"NEIN! NO PAPER OR PLASTIK FOR YOU!!!"
Posted on 12/27/2013 12:50:27 AM PST by iowamark
Chances are that you have never set foot inside the best grocery store in America: Aldi. And even if you are lucky enough to be in one of the 32 states where Aldi is, perhaps you were put-off by the cardboard boxes in lieu of shelves, or the row upon row of suspicious-looking off-brands. What is this place? Why do I have to put down a deposit to check out a cart? What is the weird giant shelf by the exit? And what do you mean, I have to pay for a bag?
Calm your hormones, meine Schatzis: Aldi, which is short for Albrecht Discount, is the American incarnation of a German grocery chain that is so ubiquitous in the Vaterland that almost 90 percent of Germans shop there...
A disagreement in 1960 over selling cigarettes hastened a partition, and an epic game of grocery-store Risk: Theo would rename his business Aldi Nord, and would control territories north of the Rhine, plus a healthy chunk of Europe. Karl would head up Aldi Süd, and get southern Germany, more of Europe, plus the U.K. and Ireland. But both companies operate stores in the United States—Aldi Süd operates as Aldi, and Aldi Nord as the now ubiquitous Trader Joe’s.
But whereas Trader Joe’s employs just one major cost-saving device—private labeling—everything else about it is Americanized. The place is swarming with upbeat employees; cashiers stand at the till and bag your products for you; you just grab a cart willy-nilly and they trust you to put it back. Aldi also private-labels (those $1.99 “Millville” Rice Squares are Chex, you guys!), but what makes it a more exciting venture—and even cheaper than Trader Joe’s—is that it has imported the entire German grocery experience...
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Aldi’s around here are clean and the checkout speed is supersonic compared to other grocers and they are easy to get in and out of.
It is fascinating watching FR posters stick their noses up in the air at the thought of shopping there or at Walmart.
The probability is high that you will encounter some different looking people at Walmart and Aldi’s. It encourages me to see shoppers being frugal with the little money they have to spend for food. It irritates me seeing shoppers that are on assistance, not being frugal with carts filled with items I would never think of buying.
Our Aldi’s (and our Walmarts) are clean, well organized and friendly.
We are having two warm-ish days in the 30s. Then another very cold period with some nightime temps at -15. The wood stove is going to be cranking. It’s ok as long as it’s not too windy.
Exactly. I love horses, I just don't love horses.
The Aldi’s near us has a section of fair quality deli meats, pre-sliced cheeses, pre-cooked chicken slices and other items. It is cheaper than the deli, but not quite the same quality grade.
I haven’t seen pre-made sandwiches except Hot Pocket rivals in the freezer section. They have excellent chicken cordon blue, chicken stuffed with cheese and brocolli bits and similar items in the freezer section.
Fair selection of canned soups.
I assume you are talking about the Northeast in general as the taxes and cost of living is about the same whether you are in Boston, Connecticut, NY, NJ or DC/Baltimore. Maybe a tad higher in the NYC metro area.
I guess the best answer to your question is that while the cost of living is high, so are the salaries and availability of good jobs. As a lifetime resident of the Northeast, I've never been unemployed in my life and my salary increases 10-15% every year (averaged over the past 30).
Several times I have considered moving to another part of the country, including Alabama, Iowa and Kentucky as I have family living in those places. However, it seems like the folks in those areas are always struggling to make ends meet. Not a lot of quality jobs in those areas and while the cost of living is much lower in those parts, it is more than offset by the fact that even those who are working are not making very much money.
Also, I admit to being spoiled by being in the Northeast. I have access to the best hospitals, climate, transportation, restaurants, etc. The entertainment options are endless in these parts. Always something different to do and always a new restaurant to try out in the local area. Got the ocean nearby, skiing not that far away and lots of woods for hiking, camping or just getting away.
So yes, the taxes are high and I hate that. I also hate how liberal this whole area is. However, I do have plenty of disposable income that I wouldn't have if I lived someplace else and had to make do with much less income.
It just seems to be that they go overboard with snack items. They are marketed as "healthy" and "natural" but no way are all those chips, pretzels and cookies good for you. They also have tons of these snack items at the checkout counters and like I said earlier, it is hard for me to resist!
Jobs in Dallas, Texas
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=&l=75221
Jobs in Denton, Texas
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=&l=76208
Jobs in Fort Worth, Texas
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=&l=76102
I wouldn’t mind moving to Texas...thanks for info!
10,000 Pounds? Was there room for a motorcycle in the cart?
Big Y is a family owned chain here in the northeast headquartered in Springfield Mass. The country of origin is labeled on all the meat and produce. The packaged goods are labeled as well. That’s where I shop most.
You mentioned Iowa. I lived in Iowa about half of my life (from age 14 to 41) and since I worked at the unemployment office for a significant part of that, I think I know the economy fairly well. The “good-paying” jobs are in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and the university towns (Iowa City, Ames and Cedar Falls) for the most part. Unless you own a good-sized farm, there isn’t much in the rural areas that pays a great deal. Des Moines is the third-largest insurance center in the world, so if you have skills that relate to that, money can be made.
Country of origin is so important! So much of our food comes from China. More than 90% of our apple juice is from China. I think even some of Trader Joe's food comes from China. A friend of mine got a terrible case of Pine Nut Mouth from eating their pine nuts. Took months for it to clear up.
What’s this with people hating grocery chains, computer manufacturers, gasoline vendors, etc, etc, etc, like tghey hated their mother or something? Paging Dr Sigmund Freud!
The northeast is great and the stores are good but shopping in the Whole Food stores around Boston is an experience. If you ever want to see a concentration of “i think I am better and smarter than anybody else” and “I am in a hurry so get out of my way” entitled people - Whole Foods in the towns around Boston is the place to go. The parking lot is filled with Obama and Elizabeth Warren bumper stickers.
"NEIN! NO PAPER OR PLASTIK FOR YOU!!!"
In Amerika now, you don’t even HAVE a cashier, it’s a machine YOU have to operate (for no pay or cost savings) AND you have to bag your own groceries.
I think Obamacare's got people morphing into Walter!
The “Arbeit Macht Frei” sign over the entrance should have been the first clue.
Probably should have said 'what's not to like about Aldi's' because those other items tend to keep you too poor to move out! And you can't sell your house because no one's buying - so...
I can see why people here can't move out, but what I really can't see is why anyone would move TO here.. And when we get the opportunity, we're outta here too.
Around here, Trader Joe's is top of the line type food, Ezekiel 4:9 bread, etc. and higher priced. (And gives surplus to the poor).
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