Is Costco Really Worth It?

[UNIowaHawk]

I’m beginning to second guess this decision. Seems like it was worth it for diapers, but kids are out of that stage. Maybe I save a little here and there on toilet paper and paper towels, but those “savings” are quickly erased by buying “good deals” on other crap I could easily (and probably should) live without.

For example, today I am driving buy and decide to get gas then I’m like, “well since I’m here, I need a few bulbs”. Then I leave with a $170 Klipsch Subwoofer marked down from $290ish because I “need it for my basement”, 3 pounds of mozzarella sticks, what seems like a gallon of extra virgin olive oil, and 3 bags of pork rinds.

 

[Tenacious E]

I’m beginning to second guess this decision. Seems like it was worth it for diapers, but kids are out of that stage. Maybe I save a little here and there on toilet paper and paper towels, but those “savings” are quickly erased by buying “good deals” on other crap I could easily (and probably should) live without.

Booze/wine, pots/pans, TP/paper towels, Gatorade/seltzer, tubs of whey protein, jimmy dean sausage, steaks/chicken, burgers and electronics. Same for Sam’s sans the pots/pans. Pays for itself many times over.

 

[Joes Place]

Dog food alone pays for my membership.
Plenty of people-food specials

Pay attention to anything on sale in their circulars, because all of those deals will easily save you 2x to 3x the membership.

I just bought a new battery for the SUV that was $90 at Costco (Interstate Gold type) and was anywhere from $160 to $300 elsewhere. Same warranty as the ones costing $160-200

Tires are generally an excellent deal, as well.

 

[General Tso]

Hot dogs, brah.

 

[Joes Place]

Hot dogs, brah.

🤮

 

[lucas80]

Stick to what you use and need. You’ll save 10-15 percent without having to scrounge around.
Costco is also a MILF bonanza, and it doesn’t have the riff raff that you get at a Sam’s or Wal-Mart.

 

[kuchel20]

the chocolate chip cookies alone make it worth it

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Rotisserie chicken.

 

[Dirt Boy 2]

Whole bean coffee pays for our membership. Wife does the shopping and she is pretty good at staying with what we need.

 

[joelbc1]

I’m beginning to second guess this decision. Seems like it was worth it for diapers, but kids are out of that stage. Maybe I save a little here and there on toilet paper and paper towels, but those “savings” are quickly erased by buying “good deals” on other crap I could easily (and probably should) live without.

For example, today I am driving buy and decide to get gas then I’m like, “well since I’m here, I need a few bulbs”. Then I leave with a $170 Klipsch Subwoofer marked down from $290ish because I “need it for my basement”, 3 pounds of mozzarella sticks, what seems like a gallon of extra virgin olive oil, and 3 bags of pork rinds.

Welcome to “The Costco Way”, UNI...
It is indeed a rare occasion I walk out of there with less than $250 spent...I guess it’s worth it.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

I’m beginning to second guess this decision. Seems like it was worth it for diapers, but kids are out of that stage. Maybe I save a little here and there on toilet paper and paper towels, but those “savings” are quickly erased by buying “good deals” on other crap I could easily (and probably should) live without.

For example, today I am driving buy and decide to get gas then I’m like, “well since I’m here, I need a few bulbs”. Then I leave with a $170 Klipsch Subwoofer marked down from $290ish because I “need it for my basement”, 3 pounds of mozzarella sticks, what seems like a gallon of extra virgin olive oil, and 3 bags of pork rinds.

Congratulations. I believe you are the very first person to every second guess the decision to be a Costco member. Had to happen sometime, I guess.

 

[QChawks]

Depends

we don’t buy food in bulk and don’t care for a lot of frozen foods. We do how we however purchase all our home stuff in bulk and pre-Covid bought a lot of things for kids parties.

we probably only go once a month and drop about $300 of misc crap. Honestly with Amazon Prime I could probably live without it.

 

[Joes Place]

the chocolate chip cookies alone make it worth it

The chocolate chip cookie dough, alone, is worth it.

And it's vegan (but who'd know?).
It costs less than the butter you'd use to make the dough.

 

[Doodads and Hoohah]

I’m beginning to second guess this decision. Seems like it was worth it for diapers, but kids are out of that stage. Maybe I save a little here and there on toilet paper and paper towels, but those “savings” are quickly erased by buying “good deals” on other crap I could easily (and probably should) live without.

For example, today I am driving buy and decide to get gas then I’m like, “well since I’m here, I need a few bulbs”. Then I leave with a $170 Klipsch Subwoofer marked down from $290ish because I “need it for my basement”, 3 pounds of mozzarella sticks, what seems like a gallon of extra virgin olive oil, and 3 bags of pork rinds.

And you paid $60 bucks for the opportunity to waste that money.

 

[DogBoyRy]

Welcome to “The Costco Way”, UNI...
It is indeed a rare occasion I walk out of there with less than $250 spent...I guess it’s worth it.

This.
Me and wife ( pic included) usually go for 2-3 things. Leave with 15-20.

 

[bdg8]

I could see how what savings you get on essentials are offset by buying too large pack sizes on items you use less frequently or impulse items which are not needed but believed to be too good of a value to turn down

you just need discipline and an understanding what you actually use. For example my wife makes a spinach artichoke dip. She bought a twin pack of jars of artichokes that we used maybe 10 percent of. Would have made much more sense to buy normal size cans, but she was lured by the “value “

 

[Tom Paris]

Rotisserie chicken.

Street tacos and Chicken Pot Pie.

 

[BelemNole]

Bought some nice prime ribeyes yesterday and a pork belly. Can’t find those anywhere else.

 

[UNIowaHawk]

Depends

we don’t buy food in bulk and don’t care for a lot of frozen foods. We do how we however purchase all our home stuff in bulk and pre-Covid bought a lot of things for kids parties.

we probably only go once a month and drop about $300 of misc crap. Honestly with Amazon Prime I could probably live without it.

I’m not that old and don’t need adult diapers yet. Thanks for the heads up— I’ll be sure to check it out in 40 years.

 

[runkpanole]

I’ll gladly pay for the membership to have access to their meat selection alone. The rest is just gravy.

 

[Fijimn]

You guys need an HEB

 

[hawkbirch]

We love their scalloped potatoes. Shampoo, shaving cream, toilet paper, napkins, laundry soap, the list goes on. I go maybe once every two on the or so.

 

[z_ape]

I met my drug

We love their scalloped potatoes. Shampoo, shaving cream, toilet paper, napkins, laundry soap, the list goes on. I go maybe once every two on the or so.

i like the cereal bars, granola bags, roller skates and potato wedges myself.

my sister. she likes the canned beans, the shaving soap and the shampoo napkins.

my other sister, who is korean -- adopted -- likes the scalloped granola, the shampoo bags, the pizza fingers, and the cigarettes.

my other sister is dead unfortunately, but we all agreed she would have enjoyed the scalloped shampoo, the pizza bags, the canned cigarettes and the potato skates.

god bless america

 

[z_ape]

Hot dogs, brah.

sunny side up or long ways only?

 

[z_ape]

Rotisserie chicken.

my youngest, 47, likes to call it ferris wheel chicken. imagine that, chickens!

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Their bakery is shockingly good.

 

[joelbc1]

We love their scalloped potatoes. Shampoo, shaving cream, toilet paper, napkins, laundry soap, the list goes on. I go maybe once every two on the or so.

Other than toilet paper birch...why else does one shop Costco?
Their containers of M&M peanuts are tempting...decent liquor prices..,their golf ball is a very good buy....then there are always the “unexpected” surprises..I have bought my eyeglasses there for many years, too.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Kirkland organic Leomonade is great.

 

[Joes Place]

I have bought my eyeglasses there for many years, too.

Good call; I got my last pair there, as well.

A bit of a mixed bag on whether you'll find frames you like or not. But the lens quality is top notch. Haven't had a scratch on my pair that is going on 2 yrs or so now.

I think these only ran around $200, too (for progressive lenses). I paid more, for worse lens and frame quality at my optometrist in the past. Not doing that anymore.

You can also get prescription sunglasses at Costo, but I get the clip-ons that match my frame size and keep one of those in each car so I have instant sunglasses whenever needed.

Solar shield is one brand; I first found them at WalMart, and they are fantastic for turning any regular glasses into sunglasses.

 

[ping72]

I met my drug


i like the cereal bars, granola bags, roller skates and potato wedges myself.

my sister. she likes the canned beans, the shaving soap and the shampoo napkins.

my other sister, who is korean -- adopted -- likes the scalloped granola, the shampoo bags, the pizza fingers, and the cigarettes.

my other sister is dead unfortunately, but we all agreed she would have enjoyed the scalloped shampoo, the pizza bags, the canned cigarettes and the potato skates.

god bless america

this is why I don’t do lsd

 

[Zarkus Ali]

The beef is fantastic! Refilling ink cartridges 6 or so times per year on a couple different printers pays for the membership many times over by itself.

 

[hawkmart]

No one's mentioned the vodka yet? Our membership pays for itself. Between the % we get back on their CC and executive membership, we spend enough that it covers the annual fee.

 

[z_ape]

Kirkland orgasmic Leomonade is great.

 

[3boysmom]

Rotisserie chicken, whipped cream, booze, ranch dressing when it’s on sale, much of the meat department, protein shakes when they are on sale. I bought the toilet paper once and it was awful. Even my husband said never buy that again.

 

[z_ape]

Rotisserie chicken, whipped cream, booze, ranch dressing when it’s on sale, much of the meat department, protein shakes when they are on sale. I bought the toilet paper once and it was awful. Even my husband said never buy that again.

tell us more about how the toilet paper made you feel...

 

[Joes Place]

I bought the toilet paper once and it was awful. Even my husband said never buy that again.

Yeah...their "regular" TP isn't very good.

Store deals at places like Safeway or Kroger for their in-store softer stuff is better, and a better deal. Never tried the Kirkland "premium" stuff, but it's still more $$ than Safeway when they have a sale on it.

 

[3boysmom]

tell us more about how the toilet paper made you feel...

Grumpy

 

[SalAunese]

Pretty much got 2 years worth of Champion sweats for my kid there

 

[Joes Place]

Rotisserie chicken, whipped cream, booze, ranch dressing when it’s on sale, much of the meat department, protein shakes when they are on sale. I bought the toilet paper once and it was awful. Even my husband said never buy that again.

tell us more about how the toilet paper made you feel...

I wanna know more about what Saturday weekend "sleep-ins" are like at the 3boysmom household, with Costco quantities of "Rotisserie chicken, whipped cream, booze, ranch dressing & protein shakes".....

😲

 

[z_ape]

I wanna know more about what Saturday weekend "sleep-ins" are like at the 3boysmom household, with Costco quantities of "Rotisserie chicken, whipped cream, booze, ranch dressing & protein shakes".....

😲

Invite me over and I'll bring all the protein shakes you can handle... free of charge 😉