WFCN —
Being a resident in a cramped 1940s house with limited storage room, I’ve never given much thought to joining a warehouse shop, assuming that everything is offered in bulk. My opinion was altered after accompanying my sister on a recent errand run to Costco during our stay.
Although many of the products sold at Costco are in bulk, I noticed that the prices of commonly purchased things were significantly lower than what I spend at grocery stores.
After that trip, I started giving serious consideration to joining Costco myself. I polled relatives and friends to find out what essentials they buy most often so they may make the most of their membership and justify the annual charge.
Almost every topic imaginable was covered in their responses, from farm-fresh vegetables to gas, from OTC and prescription medications to vacation packages, and everything in between. “Come almost exclusively from Costco in my house.” That’s what one acquaintance told me when I asked where she gets all her groceries, paper products, gas, and more.
Like many others, Allrecipes has long enjoyed taking advantage of the grocery sales. My inner circle of Costco buyers frequents the warehouse club for a wide array of household staples, including fresh produce, dairy products, cheese, wine, soda, and more.
Someone else brought up the fact that they get all of their meat—steaks, salmon, and even frozen shrimp—from Costco. Two people raved about the rotisserie chickens: “the rotisserie chickens are THE BOMB!” and “the pies at the holidays are a great deal.”
Discover the top-selling things on their shopping lists and see how they compare to other stores in terms of price.
Food Pantry Goods
Saving money on pantry items is just one more perk for Costco buyers. Everything from olive oil and spices to flour and other baking products, rice, coffee, and more can be found at better-than-grocery-store prices under the warehouse store’s private label, Kirkland.
Market-Direct Groceries
It could be difficult to compare costs on fresh vegetables at Costco since inventory varies by shop location. I usually pay around $4 per pound for Honeycrisp apples at my local grocery store, even when they aren’t on sale, but I saw a four-pound box for about $4.50 while I was out shopping with my sister.
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Several of my friends swear by Costco’s produce section as the best place to get fresh fruits and vegetables at low prices. They say they stock up on cucumbers, bell peppers, romaine lettuce, berries, and more.
Cereal for Morning Meal
The recent sticker shock I experienced when grocery shopping was due to the price of cereal. I couldn’t believe the outrageous cost of a box of my beloved cereal. I discovered that Costco provides far better deals when I compared costs. Example: a 20-ounce box of Cheerios retails for $8.49 at Kroger and $6.69 at Target; the same box sells for 20.35 ounces for $9.99 at Costco, which works out to 25 cents per ounce.
Alcoholic Beverages
Like its liquor range, Costco’s wine offering is vast and remarkable. In addition to well-known brands from all over the globe, including the United States, the Kirkland private label is also quite noticeable here. Actually, some people purchase the branded vodka and gin, while others claim that the Kirkland label wine is their “every day wine.”
Remember that selection varies by store; it’s worth a quick stop when shopping to check if your preferred producers are on sale at a lower price than at your regular liquor store.
Various Other Cookware
When compared to other big box stores, Costco is more popular for two reasons: first, the wide selection of cleaning supplies, including detergents for dishwashers and laundry, and second, the large selection of paper products, including paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, baby wipes, Q-tips, and more.
“At Costco, way cheaper than anywhere else,” a friend of hers says, describing where her family gets goods like these.
Decanter for the Dishwasher
During my investigation, I discovered that a 92-pod box of Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Detergent ActionPacs retails for $24.99 at Costco, whereas the same tub retails for $36.99 at Walmart. This is a significant savings, which might potentially justify the cost of joining Costco on its own.
Paper Goods
Consider paper towels and their relative prices as an example: The 12-roll case of Bounty Advanced Paper Towels, which contains 101 sheets of two-ply select-a-size, retails for $29.99 at Costco and a whopping $47.67 at Walmart. However, you can get the identical product at Walmart for $64.94 and at Costco for $46.99 for 24 rolls of Viva Multi-Surface Cloth Paper Towels, which contain 110 two-ply select-a-size sheets each.