Lidl, the wondrous enigma that pops into your neighborhood and causes an array of curiosity and excitement. When I first walked into this, less than ordinary store, I swore I’d never go back. However, the money I saved on my bill made me rethink that statement.

I slowly learned that Lidl is a blessing and in a big way financially for my family. With 3 kids and a husband who can’t stop eating, groceries are a huge chunk of our monthly expenses. After I was able to get a large amount of meat and other produce at a fraction of the cost than what I normally spent, I did some research into this grocery chain. I wanted two things from my next trip: to save even more money and know more about what to look for when inside this “place of many things”. Here are some brilliant tips that I apply to my shopping experiences at Lidl:

1. DOWNLOAD THE LIDL APP

-The App, when I first looked at it, was really “basic” as the kids say and I could not figure out why it would be useful to me. I was wrong, it contains coupons, which you DO NOT have to apply and it also has upcoming sales. Once you have at least 3 trips totaling more than $20.00, you get a reward from the app. This is usually a great coupon! This month I got 30% off Non-refrigerated Beverages and 20% off Fruits and Vegetables. You don’t have to scan your app either, just enter the phone number you used at checkout. Make sure you do that first!!

2. Do NOT go to the self check-out when you have items with orange discount stickers on them.

At Lidl you can get things that are close to expiration that the store has marked down for quick sale, great right!? Absolutely! However, those items have to be verified by a cashier, which Lidl is in short supply of (more later on that). When you do try to check out yourself with these items, the self-checkout will make you wait for a Lidl cashier or other employee to verify your discount. This is fine when the store is not busy, but when it is, you may be stuck in a stalemate with your cheap finds. I just wait to be checked out by a cashier when I find those items. MUCH EASIER!

3. Bring your own bags.

If you don’t have any shopping bags, they are there for you to purchase. If memory serves me correctly, they are .10 cents for the plastic and .07 cents for the paper. I have collected quite a stash of grocery bags and keep them in my car. I like the big canvas bags, the paper bags with handles and the Lidl big plastic bags with handles. I have actually used these over and over again with no issues. The only ones that have broke thus far are the paper ones.

4. Check out the Bakery

Lidl has some amazing baked goods. My favorite are the soft pretzels and cookies! They are delicious. They also have a variety of breads and other pastries. Totally cheap and not skipping out on quality.

5. Review the Specials Circular

Lidl’s app will have the future sales and the current listed under “specials” however, do this review of the current and the future before you go. They also have Saturday and Sunday only deals. The new ad will start on Wednesday and if your old fashioned and want to look at a paper ad, they have those in the store. The current ad will be at the entrance and next weeks ad is near the exit.

6. If you need help please be patient!

So, Lidl keeps your groceries cheap by not employing a lot of people at their stores. They also are involved in a lot of manufacturing of their own products, cutting out the middle man and saving you money. With that being said, they do not have a lot of check out lanes open and getting help with something may take a little longer than you would like to wait, BUT consider what you are saving and be prepared. The staff is always nice, courteous and busy.

If you have anything else that you do at Lidl that saves money, aggravation or time, let me know! I’d love to hear it!