Yet another Costco question

[crl]

So, we finally joined Costco.

Can I just assume that they have the best price (as compared to Safeway, Target type places)? Or do I need to figure out which things are actually cheap there? I don't need to be positive that every single item is the best price, just want to feel like I can pretty safely buy there without comparision shopping. . . .

Has someone else done their homework on this so I can be lazy?

Thanks!

[caheinz]

I'm lazy. When I do check, it's always been a good deal. If it isn't, I can't see it being by much -- and since they do give such good benefits to their employees, I see it as being for a good cause!

[ribbit1019]

I agree you are pretty safe. I only get things that I can get a super duper deal on elsewhere. We buy almost everything at Costco.

Christy
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[urquie]

the only thing i don't buy at costco (unless they have a coupon) is toilet paper. i can buy it cheaper at grocery stores when it's on sale.

everything else i buy with confidence... however, that could change after following this thread :)

[fattytuna]

Things that I don't buy at Costco that I have to make a separate trip to Safeway for are usually food items. There are only 3 of us in terms of food consumption (DD probably can't even count as a full person if we are talking about how much she eats). I bought stuff from Costco before that just goes bad in my fridge because we can't eat them in time. It was such a waste of food and money.

[bostonsmama]

There are plenty of things there that aren't the greatest deal compared the grocery store we shop at, but compared to the average grocery chain the Majority of the people shop at, I'd guess that it probably beats everything hands down. The only thing I find to be a little expensive is the fruit. The meat prices (especially seafood) are really good. We also think their salad dressings are too large & expensive to buy. Tide detergent is often cheaper elsewhere when a loss leader at other stores. Their motor oil is no bargain, nor are the tires we looked at. I personally didn't think their bottled water, soda, paper towel or TP packs were bargains either. Their cheese & wine are phenomenal deals. Electronics are always a stellar deal. Clothes & books are pretty nicely priced as well.

If I can think of more, I'll add it, but I like to keep average price per ounce/lb/pkg, etc in my head for most frequently purchased items so I can know when it's not a good deal. Also, I'm sure prices vary around the country....so take that for what its worth.

Larissa
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure." Rom 5:3

Praying for my little bean to keep growing, edd may 2nd
Thank GOD! Our #s are doubling! Keep it up, baby!

[ajmom]

I don't have any experience with Costco, but as a Sam's shopper I've found that you do have to watch out sometimes.

[dhano923]

Overall it evens out. I like buying TP and papertowels from there. I could probably get them a little cheaper on sale at a grocery store, but I like the quality and the convenience of not having to buy it all the time.

Meats are very good quality and well priced too, as are the bakery items. I love their croissants, and at $5.49 for 12, they are a great deal. our local grocery store sells 4 croissants for $3.99!

[crl]

Thank you! Sounds like for the kinds of things I'm planning to get there, I 'll be better off than at our local grocery. I'm definitely trying to avoid the huge, unuseable quanity thing too! I resisted the salad dressing and the vat of mayo for that very reason.

Thanks,

[Fairy]

If they sell gas at your Costco, you can bet that it'll be the cheapest by at least two cents than the next cheapest gas in the reasonable vicinity. Ours has been as much as even more than a dime cheaper than the Shell by our house.

Also, kinda OT, but for the organic supporters out there, Stonyfield Farm smoothies are now sold at Costco, which we're excited about. The bad news: Only in Strawberry; DS loves banana.

We've found that prices are almost always cheaper at Costco than elsewhere on almost everything we buy. However, that's the main issue: the stuff we don't buy is mainly cuz there are only three of us, and we just can't eat the fresh stuff soon enough before it goes bad. And who needs 100 moon pies? So, if you're a smart shopper, you're gonna find that you're elated, I think. If you're a hungry shopper, you may get more than you bargained for.

[jerseygirl07067]

Funny you posted this! I just went to the Costco in our town for the first time. It's about 17 miles away and we go to BJ's normally because it's much closer.

Anyway, Costco has an awesome selection of gourmet types of foods and they are definitely cheaper. Things like salmon, cheeses, paper products and meats are cheaper. Diapers are cheaper too, but you can't use coupons.

BUT there were still a good amount of things we buy that were not cheaper, IF our local supermarket is having a sale or we use our coupons. I find that when Publix or Supertarget is having a sale, their prices are comparable, and sometimes even better with the sales and coupons. Each week some brand of cheese goes on sale, or some type of meat, bread, etc. So we stock up and then freeze stuff.

For example, Organic milk at Publix (they now make their own Greenwise brand) is only $2.49 a half gallon. Pretty good for organic. At Costco tonight, the 3 pack of the half gallons was $7.99. The equivalent purchase at Publix would be $7.47. Welch's 100% Grape Juice (DH loves this stuff) is cheaper at Costco or BJ's, BUT, you can find the frozen concentrate at Supertarget with no sugar added and make your own for a fraction of the price.

Also, once I figured tolls and gas to get to Costco, that was another 8 bucks. My local grocery store is 2 miles from home and I get there in 5 minutes. :)

I guess, there's Walmart, but I won't shop there anyway. :)

Costco is a good company and I do feel good about buying there though. (It's very blue company, for anyone that's interested.)

Marcy

[Fairy]

Diapers. Forgot about diapers. That's kind of a pain in the ass. Mine doesn't carry Huggies Supreme, which I really like. They only do the regular Huggies (in size 6, which is where my tall almost 2-year-old is at). That is really indicitave of one of the drawbacks of Costco and probably any warehouse club. They don't always have what you're looking for. We wanted children's tylenol at one point, and they just didn't have it. They had the baby tylenol with the dropper, but not hte next step up. They had at one time, but when we wanted it, it wasn't htere. Don't get me wrong. A ginormous amount of what you want is gonna be there -- in ginormous quantities, yes. But there are gonna be things you really want to buy that won't be there that you'd expect. Like children's tylenol. Love the place, but there's always somethin'.

What's blue mean? Is that like being green and environmentally friendly? Kinda? Pardon my ignorance. D'oh!

[jerseygirl07067]

Blue means that they give more than 50% of their campaign contribution money to support "blue" candidates (Democrats) vs. "red" candidates (Republicans).

My mom sent me a link recently that actually listed which way many companies donate. I found it to be very interesting actually. There were not many stores that were overwhelmingly blue, which is why Costco stuck out in my mind. Many were overwhelmingly Red. The site is www.buyblue.org

Marcy

[ribbit1019]

Thanks for the link. Looks like my new employer is hugely blue, more blue than walmart is red. Hmmmm.
Good to know that about Costco too, thanks again.

Christy
My Waterbabies
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[sdoyle]

I have to agree with PP- I have found the fruit sometimes RIDICULOUSLY overpriced compared to the regular grocery stores (like up to $2 more a pound one time!).

I have to give them huge kudos for their electronics though and their return policy. We purchased a digital camera there and the screen quit working after about 10 monthes. We had the receipt, took it back and they apologized and gave us cash back for it- no questions!! We immediately took our $325 cash and invested in another Costco digital camera. Talk about easy returns!! We will purchase all our electronics from there from now on.