I’m a huge fan of Costco. I remember going there with my parents every weekend and stocking up on nuts, canned chicken and of course, their rotisserie chicken. I love Costco.
It’s not that Costco is always cheaper than Wal-Mart or another box store. It’s that their quality is much higher than those stores. Their meat is always praised and their customer service is some of the best (no wonder – their employees are paid around $40,000 a year).
Getting a Costco membership costs $55 a year and can be a great investment or a budget destroyer, depending on your spending habits. Read below to see if a Costco membership is right for you.
Some of the best buys at Costco are their toilet paper and paper towels. If you have roommates, it’s a great idea to split those. My husband and I have a roommate and we only have to stock up every few months, despite having three people in one house.
We bought a roll of aluminum foil when we first moved into our apartment. Almost two years later, it’s still going strong. When we move to Denver, we’ll probably have to take it with us.
I’ve been anxiety medication for a few months now and Costco has the lowest prices. I only pay $38 for my monthly dose whereas it’d be $51 at Target. They also have great deals on vitamins, melatonin and probiotics. If you take any regular medication, you should call Costco to see how much you could be saving.
Costco is famous for its huge alcohol section. When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we were going to get our alcohol at Costco. Their return policy includes unopened bottles of alcohol (unlike most liquor stores). We buy cases of beer for our roommate when he dogsits for us.
I probably drink a gallon of organic whole milk a week. Costco’s dairy section is perfect for me. They sell two dozen organic eggs for about $6.50 – a steal in my area. I make hard boiled eggs for daily snacks, use them to bake with and occasionally make omelets.
I love to bake, but buying those ingredients can get costly. Costco is where I turn to for my supply of flour, chocolate chips and sugar. One time we ran out of sugar and my husband bought a one-pound bag at a gas station near our house. The price was the same as what I pay at Costco for a five-pound bag.
The best part is that their baking products are tasty. I love that I can make cookies and brownies all the time and not sacrifice ingredients. Their deals on olive oil and vegetable oil are also good – especially now that my husband has picked up deep frying.
One of the few downsides to Costco is that their selection can feel limited. Sometimes you’ll buy rolls of parchment paper there only to discover that they no longer carry them six months later. Or you’ll buy a box of Ferrero Rocher and eat it all in a few days. Not that I’ve done that.
Costco’s produce is also good, but be wary if you’re shopping by yourself. A bag of peppers might seem like a great idea, until you run out of ways to use them before they go bad. Stock up instead on frozen fruits and vegetables.
You don’t want to sign up and spend more money than you would at a regular grocery store, so see if you can tag along with a friend to Costco and see what you would get there.
This is a perfect post for me! It’s so obvious that it’s helpful for people with families, but for a single women, I just never really knew. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Natalie! I never got a membership until my husband and I moved in together before we got married. It’s been so great!
I am a single parent and I love shopping at Costco – not having to buy toilet paper and paper towels for 6 months is bliss! And you are right – their meats and fish are so fresh!
I LOVE not having to restock on paper goods so often! I only go to Costco once a month now and it’s the best. Their fish is one of the best things I buy there.
Costco has been so worth it for me, too, for many of the reasons you mention. I love how I can get bags of frozen fruit and veggies for super cheap, and Costco has rotating products fairly regularly, which means you can try new stuff whenever you want. Sure, sometimes Costco doesn’t have the exact brand of something I use, but usually it’s okay. Plus, their deals on paper goods and cleaning supplies are unbeatable!
The only downside to Costco is when you find something you love and they stop carrying it. But I love sampling their new products. We bought a roll of aluminum foil there 2 years ago and it’s still going strong!
I love Costco! Totally worth it for my husband and myself!
Isn’t it the best? Sunday Costco dates are also a nice perk.
Does Costco do gas like Sam’s Club? Unfortunately, our city doesn’t even have a Costco, but I’m always hearing great things about it!
Some Costco locations do have gas stations!
The one I go to does! Their prices are always really good.
These points are great. We love our Costco membership even though we are only a household of 2. 1) the gas is the best price 2) as we work to cut our food budget we will often go to Costco for meat, and key fruits/veggies that are cheaper per pound and that are in our meal plan for the week followed by a trip to the regular grocery store. This helps limit how many items we purchase in bulk. 🙂
I think if you shop in bulk and go less often, it’s pretty doable to cut your budget while still having qualify ingredients! I love Costco’s veggies.
I ended up going with Costco since they let me combine company perks with my full time and Pampered Chef consultant jobs. Since my family hosted our family reunion this summer it’s already come in handy. I’m a fan of the meat section. I like to stock up on certain proteins like chicken that we eat most often. The per lb price is usually the best.
This is a great article. I do want to mention that you do not have to be a member to use the pharmacy. I saw almost half on the cost of my dog’s medication there without a membership.
Regarding the membership, the reason I don’t but in bulk is because I don’t have storage space. I might check the prices though and maybe split the cost of items with a friend so I don’t have as much to store. Thanks for the information!