Costco Membership, budget or not?

[robinb]

We have the executive membership and to costco credit card. I take the amount of the membership out of these rewards every year, and then anything else is bonus. With these rewards our membership is basically free, and then we are saving a lot.

Us too. I got the costco AMEX card last April. I love that we get 3% back on gasoline charged to the card (NOT just at Costco). I figure that's another 7-cents off per gallon .

 

[Madteaparty001]

I think we spend more money when we go. We normally go every two months. Lately hubby has been running in every two weeks for two or three items (hard to do). Loved their stuffed salmon. You really need to know your prices. We have a few items that we always get in Coscto. Aluminum Foil, Saran Wrap, Olive Oil, kitchen garbage bags - items that you are set for a while. Besides this, we love their meats, produce, bakery and fish. Great gift items too during the holidays!! It's great for families and if you can share your membership - even better. I did this for a few years until my friend passed. Now hubby and I have the card.

The Christmas gifts! I forgot about how great they were, no stressful shopping on black friday was amazing, I had everything bought a week before Thanksgiving. The nerf guns they had were so great compared to what the other stores wanted we bought 3 for our nephews, and the chocolates! Oh I dream about their boxed Christmas chocolate. I just wish I had grabbed that Anna and Sven doll set before it sold out.

 

[PamelaPaige726]

We love Costco as well... My husband & son almost ran away when I bought "make do" TP until I could get across town to Costco!

 

[DawnM]

We buy almost everything from Costco. We do the $100 membership that allows us to get 2% back on all purchases, making the membership free.

What I love MOST about Costco????? The return policy!

 

[MillauFr]

Love shopping at Costco for the great deals. They had whole Copper River Salmon today for $8.99 per pound. They are probably selling them for $25+ per pound at Pike Place Market. Just on one 5 pound fish I saved $80.

 

[DizMe]

Just last week DH and I had our bi-annual “Do we really save money by shopping at Costco? Should we renew?” conversation. The answers, for our family of four, are definitively yes and yes. As PP mentioned, the drugs alone! Kirkland ‘Prevacid’ and kids pain reliever. And now DH just has to say “Flonase” and I’m running to renew the membership! (You had me at Flonase.) Having to occasionally buy bread or peanut butter at our regular grocery store due to time constraints makes me cringe. Yes, we love Costco! Funny, our renewal arrived yesterday. We are Executive members so we earn the rewards. The rewards certificate was more than the upgrade to Executive, but did not cover the full renewal cost. I still see us coming out ahead when I do the math. Though a word of caution: we just tried the BBQ sandwich at the food counter. Ummmm, no thank you Costco.

Passport photos, toner refills, super cheap car rentals. These are a few of my favorite things.

Potentially dumb question: I was reading the back of the rewards certificate for how they calculate it. Costco Travel purchases are not included, which made me sad. It also said that Costco Cash Cards do not count toward your reward. I just ordered one online so I could pay with my airline rewards card to get the miles. So I know that I’m not getting $100 towards my reward by buying the card, but when I swipe the Cash Card when I buy stuff, will that count towards my reward?

OMG!! Now why didn't I ever think of this???? I've always wished I could put my Costco purchases on my SW card, as we spend about $300/month there. THANK YOU for this brilliant plan!

 

[mieuxmew]

I just shopped at Costco today! We go almost once a week, rotating the staple items. I work crazy hours and have no time for couponing. I also have brand preferences, which makes cutting coupons difficult. Our usual items - diet pepsi, milk, all paper goods, all cleaning supplies, tide pods, downy, rotisserie chicken, genetic otc meds/bandaids, sunscreen, razors, photos, bread, splenda, batteries, snacks, juices, coffee etc. Another awesome thing to buy really cheap is top of the line spices and the amazing madascar vanilla! Occasionally Costco has saffron! Our local Costco now sells Kerrygold butter! LOVE the king size Kirkland sheets! After 10 years I finally wore out a set! Occasionally they have great deals on gift cards. Last weekend $100 iTunes gift cards were $85.

I am fortunate to have a Wegmans nearby, so I usually prefer to get most of my meats and produce there (can't beat Wegman's produce - smaller quantities and great prices).

The budget killers are the great limited quantity treasures/seasonal items that temp you to spend money. These are also really great deals, but more ohhh I like it rather than I need it items. Don't get me wrong - great purchases but if you are on a tight budget they are quite tempting. Usually items like this I like to think about first but if you leave the store there is an excellent chance it will be gone. Return policy is awesome, though.

 

[soccerchick]

I save on these "staples" for our house:
gas - save a ton here, thankfully the Costco is close to our home
milk
wine
cheese
produce that is regularly a better deal than grocery store: spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, celery, lemons
fruit like strawberries and blueberries -sometimes
bread
whipping cream
coffee creamer
meat/fish - fresh (don't like the texture of the frozen stuff) - hamburger, salmon, ahi, ground turkey, chicken, steaks, ham steaks, Canadian bacon, pork loin
batteries
photo stuff - though I print fewer pictures now
glasses - usually buy one pair/year
Goldfish
waffles
plants and cut flowers
garden items such as Hollytone
laundry detergent
spices/baking chocolate
Gift cards to local/chain businesses - esp. at holidays - love iTunes deal
cakes, desserts, especially pumpkin pie

Food that is often not cheaper, but much better quality and worth it = apples

 

[hsmamato2]

Is there an upcharge without a membership? Thanks.

good question _ I wondered the same thing....

 

[hsmamato2]

To what a pp said above...it's so true! I only hit Costco maybe 6-8 weeks apart, and in between I just buy at Aldi and it is far cheaper. What I do buy at Costco can go into freezer storage,and not get wasted. Since I buy almost all my organic meats,eggs,and other foods at Costco, I spend probably 250-300 each visit. And that is buying the exact things I need,and use each month. Overall it saves money, b/c then I don't need those items until I get back there again. (Yes, I buy dozens of OG eggs at once, they keep just fine in the fridge,and we eat a LOT of eggs weekly in our house) Yesterdays total was 300.00. But if I had gone to Whole Foods for those same items and amounts for the freezer, it would have been triple that. I think it's valuable, if you can buy in bulk and use the items,and for things that would cost much more elsewhere.

 

[Judique]

good question _ I wondered the same thing....

On the website it states that 'Non Members may be assessed an additional surcharge.'

Not sure about the stores.

 

[havaneselover]

I just shopped at Costco today! We go almost once a week, rotating the staple items. I work crazy hours and have no time for couponing. I also have brand preferences, which makes cutting coupons difficult. Our usual items - diet pepsi, milk, all paper goods, all cleaning supplies, tide pods, downy, rotisserie chicken, genetic otc meds/bandaids, sunscreen, razors, photos, bread, splenda, batteries, snacks, juices, coffee etc. Another awesome thing to buy really cheap is top of the line spices and the amazing madascar vanilla! Occasionally Costco has saffron! Our local Costco now sells Kerrygold butter! LOVE the king size Kirkland sheets! After 10 years I finally wore out a set! Occasionally they have great deals on gift cards. Last weekend $100 iTunes gift cards were $85.

I am fortunate to have a Wegmans nearby, so I usually prefer to get most of my meats and produce there (can't beat Wegman's produce - smaller quantities and great prices).

The budget killers are the great limited quantity treasures/seasonal items that temp you to spend money. These are also really great deals, but more ohhh I like it rather than I need it items. Don't get me wrong - great purchases but if you are on a tight budget they are quite tempting. Usually items like this I like to think about first but if you leave the store there is an excellent chance it will be gone. Return policy is awesome, though.

I love their vanilla. This is actually why I rejoined about five years ago

We're getting a Wegmans next year. We're a family of three so I may shift some purchases once I figure out how to shop their.

Costco Travel is a huge perk I'm just starting to use. 7% back on my Disney Cruise (vs. 4-5% with my old TA) and the car rental deals are great.

 

[Lilliputian]

I love Costco. We have an executive membership ($110/year), and we just got our check the other day. It was for over $200 this year, so our membership was free and they paid us about $100 to shop there.

You can get better prices at other stores if you combine coupons and sales, but Costco is an easy way to save a reasonable amount of money. Also, if you have a big family, it's a great way to be able to get large quantities of things. I have 6 sons. I usually buy a case of 12 cans of organic tomato paste when we go, and sometimes I buy 2 of them. It's hard to even find 12 cans of organic tomato paste in the store when it's on sale, much less to have 12 coupons. (Foods for organic, whole foods are hard to come by anyway.) It's almost berry season now. We LOVE buying huge cartons of strawberries and blueberries all summer long. I'm sure they are too much for some families, but we buy multiples when we go so that we don't eat them all at the first meal. Berries freeze well, though, so even smaller families can buy those.

 

[Arkansan]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the sheetcakes! A two-tier, filled, layer cake with tons of buttercream frosting is $19.99, I believe. They are normally sold as chocolate cake with chocolate icing and chocolate filling or white cake with white frosting and white cheesecake filling, but my store will switch them up with a custom order and enough notice. My mother's store (different state) won't do that for her. They told her only standard orders, but she's in a bigger metro area, so her store is probably busier than mine. It is still a steal. And they freeze really well! I always buy a bigger cake than necessary and freeze leftovers. I wrap it in cling wrap and put it in a Tupperware container.

I hear some on the needing willpower, however. A few weeks ago, I gave in to temptation and bought a really cute pair of Fendi sunglasses for under $50! I am weak sometimes.

We also buy the rotisserie chickens, butter, Kirkland signature allergy meds, Kirkland coated baby aspirin, razor blades, sunscreen, grass-fed organic ground beef, organic ground buffalo meat (lower in fat than ground beef), organic chicken breasts, microfiber towels, organic olive oil, vanilla, ready to bake pizza, veggie trays, skinny pop popcorn, chips for school lunches, chocolate milk for school lunches, some produce--depends what is needed and what is available. For 4 years we lived over 150 miles and a few states from a Costco and we really missed it! Fortunately, we moved again and have one in our new town.

 

[5stljayhawks]

As others have mentioned we are a cook from scratch family. I am normally about $250 every 10 days. This doesn't include the $4K a year I pump in gas on the costco amex card. Then there is my house and car insurance, which saved me $400-$600 a year. I got about $700 back from the cost amex and $200 from the membership.

I view shopping at costco like playing the lotto, but you pretty much always win. The service rocks, they treat & pay their employees way better than walmart, there is always new stuff, I would never run across unless .. well. And their warranty is great for just about everything. I just got tires for my suburban, $850, my local repair shop wanted over $1K. For my family it just adds up over a year. The wife now buys her contacts and glass, thats another $500 a year.

Have you tried the kirkland brand stuff....... Dude it rocks!

 

[crisi]

Half and half is a LOT cheaper than anywhere else (organic for the same price as not organic) at our Costco. Meat is better at a lower cost (I can get cheaper meat, I can't get the same quality of meat for the price). Staples like sugar and coffee are cheaper. Honey and maple syrup. Vegetables (but the selection and the quantity you need to buy can have me veggie shopping other places). Eggs and milk.

Sometimes Aldi's is cheaper, but the quality at Aldi's near me has always been questionable. Veggies that go bad in four days, meat that is too tough for the cut. Bruised or moldy fruit.

 

[robinb]

To what a pp said above...it's so true! I only hit Costco maybe 6-8 weeks apart, and in between I just buy at Aldi and it is far cheaper.

I also buy at Aldi. It's funny because I usually find the same brands of produce at Aldi's as I do at Costco and my other grocery stores. Specifically, the tomatoes and snap peas.

 

[AlohaNow]

OMG!! Now why didn't I ever think of this???? I've always wished I could put my Costco purchases on my SW card, as we spend about $300/month there. THANK YOU for this brilliant plan!

You are welcome for my brilliance. No, seriously, I read that here on the DIS and it was a face palm moment. We just got the SW card in January and the only reason I had to keep my debit card in my wallet was for ATM deposits/withdrawals, and Costco trips. Now I’m down to only one reason!

Confirmation of answer to Potentially Dumb Question: Yes, when you swipe the cash card you will get the rewards towards your annual certificate. I confirmed this last night at Costco. I was pretty sure, but wanted to confirm before I went ahead and ordered a second card of a larger amount. This was just my trial run!

The budget killers are the great limited quantity treasures/seasonal items that temp you to spend money. Usually items like this I like to think about first but if you leave the store there is an excellent chance it will be gone.

Truer words, people. Truer words. Especially during holiday time, do not think about purchasing the special item, just buy it right then! Saw an interesting documentary on Costco and how they buy specialty items. It can be a one-time deal, only so many pallets per warehouse, so if you see it and want it, just buy it already!

 

[ChiCat]

I try to tailor my trips around sale items so about 80-90% of my purchases are on sale. For this reason I do save a lot of money at Costco because the sales are really good, in my opinion.

 

[mjkacmom]

I just used Costco's concierge for electronics for the first time. Dd's chromebook has screen issues, so called two nights ago. Easily got a real person, and we described to her the situation. Since HP was closed, she asked for a time to call me back the next day. She called right on time, asked me to hold while she talked to the folks at HP, and then brought them on for about 30 seconds to talk to me (bad English, could barely hear him). Since she had already discussed the situation, he just told me he was sending a box for me to mail to the service center.

It was SO nice not to have to talk to an outsourced person!