Speaking of Trader Joe's...

...have you ever tried Aldi? That's short for Albrecht (brothers) Discount, which is a German company. Aldi is a discount version of Trader Joe's (which they happen to own) and carries mostly private labels. It has all the ambiance of a soup kitchen but is CHEAP, which counts for something during these difficult times.

Your Aldi experience begins with depositing a quarter (which you will get back) for a shopping cart. This cuts down on hiring pimply-faced teenagers who don't prevent stray carts from denting your car anyway. As you walk in, you'll notice that it's much smaller than a conventional grocery store. They don't have any fancy displays or a ton of variety, but the quality is surprisingly good. And unlike Costco, say, the products come in normal sizes for normal people. (I still have a large container of crushed red pepper I bought from Costco that I'm convinced I will leave to my children).

There aren't many people working there, either. This cuts down on costs. Usually one person at the register and a manager-type running around feverishly putting out fires. The register is fairly conventional, with a modern-day scanner, but the cash drawer looks like some kind of lock box from a church rummage sale. I didn't mention any baggers because you have to bag your own groceries (and buy bags if you didn't bring your own). But not to worry, they're only a dime or so, hardly worth mentioning. But if you're environmentally-conscious you can go to bed at night knowing you were part of the solution, not the problem, for at least one day. Also, they don't take credit cards or checks, just good old-fashioned cash. But there's an ATM at the register if you forgot to take out some money for the trip.

So what do you get for this wonderful Depression Era-like experience? Good food at amazingly low prices. I'm always stunned by how little I spend there. And nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than saving money. Try it, and tell me what you think.