Trader Joe's Is Culty But Okay

Trader Joe's is one of those places I feel has more of a cult-like following than actually offers "value" to customers, and that's not a diss on the place, mind you, but simply an observation. The first time I had ever been to one of their stores was probably 14 or 15 years ago when my wife and I lived in the Milwaukee area. They had one at the Bayshore Mall near Shorewood not that far from us.

People really talk it up, though. And I had been hearing a lot about it again for whatever reason so yesterday I thought, "Let's go and give it another look."

The store we went to was in the Brentwood area of St. Louis across the river from where we live now in Southern Illinois and was bigger than I remembered it to be the first time we went to one. I also did find the experience to be slightly better, but I was admittedly not much more impressed with the place than I was the first time either.

As I remembered it to be, it was a lot of organic and "healthy" hype, and the prices are still quite high compared to most other places I shop. I did notice the place was teeming with eager shoppers, though, piling all sorts of overpriced items gladly into their carts without a care in the world.

People like it, of course. There's a reason Trader Joe's has the following it does and continues to delight a certain group of shoppers. It is interesting to peruse some of the foods they offer, especially in the frozen aisle where they sell what I would call "restaurant fare in a bag or a box." 

We didn't buy much. Most of what they offer I can cook myself for much cheaper—even if something is a bit unique, it's not like I can't easily find a recipe online and go and get the ingredients and put it all together at a fraction of the price.

And what I would make at home would probably be healthier too despite Trader Joe's "healthy" angle.

It is among one of those places, as an investor, I would actually have some interest in investing in if it were publicly traded, partly exactly because of the trendy cult following it tends to have. Trader Joe's has a "hooked" audience who truly believe in Trader Joe's and would stop at nothing to shop there. 

There are many other places you can't say that about. That is what makes it interesting as a potential investment, of course.

All in all, I would say it was a bit "fun" to peruse the aisles. At the same time, we did not spend much. Only around $30. And we didn't get much for that. Just a couple of items. I don't think it will be 14 or 15 years before we return. But it also won't be often we will shop there. Maybe once or twice a year will be good enough for me.

Aldi vs. Walmart

Perhaps I am not stating anything new, or I am rehashing old "sentiments," since I have written about my liking of the way Aldi Stores does things, and areas where I think Walmart seriously misses the mark many times before in the past. The fact is that when it comes to anything shopping related, and saving money in general, I am pretty good at what I do, and in no way I am trying to be vain about that.

The more I compare the two stores, Aldi and Walmart, the more convinced I become that there are more advantages to Aldi than there are to Walmart. These days I actually have to say that the best value a shopper can take advantage of comes from Aldi. Not so long ago you would have heard me continue to cite that Walmart mostly beats out the competition on price.

That is no more.

There are myriad items I find are much cheaper at Aldi than at Walmart, and let's be clear I am talking about unit cost here. Not overall price. Size matters when it comes to shopping for the best deal, as does knowing your prices when you shop. But moreover, knowing what you pay per pound, per square inch, and per ounce. That really is the art of comparing apples to apples, folks.

For example, let's take canned vegetables (even though I have recently shifted to frozen vegetables). The average price for the Aldi preferred brand is around 40 cents while Walmart's cheapest alternative is around 65 cents. Canned mushrooms are cheaper. So are Dakota's Best baked beans at Aldi, which by the way stack up rather nicely to even Bush's Best or the Great Value brand at Walmart. Tomato paste and tomato sauce are also significantly cheaper than anything offered at Walmart. And when it comes to some of those items, these are household staples.

Other items people like to buy that are cheaper at Aldi stores?

• Prepared noodles, be they the Reganno boxed variety or Aldi's mac and cheese
• Jarred spaghetti sauce
• Potato chips
• Snack crackers
• Take 'N Bake pizza

For the past three or so months I have also been buying my russet potatoes from Aldi. Why? Because a 10 pound bag of these at Aldi averages about $1.98 while Walmart's best price is about $3 more. A potato is a potato, right? Apples to apples.

But there is something else about Aldi that definitely wins very high marks. That is that despite a high volume of customer activity, and often times a higher volume of goods per cartload, Aldi gets you through their checkout line fast. The only complaint I have sometimes is that they do not take as much care with my canned goods, tossing them too roughly into the cart, causing denting which I detest. But even that is not an oft experienced thing.

Today I went to Walmart for a few essentials such as eggs, sliced cheese, beer (yes, beer is considered an essential in my household), jarred minced garlic, flavored waters, and so on and so forth. I of course got the best price since I bought these items there for that very reason. But the checkout time? Abysmal. I was in a line 3 deep and it took me fifteen minutes with relatively lowly filled carts just to advance to my own checkout. Even when I got there I swore the cashier was dead since she was barely moving. When you count in your head between beeps, you should never be able to get to "five, one thousand." But I was able to.

Walmart still holds the line on many items for me, and certainly when we are comparing stores ultimately, Walmart of course offers many more items and varieties of items. That all aside, my end result in my comparisons between the two stores is this; lower per item cost at Aldi, better overall experience at Aldi, more value for the money at Aldi, and certainly better customer service at Aldi.

If there is any store out there giving Walmart a real run for their money and taking up quite a lot of valuable market share, it has to be Aldi. I will certainly continue to shop there so long as their prices are good, and so long as the quality of their products are good (which both are). There are so many reasons why shopping at Aldi is simply overall a better experience. If Aldi offered the same level of goods as Walmart did I am certain the value would be there, and I would have no reason to shop Walmart at all.

Both Aldi and Walmart would be wise to pay attention to that.

Imagine for a moment the opening of the first Aldi Super Store. I bet it would go over like gangbusters. And if anyone could figure out the best and most efficient way to manage an operation  like that, it might just be a company like Aldi. Sadly it is a German company. But in the world of business what matters most is service, value, and quality, and if Aldi can find a way to do better than American owned Walmart...

That is exactly where my money will go.

All American Labor Day

Let's be real here, shall we? Part of the reason that the American economy continues to be in the doldrums is because we are still not fully aware of the positive impact of buying small, buying local, and buying American. So here is what I think we should be focusing on this Labor Day in 2015. As barbeques and parties will be all the "thing" to do, our tables and our parties should be littered with American made goods, and with local produce, local brews, and American fare all the way, to the extent we possibly can. Believe it or not, but the impact of spending on small, local, and American is huge in the grander scheme of things.

Let's start with cheese. Why not find a local cheese shop to supply the cheese for your big Labor Day party. I will recommend the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shop for any cheese needs for your big party day, or sausage, sauerkraut, or whatever else might be your fancy. Barring that, find a store near you that sells great cheese but is not a big chain. Around where I live currently there is nothing other than The Cheesekeeper, a fantastic shop with knowledgeable and friendly operators who always get the job done right.

Onto the meat. Find a local shop that does meat the right way. They are everywhere, you just have to look. But buying from them is always better than buying from the big grocery chains, especially if they happen to be the big national ones. Back home in West Allis I always loved the great service and great quality of meats offered by Rupena's Fine Foods. Currently there are two very small and very local shops I buy my meats from. Schneider's Quality Meats in Waterloo, IL, and B&D Meats in Freeburg, IL. The point is that these kinds of places exist, and all you have to do is look for them. B&D is actually a bit of an adventure. It is in the middle of nowhere, and to get there you have to drive on a very desolate rock road to arrive. Their service is excellent, their prices are reasonable, and they are helpful and friendly. Even if there is a slight premium to their goods, I am willing to pay because helping small and local business happens to be very important to me. I want places like Rupena's and B&D to be around to provide an alternative to the Schnuck's, Shop and Saves, Krogers, and Pick 'N Saves of the world.

Oh yeah. And Walmart.

Want a great dessert to serve your party guests? Why not try a small and local bakery? Around my part of the world that would be none other than Eckert's. Not only do they have great desserts, but fine produce, some quality meats, and many other delectable little treats. It's pricey. But it is also worth it.

How about an all American brew? Where I live there is Schlafly, but of course Samuel Adams happens to be the last, largest, truly American company that brews beer these days. Why not have a few of their brews in the cooler for your guests?

As for what you will cook this great American fare on? Why not take a look at the Made in USA lines offered by Huntington Gas Grills which happen to be readily available through another great American company that often has American made goods on their shelves, Menard's.

This Labor Day I say be it plates, plastic ware, food, or brews, the more you can make it all American and all local, the more you will do for your community, the economy, American jobs, small business, and the more hurt you can put on the big box stores and major national chains. Making America great again is about Americans realizing what is important, restoring competition, and keeping the little guy in a position to give the bigger guys a run for their money.

Does it cost more? Sometimes. Yes. But the real cost is not in what you pay today. It is in what you pay in what the big wants from you because the little guys are not in the game to offer an alternative. This Labor Day think local. Think small. And think American.

4 Reasons To Shop Menards Home Improvement Stores

When it comes to shopping for anything to do with the home, you won't find me browsing the aisles of Lowe's or Home Depot. For a variety of reasons I simply find the entire customer experience at Menards to be the best. Here are a few of the things that I think are worth considering the next time you need anything for a home improvement project, or are just looking for a few household items. Menards stocks everything from household cleaners, to milk and potato chips among of course the regular home improvement store fare.

• Excellent customer service

One thing I find at Menards is that cash registers are always well manned, and therefore getting through the checkout process is virtually quick and seamless. As well, I find the employees to always be helpful and informative, and most importantly available. Based on my experiences at all three home improvement stores, at Menards employees always seem to be happy. It stands to reason that it seems Menards is not only a great place to shop, but a great place to work, and I enjoy supporting any company that is doing well by their employees.

• Great prices, and rebate programs that helps keep cash in your pocket

Besides just great prices, Menards regularly offers mail-in rebates to customers which helps to keep costs for any project low. While the rebates are redeemed for in-store credits, since trips to the "hardware store" are a common trip for most people, it is of little concern. You'll always have something you'll need for which you can redeem those in-store credits. What's more, Menards also regularly has 11% rebate offers for every single item in the store. So when a big project is at hand, this can add up to big savings as well. The rebate program also helps Menards to offer better prices since they make money on the interest between the time of purchase, and the cashing in of the rebate checks. It adds a bit of a hassle to get your money back. But in the end I think it is time well spent, and I personally really like the rebate program at Menards.

• A commitment to stocking many MADE IN THE USA items on their shelves

With the economy still in the dumper a bit, and with more focus these days on jobs and the value of American labor to help improve the economy and foster the middle class, I can appreciate any company who has a strong commitment to the American worker, and fostering American manufacturing. Made in the USA is not hard to find when you are browsing the aisles at a Menards store.

• Clean and organized, and fully stocked shelves

It's rare you'll find an empty shelf at a Menards store. Especially when it comes to sale items advertised in the paper. Nothing is more frustrating than finding an item you need is on sale, only to find that it has been understocked for the sale. Menards manages a clean, organized, and fully stocked store nearly all the time. I have never had to ask for a "rain check" on any item advertised.