We have purchased a Costco membership. When we looked into it years ago, I compared prices for a bunch of things we bought regularly, and it looked like even with a household of seven, we wouldn’t save much more money than the membership cost—especially considering the Costco is over half an hour away and isn’t one of the ones that has a gas station. Like, it FEELS like buying a four-pack of huge peanut butters MUST be cheaper—but they weren’t cheaper per ounce than the sale price at our grocery store, so I’d rather just get the normal jars at the sale price.
HOWEVER. I have lost Target, because of what they have become. And Costco, meanwhile, has been doing cool things involving standing up to the government about DEI and so forth, and I would like to support them in that. Plus, there is the delightful CEO/hotdog story. And also, there have been numerous times when I’ve asked for a recommendation and someone has suggested something that can only be purchased at Costco. OH AND: one of my friends has hearing aids, and says the Costco ones are (1) cheaper and (2) better than the ones she originally had. AND-and, there was an online deal that gave us a $45 Costco gift card with a new membership, which erases most of the first year’s $65 membership fee. AND-and-and, I no longer have to factor in the issue of bringing children with me.
Paul and I went on a first exploratory trip, and the first thing we learned was that we should never go there on a Sunday afternoon ever again. BUT: it was fine, because we were not pushing a cart nor shepherding children, so we were able to dart through the gaps. And I had three good samples: one coffee sample, one cheese sample, and one surprisingly delicious blackened salmon sample. (I am going to look for that blackened salmon next time I go.)
I was glad we’d decided ahead of time not to buy anything on our first trip, because even so I was overwhelmed. The Costco format is not one that immediately appeals to me: the huge warehousey feeling; the oppressive piles of merchandise; the extremely limited options, and you have to buy SO MUCH of something just to TRY it; the inexplicable-to-me-as-yet organization (Tupperware! scented candles! mini-fridge! birdseed! all in the same fun aisle!). I believe with time and patience I will learn the store, and come to know which things I want to buy whenever I am there, and then have fun gradually scouting around for other possibilities; this is what happened with me and Trader Joe’s, and now I LOVVVVVVVVVVE Trader Joe’s. (Though I do not have to pay an annual fee to shop at Trader Joe’s, nor am I checked at the Trader Joe’s in-door AND out-door by security.)
I think it’ll be fun to try things while the kids are home for the summer. I wouldn’t normally buy an eight-pack of muffins or a six-pack of frozen pizzas or a whole cake—but with six of us at home, it’s the perfect time.
When I was visiting my parents, they took me to lunch at Costco and we shared one each of a bunch of the things on the menu they like, so I could get a good sampling. I liked the pizza and the hot dog, and I loved the smoothie; I was so-so on the chicken hot-pocket thing; I thought the chicken Caesar salad was good but unremarkable. Here are some other things my parents like at Costco:
the bakery cherry cream-cheese danish
the bakery cinnamon chip muffins
the bakery raspberry morning buns
the bakery tuxedo cake
the bakery banana nut loaf
the deli rotisserie chicken
the Bequet sea-salt caramels
the Pierre Cordon Bleu chicken breasts
I have also heard numerous people speak fondly of the Costco sheet cake. I am looking forward to buying their interesting platters (cookie/bar assortments! pastry assortments!) for future parties where I am supposed to bring something.
I would like to know what else you think I should be thinking of trying. And what are the best days and times to go.
We needed new tires this year, upgraded to the executive membership to get the 2% refund, and even with paying for the upgrade came out ahead, and now we can shop early without the huge crowds! We also just (like 2 days ago!) got back from our first Costco-booked vacation, and I HIGHLY recommend using them for travel. The total package was only about $75 cheaper then booking on our own, BUT it included airport to resort transportation (which would have cost an additional $80), we get a $150 Costco gift gard, and 2% back since we’re an executive member, so overall we it’s about about $350 cheaper. If you ever rent a car, Costco will likely be the cheapest.
As for the things I get there all the time – Diet Coke and Polar, all vitamins/supplements, rotisserie chicken (we go to Costco once a month, so I get 2, immediately shred them and freeze most of it, then use it over the next month for quick dinners). I also always get a full cheese pizza and then freeze half in individual slices. Kirkland Signature Trail Mix is amazing. When the big box of powdered Tide is on sale I get that, same for dryer sheets and Cascade dishwasher pods. Paper goods, Rao’s sauce and maple syrup. Oh and my husband’s daily contacts are much cheaper through costco, as are his strong Rx glasses (my low Rx glasses are cheaper through Zenni). Their clothing selection is actually great. I just got a swimsuit there for $18. They often have Banana Republic stuff, which I wear to work. I think my son and husband have all their pants and shorts from Costco. Belts, too.
I basically always check Costco first for anything I want to buy.
Thank you for mentioning the contact lenses! I’m about to need more, and they’re cheaper than the way I was getting them before, which is great news.
I adore Costco. My parents got me an Executive membership for Christmas last year, and it was my top-favorite gift. (I still went pretty often before I had my own membership, but I’d have to tag along with one of my parents.)
The Costco bakery chocolate-chip cookies (the big ones that come in a plastic clamshell container) are some of my favorite cookies ever. Sometimes I’ll buy a pack to bring into work, and I have to keep reminding myself that I bought them to SHARE and it would be impolite to eat them all myself.
They often have surprisingly good deals on electronics. I go there for most of my laptops and tablets and phones and such.
Their beef bulgogi (deli section) is a really good easy dinner. It comes raw but pre-sauced/seasoned and you cook it in a frying pan. Makes great leftovers, too.
I’ve recently gotten into building Lego kits as a hobby, despite never being very interested in Legos as a kid. Costco doesn’t have a huge selection, but the kits they do have are usually way cheaper than buying directly from Lego, or even from Target or similar.
Costco is a great place to buy tires. Maybe your Costco doesn’t have a tire center, since they don’t have a gas station? But if they do, definitely look into it next time you need new tires.
Their book section is smaller than it used to be, but I still like to browse around there when I go.
A lot of the clothes they sell are pretty frumpy, but some are cute and very reasonably priced. Most of my work pants are from there. It’s a good place to buy underwear and socks, too.
Okay, hear me out: the Costco/Kirkland Signature store-brand gin is surprisingly good and surprisingly cheap. My parents and I enjoy trying different types of gin, and sometimes we’ll do blind taste tests between the Costco brand and a fancier brand. The Costco brand wins more often than not.
Welcome to the cult! I felt similarly before we joined Costco – we’d had a Sam’s Club membership when our twins were babies to buy diapers and formula. The store was dimly lit and unappealing, and I always had the babies with me (so I had max 30 minutes to get in and out before one of them needed a bottle or diaper change – it was always stressful!). Costco is brighter and much more pleasant though. We ended up getting the Costco-branded credit card, which we use for all gas (5% back at Costco gas stations!), travel (3% back), and Costco purchases (2% back). We usually get $300 in rewards every year, which they send out around February. I’ve been very pleased with the cash-back rewards on that card. We go to Costco about twice a month. Their fruit is usually good quality and a better price per ounce than the grocery store, and I buy the Rao’s pasta sauce whenever it goes on sale. Most of my husband’s clothes are from Costco, but I haven’t found much worth buying in the women’s section.
We get a monthly flyer in the mail, and I check it for things we’ve bought in the past month that are now on sale. I bring the flyer in along with my receipt and get a “coupon adjustment” at the Customer Service desk. Some months I save $4, some months I save $15. Totally worth the time if you’re already going to Costco.
Allow me to say the Costco return policy is excellent. So if you really do not like something, and absolutely no one in your house likes it, you can take it back. I took back some individual guacamole cups that were so yucky, and I felt weird about it, but the Costco employee did not appear to feel weird at ALL. I probably wouldn’t have returned it if it were something NOT individual (i.e. might spill). But $15 seemed like a lot to throw in the trash.
Also, we like the premade meatloaf a lot. I refused to try to make meatloaf. They don’t have a comparable item at Sam’s. Our Sam’s is much closer, but there are few things near and dear to my heart at Costco, so we keep both memberships.
Welcome!
There are so many things, but the ones that stick out
Sheet cakes – so delicious and so cheap!
Pet medication – we give our dog Apoquel and it is 30% cheaper than we found anywhere else.
The chicken taco kit in their prepared foods – isn’t a crazy amount of food – it feeds my family of four
Rao’s past sauce
Gluten-free frozen pizza (a go-to for my 10 year old cealic daughter, though they recently changed brands)
Fresh flowers – good quality, large, and inexpensive.
Rotisserie chicken – they have gotten smaller, but still such a great meal short-cut.
So many more, but these were off the top of my head. I’d love to hear reports and you slowly discover new things.
Oh! Their seasonal plants are always great.
We also got the most awesome and comfy couch. It dropped in price twice over the month and adjusting the prices and returns are super easy.
I sadly do not have a Costco membership, nor the time to drive 1 hour+ each way just to shop at one, but I can absolutely vouch for the the Bequet sea-salt caramels! I split a 1.5 pound bag with my mother for Christmas (which is a LOT of caramels) and they were all gone by the end of January. And actually, I’m going to go buy another bag right now. YUM.
Love, love, LOVE our Costco membership! And also you’re absolutely right to be suspicious of the huge quantities of specialty items. For me personally, even things that have a long shelf life — salsa, for example — lose their appeal when you’ve been working on the same giant jar for several weeks. (My husband disagrees, so that might just be a me thing!)
A few items that are typically great deals: liquor, spices (if and only if you’ll use them in large quantities before they lose their freshness), snacks, drinks, fruit, paper goods (paper towels and toilet paper), bakery items, pet food, and many medications. There are also big savings on rental cars — my husband gets a corporate discount rate, and Costco is still usually cheaper, often by a lot
Oh, and this is also a personal thing, but for non-food items, I like to shop as infrequently as possible, so even if things like deodorant, toothpaste, dishwashing pods and laundry soap are not significantly less expensive, I really like buying in bulk a few times a year and always having some available. Obviously this only works if storage is plentiful in your home.
VANILLA. Swistle, Costco is The Best place for vanilla extract, and I have gotten good prices on vanilla beans from Costco in the past as well. I also buy honey in the giant container at Costco because I use honey for all sorts of things. My husband typically buys coffee from Costco, and we have become big fans of the Costco-brand zip-top bags. Let’s see. I also always buy the two-pack of aluminum foil at Costco, because it’s almost always the best deal. And I am pretty sure Trader Joe’s and Costco are neck-and-neck for good prices on raw almonds and raw cashews. Also: WINE. The Costco prosecco is my favorite and it’s so very inexpensive AND if you buy six bottles at once, you get 10% off (well, perhaps that varies by state). I also buy the packaged of salmon fillets — the bags themselves are SO pricey, but not when I price it out against what I’d get if I bought it elsewhere, and it’s so very easy to take out a salmon fillet (or two or six) for a quick dinner.
YES VANILLA. I have been using Costco vanilla for decades because you absolutely cannot beat the price on their store-brand pint bottle of real vanilla and it is good vanilla.
We have a medication insurance won’t cover, and Costco is the cheapest place for it. Their generic-brand Zyrtec/cetirizine is also the cheapest anywhere (but you can also get that by mail and without a fee by purchasing it online).
Also, when we had a close family-member-loss a couple of years ago and the family member’s spouse lives in a rural area so there was *no* human delivery option and we didn’t know anyone nearby-ish to ask *them* to deliver things and we couldn’t physically get there immediately due to illness, Costco came through with a 2-day delivery of All The Healthy Easy Snacks And Some Of The Unhealthy Snacks, which I heard later was *really* handy. Realize, while befogged and busy, that you are hungry or may have low blood sugar; go to box and grab whatever looks most appealing at that time and eat some out of the package; use things you won’t find appealing to feed visitors. AND as long as you stick with Costco 2-day delivery items, they’ll all arrive in one box (or if you maybe possibly overbought and it would not *fit* in one box as in that case, then two boxes) so as to be less baffling, and also there is less packaging to deal with, vs. the randomly-delivered separate-origin packages you get from some services.
I have also sent Costco’s best-reviewed cushy throw blanket to a friend who was grieving; I couldn’t get to her personally to deliver a hug, but the fuzzy blanket communicated well; again, really fast shipping, consistent quality, not amazon. There isn’t a “note in the box” option, though, so you have to let them know it is coming/from you if you want them to know that.
Their blocks of tillamook white cheddar used to be both a good price and AMAZING if you will get through it in time, but I haven’t price-checked or geography-checked those.
They’re also usually the cheapest-per-pound place for cashews, pistachios, craisins, and prunes; I think also on pecans, but am not 100% sure.
They also not-infrequently have random specialty items (lifestraw multi-pack!) cheaper than anywhere else. Underwear, socks, and loungewear are also often great.
I do wish they were just reliably Near The Lower Price Points on everything they sell, but alas, it is not so. (soups seem to be particularly not-cheap?)
I hope you start enjoying your costco soonish! It *is* an adjustment, though. But. Costco… and you can get a hot dog afterwards to replenish your calories after the cart-lugging (the one I used to go to – we do not live near one now – had sauerkraut to put on the hotdogs and it was really, really good).
But most of all! Vanilla! In pint bottles that last for years!
They are building a new Costco just a few miles from my house and I am so excited, and dreaming of just stopping there on my way home rather than planning a trek over to a town I never visit otherwise.
I love the chicken (especially boneless chicken thighs) that come in a set of separate packs of four thighs (or so) which allow you to freeze for later and use gradually without having to separate and repackage a bulk purchase of chicken yourself.
I practically live on their bagged salads during the summer. I add some of their rotisserie chicken to make it more filling with little effort.
I find their berries are pretty consistently good and do not mold immediately like Aldi’s berries which I have sworn to never buy again.
Their boxes of croissants are delicious and a great price.
My mom once bought a cheesecake when we needed a dessert in a pinch and we still talk about how surprisingly good it was.
In general I do not like commercially boiled eggs which are always rubbery but I have a few times bought their box of boiled eggs and run them through my potato ricer it make a wonderfully fluffy egg salad.
There’s more but I see lots of other long comments so I’ll just say I am excited for you!
Someone already mentioned vanilla and croissants so I will add my vote for those. They also have very good prices for flour and carry King Arthur depending on your area. I like to use the app to check stocks at different warehouses because their inventory can vary. I have six Costcos within 15 minutes in all directions so sometimes I’ll pick based on what I need to get. I know you are a scratch brownie baker but the Ghirardelli triple chocolate mix is GOAT for me and the box of six is a decent deal. Butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream are all very well priced. I just got four pounds of unsalted butter for $10.99 and put them in the freezer for my next baking weekend. The tuxedo mousse bar cake is often the birthday cake of choice at my house, though when they had the creme brulee cake last fall we got it three times in two months because it was so good too!
Welcome!
Costco is fabulous! I’ve been a member since the mid-80’s (goodness!) and vividly remember my first visit. I went in with the idea of just looking around for maybe 20 minutes. Lol, an hour and a half later I was pushing a loaded flat cart up to the registers. :)
Even though my family is much smaller now, Costco is still my first stop; then whatever I can’t find there, I’ll pick up a smaller local grocery store on the way home.
I have too many favorite products to name, but the one thing I learned fairly early was that if there’s something you really want/have been looking for, get it while you’re there as it may be gone the next time you go. I’ve missed several big household items because I dithered and said “Oh, I’ll get it the next time I go” and then it was sold out when I went back. It’s probably my one (minor) gripe about Costco. They do have quite a few always-in-stock brands like laundry detergent, TP, certain breakfast foods, etc…but they do rotate things in and out frequently. I try to go with the flow, but if I find something I really enjoy (food-wise) I tend to stock up.
The Kirkland Signature brand is almost always as good, if not better than the name brand. The Costco Magazine (I think it’s mailed to executive members, but everyone can access it online) has had several articles in the past about their strict producer requirements for the KS brand. They also regularly do articles about travel, and electronics, etc. And if it’s available in your location, they have an Auto Program which can save you money (and hassle!) when buying a new or used vehicle.
Agreeing with others’ comments about the tire shop if you have it. It saved me a bundle last year! My warehouse has a gas station and prices at Costco in my area are regularly 20-30 cents per gallon cheaper than other gas stations. I also get my prescriptions there (they also have a mail-order pharmacy if your insurance allows.)
Well! I didn’t mean to wave my pom-poms around quite so enthusiastically. Sorry for the long comment!
I am a fan of Costco not only for their products, but also for the way they treat their employees and their suppliers. I’ve never once regretted my membership!
Costco offers $29 virtual doctor visits without insurance and their pharmacy prices can be fairly low too. I’ve read good things about their optometry options as well but I have y used those services yet.
My job is selling a food brand to Costco and I am a reluctant expert. There are lots of “things you didn’t know about Costco videos” online, but here are a few interesting things:
-Costco’s generous return policy is because the product suppliers refund them for those returns. So the reason the employee doesn’t care is that it truly makes no difference to them. And to be clear, it makes no difference to suppliers either, really. We budget for them.
-Temporary items go in usually for 12 weeks. You can tell when an item won’t be re-ordered when it has a star in the corner of the price tag.
-Costco will have the best price per weight on everything they carry. They take that very seriously.
-Costco Business Centres are also open to the public and have way more choices for snacks and drinks, if those are things you buy a lot. You couldn’t do your whole Costco shop there, but it’s a fun place to visit once in a while.
-you do not need to be a member to use the pharmacy (because in many places, that is illegal)
And from my personal experience, I can confirm Costco Travel has the absolute best rates on rental cars.
I can second/third/fourth etc. many things already mentioned above (rotisserie chicken, vanilla extract, cheesecake, croissants, sheet cake). Costco prosecco & gin & lemon juice make an excellent French 75 cocktail, just sayin! Can also confirm about the rental cars and the Costco travel (I can confirm about the gas too and I’m sad your store doesn’t have a station). Heavy cream is an absurdly good deal at my Costco, like 4x the amount as the regular grocery store for the same price.
As someone else said, the paper products are not really a great deal per se, but I sometimes like having a large quantity of them so I don’t have to worry about running out when the children use them up quickly. But my house has the storage space for it.
I also like trying their various pre-made meals for quick and easy weeknight dinners. I buy ones that are on sale (which rotates monthly) so we try different things. Some of them we like and will come back to again, others not so much but it’s at least good to get some variety in there.
I also personally love to find good deals – in the store, anything marked with a $XX.97 price is a closeout/clearance price. I have gotten some new outdoor lights for $14.97 each that were $75 each at Lowes. After Thanksgiving one year (I guess they stocked too many), the giant 48 packs of Kings Hawaiian rolls were $1.97 each – into my freezer they went! I could go on and on here but I suspect you like the thrill of finding a good deal just like I do. So look for those 97’s. :)
Count me among those who appreciate the convenience of buying a large quantity of toilet paper, paper towels, dishwasher pods, vitamins, OTC medications, toothpaste, etc. infrequently and uses Costco for that.
I really like their (frozen) Spanakopita and it’s an easy take-to-a-potluck item that seems to be a hit.
I find (think? I am not as diligent about comparison shopping as I used to be) they offer good deals on nuts. I like their cans of peanuts, also 3-lb. bags of walnuts and almonds which I treat as healthy snacks (I buy these unsalted but will, ahem, sometimes dump them in the peanut can once it’s empty as there is always lots of leftover salt in there. My DH likes their queso and I like their guac, which one can buy in packets to avoid needing to eat 5 lbs in a few sittings. Seltzer water.
Baking goods, as others have mentioned — they are THE source for vanilla extract, we also buy 25-lb. bags of flour and the Ghiardelli brownie mix and chocolate chips there.
Other things we buy there routinely (not necessarily frequently, they keep a LONG time) — frozen berries, rolled oats, bone-in chicken thighs, shrimp, various kinds of fish, frozen baguettes, Sister Shubert’s rolls, crystallized ginger (a seasonal product), dried fruits (apricots, dates, figs), cooked bacon, breakfast sausage patties, mac-n-cheese, olive oil, spaghetti sauce, various canned things — diced tomatoes, black beans. Frozen broccoli and various other frozen veggies.
We don’t buy lots of fresh fruit/veggies there because of the quantity problem, but exceptions are cherry tomatoes, peppers, apples.
Full disclosure, we almost never set foot in a Costco, we shop there through Instacart. It adds $$$ but between the convenience and the distance Costco sits away from us (~45 minute drive) we think it’s worth it. Even for Instacart I never, ever place a Costco order on a weekend because having done it once or twice there is no sum of money you could pay me personally to set foot in a Costco on a weekend.
I am not a member of Costco, but my in-laws are. Every Christmas my mother in law gets me these lovely Kirkland brand merino wood socks that I LOVE. I’ve also found great deals on clothing online when I shop with her membership number. A few years ago, I purchased Eddie Bauer cropped departure pants (a few pairs) for $15 each. I love them and wear them all summer (I am not a fan of shorts). They cost $80 regularly. My husband also uses Costco to send roses to his grandmother monthly. Once they were a day late with delivery so they gave her an extra bouquet! She was thrilled. If we had one closer, we’d definitely be members. I’m jealous of the deals you’ll find!
Welcome to the Costco club! It’s good you learned the no weekends rule up front haha and you will sort of get used to the layout after a few visits. The things I buy on repeat are: Colombian coffee beans, otc omeorazole/esomeprazole, 3-pack of 2% organic milk, bananas, avocados, trail mix, peanut butter filled pretzels (soooo good!), Polar seltzer, frozen meatballs, frozen spinach mozzarella ravioli, and I buy Kirkland paper towels and TP because it’s nice having them in bulk and not repurchasing for a while. I will be interested to hear what you think after a few months!
Fruit. Naan. Milk. Chocolate cake. Peeled hard boiled eggs. K cups. Snacks/drinks for sports teams. Hamburger patties.
I will second the Costco tires, I replaced my tires there and was very happy with them, both the service and the tires! I have not seen anyone mention the bagels, though, so I simply must. They are great, and I just read somewhere that you no longer have to buy 2 packs, so you can now buy a reasonable amount, not bagels for an army. They often have fun flavors, like my Costco has orange cranberry, which is delish!
Also, yes, they have enormous vats of vanilla extract, but also, vanilla extract is easy and fun to make! All you need is vanilla beans and alcohol. You can use any alcohol, not just vodka. Just my plug for my new hobby.
I love Costco, but I try to never go on a weekend. I work from home one day a week, so I go then. Most of the things that others have mentioned are things I buy as well: TP, paper towels, Kleenex, foil, foil pans (we barbeque a lot, and they are so much cheaper there than at the grocery store!), butter (I store it in the freezer until I need it), frozen breaded chicken breasts, steaks (great quality and huge, so we usually freeze some), brownie mix, boxes of chicken broth, canned veggies (especially tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste), the flowers are beautiful, toothpaste, mouthwash, vitamins, cold medicine, wrapping paper and bows and ribbons, frozen meals for lunches. I could go on for days. I also highly recommend Costco travel- we have done several all inclusive resorts and cruises. They are so helpful since we travel with another family and want to have our rooms together, so we call to book and then just put the other family on the line to book right after us. Rental cars are great as well. The one thing I don’t like is that you might find something you love and then you never see it again. I still look every time for their prepared chicken and waffles meal because my husband said it was the best thing he has eaten, but it hasn’t returned.
I forgot- they also have a really good deal on potting soil right now- $10 for a huge bag. Printer paper is very cheap there. And the rotisserie chicken is amazing. As is the pumpkin pie!
Ok- I will stop now.
Okay, I just had a danish from Costco this morning! We do the executive membership and get the 2% back and we always cover the fee for it with our shopping and my husband goes at 9:00 on Saturday or Sunday before it officially opens and is in and out by 9:30 and doesn’t have to mess with it. Things I buy at Costco:
gas
glasses (I love the dr. of optometry at ours)
Hebrew National hot dogs
Cheese sticks
Detroit style pizza
paper goods
flavored cans of seltzer
sheet cake (if it’s too big I freeze it)
bagels
danish
muffins
cookies (usually for an event)
clothes
Halloween candy
chicken pot pies
fresh made chicken tacos
fresh made lasagna
wine
booze
Things my friends have bought but I never have
trips – both cruises and travel packages
tires
prescriptions
Ours is really close which I consider to be one of the best things about my neighborhood. I have a friend who goes on Friday nights, they go and shop and have a $1.50 hot dog and a sundae and call it a night out! I love love love them and their labor practices can’t be beat. My optometrist has been there forever and some of the people that work at mine have been there the whole time I’ve been going there, like 15 years!
oh I forgot! I did my flowers for my wedding and I bought them all at Costco! You can order whatever you want. It is the bessssst
I just got back from Costco (thursday morning). And I will NEVER NEVER go there on a weekend.
We buy our chicken nuggets, our bottled water, our laundry soup, toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags there. I carefully purchase fruit and never bread because we can’t get through it. The meat is a good deal but I don’t want to HANDLE meat so I don’t purchase it there.
My favorite Costco thing is we book our bi-annual big trips through them and it’s cheaper but not wildly so, but the cash back on it is so nice!
I recently learning that you can shop online at Costco without having a membership. I generally order online (mostly things we go through a lot of – toilet paper, facial tissues, etc.) and have it delivered to the house. If I spend $75, it’s free shipping with a nominal fee (I think like $5) for not being a member. If I ever find a job, I will pony up for the membership though but will probably still order online to avoid the hassle of going to the store. I have also read that you can get a great deal on glasses there – so that would be incentive enough for me to join.
I dislike shopping at Costco but am still on the ex husbands plan and live 2 minutes from an always empty business Costco. The business Costco doesn’t have alcohol :( but I go for butter and bacon. I’ll add vanilla based on the above comments!!
That said. I did buy a car and a European vacation through Costco!!! And was very pleased with both. So I guess I’m the weird non regular shopper who just goes for big ticket items. Oh! But I found the 25 lb bag of flour for under $8 (?!?!?) and since I’m on a sourdough kick that’s been amazing!!
Lots of good ideas here, I will not duplicate all suggestions! I like getting vitamins and supplements at Costco, because if I take something every day, a bottle of pills that lasts three months doesn’t take up the house room that, say, a 3-month supply of toilet paper would. We get Kleenex there, though, since we go through a lot of that, and have a garage to store the boxes in. If you have plenty of freezer space, I enjoy some of the frozen meals they have, like the Yakitori Chicken Fried Rice.
My nearest Costco currently is about 45 minutes away, but they’re building one closer and I am excited to cut the trip time in half. I used to use their pharmacy more when I lived outside Boston, because the stores were closer to me. Another geography note is that the area you’re in can change what’s the crazy time. Outside Boston, stopping in after work was something a LOT of people did, but in Florida, the largely retired clientele means that it’s busier earlier in the day. When my mother first moved down here, an employee told her that it’s usually quieter after 5 because “they’re all at the clubhouse having dinner.”
One of the nicest things about Costco for me is that they have done their research. Like I needed a collapsable wagon for kid stuff like soccer and Girl Scouts. So I went to Costco and bought the one collapsable wagon that they sold. And it is the best collapsable wagon of any of my friends. Last weekend, one of my friends told me she was jealous of my wagon because it had all the good features and collapsed so easily and hers is so much worse. Costco did all that figuring out for me and sold just the one good wagon. They also have the best battery packs when I bought battery packs for hurricanes. I got our water bottles from Costco because I figured they had already decided which the best water bottle was. Basically if I need something for a one time purchase, I check to see if Costco sells it because I figure they’ve decided what The Good One is already.
I worked at Sam’s Club mid-90’s through college and this is precisely how the purchasers do their job. Instead of giving you 15 options to choose from, they choose the 1 item that is the best bang for the buck. It may not be the cheapest, but it’s going to be the best product at that price point. It does take the guess work out of shopping for some items!
Welcome to the club! I grew up in a Costco family (every grocery item, furniture, automobile, etc) was purchased through the store. I am now a Costco adult with my own family and we do the typical run for diapers, wipes, formula, Kirkland brand sparkling water, laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. I’m nursing right now, so the Heavenly Hunks or Aussie Bites are great little snacks to pop in my mouth when I’m ravenous. My husband is really into their wine selection and we both enjoy their differently flavored chips (right now enjoying pickle flavored chips). When the need arises, we buy sheets (the Kirkland brand–high thread count, feel like hotel sheets for a fraction of the cost), furniture (we have a lovely sectional couch that is comfortable/holding up well as a mattress/bed for our spare room), nice pots and pans, storage shelves for our basement. I’ve done a Costco vacation to Mexico as well as a car rental. Seriously, what can’t you buy at Costco!?
We always check Costco first before buying anything.
I love Costco, but it can be a little overwhelming! Something I don’t see mentioned as much so far, check out their pet aisle! I have dogs, so I’m not as familiar with their cat items, but they have good dog food at a good price, toys that usually come in a 4 or 6 pack that are from quality brands, and supplements/medications are usually cheaper from Costco. I imagine they must have kitty litter, might be worth checking out for you!
What a fun new thing to think about! Though going on a weekend is indeed a rookie mistake. Costco of course can’t replace Target, but they are very good for specific things. Probably repeating what others have said, but hey, that’s an endorsement. You got a good deal on your membership, and I would say stick with the gold star (cheaper) until you find out whether you buy $200+ of products there monthly. If you do, the executive with rebate is worth it. Not sure if gas counts toward that, but in my area Costco gas is always the cheapest. Also cheapest: contact lenses if anyone at your house wears them. Some things are not cheaper than other stores, but you are getting better quality for the same price. They will take returns on just about anything. Their house brand otc meds are an excellent value, and their pharmacy service and selection is very good, though they don’t have a drive through where I am. Vanilla and maple syrup are also excellent values. The bad thing is that sometimes they will carry something that the buyers got a deal on, but it’s a limited quantity and you don’t know, so it never comes back. Also they rearrange the store to make you wander around buying things while you look for things. But most stores do that and with their shifting stock I don’t blame them. Enjoy!
I am literally walking distance from a Costco and will sometimes hoof it over with a backpack to pick up a few things.
I’m not sure about recommending brands because I, of course, shop at Canadian Costcos, but I will say I always get cheese, buns and bread, lactose-free milk, bagged salads, frozen dumplings, chicken sausage, protein powder, and dishwasher detergent there. I also pick up clothes, socks and sometimes shoes. I don’t know if Cove soda and Roar drinks are available in the US, but they are much cheaper at Costco here than at other stores. Their pharmacies’ dispensing fees are also the cheapest around, as are their eyeglasses.
And I LOVE trying samples at Costco. My son has an egg allergy so it’s extra fun to try things I wouldn’t be able to make at home.
As a side note, Plan B is $6 at the Costco pharmacy.
Things we (household of 5) buy on every trip:
Berries
Bagged salad
Breakfast bread (muffins/bagels/croissants/amazing almond pastries I got last time)
Ground beef
Chicken breasts
Fish (either a whole side of salmon or individually frozen salmon or tilapia
Hoop cheddar
Rotisserie chicken
Hummus
Milk, eggs, butter, yogurt
Laundry detergent (K-sig brand)
Frozen chicken nuggets
Bacon & hot dogs
King Arthur flour
Chips/Trail mix/applesauce pouches for lunches
Maple syrup
Peanut butter
The prepared foods can be great, we reliably eat the meatloaf one and the street tacos one. Kids vary on the mac & cheese and the pot pie. I’ve never had a dessert I didn’t care for, cheesecake, pies of all sorts, tuxedo cake, the custom birthday cakes, they’re all pretty good.
Costco…how we love thee! My favorites: Kirkland brand loratidine (Claritin) is insanely cheaper than at Walmart (I don’t have exact numbers, but, like $10 for 250 pills vs $30 for 50 pills. Crazy.) I don’t know if US Costco sells frozen chocolate chip cookie dough, but I buy it in a large box and then it’s super easy to take out whatever amount of cookies I want to bake for whatever occasion. Apparently they are delicious but I wouldn’t know because I can’t eat gluten, sob. Bacon is substantially cheaper at Costco. My in-laws recently bought a $12 bottle of Kirkland vodka (in the US) and used it to make limoncello. They were thrilled at the price and it was delicious.
And, their return policy really can’t be beat. Welcome to the Costco club!
Yes to all the suggestions above!
Love the gift cards! They sell multi packs to a variety of places (Sees!!) that are say worth $50 in redemption value but the price to buy the pack is less, say $30. (Using examples because there are a variety of retailers available and at different price points.)
Also sheets and towels! We’ve gotten 600/800/1000 thread count 100% cotton Queen sheets for as low as $50. That’s been awhile so the price may not be that low currently but I did not find another retailer that had a better price point for the quality at the time. Would be willing to bet it still holds true.