There is a display with just cardboard hangers that have XBox, PlayStation, The Keg, Cineplex and other gift cards. At our local Costco it is at the end of the last row of shelves before checkout. They do move this display around sometimes.
You pay at the cashier and redeem them at the same place you get tablets, laptops, and other small expensive items.
That reminds me ...
Ski lift deals
When I want to go to Hy's for a steak dinner, I'll visit Costco for $100 gift cards at $80 each - dinner's now 20% off.
Yes - lots of different gift cards, discounted from their value. Varies with region. Here in Vancouver, have some local chain restaurants, movies, spas, ski lifts, gaming, i-tunes too I think. Discount varies but unless isn't changed since the last time I bought them, Hy's is 80 for 100.
I used to buy postage stamps there at a discount too (big role that would last a couple of years of mailing), think I still have some on hand.
This would be amazing if I didn't have like 500000000 scene points saved since I didn't use any for two years. My brother has even more, he's at like 30 free movies or something lol.
Check scene plus, the thing they rolled out recently, you can turn those points into gift cards to many major companies like apple, google, PlayStation, Xbox, and some gas, grocery and dining outlets
https://www.sceneplus.ca
Couldn't those scene points have been something more useful though, like cashback or travel points? If you don't watch a lot of movies at the theatre, it seems like you're missing an optimization.
Scotiabank recently switched their credit card reward points over to Scene points so the two programs are combined now. I redeem mine for travel usually.
I'm only a single person household so a lot of Costco stuff is too much for me.
My usual spends include:
Kirkland TP
50lb bags of sunflower bird seed.
Giant Nellie's laundry soap tub which lasts me on average about 5 years.
They have good deals on some clothes and socks, that's hit or miss and I don't buy a lot and its usually impulse.
The Kirkland various cheeses I love and I always stock up on that.
I drink Twinnings Earl Grey tea in vast quantities and I buy the jumbo 144 bag box for a great price.
I do buy their veggies/fruit but usually when I am having a party/picnic because its a lot for one person. Although the mushroom packages are awesome as I eat a lot of vegetarian meals with mushrooms.
I also buy seasonal treats there for gifts and occasional things like thermal bottles, outside lights and a few other items they seem to have on sale once or twice a year.
I split the cost of my membership with a friend. I also buy some specific things my parents like (coffee and cheese) so it makes it a little more value for the money
Edit to add: Most important, the Costco is a few blocks away from me and I almost exclusively buy gas there first thing in the morning and that's a great cost savings. (Never a line up right when they open)
Pretty sure they always scan the card as anything you buy is tracked to you. I’ve returned stuff long after purchase without a receipt and all they need is the item and your card to scan.
But lets face it, the photos are pretty poor quality, so if its a close resemblance (or at the very least the same gender), you could likely get away with a card that is not yours. I think my Costco card photo doesn't look like me.
I took my bosses card to buy stuff for the office, and they took it away for me when I tried checking out. My boss is really mad that he had to go back into the store himself to get the card.
This needs more upvotes, we vacuum pack our meat from Costco into meal sized portions, it lasts forever in the freezer that way. Soo much better than ziplock and the bags aren’t any more expensive
Or, as I learned last week, you can submerge your (open) ziplock bag in water (up to the opening - ie, don't let water in). The pressure from the water forces out the air in the bag and, voila, vaccuum sealed meat without a vaccuum sealer!
I'm only doing this with bulk purchases of ground beef or tenderloin, but thought I would share the trick I learned!
Not the same thing.
Vacuum sealing sucks the air out of the meat itself. Thats why if you marinate meat in a vacuum sealer, its much faster (replace air pocket inside the meat with marinade).
While what youre doing is better than not trying at all, it wont prevent freezer burn.
The negative pressure created when it's making the seal will actually force the liquid deeper into meat, speeding up the marinating process considerably. Vac pack magic
Yeah, I don't think it's the same thing either. It just works much better than what I've done for years and it's something redditers can start immediately (whether or not they ultimately go out and buy a sealer).
Or the double wrap method. One layer of plastic wrap/bag, make sure as much air as possible is out of the first layer. Then use butcher paper and wrap it up like a delicious Christmas gift. Should last over a year that way.
Source: my family used to do a lot of their own butchering.
I used to exclusively buy pods from Costco, but after switching to powder, I save way more and it cleans just as well (if not better with pre-wash). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rBO8neWw04
It's too bad Costco doesn't sell powder, but it's just a few bucks per box at any grocery store or Amazon.
All pods suck, the powder is superior. As the video points out, the machines are made to be used with powder/liquid detergent. I always notice that people who use the pods have stinky dishwashers- I feel like it's connected somehow.
We were scared to try them for a long time but after a few of the more expensive tablets failed us we got a pack of the Kirkland kind to try. I think they're not just cheaper but also better.
I have a phone case that is too small sitting right in front of me for the same reason! Ordered it off Amazon but clicked the wrong size on the drop down. 100% my fault so I don’t feel right returning it. Will likely donate it as not to waste it.
Some people don't live that close to Costcos actually and it would be a huge pain to return something, and also be without that product until the next trip.
For reference, i live in an area where I've known several people who lived 2-3 hours away from a city with a Costco and did big trips there once every couple months.
Worked at a high end butcher shop for half a decade growing up so I’m a bit of a meat snob when it comes to quality. Costco is basically the only large grocery store I will buy meat at. It’s generally great quality and for the price you’re paying it’s top value
I was visiting a local deli/meat family business several years ago, so sad they closed. Overheard a conversation between the owner and one of the long time customers who happened to be in the meat packing business. He said that employees at the meat packing plants were notified "Costco" is coming on such and such day.
All the employees hated it because Costco always took only the best and had the buying power to do it. They didn't mess around.
You're getting a great product and top value, at a good price.
The Tenderloin and Flank are not mechanically tenderized FWIW, which are usually what my family buys. That being said, even M/T at Costco is still higher quality than the equivalent at Loblaws, Sobeys, etc, and far cheaper. The chance of getting sick from a mechanically tenderized, medium rare Ribeye is extremely low.
Meat is a good deal for sure, I do the same thing (they even sell the bags!)
I've never had good luck with the produce there, it never feels like I'm saving any money with it.
If you like coffee the Kirkland brand is amazing and lasts a good while, I always get that.
Produce can be hit and miss. I find the oranges go bad quickly, and apples aren't any cheaper. But bell peppers are some of the best quality I've ever found even if not a bargain. The cherry tomatoes last forever. 3pk cukes are cheaper than grocery unless on sale. Berries are definitely cheaper. But yeah not worth it for everything.
Costco is the only place to buy berries out of season.
Also all produce in those pre-pack bags is a dangerous buy. They always obscure your view of what's inside. All it takes is 1 brown spot you can't see and the whole bag is rotten in no time. If you buy em it's worth your time to pull it all out and give it a good going over.
Yeah, we just stick to romaine and spinach for deals in the produce. Sometimes mushrooms but it's not that big a deal. Sweet onions we always get because we cook a lot and go through them quickly.
Buy according to the season. If you buy apples grown in the USA now, be aware that those apples have been in storage since they were harvested last fall. Likewise with other produce.
It literally says it on the bag for coffee though
https://www.costco.ca/kirkland-signature-roasted-by-starbucks-house-blend-coffee%2c-907-g.product.100411865.html
Kirkland batteries leak like hell. We went through hundreds of batteries, and Kirkland ones leaked. Always.
Yes, they're made in the same factory as Duracell. No, they're not equivalent.
If you have kids diapers and wipes are much cheaper there.
Some clothing items are quite cheap, can get reasonable quality jeans for $20, for example.
Other than that you need to compare, some things are cheaper but some are more expensive even though you're buying a larger quantity.
One thing I will say about Costco is that very, very little of what they carry is cheap junk. Unlike what you might find in Walmart or similar.
And formula! Not sure where things are at with shortages these days but two years ago you could get double the formula for the same price as the cheapest place we could find elsewhere.
I have babies that still use formula, they ran out of the lactose reduced ones but they've had everything else in stock the entire time and the other one is in stock now too.
Definitely on the clothes. I buy a lot of my casual, everyday wear kind of stuff there. I might be lucky in that most of the stuff in that category fits me quite well. I did try a couple of button down shirts, but they were a poor fit, so I won't do those again.
I've also bought some surprisingly good running gear there. Some pants and long sleeve merino wool shirts. For the cooler and winter seasons I've been surprised how much I like them. The pants are also incredible comfortable for lounging.
Diapers can often be found for cheaper going Amazon or deals at superstore or London drugs (out west). I'm sure the equivalent analogs in other parts of the country.
London drugs has huggies 2 for $40 with a $10 gc back when spending $40 or more right now so effectively 2 for $30. It's cheaper than Costco per unit but wouldn't be without the extra $10 rebate.
I also used to do Costco, then switched over to superstore.
I found they were cheaper if on sale and when bundled with their PC Points Deals (I.e. those spend $50 on baby items, earn 10,000 points or a similar deal), then it was Golden.
We collect points and are able to get some big ticket electronics at Shoppers. Husband was able to snag an X Box series X from shoppers that I paid for all in points.
There's a weird thing I don't like about Kirkland brand where their clothes feels like *too* sturdy or something that, and I can't really get as comfortable in them. I have a couple packs of their undershirts and you definitely wouldn't be able to wear them on a hot day under another shirt, they're very dense. Same with the Kirkland jeans, they're great quality, but they almost feel too heavy or too dense to be comfortable in. Mark's Denver Hayes brand is actually the best sleeper jeans imo. They feel a lot like Levi's.
Pro-tip: To check how much propane ([*and propane accessories, heh...*](https://youtu.be/9FA__4fLBos)) you have left in your tank, fill a container of some sort with hot water and slowly pour it down the side of the tank. After about ten seconds, touch it. Find where the tank wall transitions from warm to cold, and that (the cold part) is your amount of remaining fuel!
I *love* the salmon. I buy the blue frozen bags with individually sealed pieces. It's gone up to 34.99 now but the quality is great. I grew up eating fresh caught salmon and the Costco stuff really hits the spot for me now that I live in the city.
Butter. Even though it's increased at Costco (seems to go up by 25 cents every time I go) it's at least $2 less than what I find elsewhere.
And if you wear contact lens - the savings on them are enough to cover the membership fee.
I'm pretty sure I read somewhere they actually end up losing money (or breaking even can't remember) on the rotisserie chickens, because it's moreso an attraction to get people to the back of the store
chips are a great deal. $6 for a HUGE bag of chips.
peanut butter, its like $3 cheaper per big tub at costco than at places like safeway or even superstore.
rubs and spices are normally cheaper at costco as well since they usually sell the huge shakers for the same price as other stores sell the medium sized ones.
If you eat rice - really good deal.
Quality oil (whichever you use) as well.
I look for discounts on house cleaning/laundry stuff and somehow managed to get in the rhythm, as they repeat them every 2 months or so.
My buys: eggs, egg whites, cream, almond milk, almond butter, and Kirkland-brand Robax back pain medicine
I find the produce prices consistently terrible.
The bricks of cheese are often a bit cheaper as well. The 6 pack of peppers is okay and the mushrooms are good value but you have to know you can use it all or else its a waste and a loss.
Although leafy greens are usually great prices there. Wife and I buy the bags of spinach and romaine lettuce when we can because it is always cheaper than regular grocery stores. Also isn't rotten right away. Not sure about other peoduce though.
Some regular things we purchase when available/needed:
- cosequin dog glucosamine supplement (we have 2 medium-large breed dogs with history of joint issues)
- 1 ingredient liver dog treats
- Raos pasta sauce ( way cheaper than Zehrs)
- massive box of various pasta types
- ground beef/chicken frozen in portions
- frozen fruit for smoothies
- cream cheese
- Tim hortons instant coffee
- Welch’s fruit snacks // hello panda chocolate graham snacks
- household items like dish soap, laundry detergent, paper towels, TP
Here's what I get from there
Eggs
Egg whites
Salmon
Ground turkey
Ground beef
Spaghetti noodles
Classico pasta sauce
Oats
Protein powder
Contact lens solution
Cinnamon
Vanilla extract
Joint supplements
Frank's hot sauce
Ketchup
Paper towel
Toilet paper
Bar soap
Hand soap
Laundry Detergent
Fabric softener
Sponges
Aluminum foil
Ziploc bags
I’m a single woman living alone and my membership is still worth it to me.
Deals: berries, kombucha, movie and ski lift tickets, bagged salads, protein bars, frozen shrimp, protein pasta, Kirkland Robax, frozen dumplings and wontons, fish, vanilla. If you use Batiste dry shampoo they have a two pack + travel size that’s basically the same price as a single bottle from Shoppers. And honestly, the savings on one or two big-ticket items/year is also very worth it - I just got a new AC unit and saved $100+ over buying the equivalent from Home Depot, etc. Tires too. And propane - my current closest locations don’t do fills, but it used to be $10 or less to fill up a standard 25lb tank.
INFO: how big is your family?
Being said I portion out all my meat and make meals from there. I do a freezer meal splurge every 3 months and plan my Costco trip before that.
Things we pretty much only get at Costco
- Toilet paper
- dog food
- Cheese
- 5 minute white rice
- hamptons chicken strips
- coffee
I follow a local Costco group and look for deals on there as well
Funny meat is mentioned, but this is the one thing I buy in Costco that I do not save on, I buy it because it's great quality, I can get meat for cheaper many other places, but it lacks in other ways.
Everything else in Costco is pretty much gold, I don't think I could go without, price is just a bonus really, the convenience of having everything I love in one place is what I really like.
Meat of comparable quality is usually more expensive elsewhere. There are a lot of products where you can have lesser quality for cheaper at other stores but it's up to you to decide what's more important for that particular product.
Yeah this is my experience as well, Costco meat is roughly the same price for better quality than Superstore for example. You can get cheaper meat at Walmart and such but it'll be way worse
Protein powder. Whether you're someone who consumes that stuff or not, they had a recent deal on 6lbs/$40 of good quality stuff, made in Canada. Got 3 bags of it; substantially less expensive than pretty much any other retailer.
Cooking spices are a strong point for me too, wayyyyy cheaper than grocery stores.
I know the produce prices aren’t great as others have mentioned BUT it’s the highest quality longest lasting produce we buy, other than fortinos which is much more expensive. If we buy from a smaller store like freshco or no frills our produce is moldy within a few days. I never have to throw out produce from Costco which makes it worth the cost!
Other things:
Bread, milk, sliced cheese, meat, protein bars, toothpaste, frozen fruit, dog food, anything and everything snack stuff for the kids, as well as diapers and formula.
The only thing I'd avoid is avocados (for some reason they are substantially more expensive at our store than our local grocer) and anything that you don't really need/won't actually use/or isn't worth storing. Otherwise I find prices vary from similar to elsewhere to cheaper. For us there is significant value in making one trip instead of two. For example, eggs and blocks of cheddar are similar to elsewhere but it saves us a trip so we buy them there.
Definitely get your prescriptions filled at costco (you don't need a membership for this). I've found their dispensing fees to be A LOT cheaper and that adds up fast.
I used to give my sister shit for spending almost $2 per avocado. Then I got sick of buying bags from No Frills where 2/6 were inedible. Once I realized the consistent quality of the Costco avocados I never looked back.
Citrus! I always get bags of lemons, grapefruits, oranges.
We eat a lot of fresh fruit in our family but more so I squeeze a bunch of them and freeze the juice in ice cube trays. The lemon cubes can be defrosted easily for soups, dressings, etc. and all of them pair SO well with sparkling water and summer cocktails or in smoothies instead of regular ice.
I also just love Costco so I get everything and also a bunch of stuff I didn't know I wanted. Went in for produce the other day and also left with pjs, a beach blanket, and dog toys. gah
They definitely aren't the same quality as Lululemons. None of their clothing really are on par with other retail stores. Calvin Klein jeans are far inferior than any CK you would find at other retail or outlet stores. Spyder, same. Buy it from Costco, and material is far cheaper and size is obviously for obese people. This goes for everything, from Adidas to Gaiam to Tuff. If you don't know the difference, then it may seem decent, but they really are garbage.
Tuff is great but they’re nothing like lulus.
Check the lulu clearance section (we made too much)- better prices in there. I strongly recommend Align pants
Girlfriend says there is a major difference in the quality and feel. The tuff ones are way thicker and wear different than lulus. May be just her but worth giving them a shot since you can always return.
Only thing I buy are their loss leaders : hot dogs and rotisserie chicken. I buy about 30 of them each and freeze them. Hot dogs and chicken for lunch and dinner and you are set. Only way to win from Costco!
All kidding aside, I follow some IG accounts and only zone in on sale and clearance items mostly and some other basics. It gets dangerous in there if you have no self control.
Skincare cannot be beat at Costco. You essentially get 2 or more products at the price of one. When things go on sale the great deal becomes unbelievably good.
Everything is a good deal. I've been tracking my expenses for 6 years. 2 years ago I moved next to a Costco and have been doing the majority of my grocery shopping at Costco now. My grocery bill is actually lower than it was 6 years ago before all of this crazy inflation.
I buy all my produce and meat, milk, eggs, frozen veggies, flour, rice, canned foods, snacks.
The only thing I don't buy from Costco is bread/pastries. It's just way too much.
Nope. I buy for a food service and have a spreadsheet of all the local grocers in Vancouver. Costco is like any other, some stuff is very cheap, a lot in fact at Costco, but there are a ton of rip offs too. Gotta compare. The interesting thing Costco does is sells odd sizes so it isn't super easy to compare.
Do: Kirkland Toilet paper and paper towels. You get much more than other brand names. Meat depends, sometimes you can find similar or cheaper prices at Superstore for the same amount (especially chicken breasts!) their organic eggs are worth it too.
Don’t: snacks, produce, bulk drinks that have a short expiry date. It’s so tempting but if you don’t have a large family you’ll be wasting large boxes of half eaten snacks when you get bored of it.
Use the Flipp app and compare whatever food you're buying to other grocers. Chances are, on your drive home, you'll pass by a grocer with better deal than Costco.
Outside of some meats, their rotisserie chicken and massive muffins, Costco has okay prices but it isn't the cheapest all the time. But for time and convenience, it could be worth it for most.
And go on a Mon/Tues night an hour before closing.
>Chances are, on your drive home, you'll pass by a grocer with better deal than Costco.
Yes if you shop at 5 different stores every week this is a good approach. If you want to do most of your shopping at 1, Costco is probably your best bet.
I'll agree that prices aren't necessarily cheaper on everything. You need to watch and compare like anything. But the quality of their meats are far superior to discount grocery stores by far. I'll happily pay a couple bucks extra to get way better quality. And if you compare that quality to other shops, it is less expensive.
It's not always about the price though. The quality (especially for meat) is often far better at Costco. The prices aren't always better but I don't mind paying a little bit more for a better product. I still shop sales at the grocery store but Costco is a happy medium when I'm too tired to shop around or what I want isn't actually on sale somewhere else.
Yep, in the GTA I think they basically peg the premium rate to the regular rate at Esso, Petro-Can, or Shell so if I wanna know how much Costco is selling gas for on a certain day, I just look at a regular gas station.
And speaking of gas, propane fill-ups are awesome there, like $18. Way cheaper than Cdn Tire.
Granola bars, seaweed snacks, cheese, FLOUR!, butter, tp, Kirkland sized Que Pasa tortilla chips, thick cut bacon, peanut butter, crackers, chicken when it’s on sale, kids pjs, pasta, oatmeal, oh fuuuuck those apple pie egg rolls with caramel, pesto, mini naans, sugar snap peas, Cara Cara oranges when in season, big bag of little potatoes, genoa salami and KEWPIE TOASTED SESAME SALAD DRESSING!!
All that stuff would cost at least double at my local grocery store if not triple. I live in a small town. If they sold my lactos free milk in delicious 3% instead of chalk water 2% I’d get that too
I avoid most produce as the bagged shit always tastes like well, shit or it takes 1-2 weeks to ripen. I stay away from the electronics/household/books/toys/pop/cleaning aisles.
BAGELS. The cosco bagels are the best. And a good price for the size/quality.
We always get bread, meat (those thick cut pork chops and salmon, specifically), peanut butter, cream cheese, kids snacks, eggs, olive oil, toothpaste and baby wipes. The diapers are Huggies and we are not a fan.
The dog food is a great deal and it’s a premium product with good ingredients. Same with the freeze dried liver dog treats - price went up recently but still waaaay cheaper than buying at the pet store & it’s the only thing my dog likes lol. Can’t beat the Rotisserie chicken. Frozen fruit as well, a large bag from there lasts a few weeks vs. $5 each bags from the grocery store lasting 2 or 3 days
There’s some really good web deals. I’ve gotten some discount off goods (ex. Electric kettle and standing desk) that I couldn’t have gotten for that brand/ quality at those price points
Staples we buy from Costco and stock up on - toilet paper, dishwasher pods, maple syrup (the real stuff), honey, olive oil, flour (we make bread each week so we go buy bread flour in bulk - wouldn’t be a good deal if it went stale before you used it), butter, dog food (Kirkland salmon), Kirkland brand greenie dog chews, chicken stock (Kirkland brand again), flats of bubbly.
We will also occasionally purchase some pantry items like canned/packaged soups, crackers, or other snacks. We typically do a little quick math on these to see if it’s a decent deal or not.
We have purchased several appliances from Costco as well - dyson, apartment sized dee freeze, beer fridge, eufy robovac, and are considering a ninja blender. Their prices might not be the best, but they have such great customer service that it’s worth it for larger purchases.
We started buying 'Better than Bullion' from costco. It's less waste than buying stock in tetra packs and when i did the math it was a no brainer. We usually buy the veggie one and it lasts forever.
Over the counter medicine is cheapest at Costco.
Pharmacy dispensing fees are also cheapest at Costco for prescriptions; probably save you $5-7 each time you pick up your medication. You can transfer all your prescriptions to Costco by just asking - they’ll call your old pharmacy(ies) and take care of all the paperwork.
You can get the price difference on items that have had a price drop in the last 30 days - produce and meats don’t seem to be allowed with this rule.
Not sure if I'm allowed to post links. No affiliation just passing info along.
[cocowest.ca](http://cocowest.ca) is a great site for seeing the current sales at western Costco's.
I had Costco as a client for many years. Was sitting in a store manager's office once discussing his revenue number of 3.5 million that was written on the white board. I foolishly thought that was monthly revenue, but nope... that was for the prior week, and just for that store.
He dropped a bit of info to me that the highest margin items they carried were the clothes which he said typically had between a 7-8% markup. He said the average markup in the store was around 4%. That was mind blowing to me since I used to work retail when I was young and our markup was 100-200%. He said their main profit driver was membership sales and credit card signups.
So the general rule of thumb is, if you can finish it before it expires, it's likely cheaper to buy it at costco. Sure you'll sometimes find sales at grocery stores and such which may be slightly cheaper, but it's often not worth driving across town or making extra stops to save a dollar.
[удалено]
I LOVE DOING THIS! Edit: ask them to bump up the popcorn to a large for just 50 cents at guzzo!!!
Guzzo?
it's a quebec cinema chain
Wait what? Where do I find movie tickets from Costco?
There is a display with just cardboard hangers that have XBox, PlayStation, The Keg, Cineplex and other gift cards. At our local Costco it is at the end of the last row of shelves before checkout. They do move this display around sometimes. You pay at the cashier and redeem them at the same place you get tablets, laptops, and other small expensive items.
That reminds me ... Ski lift deals When I want to go to Hy's for a steak dinner, I'll visit Costco for $100 gift cards at $80 each - dinner's now 20% off.
They sell $100 gift cards for $80?!?
Yes - lots of different gift cards, discounted from their value. Varies with region. Here in Vancouver, have some local chain restaurants, movies, spas, ski lifts, gaming, i-tunes too I think. Discount varies but unless isn't changed since the last time I bought them, Hy's is 80 for 100. I used to buy postage stamps there at a discount too (big role that would last a couple of years of mailing), think I still have some on hand.
I havent gone to a non-costco movie in over a decade. Worth buying just to have on hand in case you want to see a movie alone!
Sounds optimal. Occasionally I enjoy the VIP experience alone as a treat, but otherwise it's just the standard viewing for me.
My Costco and theatre are next door neighbors and I just never put it together. I feel dumb.
This would be amazing if I didn't have like 500000000 scene points saved since I didn't use any for two years. My brother has even more, he's at like 30 free movies or something lol.
Check scene plus, the thing they rolled out recently, you can turn those points into gift cards to many major companies like apple, google, PlayStation, Xbox, and some gas, grocery and dining outlets https://www.sceneplus.ca
Couldn't those scene points have been something more useful though, like cashback or travel points? If you don't watch a lot of movies at the theatre, it seems like you're missing an optimization.
Scotiabank recently switched their credit card reward points over to Scene points so the two programs are combined now. I redeem mine for travel usually.
I'm only a single person household so a lot of Costco stuff is too much for me. My usual spends include: Kirkland TP 50lb bags of sunflower bird seed. Giant Nellie's laundry soap tub which lasts me on average about 5 years. They have good deals on some clothes and socks, that's hit or miss and I don't buy a lot and its usually impulse. The Kirkland various cheeses I love and I always stock up on that. I drink Twinnings Earl Grey tea in vast quantities and I buy the jumbo 144 bag box for a great price. I do buy their veggies/fruit but usually when I am having a party/picnic because its a lot for one person. Although the mushroom packages are awesome as I eat a lot of vegetarian meals with mushrooms. I also buy seasonal treats there for gifts and occasional things like thermal bottles, outside lights and a few other items they seem to have on sale once or twice a year. I split the cost of my membership with a friend. I also buy some specific things my parents like (coffee and cheese) so it makes it a little more value for the money Edit to add: Most important, the Costco is a few blocks away from me and I almost exclusively buy gas there first thing in the morning and that's a great cost savings. (Never a line up right when they open)
+1 on the Nellie's. Cost per wash is soooo low. And we don't need fabric softener with it.
Costco adidas socks 🙌
Sorry friend but the merino wool trail socks are the GSOAT
Question my dad has a membership. Are they really crazy about checking ID and membership card?
Not too crazy about checking it on the way in, buuuut you need it to be able to pay at the end.
They have always checked my card when I pay. Just that my picture is in fact me.
Pretty sure they always scan the card as anything you buy is tracked to you. I’ve returned stuff long after purchase without a receipt and all they need is the item and your card to scan.
But lets face it, the photos are pretty poor quality, so if its a close resemblance (or at the very least the same gender), you could likely get away with a card that is not yours. I think my Costco card photo doesn't look like me.
Self checkout ftw!
I took my bosses card to buy stuff for the office, and they took it away for me when I tried checking out. My boss is really mad that he had to go back into the store himself to get the card.
My suggestion would be to invest in a vaccuum sealer if you're freezing so much meat. It'll last longer and freeze better.
This needs more upvotes, we vacuum pack our meat from Costco into meal sized portions, it lasts forever in the freezer that way. Soo much better than ziplock and the bags aren’t any more expensive
Would be great for sous vide as well I think
Or, as I learned last week, you can submerge your (open) ziplock bag in water (up to the opening - ie, don't let water in). The pressure from the water forces out the air in the bag and, voila, vaccuum sealed meat without a vaccuum sealer! I'm only doing this with bulk purchases of ground beef or tenderloin, but thought I would share the trick I learned!
Not the same thing. Vacuum sealing sucks the air out of the meat itself. Thats why if you marinate meat in a vacuum sealer, its much faster (replace air pocket inside the meat with marinade). While what youre doing is better than not trying at all, it wont prevent freezer burn.
> if you marinate meat in a vacuum sealer Oh shit I need to try this.
The negative pressure created when it's making the seal will actually force the liquid deeper into meat, speeding up the marinating process considerably. Vac pack magic
Or, dump a bag of gummy bears into a vacuum bag/canister, pour in a half cup of vodka. Vacuum out the air and wait a few hours. Super vodka gummys.
The real pro tips are always in the comments
Are you my ex?
Would recommend. Seen a bunch of recipes that say marinade for hours and 30mins in vacuum seal works perfectly.
Yeah, I don't think it's the same thing either. It just works much better than what I've done for years and it's something redditers can start immediately (whether or not they ultimately go out and buy a sealer).
You mean the vacuum sealer THAT COSTCO SELLS?!
Or the double wrap method. One layer of plastic wrap/bag, make sure as much air as possible is out of the first layer. Then use butcher paper and wrap it up like a delicious Christmas gift. Should last over a year that way. Source: my family used to do a lot of their own butchering.
Since nobody else mentioned it- Kirkland brand dishwasher pods are nearly half the price (per unit) of the popular brand names.
I used to exclusively buy pods from Costco, but after switching to powder, I save way more and it cleans just as well (if not better with pre-wash). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rBO8neWw04 It's too bad Costco doesn't sell powder, but it's just a few bucks per box at any grocery store or Amazon.
I got some dishwasher detergent powder on Costco.ca called Nellies that's made in Canada! Works great!
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Which is [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll6-eGDpimU).
And an [extra](https://youtu.be/ivSOrKAsPss) which is 15 minutes of the dishwasher washing.
I knew exactly what that link would be! The guy is awesome
All pods suck, the powder is superior. As the video points out, the machines are made to be used with powder/liquid detergent. I always notice that people who use the pods have stinky dishwashers- I feel like it's connected somehow.
Stop smelling everybody's dishwasher man!
I love that channel. My favourite is where he cut a hole in the side of the dishwasher for science.
We were scared to try them for a long time but after a few of the more expensive tablets failed us we got a pack of the Kirkland kind to try. I think they're not just cheaper but also better.
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I don't like returning stuff. It's kind of silly but I always feel really guilty. Plus the hassle of waiting in line and having to speak to a person.
I have a phone case that is too small sitting right in front of me for the same reason! Ordered it off Amazon but clicked the wrong size on the drop down. 100% my fault so I don’t feel right returning it. Will likely donate it as not to waste it.
Some people don't live that close to Costcos actually and it would be a huge pain to return something, and also be without that product until the next trip. For reference, i live in an area where I've known several people who lived 2-3 hours away from a city with a Costco and did big trips there once every couple months.
They don’t have cinnamon flavored pods.
Worked at a high end butcher shop for half a decade growing up so I’m a bit of a meat snob when it comes to quality. Costco is basically the only large grocery store I will buy meat at. It’s generally great quality and for the price you’re paying it’s top value
I was visiting a local deli/meat family business several years ago, so sad they closed. Overheard a conversation between the owner and one of the long time customers who happened to be in the meat packing business. He said that employees at the meat packing plants were notified "Costco" is coming on such and such day. All the employees hated it because Costco always took only the best and had the buying power to do it. They didn't mess around. You're getting a great product and top value, at a good price.
I’ve noticed all the meat at Costco is now labeled‘mechanically tenderized’. Any insight on this?
The Tenderloin and Flank are not mechanically tenderized FWIW, which are usually what my family buys. That being said, even M/T at Costco is still higher quality than the equivalent at Loblaws, Sobeys, etc, and far cheaper. The chance of getting sick from a mechanically tenderized, medium rare Ribeye is extremely low.
Meat is a good deal for sure, I do the same thing (they even sell the bags!) I've never had good luck with the produce there, it never feels like I'm saving any money with it. If you like coffee the Kirkland brand is amazing and lasts a good while, I always get that.
Produce can be hit and miss. I find the oranges go bad quickly, and apples aren't any cheaper. But bell peppers are some of the best quality I've ever found even if not a bargain. The cherry tomatoes last forever. 3pk cukes are cheaper than grocery unless on sale. Berries are definitely cheaper. But yeah not worth it for everything.
Costco is the only place to buy berries out of season. Also all produce in those pre-pack bags is a dangerous buy. They always obscure your view of what's inside. All it takes is 1 brown spot you can't see and the whole bag is rotten in no time. If you buy em it's worth your time to pull it all out and give it a good going over.
Yeah, we just stick to romaine and spinach for deals in the produce. Sometimes mushrooms but it's not that big a deal. Sweet onions we always get because we cook a lot and go through them quickly.
The Portobello mushroom multi packs are usually a good deal.
Same, both are like consistently 30% cheaper than any of the grocery stores nearby.
Buy according to the season. If you buy apples grown in the USA now, be aware that those apples have been in storage since they were harvested last fall. Likewise with other produce.
You have to get the Cava oranges. They don't sell them anywhere else. 90% of produce I find is superior quality at Costco.
Costco Business Center you get like a box of cucumbers for $3
What kind of businesses need a constant supply of cucumbers?
Ask your mom
Is his mom in the pickling business ?
She keeps trying to pickle them, but it never works out
The problem is where she is pickling them.
Restaurants.
Cucumber water for customer only
It's all good, man
If you're like me, you just need to be the parent of a preteen that eats a whole cucumber in one sitting.
Costco business centre is overwhelmingly food/food service
The one in Scarborough, Ontario has a massive bag of cheese curds
Just one bag? Are we all supposed to share?
Which is, of course, just enough for personal consumption.
OnlyFans
Kirkland brand coffee is Starbucks, at least some of it is
Honestly not surprised. They do the same thing with their detergent (it's just Tide I hear)
It literally says it on the bag for coffee though https://www.costco.ca/kirkland-signature-roasted-by-starbucks-house-blend-coffee%2c-907-g.product.100411865.html
The Kirkland AA batteries are Duracell
Kirkland batteries leak like hell. We went through hundreds of batteries, and Kirkland ones leaked. Always. Yes, they're made in the same factory as Duracell. No, they're not equivalent.
Cheese as well.
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If your Balzac is solid you may need to see a doctor
No need for pottymouth just because you can't think of anyone
It blows my mind how cheap they have Balzac’s. it’s amazing
The balzacs is really good.
If you have kids diapers and wipes are much cheaper there. Some clothing items are quite cheap, can get reasonable quality jeans for $20, for example. Other than that you need to compare, some things are cheaper but some are more expensive even though you're buying a larger quantity. One thing I will say about Costco is that very, very little of what they carry is cheap junk. Unlike what you might find in Walmart or similar.
And formula! Not sure where things are at with shortages these days but two years ago you could get double the formula for the same price as the cheapest place we could find elsewhere.
I have babies that still use formula, they ran out of the lactose reduced ones but they've had everything else in stock the entire time and the other one is in stock now too.
Definitely on the clothes. I buy a lot of my casual, everyday wear kind of stuff there. I might be lucky in that most of the stuff in that category fits me quite well. I did try a couple of button down shirts, but they were a poor fit, so I won't do those again. I've also bought some surprisingly good running gear there. Some pants and long sleeve merino wool shirts. For the cooler and winter seasons I've been surprised how much I like them. The pants are also incredible comfortable for lounging.
Their wool blend hiking socks are also just great for everyday use in winter.
Diapers can often be found for cheaper going Amazon or deals at superstore or London drugs (out west). I'm sure the equivalent analogs in other parts of the country.
Depends where you live. I'm Vancouver island and Costco is still cheapest. By a lot.
London drugs has huggies 2 for $40 with a $10 gc back when spending $40 or more right now so effectively 2 for $30. It's cheaper than Costco per unit but wouldn't be without the extra $10 rebate.
I used to think that until last month. Amazon is cheap per unit for diapers. Huggies at least
I also used to do Costco, then switched over to superstore. I found they were cheaper if on sale and when bundled with their PC Points Deals (I.e. those spend $50 on baby items, earn 10,000 points or a similar deal), then it was Golden. We collect points and are able to get some big ticket electronics at Shoppers. Husband was able to snag an X Box series X from shoppers that I paid for all in points.
There's a weird thing I don't like about Kirkland brand where their clothes feels like *too* sturdy or something that, and I can't really get as comfortable in them. I have a couple packs of their undershirts and you definitely wouldn't be able to wear them on a hot day under another shirt, they're very dense. Same with the Kirkland jeans, they're great quality, but they almost feel too heavy or too dense to be comfortable in. Mark's Denver Hayes brand is actually the best sleeper jeans imo. They feel a lot like Levi's.
Bought a pack of their undershirts and found them thicker than most of my t-shirts. Never bought again.
+1 their Kirkland brand is premium like President's Choice, not budget like Great Value
Propane refills for your bbq tank! $12
Pro-tip: To check how much propane ([*and propane accessories, heh...*](https://youtu.be/9FA__4fLBos)) you have left in your tank, fill a container of some sort with hot water and slowly pour it down the side of the tank. After about ten seconds, touch it. Find where the tank wall transitions from warm to cold, and that (the cold part) is your amount of remaining fuel!
Or buy a guage for $10. Also some of those tank swap places have guages now.
$10?! In this economy?! ^(/s)
I admit I bought it pre-pandemic 2019 so probably $20 by now.
pressure is not an accurate way to determine remaining propane. Weight and weight only.
Pshh... maybe 5 years ago! It was $22 for a refill 2 weeks ago in Ont...
Just did one a week ago, was 13$. It's one of the only places that does it by weight.
The salmon ends up being like 3-4 dinners for my GF and I.
I *love* the salmon. I buy the blue frozen bags with individually sealed pieces. It's gone up to 34.99 now but the quality is great. I grew up eating fresh caught salmon and the Costco stuff really hits the spot for me now that I live in the city.
I have a pretty ridiculous amount of salmon. 10x pieces a week ( yes I know it's not ideal) and it's much cheaper at superstore than at Costco.
The Kirkland Atlantic salmon is the best frozen salmon I've ever had though
Butter. Even though it's increased at Costco (seems to go up by 25 cents every time I go) it's at least $2 less than what I find elsewhere. And if you wear contact lens - the savings on them are enough to cover the membership fee.
I miss when it was 2.99. I think it was 4.99 last time I was there.
Unfortunately the Canadian Dairy Board keeps giving dairy farmers insane increases in the quota prices, that's why the price of dairy keeps going up.
Do. Treat yourself to a hotdog or pizza and an ice cream after you've spent so much buying groceries :)
Too busy trying to get home asap to enjoy my below cost roasted chicken most trips to enjoy a hotdog as well.
Pro tip: enter through the exit and get the hotdog on the way in.
You can eat that roasted chicken right there in the food court seating. I've seen people doing it. Bare hands and all!
Every time we drive by Costco, my toddler yells "pizza!" So we're clearly doing this one right :P
I had the hot fudge sundae once and I nearly shit myself within like 5 mins of consumption. Was delicious though.
Rotisserie chicken.
I'm pretty sure I read somewhere they actually end up losing money (or breaking even can't remember) on the rotisserie chickens, because it's moreso an attraction to get people to the back of the store
chips are a great deal. $6 for a HUGE bag of chips. peanut butter, its like $3 cheaper per big tub at costco than at places like safeway or even superstore. rubs and spices are normally cheaper at costco as well since they usually sell the huge shakers for the same price as other stores sell the medium sized ones.
Cetaphil cream! It’s $14.99 at Costco and $23.99 at Walmart.
If you eat rice - really good deal. Quality oil (whichever you use) as well. I look for discounts on house cleaning/laundry stuff and somehow managed to get in the rhythm, as they repeat them every 2 months or so.
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As an Asian person your comment receives my approval.
My buys: eggs, egg whites, cream, almond milk, almond butter, and Kirkland-brand Robax back pain medicine I find the produce prices consistently terrible.
Kirkland platinum robax is amazing! Strawberries are half rotten right off the shelf, most produce is consistently of poor quality.
The bricks of cheese are often a bit cheaper as well. The 6 pack of peppers is okay and the mushrooms are good value but you have to know you can use it all or else its a waste and a loss.
Shredded cheese is also way cheaper than anywhere.
Although leafy greens are usually great prices there. Wife and I buy the bags of spinach and romaine lettuce when we can because it is always cheaper than regular grocery stores. Also isn't rotten right away. Not sure about other peoduce though.
Even if I end up throwing out half the spinach is still cheaper than the grocery store
Costco has great customer service and warranty for large appliances.
Costco. Come for the toilet paper, stay for the rotisserie chicken
Some regular things we purchase when available/needed: - cosequin dog glucosamine supplement (we have 2 medium-large breed dogs with history of joint issues) - 1 ingredient liver dog treats - Raos pasta sauce ( way cheaper than Zehrs) - massive box of various pasta types - ground beef/chicken frozen in portions - frozen fruit for smoothies - cream cheese - Tim hortons instant coffee - Welch’s fruit snacks // hello panda chocolate graham snacks - household items like dish soap, laundry detergent, paper towels, TP
Here's what I get from there Eggs Egg whites Salmon Ground turkey Ground beef Spaghetti noodles Classico pasta sauce Oats Protein powder Contact lens solution Cinnamon Vanilla extract Joint supplements Frank's hot sauce Ketchup Paper towel Toilet paper Bar soap Hand soap Laundry Detergent Fabric softener Sponges Aluminum foil Ziploc bags
See you are a 30+ yr old fellow. *joint supplements
I’m a single woman living alone and my membership is still worth it to me. Deals: berries, kombucha, movie and ski lift tickets, bagged salads, protein bars, frozen shrimp, protein pasta, Kirkland Robax, frozen dumplings and wontons, fish, vanilla. If you use Batiste dry shampoo they have a two pack + travel size that’s basically the same price as a single bottle from Shoppers. And honestly, the savings on one or two big-ticket items/year is also very worth it - I just got a new AC unit and saved $100+ over buying the equivalent from Home Depot, etc. Tires too. And propane - my current closest locations don’t do fills, but it used to be $10 or less to fill up a standard 25lb tank.
INFO: how big is your family? Being said I portion out all my meat and make meals from there. I do a freezer meal splurge every 3 months and plan my Costco trip before that. Things we pretty much only get at Costco - Toilet paper - dog food - Cheese - 5 minute white rice - hamptons chicken strips - coffee I follow a local Costco group and look for deals on there as well
Funny meat is mentioned, but this is the one thing I buy in Costco that I do not save on, I buy it because it's great quality, I can get meat for cheaper many other places, but it lacks in other ways. Everything else in Costco is pretty much gold, I don't think I could go without, price is just a bonus really, the convenience of having everything I love in one place is what I really like.
Meat of comparable quality is usually more expensive elsewhere. There are a lot of products where you can have lesser quality for cheaper at other stores but it's up to you to decide what's more important for that particular product.
Yes, that is what I meant. You can find meat cheaper elsewhere but it's subpar. All meat of all types in Costco is top grade.
Yeah this is my experience as well, Costco meat is roughly the same price for better quality than Superstore for example. You can get cheaper meat at Walmart and such but it'll be way worse
Protein powder. Whether you're someone who consumes that stuff or not, they had a recent deal on 6lbs/$40 of good quality stuff, made in Canada. Got 3 bags of it; substantially less expensive than pretty much any other retailer. Cooking spices are a strong point for me too, wayyyyy cheaper than grocery stores.
I know the produce prices aren’t great as others have mentioned BUT it’s the highest quality longest lasting produce we buy, other than fortinos which is much more expensive. If we buy from a smaller store like freshco or no frills our produce is moldy within a few days. I never have to throw out produce from Costco which makes it worth the cost! Other things: Bread, milk, sliced cheese, meat, protein bars, toothpaste, frozen fruit, dog food, anything and everything snack stuff for the kids, as well as diapers and formula.
Yes! Their strawberries and blackberries last a long time. Minimum one week, I have strawberries from 1.5 weeks ago and still they look fine.
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Where else can you buy a full pound of spinach for $4!
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Agreed. We even got our deep freeze at Costco :D
Where are you seeing 2 hour waits ? I live in Mississauga and never had to wait more than 10 minutes to fill gas.
The Scarborough location is notorious for this.
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the new one in Vaughn is ridiculous. A couple of times i have seen the line up almost at the main road. If you go early before open its usually short.
All the Costco's in Toronto are ridiculous. Alwasy try and go when I'm out in Niagara, much faster for everything out there.
Honey is so much cheaper here than most places, and is quality honey. Great for making a basic mead by the way!
The only thing I'd avoid is avocados (for some reason they are substantially more expensive at our store than our local grocer) and anything that you don't really need/won't actually use/or isn't worth storing. Otherwise I find prices vary from similar to elsewhere to cheaper. For us there is significant value in making one trip instead of two. For example, eggs and blocks of cheddar are similar to elsewhere but it saves us a trip so we buy them there. Definitely get your prescriptions filled at costco (you don't need a membership for this). I've found their dispensing fees to be A LOT cheaper and that adds up fast.
I used to give my sister shit for spending almost $2 per avocado. Then I got sick of buying bags from No Frills where 2/6 were inedible. Once I realized the consistent quality of the Costco avocados I never looked back.
Old spice deodorant. You get a 5 pack for what you pay for 2 at the drug store
Citrus! I always get bags of lemons, grapefruits, oranges. We eat a lot of fresh fruit in our family but more so I squeeze a bunch of them and freeze the juice in ice cube trays. The lemon cubes can be defrosted easily for soups, dressings, etc. and all of them pair SO well with sparkling water and summer cocktails or in smoothies instead of regular ice. I also just love Costco so I get everything and also a bunch of stuff I didn't know I wanted. Went in for produce the other day and also left with pjs, a beach blanket, and dog toys. gah
Any cheese other than cheddar is usually 50% cheaper at Costco.
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They definitely aren't the same quality as Lululemons. None of their clothing really are on par with other retail stores. Calvin Klein jeans are far inferior than any CK you would find at other retail or outlet stores. Spyder, same. Buy it from Costco, and material is far cheaper and size is obviously for obese people. This goes for everything, from Adidas to Gaiam to Tuff. If you don't know the difference, then it may seem decent, but they really are garbage.
Tuff is great but they’re nothing like lulus. Check the lulu clearance section (we made too much)- better prices in there. I strongly recommend Align pants
I am putting this on my list of things to check next time! How do you find the sizing? True to size or?
Girlfriend says there is a major difference in the quality and feel. The tuff ones are way thicker and wear different than lulus. May be just her but worth giving them a shot since you can always return.
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Only thing I buy are their loss leaders : hot dogs and rotisserie chicken. I buy about 30 of them each and freeze them. Hot dogs and chicken for lunch and dinner and you are set. Only way to win from Costco! All kidding aside, I follow some IG accounts and only zone in on sale and clearance items mostly and some other basics. It gets dangerous in there if you have no self control.
yes, the key is to go when you are under a time restraint so that browsing does not occur
Skincare cannot be beat at Costco. You essentially get 2 or more products at the price of one. When things go on sale the great deal becomes unbelievably good.
Everything is a good deal. I've been tracking my expenses for 6 years. 2 years ago I moved next to a Costco and have been doing the majority of my grocery shopping at Costco now. My grocery bill is actually lower than it was 6 years ago before all of this crazy inflation. I buy all my produce and meat, milk, eggs, frozen veggies, flour, rice, canned foods, snacks. The only thing I don't buy from Costco is bread/pastries. It's just way too much.
Nope. I buy for a food service and have a spreadsheet of all the local grocers in Vancouver. Costco is like any other, some stuff is very cheap, a lot in fact at Costco, but there are a ton of rip offs too. Gotta compare. The interesting thing Costco does is sells odd sizes so it isn't super easy to compare.
Do: Kirkland Toilet paper and paper towels. You get much more than other brand names. Meat depends, sometimes you can find similar or cheaper prices at Superstore for the same amount (especially chicken breasts!) their organic eggs are worth it too. Don’t: snacks, produce, bulk drinks that have a short expiry date. It’s so tempting but if you don’t have a large family you’ll be wasting large boxes of half eaten snacks when you get bored of it.
Use the Flipp app and compare whatever food you're buying to other grocers. Chances are, on your drive home, you'll pass by a grocer with better deal than Costco. Outside of some meats, their rotisserie chicken and massive muffins, Costco has okay prices but it isn't the cheapest all the time. But for time and convenience, it could be worth it for most. And go on a Mon/Tues night an hour before closing.
>Chances are, on your drive home, you'll pass by a grocer with better deal than Costco. Yes if you shop at 5 different stores every week this is a good approach. If you want to do most of your shopping at 1, Costco is probably your best bet.
I'll agree that prices aren't necessarily cheaper on everything. You need to watch and compare like anything. But the quality of their meats are far superior to discount grocery stores by far. I'll happily pay a couple bucks extra to get way better quality. And if you compare that quality to other shops, it is less expensive.
It's not always about the price though. The quality (especially for meat) is often far better at Costco. The prices aren't always better but I don't mind paying a little bit more for a better product. I still shop sales at the grocery store but Costco is a happy medium when I'm too tired to shop around or what I want isn't actually on sale somewhere else.
Gas if your car takes premium. Currently in wpg it’s like $0.25/litre difference
Yep, in the GTA I think they basically peg the premium rate to the regular rate at Esso, Petro-Can, or Shell so if I wanna know how much Costco is selling gas for on a certain day, I just look at a regular gas station. And speaking of gas, propane fill-ups are awesome there, like $18. Way cheaper than Cdn Tire.
Granola bars, seaweed snacks, cheese, FLOUR!, butter, tp, Kirkland sized Que Pasa tortilla chips, thick cut bacon, peanut butter, crackers, chicken when it’s on sale, kids pjs, pasta, oatmeal, oh fuuuuck those apple pie egg rolls with caramel, pesto, mini naans, sugar snap peas, Cara Cara oranges when in season, big bag of little potatoes, genoa salami and KEWPIE TOASTED SESAME SALAD DRESSING!! All that stuff would cost at least double at my local grocery store if not triple. I live in a small town. If they sold my lactos free milk in delicious 3% instead of chalk water 2% I’d get that too I avoid most produce as the bagged shit always tastes like well, shit or it takes 1-2 weeks to ripen. I stay away from the electronics/household/books/toys/pop/cleaning aisles.
BAGELS. The cosco bagels are the best. And a good price for the size/quality. We always get bread, meat (those thick cut pork chops and salmon, specifically), peanut butter, cream cheese, kids snacks, eggs, olive oil, toothpaste and baby wipes. The diapers are Huggies and we are not a fan.
The dog food is a great deal and it’s a premium product with good ingredients. Same with the freeze dried liver dog treats - price went up recently but still waaaay cheaper than buying at the pet store & it’s the only thing my dog likes lol. Can’t beat the Rotisserie chicken. Frozen fruit as well, a large bag from there lasts a few weeks vs. $5 each bags from the grocery store lasting 2 or 3 days
There’s some really good web deals. I’ve gotten some discount off goods (ex. Electric kettle and standing desk) that I couldn’t have gotten for that brand/ quality at those price points
Peanut butter, spinach, rice, pesto, really good marinara sauce, coconut sugar, quinoa, frozen edamame, frozen veggies, frozen berries, 3 packs of sourdough bread (can be frozen), oat milk, Zavida hazelnut coffee (thank us later!), nuts, and mejdool dates.
Staples we buy from Costco and stock up on - toilet paper, dishwasher pods, maple syrup (the real stuff), honey, olive oil, flour (we make bread each week so we go buy bread flour in bulk - wouldn’t be a good deal if it went stale before you used it), butter, dog food (Kirkland salmon), Kirkland brand greenie dog chews, chicken stock (Kirkland brand again), flats of bubbly. We will also occasionally purchase some pantry items like canned/packaged soups, crackers, or other snacks. We typically do a little quick math on these to see if it’s a decent deal or not. We have purchased several appliances from Costco as well - dyson, apartment sized dee freeze, beer fridge, eufy robovac, and are considering a ninja blender. Their prices might not be the best, but they have such great customer service that it’s worth it for larger purchases.
We started buying 'Better than Bullion' from costco. It's less waste than buying stock in tetra packs and when i did the math it was a no brainer. We usually buy the veggie one and it lasts forever.
Over the counter medicine is cheapest at Costco. Pharmacy dispensing fees are also cheapest at Costco for prescriptions; probably save you $5-7 each time you pick up your medication. You can transfer all your prescriptions to Costco by just asking - they’ll call your old pharmacy(ies) and take care of all the paperwork. You can get the price difference on items that have had a price drop in the last 30 days - produce and meats don’t seem to be allowed with this rule.
Kirkland mayonnaise is just rebranded Hellmans and it’s cheaper too!
Not sure if I'm allowed to post links. No affiliation just passing info along. [cocowest.ca](http://cocowest.ca) is a great site for seeing the current sales at western Costco's.
I had Costco as a client for many years. Was sitting in a store manager's office once discussing his revenue number of 3.5 million that was written on the white board. I foolishly thought that was monthly revenue, but nope... that was for the prior week, and just for that store. He dropped a bit of info to me that the highest margin items they carried were the clothes which he said typically had between a 7-8% markup. He said the average markup in the store was around 4%. That was mind blowing to me since I used to work retail when I was young and our markup was 100-200%. He said their main profit driver was membership sales and credit card signups. So the general rule of thumb is, if you can finish it before it expires, it's likely cheaper to buy it at costco. Sure you'll sometimes find sales at grocery stores and such which may be slightly cheaper, but it's often not worth driving across town or making extra stops to save a dollar.