( we go through loads of fruit and veg) and check who has offers on, you can do this online before you go. Buy Gammon (2 huge ones and not the plastic stuff )for £1.89 reg on offer for £1.49, eggs, flour,pop,titan bars better than mars bars 6 for 69p but B&M is a good choice too for pastas,sauces,soups and all sorts of offers. My 17 year old loves super noodles (i know gross) and they are 35p in there bought shapers cup of soups yesterday for 15p so it is well worth shopping about
I totally agree, Lidl and Aldi are very good value for money and that's every week
I use a credit card at Lidl as do many other shoppers that I know. If you buy bulk offers at Lidl you can easily save a lot of money. Certainly can't beat their Special Muesli when on offer, I buy by the carton.
only debit cards, no credit cards accepted
The electrical products at Aldi are excellent value for money and their 3 year guarantee beats branded products hands down! Their PC's and laptops regularly get top marks in computer mag tests also. Their chocolate digestives are a great buy and taste fab. Cheese,yogurts, trifles, ham, fruit and veg (especially the super 6 weekly specials) at 39, 49, or 69 pence are the best buy in town and they beat all the top supermarket names by selling Fyffes bananas, the best money can buy. Their washing up liquid is better than Fairy, sweets are super value for money and the cereals are now in or pantry, why pay over £2 for one that costs 99p and is actually healthier for as regards sugar and salt content, thus less calories? Can't comment on tinned products but someone I know thinks their rice pudding and custard are the best. Don't like their ice cream though.
I always shop at Lidl first, then go to Asda for anything that I can't get in Lidl. Lidl prices are so much cheaper. The jam and marmalade are delicious. I tried the rice krispies and sugar puffs and found they were better than the top brand names.
I find it is so much quicker at the checkout too. The staff are very efficient, put the shopping through at high speed, and don't waste time with idle chatter like other store cashiers
Both Aldi and Lidl sell top quality products at unbelievable prices and both take credit cards. I shop with mine every week.
I love Lidl's Muesli but can never seem to be able to buy it when it is on special offer.
Now I know why!! LOL
(Can one actually buy bulk in Lidl's?)
We are a retired couple and have shopped at Aldi, Lidl and Netto for many years. For branded goods we go to Morrisons, Sainsburys or Asda, but for wonderfully cheap, excellent alternatives to the basics we use Aldi the most. Every week they have several items like tomatoes or carrots or potatoes at 49p, we stock up on Greek Yogurt, all kinds of cheeses, deicatessen foods like salami, ham, smoked salmon etc, loo rolls and paper products of course, biscuits, great selection of very good chocolate, beer and wine. The electrical goods all come with a 3 year guarantee and some are excellent (such as the computers, read the reviews)..Bottled olives for 39p, where could you get these in a big supermarket? The caramel icecream has won awards and is to die for. The make up products often get national coverage. PS We do go to Iceland for milk, very cheap, £1 for 4 pints. Pick and Mix, that's what we say.
I think that credit cards can be used in Lidl and Aldi in Scotland. Why can't credit cards be used in English and Welsh stores?
You have to be very careful shopping in these stores as prices are not always cheaper than Asda etc. Also package sizes (i.e. of fruit) can be much smaller for the same price.
Not very good that you can not use a credit card at Lidls. However in Lidl stores in Spain you can use credit cards. Seems strange that a euro wide store chain has different rules in each country???
since lidl opened a shop near to me,i very rarely shop any where else,at first it was a bit daunting learning what the various labels meant but over time i got used to it and my shopping expenditure has vastly improved.i use a lot of pork and chicken and find their deals on these items wonderful,
It's Lidl's policy not to accept credit cards in their shops; not here, nor abroad. I'd be interested to find out which shop does accept them.
We have ditched the Asda/Tesco/Sainsbury's and now split our shopping between Lidl / Aldi and Morrisons.
With Lidl, you are never sure what you are going to find on offer, but if your menus aren't fixed then its the best and most economical way to shop. Brilliant.
I like their jams as well. Am currently eating the strawberry one - huge XX jar bought for the same price as the smaller one, 85p - and a jar of quince jam which they had on special offer for 85p. Always buy the rice krispies as well. I even stock up on their 19p tins of tomato soup.