For those who go to Costco...

dlbrous

How much do you use your membership? I live very close to one and have been considering getting a membership for a while. A few reasons why I hesitate 1) because of the sheer size of the place and how crowded it seems to be on weekends, when I would normally go. Sorry, I can't see myself going there after work. 2) I worry I would buy more things than I need to, thus making it less likely to actually save money in the long run. The reason for this is because they have lots of neat food items (in bulk of course), among many other things, that aren't necessarily a necessity but "such a good deal."  Maybe if I'm crunched for time and on a mission, it would be all the more reason to be disciplined about what I buy. Thoughts?

dlbrous

On a baby related note, I should also mention, I've been thinking about it more lately due to positive opinions regarding their diapers, wipes, etc.

KatieM558

Meh.  I hate the crowds.  Giant jars of pickles weird me out.  However, I have not checked prices on their baby stuff yet so I may be singing a different tune.

xDanniellex

We go there a ton because ours is less than a 5 minute drive.  My H loves to go during the week for the free samples.  Some of that stuff is really good! 

When we started we just got contact solution.  Over the years we have expanded a lot.  Using their coupons really save on diapers and wipes.  Their Kirkland brand is just as good as the Huggies, but the Huggies are usually a better deal.  We also get toilet paper, paper towel and kleenex when they have coupons (which is very often) since we have room to store these items in bulk.

Other regular buys- milk (just a gallon is cheaper than our local grocery store on sale), chicken, hamburger, peanut butter (when they carried Jif), batteries, yogurt, and jelly.  

We do price compare and when they have coupons for items they are usually cheaper than even Walmart for brand name stuff like Olay face lotion.  

And if you shop there enough you can get the Executive membership which earns you 2% of your purchases back in a gift certificate.  At the end of the year if you haven't spent the difference between the Gold and Executive ($55) you get that full difference back, so there no loss to try.  Hopefully that makes sense.  To us the membership has completely been worth it. 

lulamagoo

xDanniellex:

We go there a ton because ours is less than a 5 minute drive.  My H loves to go during the week for the free samples.  Some of that stuff is really good! 

When we started we just got contact solution.  Over the years we have expanded a lot.  Using their coupons really save on diapers and wipes.  Their Kirkland brand is just as good as the Huggies, but the Huggies are usually a better deal.  We also get toilet paper, paper towel and kleenex when they have coupons (which is very often) since we have room to store these items in bulk.

Other regular buys- milk (just a gallon is cheaper than our local grocery store on sale), chicken, hamburger, peanut butter (when they carried Jif), batteries, yogurt, and jelly.  

We do price compare and when they have coupons for items they are usually cheaper than even Walmart for brand name stuff like Olay face lotion.  

And if you shop there enough you can get the Executive membership which earns you 2% of your purchases back in a gift certificate.  At the end of the year if you haven't spent the difference between the Gold and Executive ($55) you get that full difference back, so there no loss to try.  Hopefully that makes sense.  To us the membership has completely been worth it. 

 

Ditto the coupons and executive membership.

We love Costco and use it most for toilet paper, trash bags, cleaning supplies, etc.

We also use their gas station and their travel services. You can get great deals on vacations at really nice places. We stayed at the Fairmont in Hawaii for much less than expected and it was fabulous.  

SanDimasMama

I hate Costco!!! But alas I am a member. My German shepherd eats a million cups of kibble a month and has protein sensitivities so he can only have salmon food, my membership pays for itself in dog food.

 I also like jumbo packs of Tillamook cheddar because we don't eat American "cheese" and it's easier for the kids to make a grilled cheese or quesadilla if they have slices. Other food items disappoint: their organic free range beef is the same price per lb as Trader Joe's but I have to buy 2 pounds and I can never use that in a week, and I rarely feel the urge to stock my freezer.

 Toilet paper is okay, but not much better than a decent sale. My Costco doesn't have paper towels in select-a-size. Oh, we also switched to K-cups, which is cheaper than fresh brewing coffee for 1 and it works for my family. And a 2-pack of bread.

 That is literally it: our monthly trip to Costco consists of dog food, sliced cheddar, bread and k-cups. Then I get cheap gas and go home. Even when feeding a family of 5 I have never felt the need to buy a pallet of pasta sauce or an annual supply of steaks.

 

 

drpayne

xDanniellex:

We go there a ton because ours is less than a 5 minute drive.  My H loves to go during the week for the free samples.  Some of that stuff is really good! 

When we started we just got contact solution.  Over the years we have expanded a lot.  Using their coupons really save on diapers and wipes.  Their Kirkland brand is just as good as the Huggies, but the Huggies are usually a better deal.  We also get toilet paper, paper towel and kleenex when they have coupons (which is very often) since we have room to store these items in bulk.

Other regular buys- milk (just a gallon is cheaper than our local grocery store on sale), chicken, hamburger, peanut butter (when they carried Jif), batteries, yogurt, and jelly.  

We do price compare and when they have coupons for items they are usually cheaper than even Walmart for brand name stuff like Olay face lotion.  

And if you shop there enough you can get the Executive membership which earns you 2% of your purchases back in a gift certificate.  At the end of the year if you haven't spent the difference between the Gold and Executive ($55) you get that full difference back, so there no loss to try.  Hopefully that makes sense.  To us the membership has completely been worth it. 

drpayne

xDanniellex:

We go there a ton because ours is less than a 5 minute drive.  My H loves to go during the week for the free samples.  Some of that stuff is really good! 

When we started we just got contact solution.  Over the years we have expanded a lot.  Using their coupons really save on diapers and wipes.  Their Kirkland brand is just as good as the Huggies, but the Huggies are usually a better deal.  We also get toilet paper, paper towel and kleenex when they have coupons (which is very often) since we have room to store these items in bulk.

Other regular buys- milk (just a gallon is cheaper than our local grocery store on sale), chicken, hamburger, peanut butter (when they carried Jif), batteries, yogurt, and jelly.  

We do price compare and when they have coupons for items they are usually cheaper than even Walmart for brand name stuff like Olay face lotion.  

And if you shop there enough you can get the Executive membership which earns you 2% of your purchases back in a gift certificate.  At the end of the year if you haven't spent the difference between the Gold and Executive ($55) you get that full difference back, so there no loss to try.  Hopefully that makes sense.  To us the membership has completely been worth it. 

All of this. A lot of stuff is much cheaper there, especially produce. Their coupons can be really good, too. Then there's random stuff. We got a recliner recently (had been looking for years).  They had a pack n play there for $50. I just got new adidas for like $40. So we have a lot of regular stuff we get there as well as rando

 things. 

kac22

Honesty we don't use out Costco membership as much as I'd like to, mainly right now we use it for gas & their pizza..haha

But I am definitely planning on using it for diapers and wipes!  

StarrSquared

dlbrous:

On a baby related note, I should also mention, I've been thinking about it more lately due to positive opinions regarding their diapers, wipes, etc.

this is why DH and i kept ours open. Because you can get a HUGE case of wipes and diapers for super cheap. If you have a friend or family member that lives close and has a Costco membership i would suggest going in with them next time they go so you can check it out. it's not as overwhelming as people think.

Mrs.AmyDylan

I get the gas (for sure!). We also buy granola bars, laundry soap, dish soap, dog treats, beer, light bulbs, batteries, toilet paper, and frozen edamame. We also buy some frozen meals, pot pies, orange chicken, eggo waffles. We love Costco. 

melsuttn

I LOOOOVE Costco!!! I try to only go once or twice a month, (even though we are about 15 min from it) because it can be exhausting. But I actually like getting my organic chicken there because it's packaged nicely and cheaper than my local grocery store.  I will buy enough to last us the month usually and sometimes I'll get other meat. I also get some produce there and pantry items. I think they are fantastic and will definitely be comparison pricing diapers and wipes there versus ordering through Amazon Mom to see what is best.

LeahEn

Another happy Costco customer here, too! We buy our dogs' food there, which is so worth it. Other products that I love include cottage cheese, K cups, organic chicken, sliced cheese, pasta sauce. I was there yesterday and found two items that I love that I have never seen there: Pure&Simple Better Oats oatmeal that I love (6 packs for $6.99- great deal!) and Sabra individual hummus cups (16 for $5.99, I usually get 4 for $3.99 at traget- another GREAT deal). I plan to buy diapers, wipes and bath products there for baby...

 

I try to go right at 10am when they open on the weekends, I take a list and am in and out in less than 30 minutes, It's totally worth it, IMO.

mrsnala

We just bought a Costco membership in anticipation of buying diapers and wipes there. Alot of the stuff you have to know your prices, it may seems like a better deal because its in bulk, but its not always the best deal. We live 5 mins from one as well, so we use it often and its quick to run to after work. Another thing is they do have random stuff, even clothes which sometimes is not that bad. We have bought a TV there before, and shirts for DH. I think its useful.

pghctwife

ours is like 40 min away so I go rarely, but do big trips on my moms membership. Mostly I get: meat (which i freeze by the pound - we have a 2nd freezer), produce (really nice stuff out of season and I get their bag of garlic etc), huge thing of EVOO for cooking, Milk, eggs (we split the 7.5doz trays), razors, my mom gets her special eye drops there... Lots of stuff isnt a good deal (shrimp comes to mind). We dont get much prepackaged stuff (dont in general, costco or otherwise) and lots of things we will split too. Works well for us.

pghctwife

i also get henry hanna andersson PJs there - I love them (Im not a fan of feety PJs and these ones are GREAT) but they are so $ full price. Decent deal at Costco. Some carters stuff too.

Schrodinger

When your kid gets older, you might also find that the children's clothing is a pretty good deal.  For things that you want to buy new (socks, underwear, bathing suits) Costco has awesome deals.  The catch is that the clothing usually is only there until they sell out, so if you see it and like it, you should probably buy it.  You can usually get a good deal on a decent quality kid's winter coat for $20-40.  It won't last forever, but it will keep them warm.

Magenta728

Kirkland Signature (Costco brand) wipes are, by far, my favorite. Twice a year, they have a coupon, and I stock up and buy a few boxes. 

jessrenee11

wipes and gummy bears is pretty much all we ever get lol. We don't have our own membership but we just go with either set of parents when we need stuff

dlbrous

Thanks guys! I'll probably do some price comparison soon to other stores where we shop, and I'll check out Amazon Mom as well for comparison for the baby items. It isn't far at all from where we will, and if it's worth it, I am sure I could swing a couple times per month.

brittandjp

I love love love Costco! I go once every few weeks and stock up on different things each time. I have a feeling I'll use it even more for baby items once LO is here and even more when I have a bunch of LO's running around.

Right now we get a bunch of our produce, breads, meats, dairy products, water, paper products, etc., in addition to a bunch of other random items that stand out each time I go. I highly recommend it, I think it will be my (our band account's) saving grace!

ETA: We also get gas there most of the time. Our Costco is only about 10 minutes from us and right on my way home from work!

jessalared

Does any one know how bj's compares? I've never shopped either but have a bj's in my town Costco isn't all that close.