Costco

[Jamie]

Matt and I have our shiny new Costco membership cards in our pockets. What are the best deals?

We walked in 1/2 hour before closing, and so we just walked out with a giant box of Frosted Flakes and a 2-pack of Sonicare toothbrushes - I can't wait to go use mine!

[Lola]

Wine. Gas. Soda. Kitty litter. Organic canned tomatoes. Vanilla extract. Maple syrup. Occasionally toilet paper -- use the coupon they send you and stock up. Mushrooms. Peppers. Books.

I also just bought $100 in Starbucks cards (5/$20 cards) for $80. I plan on using most of those myself. I might give one or two as Xmas gifts.

And I bought a bunch of movie tickets for our local theater. They were something like $7 each and can be used anytime.

[Jana]

I generally buy books, chicken breasts (the ones in the freezer section that have 6 packages of 2-3 breasts that are plain or in different types of marinades, not the giant bags of them where they're all pancake shaped and don't really resemble meat), rotisserie chicken, cleaning supplies (dishwasher detergent, toilet cleaner, Tilex, Clorox wipes), and staples like Fiber One bars, cereal, baking supplies, breakfast bars, etc. I occasionally buy produce, but I generally have to split that with someone - a box of salad greens isn't unusual for me to buy and I could get through it on my own, but they are usually less expensive elsewhere. I buy baby carrots and the 8-packs of pre-sliced apples on occasion, but never if I am going to be out of town or missing a lot of meals at home.

I generally don't buy paper products there, but that's mostly because I don't have any storage space. I might start buying TP there just so that I can buy it less often and just stash it under my bed or something. I don't buy paper towels anymore, but I am sure they have good deals on those. Oh, I also buy random electronics - I got my wireless mouse/keyboard/laptop stand there for $75, I buy batteries there, and I will do some holiday shopping there as well. I'm also thinking about getting my eyes checked at Costco's optometrist since I don't have vision coverage in my benefits package. And if it were closer to my apartment, I'd get my prescriptions filled there too.

At holiday time, I buy premade food trays to take to parties, I buy lots of wine and spirits, and holiday baking supplies - huge packages of butter, chocolate chips, flour, etc. are so much less expensive than they would be at the grocery store. Soda is never cheaper at Costco than it is on sale at the grocery store.

I would probably buy ten times as much there if they took my work credit card, but they don't accept Visa. The debit-only policy helps me spend a lot less money, actually.

[Lola]

Soda is never cheaper at Costco than it is on sale at the grocery store.

When we first joined Costco, Jason was drinking lots of soda. We figured out that just on soda alone, we were saving enough money to make the price of membership worthwhile. I forget how much it was, though, and how it compared to the grocery store. But he doesn't drink soda anymore, so it doesn't matter.

I second what Jana said about the prepared foods. The pizzas, rotisserie chickens, fruit trays, etc are all high quality and reasonable. It's a great deal when you're throwing a party.

I don't buy the salad greens there. The box is too big, and I'm very picky about greens. (If I find one bad, wilty leaf, I think it throws off the flavor of the rest of them and I toss the whole thing. It's a huge waste.)

I know you're not crazy about smoothies, but the frozen fruit is a great deal too.

[Anthony]

I wish we had Costco anywhere near us. It's totally like my retail heaven. And no, Sam's is certainly not the same, even if they happen to have the same setup and function.

[Jana]

The only thing that makes me even consider shopping at a Sam's is that they carry Shick razor blades and Costco only carries Gillette.

I also forgot to say that a must-have on every Costco trip is a $1.25 Diet Coke and hot dog. My friend Brenda and I often make plans to have lunch at the club, which is code for wandering the aisles of Costco and eating hot dogs and getting Diet Cokes either on the way in or on the way out.

[Lola]

Yes. Jason always gets the hot dog and Coke ... I get the side cup of sauerkraut.

[Harmony]

Man, you are getting the shit end of that stick. Except I guess you probably like sauerkraut.

We bought all the wine for our wedding at Costco, and I tag along with my sister every once in a while to buy stuff like Advil, and sometimes small appliances. We used to get pictures developed there, but who develops pictures anymore?

[Lola]

I do love sauerkraut, but I dream of a bigger cup.

[Jana]

Heh. Not being able to eat hot dogs is one of many reasons why I am not a vegan.

Also, goddamn, I love Costco. I buy shower gel, bar soap, face wash, makeup (last time, I got 3 Smashbox lip glosses for $12. They are $15 each at Sephora!), tampons, fresh flowers, appliances, cat supplies, Gladware, trash bags, and on and on. When I moved this summer, I bought two of their packages of boxes and 2 tape guns and both Leon and I were able to move with those supplies and then unload them on one of his friends. That was totally worth the money. Usually, when I make a major purchase, I think "could I get this at Costco?" and it is almost always the best option. I'm researching air purifiers right now so that when I see a Consumer Reports-recommended model for the right price at Costco, I'm prepared to snap it up. I want a cross-cut paper shredder and Costco has an office-grade one for about $50 that I am stalking. It's also a good place to buy wedding gifts - bakeware sets, Pyrex sets, etc. are priced really well - and cater showers and other events you host.

Right now, I share a membership with a friend, so all the mailings go to his condo building and thus never make it in his mailbox, which means we miss out on all the sales and coupons that they send in the mail. Still, $50 every other year (we rotate who pays for the renewal) is a steal.

[Jamie]

I'm so glad I asked - I would never have thought to look for makeup, movie tickets or gift cards.

I know you're not crazy about smoothies, but the frozen fruit is a great deal too.

What? I love smoothies!

I was just thinking the other day (while sanding in the freezer section of the NORMAL CIVILIAN grocery store) that I should start buying frozen berries, because they're good for yogurt and baking, so I'm glad to learn about that, too.

[Lola]

You had said something before about how you don't like banana and you couldn't figure out how to make a smoothie without them. That's why I thought you don't eat them. My bad.

Jana, I bought the Smashbox lipglosses too. And about a year ago we bought an industrial paper shredder. It's awesome. We shred everything.

[Jamie]

This should have been its own topic in the first place, I think.

I can't wait to further explore this Chowhound thread on the best Costco buys.

[Jana]

Costco has stopped requiring the paper coupon to get those advertised prices - they automatically ring up at the registers now.

[Rooey]

We just joined, and so far I've spent a small fortune, and I have a running list of things I need to go back for! I live pretty close, so I'm going to stop in more frequently for fewer things, instead of big, long, involved trips that exhaust me and make me slightly crazy.

God, I got eight pounds of onions for the price I usually pay for two. Three pounds of garlic for less than what I usually pay for a couple of heads. The prices on fresh produce is jaw dropping, but I need to be careful and not overbuy; it saves me nothing if I waste. But wow. Just wow.

I found white dishes there for practically a song ... I've been looking for months, and found the perfect dishes that Dave and I agreed on instantly, which is hard for me to believe.

My pantry and storage areas are stuffed, but I am happy.

[Jamie]

If it's any comfort, Rooey, I find I spend less when I do those big, marathon trips. We've bought toilet paper and paper towels exactly twice since moving to Orlando, for example. Like, the receipt is a little scary when you are checking out (Holy shit, we spent THAT MUCH?!) but then you sit back and think about how long the stuff lasts and realize it was a fabulous deal.

I haven't even touched the produce section, though. Since I pretty much just buy that stuff for me, I'm sure I'd waste.

My next trip I'll pick up organic, fair-trade coffee (probably that Manatee stuff) and I need to ask some questions about what meat comes from where.

[Jana]

I have started to blanch and freeze most of the produce so that I can take advantage of the out-of-season prices while still being able to eat and afford fresh vegetables and fruit. Two weeks ago, I bought a big bag of fresh green beans, ate about a quarter of them during the week and then separated the rest into serving sizes to blanch and freeze. The only produce I can get through as a single person are the boxes of salad greens, and even that requires a big salad for dinner every night and for both meals on the weekend. (Although, I've found that putting paper towels on the bottom and top of the box helps them last a whole lot longer.)

I bought 4 Carter's outfits for my nephew there for $5 each and I also stocked up on cat litter, garbage bags, cleaning wipes, and bought a Father's Day present for my dad (a digital instant-read cooking thermometer with a base that you just leave in the kitchen so you don't have to crack the oven door). I also have to recommend their optometrist services and am going to call them tomorrow to research pharmacy prices on my monthly prescriptions to see if I would be better off transferring everything there and having to drive to pick things up.

[Rooey]

It's not the amount of money at one time, it is my ability to withstand the noise and the crowds for very long. I just don't have the patience to deal with lots of people ... I've always been crowd-adverse. So I was thinking shorter trips might work better for me. Another thing that helps - getting in there early, before they have the food sample carts up and running. I can't stand how people crowd those things like vultures.

(this message brought to you by your local curmudgeon)

[Jana]

Rooey, you might have more luck going during the early afternoon - my Costco is super busy in the early morning when 3rd-shift employees and people who work 12-hour shifts are getting off work, busy between 5-7 p.m. when the 9 to 5'ers are getting off work, and busy on weekends when working people are typically not working. My friend who doesn't work says that she goes around 1 or 2 and breezes in and out with the things on her list. (And at my Costco, most of the aisles aren't crowded, but the checkout line is a nightmare on the weekends.)

My Costco also doesn't do samples on weekdays, but if yours is a new store they may be sampling constantly at first.

[koroshiya]

if anyone's into steel cut oats for breakfast, the costco by my place had a HUGE bag of the bob's red mill ones for $4.79 last night. i am giving them a shot.

[Jamie]

How do people share a membership? You have to be in the same household, I thought, so I'm confused as to how this works. I'd love to split one with our neighbor but am unsure how to get away with it.

(Otherwise, I'm going to press hard to drop it. I don't think we get our money's worth out of it.)

[Rooey]

if anyone's into steel cut oats for breakfast, the costco by my place had a HUGE bag of the bob's red mill ones for $4.79 last night. i am giving them a shot.

OMG, I go through mega-quantities of that exact thing. I hope they have 'em at our Costco! Thanks for the head's up!

[koroshiya]

if they don't, let me know - it might still be cheaper with shipping than you can get them. i'm willing to ship them to ya.

[koroshiya]

How do people share a membership? You have to be in the same household, I thought, so I'm confused as to how this works. I'd love to split one with our neighbor but am unsure how to get away with it.

(Otherwise, I'm going to press hard to drop it. I don't think we get our money's worth out of it.)

i don't think i had to prove that jared and i lived together when i put him on my account, i think i just took him down there and they got him a card. but i don't remember well.

[Jana]

Jamie, my friend Alex and I share a membership. According to Costco, we live at his address and since we went in to get the membership together, we each have a card. The thing that sucks about this is that only one of you can get the coupons (which I wish they would just do away with and give the deals to everyone) and they can only be used once, so he gets those (but I try to go with him once a month or get them from him to take advantage where I can).

If you and your household person each have your own card, you can't share with someone else. So if you and Matt each have cards, then your neighbor can't be a third. Two cards per household, no proof of address needed. Although if you and Matt already have cards, it will look a little sketchy to go in and alter that, but I don't know if Costco cares very much.

ETA I'm surprised you aren't getting your money's worth - I thought you were doing a lot of shopping there? It just sort of hit me one day that tampons are $8/little box at Walgreen's and $8/gigantic box at Costco. Deodorant is $5/stick at the drugstore and $9 for 5 sticks at Costco. I think I have saved double the membership fee just by buying deodorant, tampons, over the counter drugs, and things like toothbrushes, trash bags, etc. there a couple of times a year, and the food and books and other stuff I buy (paper shredder, cloths that replace paper towels in my home, etc.) are just bonus savings.

Drugstore/household stuff is where I can really see the difference on my personal purchases, whereas I always thought the opposite before, that I was saving on food and the drugstore-type stuff was just a crapshoot. If you live in a place where consumer goods are priced more reasonably, I can see that it might not be full of good deals.

[Jamie]

I'm sure this sounds stupid but it's never occurred to me to buy tampons there. I'll probably get a big ol' box at least before membership expires, though. The Yaz has my periods so short and light that I use two tampons per cycle. Seriously. A big box will last me a lifetime!

I don't do deodorant there because my stupid fussy armpits refuse to comply with deodorant for more than one stick in a row. Matt does, though. And soap. And he did just buy a huge thing of razor cartridges that I know was a great deal. So maybe it is worth it.

I still want to do the math on TP and paper towels. I feel like the meat prices are pretty good - it's like steak is on sale all the time, and I think chicken if about the equivalent of grocery store, but it's nice to just buy a bunch at once. I wonder, though, if we'd just buy cheaper meat (or less meat) instead if we didn't have access to those cheap ribeyes.

Wine was the thing I was most excited about, and it's been really disappointing. Total wine has way better selection and prices.

I do think that splitting would easily make it worthwhile. Maybe instead of changing Matt's and my address, I'll go in with the boy and we'll start a new membership under "their" address. (It's too bad our apt #s are on our licenses, b/c we actually would have the same address, otherwise, if asked for proof.)

Jana, you don't have to bring in the coupons at ours. It rings it up automatically.

[Jana]

I'm telling you, drugstore/household stuff is where the real deals are. But, I hear you on the tampons - I have an IUD, so my giant box has been going for three years now. Other things to check out: trash bags, dishwasher detergent, Oxy-clean, laundry detergent, over the counter drugs (I buy ibuprofen and allergy meds there once per year), toothpaste, etc. I have started giving a case of diapers and a case of wipes for baby shower gifts, and their prices on baby stuff are great if you have friends who are new parents. And my friends who aren't on hormonal BC buy condoms there. I get my eye exams done at the in-store optometrist's office. They truly have everything.

ETA: Wine has been a huge disappointment. I occasionally get liquor there, but generally get it for less at the grocery store when they run sales during the holiday season. But I don't buy $25 bottles to keep at home and I don't give wine to wine snobs, so I really have no use for their selection. I tend to buy wine at TJ's and Whole Foods instead.

[Rooey]

And ... I have been pretty thrilled with their wine selection. Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cab for $8.99 a bottle? I am SO all over that ... my house wine at the moment. (a switch from the Bogle)

I swear I save enough on wine and on Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano to justify the membership alone.

I buy the big bags of garlic and onions, too (might not work out well in FL though ... I have a cool-ish spot to store them, but you may not, Jamie), and lemons. I am about to buy a back up of my Cuisinart coffee maker, because I love the one I have so much, but it is getting old. Makes the best coffee EVER, though, and I'd be bereft without it. Their price on it is mind-boggling.

Dried fruit, spices, condiments (their price on Grey Poupon is amazing). Lindt truffle balls for Dave. Their deals on Extra Virgin Olive Oil is fabulous. So is their deal on half & half, organic eggs, and Starbucks house blend. Plus, one of these days I will spring for one of their super fab deals on Le Creuset.

Vitamins and supplements and health and beauty ... I agree with Jana.

I use it WAY more than I even thought I would. It saves me a ton of money.
I am making a quick trip tomorrow to see if they have the steel cut oats Trish was talking about.

[Teena]

We love Costco, too. Rooey mentioned dried fruit, which I think is one of the best deals ever at Costco. I love, love, love just about any kind of dried fruit, and it's so damn expensive anywhere but Costco. I also think we save a ton on paper products (we actually did do the math one of the first months we lived together and started shopping at Costco and I was amazed) and stuff like bodywash, cleaning products, etc. Other little things like pickles and bags of Sun chips for lunches are way cheaper there, too. However, we have learned that we can't go through some stuff fast enough for the savings to be worth it (once we bought a giant block of cheese, which in retrospect was crazy... we like cheese, but not *that* much, and ended up wasting half of it). But mostly I think Costco is more than worth it for us.

[Rooey]

Word of warning: Never, never, never, never, absolutely NEVER go on the first day the coupons start being applicable in December if you hate crowds. I had planned on going yesterday, but got my coupon flyer in the mail and there were quite a few coupons I wanted to use, but coupons weren't available until today. So I waited, and man ... swamped. Crazy swamped with people. Wall to wall people. I got my deals, and I was excited that they had a couple bottles of different Spanish reds that Food & Wine was raving about in last month's issue, so it was worth the headache. If you don't mind crowds too much, you'd probably be okay, but I was totally overwhelmed by the press.

[Jana]

My new favorite thing to buy at Costco: egg substitute. Six cartons are under $10, and one carton at my grocery store is $6. I freeze the extras and while they take a surprisingly long time to thaw out, they defrost well. I really need to make an eye appointment for early January after my vacation, and do a stock-up trip then. I'm set on paper products, cleaning supplies, and health/beauty stuff for six months or so, but I am going to need to do a food shopping trip when I get back into town.

[Jamie]

Their big box of chicken wings for $15 were pretty damn good. They aren't the sauciest things in the world, so if you like that, you'd probably want to add some. But the flavor was great.

[Jana]

My parents were in town this weekend, and we went to Costco on Saturday. I had my eye appointment and then we bought one of everything in the store. I bought enough low-calorie or sugar-free snacks to last for a couple of months, as well as things like Kleenex, toothpaste, chicken, and some other stuff that I can't remember, yet added up to be a lot of freaking money.

[Heather]

So I just found out that a Costco is being built fairly close to us, and I was kind of excited. We have been Sam's Club members for years, and I know many of you are Costco people, so what can you tell me about it? What do you like about it more than Sam's? Is it really worth switching, or are they pretty much the same? The Sam's is still a little closer, so if it's not super incredibly awesome and worth it, we probably won't switch.

[Jana]

Oh, I am a Costco evangelist. Having grown up near Sam's Club, I feel pretty familiar with both.

Costco advantages (not knowing what Sam's current policies are):
- Costco will take back anything that you bought there. They stand behind their products. I have returned moldy berries, a 2 year-old fan that burned out, etc.
- Costco has a great assortment of stuff. I get my eyes checked there, I bought my couches there (and people are always shocked when I tell them that and they are at my house sitting on them), I buy my household and personal care products there, and when I buy a car, I will get my prescriptions filled there. I love being able to take care of so many things and know that I am getting a great deal.
- The employees are happy. They get paid well and get benefits, and I have never experienced poor service at a Costco.
- Their auto/tire area is great, too. I got tires for my last car there and they came with a guarantee for lifetime care. Now my sister has that car, so every time she's in town, we drop it off and get the tires rotated and balanced.
- I have heard the locations with gas stations are a great place to get gas. The 2 stores I shop at do not have this.
- Fresh flowers are florist quality and cheap.
- The meat, bakery, and prepared foods are, I think, higher quality than Sam's.
- Kirkland (house brand) products are my jam. I buy everything from dish detergent to vodka to face wipes to wine under their house label because they a) stand by their products and b) it is good shit. Just sitting at my dining table, I can see 15 different Kirkland products. I love it.
- Not sure what Sam's policies are, but Costco only takes Costco AmEx, debit, cash, and check. I am often standing in line transferring money to my checking account on my cell phone because I forget about the debit-only policy.

Heather, if you want to go with me to Costco, let me know! I can take you in with my membership and then you can decide for yourself what you like better. (And then you can take me to Sam's so that I can buy razor blades. One bad thing about Costco is that they are a Gillette store and Sam's has Schick.)

[Heather]

I will totally take you up on that offer! And you are more than welcome to come with me to Sam's anytime. Most of those things I can get at Sam's too, so I kind of want to go to Costco to see what kind of stuff they have that's different, or better quality. The debit only thing kind of turns me off a little, but that's not really a huge issue.

[Jana]

The debit-only thing is kind of a drag but it keeps their costs low, so I don't complain.

Yes, let's do it! How about sometime next month? We start school next Monday so I will pretty much be losing my mind until Labor Day weekend. I can also give you on the spot product reviews since between my friend Alex and his roommate and me and my family, we have purchased a lot of what they have for sale there. And are thankful that Costco is generous with their definition of household.

ETA I just realized that your new store isn't open yet. We'll for sure go once it's open and the new store crowds have calmed down.

[Heather]

Well, the new store isn't open yet, but there's another one in Oak Brook, which isn't too far away (and then we can go to the mall too if you want). It was just too far for me to justify getting a membership before when the Sam's is like a mile away. I'm totally down! You can take the train out here and I can pick you up or something (we can talk more details in PM or text). And since I'm unemployed, I'm pretty much free every single day now! I knew there would be some upside to that!

[Jana]

Heather, I will e-mail you about a Costco trip next month sometime. Cannot wait!

I went today with my parents and sister so that Carrie could stock up on baby supplies, and we really did well - lots of good coupons this month. I bought my annual supply of allergy medicine, some cleaning products, table lamps for my living room that are really pretty (2 for $40!), fresh mozzarella cheese, and some random stuff.