Tell me about Costco...

[Lilacs4Me]

A long time ago (pre-kids) DH was able to use his company's corporate card for Sam's club, and we went maybe once or twice, made the rookie mistake of buying the 2-gallon jug of Mrs. Butterworth's pancake syrup LOL and of course it just sat there until it crystalized and we threw it away. After that, we decided that we just didn't need Club-sized portions of anything!

Then, last year I got a free 1-year membership as a gift, so we started using Costco for the first time ever. OK, so shopping for a family of 5 with three tweens/teens vs shopping for a family of 2 adults is so much different! We got so much use out of Costco in one year - my goodness, the $1.50 hot dog combo was enough to entice DH into stopping in every weekend for lunch LOL, and honestly, my kids have a million sleepovers so a $9.99 pizza will feed 4 teenage boys! (or apparently a dozen 11 year old girls, as we found out the hard way...LOL). We had our "must-haves" that we get every time we go, and often spent less than $100. We would go once a month to stock up, and sometimes in between, just for the snack bar or for a pizza for a weekend lunch. Always bought a rotisserie chicken - either eat it that night for dinner, or break it down and use the meat for a variety of things over the next day or two. for $5 bucks already cooked, you can't beat it!

So, the membership expired in June, and several things happened that month as well, so we didn't renew the membership right away. For the past three months, I've just been buying the same thing in smaller packages at the regular grocery store. I was spending MORE money, and the kids were eating everything up as fast as I could buy it!

Finally a couple weeks ago, DS and DD needed new shoes. The last place I bought them shoes were at Costco - Adidas for DS and Sketchers for DD, for a fraction of the cost anywhere else. So we ponied up the $55 and renewed the menbership. I've already saved the cost of the membership just with those two new paris of shoes, and I am thrilled to be going back. I missed it!!!

As far as logistics, the closest costco by me happens to be almost brand new and the parking lot and store are HUGE! And very clean and nice. I have one on my way to work, and it is small, crowded, and the parking lot is TINY. I always wait in line for gas at that one, but the one by my house I never have to wait. And gas is consistently $.30-$.40 cheaper than anywhere else.

 

[ChristmasElf]

That is a good way to look at the savings. I must admit, I'm impressed with the discounts you are able to get. Your Costco must sell things much cheaper than ours or your grocery stores have higher prices than ours. Granted, we were only in there twice, but we didn't see anything close to 40% off that we would buy and couldn't get at a local store. Now, that is almost all food, we probably wouldn't buy anything else like furniture, medicine, clothes, etc... Not to say it couldn't happen in the future but we just didn't spend a great deal of time looking at non food items. The best deals we noticed were the meats and that was at best 15% cheaper than our local stores which is a great deal. Some of the fruit and veggie selections were pretty good but you had to buy in 5lb bulk and that is too much for use in a week. Gas, I won't purchase gas from a store. Not to get into an argument, but there's a reason it is 5-10 cents cheaper, it's cheaper quality gas.

When they start allowing Visa next year we will go back and get a membership to see how it works out. My wife runs numbers like crazy and even with the membership dues we would still come out ahead as a family of 3.

Not true on the gas being a cheaper quality. Costco has contracts that they buy X amount of fuel per year at a certain price point that they pass the savings on to their customers.
Costco is a very picky company. A few years ago when Coca Cola raises their prices and wanted Costco to do the same, Costco refused and promptly put signs up in their warehouses that until Coke went back to the lower agreed upon pricing, Costco would not be stocking Coke products. Eventually, Coke realized they would have to comply as Costco was too big a customer to piss off.

 

[IndyRnRfan]

Not true on the gas being a cheaper quality. Costco has contracts that they buy X amount of fuel per year at a certain price point that they pass the savings on to their customers.
Costco is a very picky company. A few years ago when Coca Cola raises their prices and wanted Costco to do the same, Costco refused and promptly put signs up in their warehouses that until Coke went back to the lower agreed upon pricing, Costco would not be stocking Coke products. Eventually, Coke realized they would have to comply as Costco was too big a customer to piss off.

Sorry about that, you are correct. I was expecting them to fall under the same gas quality as the other stores that sell lower gas qualities around me. One more reason to get a membership, more money for Disney. Thank you for the pointing that out to me.

 

[Jennabeth]

That is a good way to look at the savings. I must admit, I'm impressed with the discounts you are able to get. Your Costco must sell things much cheaper than ours or your grocery stores have higher prices than ours. Granted, we were only in there twice, but we didn't see anything close to 40% off that we would buy and couldn't get at a local store. Now, that is almost all food, we probably wouldn't buy anything else like furniture, medicine, clothes, etc... Not to say it couldn't happen in the future but we just didn't spend a great deal of time looking at non food items. The best deals we noticed were the meats and that was at best 15% cheaper than our local stores which is a great deal. Some of the fruit and veggie selections were pretty good but you had to buy in 5lb bulk and that is too much for use in a week. Gas, I won't purchase gas from a store. Not to get into an argument, but there's a reason it is 5-10 cents cheaper, it's cheaper quality gas.

When they start allowing Visa next year we will go back and get a membership to see how it works out. My wife runs numbers like crazy and even with the membership dues we would still come out ahead as a family of 3.

We buy all of our meat at Costco. As you said, it's probably only a little cheaper, but the quality is way better. I like meat that actually has flavor.

We buy food for my kids' lunches there, fruit snacks, chips, granola bars. I can get a box of 10 fruit snacks for $4 at the grocery store, or a box of 50 for $12 @ Costco (similar price for granola bars). Sliced deli turkey is $6.99/lb at the grocery store, I get 3 14oz packages for $9.99 @ Costco and it freezes so well and my family loves the flavor.

Sometimes things aren't cheaper, but you get a bonus item. I love the bonus items, especially if I was going to buy whatever it is anyway. We also found huge savings on travel and rental cars. Again, we are usually paying similar prices, but the bonuses are nice (upgrades, gift cars, extra flexibility).

Some things we do not buy at Costco because it will go bad, unless we are entertaining. If I can freeze it, I buy it from there.

Another thing, when you order at Costco.com you can use any form of payment. I ordered my laptop online and used my visa. I saved a lot of money, earned rewards points and doubled the manufacture's warranty!

I disagree about the gas and will continue to buy it whenever I'm out there. I see many, many high end vehicles filling up. I'm sure if the quality was inferior the station would not be that busy, word would get out quickly.

 

[Christine]

Not to mention, if you get the executive membership, you get 2% back on all purchases. We shop at Costco a lot so every November, we get a nice fat check. Covers the next year's membership along with more than $200 back. So, our membership is basically free and we get a nice rebate check on top of the great prices already at Costco.

I get this too! I don't even buy a huge amount of stuff there but it's just enough to cover my membership fee.

 

[tinatark]

Oh! If you like Maui Jim sunglasses (usually $200+) - they have a decent selection for $89 in their optical dept.

 

[stitch'sgirl]

I buy their case of organic shelf-stable chocolate milk for lunches. Also their squarish tubs of chocolate covered nuts with the screw on tops. You know what I'm talking about! Love the toffee, and the caramel chocolate macademia nuts.

I always book DCL through Costco and get that nice check.

When we stayed at Aulani, we found a Costco nearby and were so relieved to find their food prices were comparable to the mainland. Their outdoor seating at the food court was packed. We purchased the $9.99 pizza a few times and loaded up with groceries for our villa.

 

[mnrose]

I will go with BJ's as I get 5% back on all BJ's purchases and 10 cents off a gallon of gas. I generally get about 15% in coupon savings with BJs and Manufacture Coupons.

I have no problems with any fruit, produce, or dairy items as I am a digger and will find the freshest component even if I have to climb into the box to get into a second rack. I avoid any item that is in the front of the freezer or fridge sections for fears that it was returned or put back after sitting out for a good period of time.

My question is for what does Costco do with those returns. I shutter that some cookies that were sitting outside at a home coming game were now being put back on the shelves. I still freak out when I bought a cordless phone from target and the handset had earwax all over it.

They dispose of any food that is not sealed per original manufacture. It's one of the reasons I refused to return the "overage" on the cookies I bought. I KNEW they would be trashed. Wrong for me to return since the cookies were perfectly fine and it was my fault that I overbought, not theirs.

 

[yanilat]

I much prefer Costco then Sam's. I think Costco's rottiserie chicken taste 10 times better then Sam's. I get my kids school snacl there too and The Cakes! It is always a big hit at our parties.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I am in CT also OP and can't wait for the new NB store

We currently drive to the Waterbury store. We are executive members (pay $110 per year but get 2% off all purchases back. Basically Costco pays us to shop there!)

We buy so much there. The produce is far far better than anything we find locally. The Kirkland brand, their store brand, is awesome. From tuna to OTC meds to eyeglasses, we love it all

Gas at ours is not better than locally. But meh, no biggie

Agree with the rotisserie chicken comment. we often get 2, one to make lunches with and one for dinner.

I have a BJs closer but not a fan at all. The quality of the products as well as the return policy makes Costco our go to store

 

[Twende]

We had a Costco membership and really enjoyed it. We saved a big chunk of money on a Disney cruise by booking it through Costco travel. We also use the Kirkland brand of dog food. It is excellent! We have since moved and the nearest Costco is 2 hours one way so we have not decided if we are going to join again or not.

 

[MillauFr]

I much prefer Costco then Sam's. I think Costco's rottiserie chicken taste 10 times better then Sam's. I get my kids school snacl there too and The Cakes! It is always a big hit at our parties.

Looks like many people agree with you. Sam's Club is closing all of their stores in the Puget Sound.

 

[Poohforyou]

I've never been to BJs but I have been to Sam's Club many times. We've been Costco members for over 20 years. I think their products, service and corporate model are better than Sam's Club.

 

[aprilchem]

We were long-time Costco members, but ended our membership and switched to BJ's a few years ago. Our Costco is always ridiculously crowded, has extremely long lines to check out (the last time I went we waited over 40 minutes in line), and has confusingly short hours (they close at 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday - I don't know of another business that closes so early on Saturday night). I also wasn't fond of their cash/debit only policy - I track my purchases on my Visa card, and having to pull out the debit card was an annoyance.

Costco also doesn't take coupons (or at least they didn't when we went there), while BJs will take one BJs coupon + 1 manufacturer's coupon for each item you buy.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Apparently you can returned dried-out Christmas trees at Costco

 

[SteveH]

I love Costco! But you have to know what they are great for and what they are not so great for. I find the quality of meats & veggies to be above what I find elsewhere, but they do not offer the wide vareity or smaller packaging that I need sometimes. I can't beat the price of milk, even with our boys back from school they go through 4 gallons a week, that was the big reason we went to Costco once a week when they were younger. Meat is not the cheapest cut, but if you like what they have it's usually a good deal for a good cut. I often buy direct from Cash & Carry since I can trim my own. Even with the kids off to college we still shop Costco frequently. We also shot the Costco clothes section often it can be hit or miss and you learn that if Costco has something today (any dept) don't think it will be there in a week - it may not.

We almost never leave Costco without spending about $200 so for us we get a good value. I have learned NOT to go on a busy weekend, I hit the store up on Tuesday evening most often since the restock trucks arrive heavily on Monday (ask your local Costco about that).

I pretty much only fuel up at the Costco Gas station, I know its fresh gas and in our area its always the lowest price. Plus I'm not stuck behind somebody washing their windows or leaving their car and running in for a pop.

Some years back there wasn't a Costco near where we lived, but a Sam's Club. After years of being a Costco Member Sam's just never felt right, after a year we let our membership go because they didn't have the brands or the quality we'd come to expect. Now that was nearly 20 year ago but that's how it was for us.

 

[SteveH]

confusingly short hours (they close at 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday...
I also wasn't fond of their cash/debit only policy...
Costco also doesn't take coupons...

One thing about Costco is they don't see themselves as a retail establishment but you might check about the hours again. They know when they do the bulk of their business and they are open those hours, plus they give their employees a life by not being open all the time. I appreciate they are closed Major holidays too.

Their Cash/Debit was due to the agreement with Amex which has ended, you can use any Visa, Debit or Cash but not Amex and no MasterCard. It's all about saving money and the exclusivity allows them to do that.

I am one that loves the no-coupon policy, the offer in house deals but I don't have the headache of looking for coupons, but I can see that can be a deal breaker for some.

 

[xlxo]

What ever they are doing... they seem to be successful....

https://finance.yahoo.com/chart/COS...6eyJiYXNlIjoiYWxsIiwibXVsdGlwbGllciI6MX19XX0=

 

[PrncessA]

We love Costco and buy a lot of household staples there with the Kirkland brand. I love their paper towels and TP. We also buy school lunch items in bulk like uncrustables, goldfish, applesauce, fruit cups, etc. I like being able to buy for the entire month and not have to worry about it. I buy my ground beef and chicken breasts there as well. I love that they are already broken down in 1-1.5 pound bags that I can freeze. Last night I was short on time, ran into Costco and picked up a bag of kale/brussel sprout salad (sound yucky but tastes great) and a rotisserie chicken and a easy and nutritious dinner was served for $10.50, not bad.

Not only do they offer a great return policy, but they also price match their own items with no time limit. I have bought a lot of items and went back a few weeks later and they have either dropped in price or are now on sale. You just walk up to the customer service, give them your card and the item number and they hand you the difference.

Plus their gas prices routinely beat the gas stations around here by around .20 per gallon, that alone makes it worth it for us since we are 2 minutes away.

 

[mnrose]

We love Costco and buy a lot of household staples there with the Kirkland brand. I love their paper towels and TP. We also buy school lunch items in bulk like uncrustables, goldfish, applesauce, fruit cups, etc. I like being able to buy for the entire month and not have to worry about it. I buy my ground beef and chicken breasts there as well. I love that they are already broken down in 1-1.5 pound bags that I can freeze. Last night I was short on time, ran into Costco and picked up a bag of kale/brussel sprout salad (sound yucky but tastes great) and a rotisserie chicken and a easy and nutritious dinner was served for $10.50, not bad.

Not only do they offer a great return policy, but they also price match their own items with no time limit. I have bought a lot of items and went back a few weeks later and they have either dropped in price or are now on sale. You just walk up to the customer service, give them your card and the item number and they hand you the difference.

Plus their gas prices routinely beat the gas stations around here by around .20 per gallon, that alone makes it worth it for us since we are 2 minutes away.

It is true that they will price match their own items, but only within a reasonable period of time. I was told the item had to go on sale within 2 weeks of the time you purchased it. Otherwise, no. They DID do it for me once, as a courtesy, outside that window, but explained the policy to me at the same time. It makes sense to me.