How to save money on groceries
Save money buying groceries with these budget-friendly tips.
ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
Grab your quarter — or in this case, a tiny plastic disk resembling a quarter.
This week, Aldi shelves stocked a toy shopping cart that has shoppers excited. It features the same chain locking mechanism as the real thing, and comes with a pouch that holds a toy quarter.
You’ll need two if you want to lock the carts together realistically. Kids can even practice leaving the cart unlocked for the next shopper and politely declining a replacement quarter.
Where can I get a toy Aldi shopping cart?
The cart and other Aldi-themed grocery store toys can be found in the Aldi Finds aisle, sometimes referred to by shoppers as the “Aisle of Shame.” But customers say the carts are selling out fast at some local stores.
How much is the Aldi toy shopping cart? What are resellers charging?
The carts sell in stores for $14.99, but some are already popping up on resale sites. On eBay, some were already listed for close to $100 by Friday afternoon. One post on Facebook Marketplace listed it for $60.
What customers are saying about the Aldi shopping cart toy
Parents shared their purchases on social media this week as they added the carts to their children’s collections. In a public Facebook group for Aldi lovers, one user shared that she bought carts for her kids and filled them with Valentine’s Day goodies.
Another shopper shared that she was “obsessed” with the toys, and showed her two children with their carts locked together.
The overwhelming, tiny cuteness has caused even some shoppers without kids to share in the excitement.
“I thought the toy carts were so cute, but we don’t have kids,” one customer wrote. She said she and her husband bought one for their dog instead and filled it with dog toys shaped like food. The Dalmatian “isn’t sure what to make of it yet.”
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a wee one to buy this darling Aldi shopping cart for,” another Facebook user shared. Instead, Grandpa got a chance to play with one in the aisles.
More Aldi grocery store toys available in stores
This week’s Aldi Finds section of the grocery chain’s ad also included:
- ALDI Food Market, $39.99
- ALDI Cash Register, $19.99
- ALDI Play Shopping Set, $12.99
- ALDI Play Wooden Kitchen Accessories Set, $9.99
- Two toy brick sets, one of a truck and one of a store, for $6.99
Why do you need a quarter to use a cart at Aldi?
Aldi carts are lined up and chained together outside stores. When you insert a quarter, it unlocks the chain. When you return the quarter, it’s returned. “Lend us a quarter and we’ll lend you a cart,” the corporate website states.