I second this, greatly. Just be aware that some things might be slower to arrive. I recently received the last of an order that I made in December - it was stuck in port on China's end (not the vendor's fault). If you can live with that, then it can be great.

Otherwise, if you need it faster, look on Amazon or Ebay (use vendors that have their product "fulfilled by Amazon" for fastest shipping, for Ebay, look for sellers that have the cheap stuff shipped from the US - that usually means they have stuff stocked in the States). It won't be as cheap as AliExpress, but it will be close enough (the extra premium may or may not be worth it for you).

Also - be aware that there are also surplus outlets out there for electronics and such, if you're just experimenting and not manufacturing (where you need a dependable supply of new components). I personally like (and purchase from often) these places:

http://www.allelectronics.com/

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/

http://www.alltronics.com/