ALDI started in Germany way back in 1913, and was often perceived as “cheap” in terms of quality grocery goods. But those days are long gone. If you shop regularly at ALDI, or maybe you’ve been curious about the store, this article’s for you. From the best items to buy at ALDI, to some cool insider ALDI shopping hacks, you’re bound to save some extra money on your next grocery trip.

The Items Worth Buying at ALDI:

The next time you walk into ALDI, be sure you walk out with these items…

1. Canned Goods

Whenever you can buy canned goods between $0.50 and $0.69 a can, you’re doing pretty darn good. Stock-up the pantry and save.

2. Pasta and Sauce

With a 2 lb. package of spaghetti pasta coming in at about $1.50, and jars of sauce selling for a buck, it’s hard to beat ALDI when thinking about a pasta feed for dinner.

3. Baking Supplies

Stock up at ALDI and save on baking supplies like baking soda, cornstarch, extracts, flour, and sugar.

Unless you need to buy in bulk, ALDI will typically beat Costco and Walmart on price.

See Also: 24 ALDI Savings Tips You Need to Implement Today

4. Spices

ALDI sells very liberal container sizes of spices and they’re rarely priced over $1.50 for any given spice.

Great for cooking, dry BBQ rubs, and overall very handy to have in the pantry.

5. Produce

Fresh fruit and vegetables at ALDI ire a steal and when they go on sale they’re ridiculously cheap.

They put some fruit and veggies on sale every week which makes for a great time to stock-up.

Plan you meals around the sales and you can cut a lot of money from your weekly grocery bill.

6. Cereal

If you’re not a big coupon clipper then it’s hard to beat the everyday low price on cereal at ALDI.

Most boxes come in at about $1.39 to $1.89 per box and they’re pretty darn tasty from all accounts.

7. Canned Broth

Be sure to stock-up on the ALDI’s Chef’s Cupboard broths at about $0.49 a can.

Hard to beat that price anywhere.

8. Salad Dressing

Check out the in-house brand vinaigrette and bleu cheese.

Both are suppose to be awesome and about half the price compared to the name-brands you’ll find at the grocery store.

Let’s now looks at some ALDI hacks to maximize your savings even further.

See Also: ALDI Return Policy: Here’s the Dealio + Hacks for Success

6 Insider ALDI Hacks Worth Knowing:

Here are some insider ALDI hacks to maximize your savings and make your next visit a little more efficient.

1. Forgot Your Re-Usable Bags?

Not a problem, just grab an empty box, or almost empty, from a shelf and use it to take your groceries home. And yes, ALDI is completely cool with you doing this.

2. Take Advantage of Their Double Guarantee

The ALDI double guarantee is pretty darn impressive and not known to many shoppers.

If for any reason, you’re not completely satisfied with any food item you purchased, you can return it for a FULL refund plus they’ll offer a replacement.

Doesn’t matter how much of the item you’ve consumed, just bring it back in with your receipt and they’ll take care of you.

3. Know When “Special Buys” Happen

Any loyal ALDI shopper knows that a “Special Buy” on an item means huge savings, often up to 75% off the already low ALDI everyday price. But when do they happen and on what products?

The single best way to figure out what items are (and will be) Special Buys is to bookmark this page on their website and check it weekly.

It shows the weekly ad at ALDI as well as what Special Buys are coming to ALDI in future weeks.

Plan your shopping accordingly and save big.

4. ALDI Bread “Discount” Secret

ALDI is known to discount their bread items exactly 5 days before the expiration date.

So if you’re shopping for a loaf and you notice the expiration date is 6 days out, wait a day to buy and save some cold hard cash.

5. What’s Up With the Yellow Hook?

Have you ever noticed the yellow hook on the front of every ALDI grocery cart? No, they’re not for hanging-up your 2-year old by his overall straps.

Turns out they’re for your reusable bags, just hook them on and have more room in your shopping cart for your actual groceries.

6. Store Brands Secret at ALDI

Similar to Trader Joe’s, many of the items at ALDI are produced by big name-brands and then repackaged specifically for them.

And yes, they’re typically sold for less than the name-brand.

Rumors have circulated for years that ALDI’s Kirkwood chicken is actually packaged by Tyson and their apple pie is made by Mrs. Smith’s.

The takeaway here is that their in-house brand is really solid and provides a terrific value.

Do you have any ALDI hacks worth sharing? Let me know in the comments and I’ll investigate.

Ask the Reader: Have do you save money at ALDI? What items do they sell that make the trek to the store worth it?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart.

Both Airbnb and VRBO (Vacation Rental by Owner) have become online fixtures for travelers looking to book their next vacation home directly from the owner. You can often save a lot of money compared to booking a hotel or resort. But did you know you can typically negotiate an even better rate, especially on “last-minute” travel?

I actually manage my parent’s beach condo via VRBO and occasionally get savvy travelers using this hack to save a little extra money on their lodging costs. I’ll happily give them a “last-minute” discount to avoid the condo sitting empty, not earning a dime. Keep reading as I’m about to spill the beans on how best to make this hack work for you.

The “Last-Minute” VRBO and Airbnb Hack

Most VRBO property owners aren’t a big fan of having their vacation rental sit empty on any given weekend.

Go figure, huh? Use this to your advantage and try this last-minute VRBO and Airbnb hack to score a deal.

Here are the 6 keys to your success…

1. Just Ask

In your initial email inquiry about the vacation property, ask about the possibility of a “last-minute” discount.

2. Have Good Timing

I’ve found the happy spot for a successful last-minute discount to be in the 2 weeks leading up to your arrival date.

3. What Discount to Ask For

I like to start the negotiating by asking for 25% off the original nightly rate and be prepared to meet somewhere in the middle around 10-15% off.

4. What if They Won’t Budge?

Sometimes the owner just won’t budge from their normal nightly rate.

When this happens, it works really well to ask for the last night free if you’re staying more than 4 nights.

I’ve had a lot of success nabbing a free night this way.

5. Other Perks to Ask For

Also, ask if possibly the cleaning fee could be waived, or reduced by 50%.

Keep in mind that many vacation rental owners do their own cleaning and are often willing to remove, or reduce, the cleaning fee so their place doesn’t sit vacant.

This perk alone could save you $100 to $250 depending on how big the property is.

6. Always Be Polite

You always attract more bees with honey than vinegar. (Is that how the saying goes?)

Anyways, in your email and phone conversations with the vacation property owner, always be polite and cordial, and NEVER demanding. You’ll find your success rate quadruple (or more) by doing so.

Odds of success using this hack?

In my experience I’d guesstimate that about 60-70% of my last-minute inquiries have resulted in a discount of one type or another.

Not a bad way to save money on your next family vacation.

Ask the Reader: Do you use VRBO or Airbnb often to rent a vacation property? If so, have you ever considering using this hack to save some money?

By Kyle James

My love affair with the McDonald’s secret menu started when I was in college and the local Golden Arches offered 2 Big Macs for $2. Needless to say I indulged often and my waistline paid the ultimate price. The prices have gone up quite a bit since my college days, but there are still smart ways to save money at McDonald’s. There are also some interesting items on the Mickey D’s secret menu that I recently discovered. Some of which will actually help you save money on your next meal. Enjoy, and let me know in the comments if I missed any menu items and I’ll investigate.

I figured we’d break down the McDonald’s secret menu by category, hope it helps and bon appétit. Keep in mind that some of these secret menu items are known by all McDonald’s employees and some are a bit more “off the radar” and may require some assembly on your own. Drum roll please…

McDonald’s “Burger” Secret Menu:

All American Burger: This is basically a cheeseburger without the cheese, mustard, and onions. So, in case you’re keeping score, the All-American consists of a bun, beef patty, ketchup, and pickles.

Big Mac N Cheese: For the vegetarians out there, this is a BigMac without the cheese. Hmm, I think I’d just stay home and eat before I ordered this.

Big McChicken: This is a BigMac, but instead of 3 pieces of bread, you use 3 chicken patties. Yes, the chicken is like the bun, and you still have the 2 beef patties, cheese, lettuce, onions, and special sauce. What has the world come to?

Chicken Big Mac: This yummy treat has been available in Australia for quite some time. It’s basically a BigMac, but you substitute the 2 beef patties for 2 crispy chicken patties.

Chicken McGriddle: Order a McGriddle and substitute a fried chicken patty in place of the sausage or bacon. Yum.

Double Cheeseburger like a BigMac: Order a simple Double Cheeseburger but substitute mustard and ketchup for BigMac sauce. Trust me, it’s delicious and way cheaper than ordering a BigMac and you get the same taste.

Fried Egg Burger: Just add an egg round to any burger to get the trendy new fried egg on a burger taste.

Grilled Cheese: When you want to go meatless or maybe your kid loves grilled cheese sandwiches. This is simply a bun with melted gooey cheese in the middle.

The Land, Air, and Sea Burger: This bad boy is created when you combine a Quarter Pounder, Filet O’Fish, and McChicken between a single bun. Wow, has anyone ever ordered this one successfully? I’m guessing you’ll need a fork and knife to eat it.

HOW TO MAKE THE LAND, AIR & SEA

You’ll have to order all 3 separately and create this behemoth on your own. Throw one of your extra buns in the middle and stack this sandwich however you like. Some people order a BigMac instead of a Quarter Pounder. Total overkill, you don’t need the extra bun or patty. The Quarter Pounder is a much cleaner way to build this bad boy.

Mc10:35: Get to McDonald’s around 10:35 am, when breakfast and lunch is available and create the Mc10:35. Order an Egg McMuffin and a McDouble and take the patties and cheese from the McDouble and add it to the McMuffin. The Mc10:35 is born.

McGangBang: A very unfortunate name for a burger that combines a McDouble with a McChicken. To make it happen, you simply place the McChicken directly inside the McDouble and chow down.

McKinley Mac: This is a BigMac, but ask for two 1/4 pound patties instead of the little patties that typically come on the “Mac”. This burger magically turns into a meat lovers dream sandwich.

Monster Mac: Hungry? Forget about the BigMac. The Monster Mac consists of 8 beef patties, 3 buns, and a whole bunch of cheese, lettuce, onions, and special sauce.

Poor Man’s Big Mac (Money Saver): This is my favorite item on the McDonald’s secret menu. Simply order a McDouble with no pickles and ketchup. Replace them with onion, lettuce, and special sauce. Boom, you have a Big Mac for a fraction of the cost. Sure, no bread in the middle, but I always that was odd anyways.

2 Cheeseburger Meal: This use to be my go-to meal when I was driving and eating at the same time. Tasty, filling, and not messy. Apparently it’s not on the regular menu anymore, but you can still indeed order it.

See Also: The Burger King Secret Menu Will Make You Bow to the King

McDonald’s “Breakfast” Secret Menu:

Hash Browns McMuffin: Order any Egg McMuffin, or breakfast sandwich, and add an order of hash browns to the middle. Fried potato heaven is the outcome.

McChicken and Waffles: Fried chicken and waffles is all the rage these days. Get this by ordering a McGriddle, minus the eggs, and substitute chicken instead of sausage or bacon. It’s heaven in a bite, heck, even throw on a little syrup for some sweetness.

Portugese Sausage McMuffin: When in Hawaii, order the Sausage McMuffin but substitute the spicy Portuguese sausage for a mouthful of Hawaiian flavor.

McDonald’s “Fries” Secret Menu:

Animal Style Cheese Fries: Okay, this one’s a stretch, but if you love animal style fries from In-N-Out Burger, you can duplicate it at the Golden Arches. Start by ordering a Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger, fries, and Big Mac sauce. Then take the onion and cheese from the burger, add it to the fries, followed by the Big Mac sauce. Boom, go to town and your animal-style creation.

Big Mac Sauce Fries: Ask for some BigMac “special sauce” to dip your french fries in. Most locations will give you some for free if you politely ask.

McCheese Fries: Two ways to make this secret menu item happen. First, order extra cheese on your burger then transfer it to your fries. Or politely ask for a piece of cheese on top of your fries and let the heat of the fries do the melting.

No Salt: If you don’t want salt on your fries, just politely tell them. This is a great way to get fresh and hot fries too.

McDonald’s “Dessert” Secret Menu:

Apple Pie McFlurry: This is when they add their yummy apple pie straight to a McFlurry and blend it. It’s a delicious blend, trust me.

Caramel Apple Sundae: This secret menu item is the hot caramel sundae with nuts along with some chunks of fresh apple. If they won’t do it for you, just order the apple wedges separately and do it yourself.

TRY A BACON CARAMEL SUNDAE (YES, I’M SERIOUS)

Have them fill a Sundae cup halfway with vanilla ice cream and a bunch of bacon, then top it off with more ice cream and add caramel sauce. Spin it for a few turns with a flurry spoon. According to a McDonald’s employee I talked to it’s super delicious. Basically a salted caramel concoction.

Cinnamon Melt A la Mode: Order a batch of Cinnamon Melts and a small vanilla soft-serve with a cone. Then throw the soft serve directly on top of the Cinnamon melts and let the party in your mouth begin.

McLeprechaun Shake: To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, McDonald’s rolls out the minty green Shamrock shake every March. Ask for a McLeprechaun shake in March, and they’ll blend a Shamrock shake with a chocolate shake. The result is pure heaven in a cup.

McCrepe: The McCrepe is made with a pancake wrapped around a yogurt parfait and sounds really yummy.

McCoffee Float: Just ask for some vanilla soft serve in your hot coffee. Apparently, many McDonald’s locations around the world already have this item on the regular menu.

Neapolitan Shake: Ask for it by name and you’ll get a milkshake with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. They won’t be swirled together, but will instead be layered, but you can ask for whatever layering you want.

Orange Creamsicle: Order the vanilla soft-serve in a cup and add a little Orange Hi-C for a creamy citrus treat.

Root Beer Float: Similar to the In-N-Out secret menu, you can ask for a scoop of vanilla ice cream to be added to your root beer or Coke. Or any soda for that matter.

Strawberry Egg Nog Shake: When December rolls around, ask for a blend of the eggnog shake and strawberry shake and you’ll never go back…to, um, something else. Oh, be sure to get it topped off with whipped cream too.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever ordered anything from the secret menu at Mickey D’s? If so, what did you order and was it tasty?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart.