“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” – Proverbs 18:15 (ESV)
Welcome back to the ALDI discussion. As we study the principles and patterns of success, it is rewarding to observe and apply them in our daily lives. (ALDI – Part 1)
Before I digress, I want to share four tips as outlined below with respective reflection questions to discuss as a family or meditate on your own:
- Less is More
ALDI’s slogan is “ Quality Foods. Everyday Low Prices.” The “DI” in “ALDI” represents “Diskont” (“Discount” in German). Consuming quality food is not cheap. Homesteading has a cost to consider, especially at the beginning. If money is not a concern, you can definitely opt for Whole Foods Market or other high quality supermarkets in your area. You may find more selections of perfect-looking fruits and vegetables, but for double or triple the price. I only check their discount shelf even if I happen to visit these more expensive stores. Since I need to stretch a dollar with our budget right now, ALDI makes a better choice. We shop there mostly for produce, which may not be the biggest or prettiest but still with fairly good quality.
Not only is ALDI’s price competitive, but also the limited selections make shopping easier. I chose against ALDI for the fewer selections at the beginning as I mentioned above. As life gets busy, I appreciate the fewer choices to keep things more simple. ALDI is designed for you to go in and out fast, so we can waste less time pushing a cart around the isles. (When there are things on the Walmart list, my husband mentions how even a “quick trip” takes much longer than expected.)
Other than price and selection, ALDI’s simplicity permeates all areas and shelves. You don’t see fancy advertisements around or hear any type of music at the store. It’s kind of nice in this sound-saturated culture to have a quiet space to shop. ALDI’s lower prices probably has something to do with many simple steps they have utilized, including dropping the need to pay music royalties. You may also find package crates or boxes placed directly on the shelf, which makes the loading work faster.
However, ALDI is probably not your best choice for your late-night grocery run. Their operation hours are usually shorter than stores like Walmart. If you really want to shop at ALDI, you can plan the trip within the operation hours. Again, less cost to staff the late night shift. You don’t see the overstaff issue at ALDI. It’s inspirational to see how fast the cashier can get the job done!
Reflection:
A. In what area in my family’s life have I allowed too many choices to clutter my mind or space? (Food, curriculum, activities, clothing, trash, tools, toys?)
B. Pray through those daily/weekly choices or commitments. What time commiments or boundaries would you like to modify? Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to set priorities or to shift things around for more effective work for His Kingdom purposes.
- Root Rules
The “AL” in “ALDI” is the shortened form for the German family name “Albrecht”. ALDI started as a small family grocery store by a mother and expanded by her sons, the Albrecht brothers. The store also sells authentic German foods to honor their cultural heritage.
I studied a little bit of German while in college. It’s always fun to discover some fun treats with German prints on the packages when German week comes.
I guess the Albrecht mother had no idea what ALDI would be like today, serving people worldwide. Interestingly, another Albrechet in the family owned the brand Trader Joe’s, another budget-friendly grocery store chain with quality foods. What a legacy! When we faithfully follow God, we find our purpose in His great plans. We may not see the fruit of the seeds we planted and that’s okay. We just need to be faithful. Ultimately, God is the only one, the Master Gardener, who can make things truly grow with optimal health and performance for His glorious purposes.
Reflection:
A. Mothers, especially homeschool moms, don’t grow weary about doing what is good. Trust God’s timing for the seeds He has chosen to grow. Just stay out of His way. Watch in wonder! He is good!
B. Homeschool + Homestead Moms, in the midst of your busy farm work, food harvest/prep/preservation, be aware and encouraged by the fact that your children are watching and learning much more than they can learn from other books, or even your words.
C. Is there a cultural or religious heritage your family would like to honor and celebrate? Be intentional to find a time or a way to make a special memory together as a family.
D. Pray for yourself, your husband and your children to follow God, seek His Kingdom and righteousness first. Explore ways that your family can work and have fun together to advance His Kingdom for God’s glory. (Check out the book Family Economy for more ideas. You will be blessed!)
- Delegation
A good and wise leader knows how to delegate and train the people under his care. Many strategies can be employed to get the delegation work done well. You can instruct, illustrate, yell, bribe, warn or threaten your people about the DOs and Don’ts. Or you can let reality speak for itself without a word! I know it is much easier said than done. I am in a constant process to let go and let the Spirit lead prayerfully. It is hard to trust and let go, especially at the beginning.
Letting go is not to give up, or to be irresponsible. It takes intentionality and creativity to prepare for the freedom and responsibility combo. Take shopping at ALDI for example, Love it or hate it, you will need to prepare a quarter if you want to use a shopping cart at the store. When you are done using it, you can get your quarter back if you push the cart back in line. It’s that simple! You don’t see shopping carts flying around randomly at the parking lot any more! I have to say that’s a brilliant idea! I am surprised that not more stores are using this method.
The customers not only learn to be responsible for their own shopping carts, but also have a chance to create community by giving a “free” cart to one another. It’s only a quarter but can go a long way to bless many and bring a smile.
Oh, another reminder before you shop at ALDI: bring your own grocery bags or coolers, unless you are planning on purchasing some paper bags. Again, the overuse of plastic bags has become no-issue at ALDI! Without the cost to provide countless free plastic bags, another reason for the price to stay low. Win-win! (ALDI often has the packaging boxes freely available to be reused by the customers.)
Reflection:
- What chores are not being done efficiently at your home? Pray for wisdom for a practical solution. Anyone to train so you can delegate?
- If an assigned job is not done well frequently, is there a consequence? What is it? Is your system reliable for accountability? How are your children encouraged and motivated in a tangible way to finish a task? Is there any way they can work together rather than on their own?
- Specials
You can stand out usually in two ways: either by being abundant with something others are short of, or by lacking something others all have. ALDI has those “specials” standing out on both sides. Like I mentioned in the first section, ALDI has skipped paying royalties to play music in public, which could contribute to their lower price but also gives customers a quiet grocery experience. This simple step makes family shopping at ALDI a good option. If you want to teach your children how to shop wisely, a store like ALDI could be a good fit. You don’t need to worry about what the little ears may pick up at the store. Young children can absorb anything without much thinking or discernment.
Well, the most common “Special” for a grocery store is probably the price. It’s common sense to find a good deal, isn’t it? I modify my shopping list by what is on sale for the week. On top of weekly specials, ALDI ad gives a sneak peak for the following week’s everyday household items’ special. You can have time to prayerfully consider whether those things are already on your to-buy list. Yes, the suspense can be a commercial strategy to encourage more shopping. But you can still use it to your advantage since good deals do come through ALDI from time to time. Sometimes you can find brand new items there cheaper than the same used goods at a thrift store. Just be prepared to act.
If you are interested in authentic German treats, you probably don’t want to miss the German week, which only runs a couple times a year. The scarcity makes the event more special. I started this post quite a while ago, and as I am finishing up, several holiday seasons have passed. We have seen Thanksgiving and Christmas specials come through and Valentine’s specials are on now . You may find holiday specials with limited offers at ALDI with a good discount.
If you are more likely to be tempted to buy things you don’t need, simply skip the sales or specials, and stick with your list. Once in a while, it’s okay to have a treat though. That being said, we shop mostly for fresh produce. I rarely purchase those holiday specials but appreciate their efforts to put those specials together.The weekly produce sales are most applicable for us. I may swap my fruit, veggie or meat choices due to the sales of the week. We usually spend about $60-80 per week for a family of six at ALDI right now.
Shopping is a mental and spiritual practice in many ways. What to buy, how much to buy, when to buy what, where to buy what, etc.. As a homemaker striving to be faithful with the resources given, we have a lot to think through and balance. As a mother, we are called to guard our family with special care. This also means being careful about what we would allow to come into the house. Just because something is on sale will not always qualify to get our shopping list, depending on the needs and health/taste standards.
A store like ALDI can stand out by its unique services or managment. It takes vision and effort to consistently practice what they believe to gain acceptance and popularity. Imagine if a store simply aims at making a profit by selling items, there would not be a movement involved. Simply blending in with what others are doing can function in the short run but will not leave a legacy. Eventually, the more sustainable model of management with integrity will probably outcompete the average retailers.
Reflection:
- What is special about your family together? How is your family different from others? What do you enjoy doing together? What activities are your family not involved in but many others are? How do you feel?
- What are the special talents or gifts each of your family members possess? How are you different from each other? What are the ways you can be complementing each other to work together as a team?
Whew! Thank you for reading this far and joining me with my brain dump. Writing helps me process what I am allowed to see and observe. Cold winter days are wonderful times to pause and reflect.
Remember “Less is More”? Don’t get too ambitious like I am often tempted to do. Avoid the pitfalls of teaching or lecturing too much. Allow your children to discover and process on their own. You can pick and choose what is interesting to you to apply and discuss with your family.
Perhaps you can have a family discussion on “what can you learn from ALDI’s management?” after your shopping or over your dinner. Listen to what your family might come up with. You could give a few clues to look for or observe during your next shopping trip. If you shop at another store, you can compare your shopping experiences, what you like or dislike and why. I will be interested to hear about how your family discussions go if you would like to share!
What is the “little” you have now as a family? I pray the little insights I share by faith will be used in whatever ways God allows to encourage other moms and families. I am grateful for the process to count many more hidden blessings I didn’t see before. Trust your “little” will continue to multiply for His glory as you surrender to the Lord!
Happy shopping, assuming the shelves are restocked after the snow storm! He is with you wherever you go!! He will provide!!!
Further learning:
- Need encouragement for home education? Listen to this more recent episode from Generations Radio
- Need inspiration for building a family economy? Read “The Family Economy: Discovering the Family as It Was Designed to Work”
- Golls grocery list at ALDI (* is for items we can grow, only buy seasonally. We removed eggs from the list last year! Even when we are out of eggs, we can either use preserved eggs or our neighbor farmers have us covered. We stopped buying milk for quite a while as well. Grateful for those changes. )
If you like what you are reading, feel free to forward to someone you think who might be encouraged.
If you want to support what we do, buy us a coffee… bunch of bananas :o).
3rd Culture Living 