Before I even start this post if you are interested in an apples to apples comparison please read Shannon's post on shopping at Aldi. She does an actual worksheet comparing basic items she regularly buys at Walmart and what like items cost at Aldi. My post, well I did write down the things that I generally buy at Sams, but uh, I forgot to write what Aldi cost breakdown (oz,lb $) was. But, I do still have my receipt. So this is for you April because you are so sweet and have all three near you and for you, LouAnn, the Aldi pioneer, to give Aldi a second chance because they take debit cards now. No more loading up your rented basket only to be turned away when you pull out your MasterCard.

Our shopping trip was not quick, it took some time. We started at Sams to price the meat and bulk items, breaking them down into cost per units (don't do this, look to the bottom and in tiny print you will see it-learned this on our return trip, DUH....) and then we went to Aldi. We dragged Anna along and she only perked up once, when she got to retrieve the quarter from returning the grocery cart at Aldi. I let her keep it and then told her we were going back to Sams.

Here it is:
Cereal is must buy at Aldi. Most kid cereals are all $1.29 and their brand of Special K and more adult cereal was somewhere around $2.49.

• Frosted Shredded Wheat was $1.79
• Apple Cinnamon Cheerios was $1.89
• Bag of Mozzarella Cheese Sticks was $2.89
• Bag of baby carrots was $.99
• Sour Cream was $.89!! and not the tiny tub
• 8 0z block of cream cheese was $.99
• 4 sticks of unsalted butter was $1.99!!!
• roll of sausage was $1.89
• boxes of instant Mac-n-Cheese were $.35
• 8 whole English Muffins were $.99!!
• Large bottle of Vegetable oil was $2.29
• 1 lb. bag powdered sugar was $1.19

But meat, for us, was less expensive at Sams. I say for us because if you could not afford to buy meat in bulk for $20 then Aldi would be a great place. But per pound for meat prices, Sams is better. Here are the prices that I wrote down from Sams:

• Boston Butt, $1.68/lb
• Brisket, $2.90/lb
• Chuck Roast, $3.29
• Ground Beef 80/20, $2.68, but in the 10lb tube $2.48
• Bone in Chicken Breast, $1.79/lb
• 6lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts/2.16lb, it is cheaper to buy the fresh cut and then wash and lay on wax paper on a cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze individually. The non frozen breasts are bigger too.
• 25lb bag all purpose flour, $.31/lb
• Sugar, $.52/lb
• Non-Instant Rice, $.43/lb or $.05/oz
• Instant Rice, $.84/lb
• Uncle Bens, $.11/oz
• Ramen Chicken Noodle, $.16/bag
• Mac-n-Cheese, $.61/box

Does this mean I am going to actually do a price book? I don't think so but I definitely think I might as well put a few singles in a pile and light them if I don't continue to shop at Aldi. I just think it would be nuts not to. Because Aldi is not near us and the closest one to us prompted my husband to wish for his concealed weapon permit, it is not very convenient. However, since last Saturday, a week later, all we had to buy at the large grocery store .25 miles from our house was milk.

By the way, a full week of Tony staying home and I still love it. So incredibly nice and Janelle, Anna is very excited to spend time with him. Monica, your career change is exactly like Tony's, he is enrolling for both, radiology and RN, and whatever comes first is what he will do. Hope this little bit of comparison shopping info helps. If there is something you want me to check at Aldi's for you let me know and I will on my next visit.

Several years ago, while working at Montgomery Wards buying office, I read the book Who Moved My Cheese. It became apparent that I was more of a sniffer mouse even though I am a control freak. The ability to accept change and continue to find different ways of doing things has helped with life's challenges. Being a single mother, moving, getting married again, job changes, and now, deciding that our family will be a one-income family for the next two years, will put my self diagnosed personality trait to the test.

We have decided that my husband will not look for another job within his previous area of expertise but instead he will pursue an education in the health care field. He has not made a decision on which particular field of study he will pursue; but plans on making that decision this week after speaking with advisers at the various schools in our area. His graduated with a B.S. in Biology so we are hoping many of his credits will transfer and be applicable to a RN degree or Radiology. He hopes to find a part time job at one of the local hospitals and possibly receive a scholarship or signing bonuses.

I do not know all the details but as he hammers out his options I will have a clearer picture. But I do know he is taking this opportunity to make a significant career change and I could not be happier for him. Seriously. I have had this complete feeling of elation that things are going to be so good for us, hard and difficult, but content and happy.

I came home from work today to a spotless house, all the laundry done, and all the beds changed and remade. Wow! The only thing I asked was for me to keep the cooking and the vacuuming. But tonight I was so happy and felt so good coming home to a house that didn't need cleaning up that I relented and told Tony the vacuuming is all his.

The other HUGE thing for us is Anna is leaving daycare and she will be staying home with Tony. Just writing that makes me tear up. Since I divorced while pregnant I have never had the opportunity to stay home with Anna. She has been in daycare since she was four weeks old. We told her last night about all the changes and that Tony would be picking her up from school and staying with her. When she heard that she squealed and did a little jump while hugging Tony. Of course, Anna being Anna, immediately takes it to the next level saying that now Tony could come eat lunch with her and then take her to the little cafe all the SAHMs go to Tuesday after school.

Changes are definitely going to take place in our household and the cheese might stink at times but surely all the reading of frugal blogs I have done will now serve a purpose.

I have much more about dealing with the ex-wife, not pretty, and the Aldi versus Sams, versus Wal-Mart price comparison we did Saturday. But I am going to go over our new budget with my husband and talk about our new awesome future. Two things, thank you so much for the emails and comments, thank you, thank you!! and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal is $1.29 at Aldi!!!