There’s a reason why so many people love shopping at Aldi. Aldi is known for its affordable prices. And if you start shopping at Aldi rather than your usual supermarket, you may find that sticking to a budget is much easier.

But while it’s more than possible to save money by shopping at Aldi, if you’re not careful, you could end up wasting money. Here’s how.

1. Buying groceries that you end up throwing away

The reason Aldi manages to keep its prices so low is because it stocks lesser-known brands on its shelves. But if these brands don’t perform well, it could lead to wasted food and wasted funds.

If you have picky eaters at home, they might reject the Aldi products you buy simply because they don’t recognize the boxes they come in. And even if you don’t have a household of picky eaters, you can try items that just aren’t picky eaters. it won’t suit you.

For example, you might try your luck with a brand of peanut butter that you’ve never had before because it costs $1 less than your favorite brand. But if there’s something wrong with the taste, are you really going to subject yourself to 27 peanut butter sandwiches that aren’t particularly good? Probably not.

But if you throw out the pot – which is understandable in this situation – then suddenly you haven’t saved $1 on peanut butter. On the contrary, you wasted the money that pot cost.

One problem with shopping at Aldi is that the inventory can be inconsistent. This could lead to more expensive purchases on your part.

Let’s say you decide to make chicken and broccoli for dinner, but Aldi doesn’t have any broccoli in stock on the day you go shopping. If you substitute broccoli for mushrooms, which are generally more expensive, you are spending extra money because you didn’t find the item you originally needed.

This sort of thing is less likely to happen in a regular supermarket with more traditional inventory and more regularly stocked shelves.

3. Buying impulse items from Aldi’s aisle of shame

Another reason so many people love Aldi is that the store’s Aldi Finds aisle is full of seasonal products you might not find elsewhere. And the prices tend to be good.

But there’s a reason why Aldi fans call this section the Alley of Shame. Checking it out might lead you to make impulsive purchases. And while the items you buy may bring you joy, they’re a waste of money if they’re things you don’t need.

That said, here’s a tip to avoid the aisle of shame. If you have an Aldi nearby and only need a few items from the store, walk over and bring your groceries home. If you don’t have the physical capacity to take your impulse purchases home, you won’t be able to make them.

Shopping at Aldi has the potential to save you a lot of money, especially if you swipe the right credit card at checkout. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for grocery purchases.

But also remember that if you’re not careful, you could end up wasting a lot more money than you planned when shopping at Aldi.