WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsChattanoogans Bargain Shopping During Tough Economic Times

Chattanoogans Bargain Shopping During Tough Economic Times

CHATTANOOGA (WRCB) - It's the last place Renitta Lyons pictured herself as a young, stay-at-home mom, but now the aisles of discount grocery store Aldi are familiar.

Lyons started shopping at discount grocery stores six months ago.

"A friend told me about it," said Lyons. "She said it was a lot less expensive, so I tried it out."

Shopping at Aldi has saved Lyons more than $1,000. That's as much as $60 a week.

Given Monday's news of thousands more pink slips handed out, it's a welcome sense of control in what feels like a helpless situation.

"Well you got to stretch your dollar now, because of the economy," said Robert Avans, a retiree.

And that's why stores like Aldi expect sales will only increase as the economic situation worsens.

"People look to us, and people have been coming here with harder economic times to try and save money," said Andrea Hickock, Aldi.

Because moms like Lyons know for every dollar spent, it's a penny harder to come by.

"It can be scary, because you don't know if you're going to be able to afford the things that you need, the groceries, the things that you use on a weekly basis," said Lyons.

Are you ready for the silver lining??

Economists say things are so bad right now that we will have a definite, noticeable recovery when it comes.

The recession is expected to last at least through the second quarter of 2009.