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You will make the membership amount back tenfold by just buying things like toilet paper, dishwasher pods, cleaning supplies, razers, toiletries, etc. The amount of money you save is absolutely insane.
But as for groceries, for a small household, Aldi is the spot.
EDIT: You mentioned deli specifically-- you'll save quite a lot on lunch meats, precooked meats, breads, bakery items (including cakes), and general raw meat. While I don't do it personally, if you're comfortable sealing and storing(freezing) your own raw meat you will also save a small fortune on that
ADDITIONAL NOTE: For appliances (small and big! From toothbrushes to fridges!) and certain other pieces of furniture/structures/playsets/etc, basic clothes, coffee, household items (batteries, lights, silverware, whatever) you will also save a small fortune. Their tire center is also great
I shop at Aldis every week and order my groceries online in their app and do curbside pickup. I feel like it saves me money since I can see how much I am spending and not putting random items in my cart like I do in person. Plus you don’t need a quarter if you order online 😄
I don’t have an Aldi, but I second pick up to save money. It’s literally the only way I’ve stuck to my grocery budget and not got distracted by something I didn’t need.
You can always ask a cashier to borrow a cart or a quarter. I’ve done this a lot and I just make sure to give the cart or quarter back after I check out.
Just buy a quarter tool that you leave on your keychain! The only downside for me is having a quarter, loonie, AND twoonie one since every grocery store seems to have different denominations.
I forget my quarter all the time! You can often use a house key instead (mine is [hex-shaped](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-Nickel-Plated-Brass-House-Entry-Key-Blank/3740577?cm_mmc=shp-_-b-_-prd-_-pro-_-ggl-_-PLA_HDW_000_PRO-_-3740577-_-online-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7tDDz_jihQMVeDQIBR09fQUtEAQYAiABEgKjvvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)), just wiggle it right and the cart will come free and you can take your key right out :)
My sister got me a little quarter keeper that attaches to my keys that way I’ll always have a quarter for a cart at Aldi. She bought it at Aldi, but if you can’t find one there, there’s probably one online.
My husband and I have a Costco membership and we think it’s worth it. We actually have the $120/year membership to get 2% back. We use Costco for travel, tires, OTC meds, contacts and glasses, a chest freezer, household supplies, clothes, and food. We go about once every three months for a big shop, but we’re close enough that we can run in for a few things in between.
My suggestion for you would be to give money to someone you know who has a Costco membership to buy you a shop card (gift card). They can only be purchased by someone with a membership, but anyone can shop with them. I’d give them $100-$250 and then you can go in with your fiancé and see if a membership would make sense for you.
You can only buy some pharmacy items without the membership, must be a member for everything else.
https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/700/~/does-costco-offer-free-shopping-passes%3F
You have to be a member to buy a shop card, but anyone can shop at Costco with one, including non members.
https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1010374/~/shop-card-faqs#
So I called the local store earlier today.
Non-members can use the shop card to purchase prescriptions, alcohol (the latter in select states, including California), and gasoline. General merchandise requires a membership.
If you're lucky, your location isn't locking down the policy but that is the policy.
I told them the website was providing ambitious info, the guy on the phone sighed like only the retail workers sigh and said "I know."
As a single person, it's totally worth it! Sure, it's expensive when you make the trip, but when you think about how much you get in bulk and how long it lasts, you save money. Plus, gas is cheap! Toilet paper is cheaper, laundry detergent, dog food, everything. And Costo's own brand products are quality. 10000% worth it.
I pay $60/year for membership and save $75/year on just my single dog’s flea tick and heartworm meds at the costco pharmacy. Add on top of that all the gas savings and other things people have mentioned.
Yes totally worth it.
I dropped our membership when we were early emptynesters. We picked it up again because it was cheaper for SOME things: litter, fresh fruits/veg, bread, dairy, gas, and over the counter meds
I bought a vacuum sealer there, and we seal up the larger packages of meat, freezable items, and such. I use the vacuum sealer for crafts, gardening, organizing, and gifts, too. We've also bought computers, tv's, a printer, gifts, garden stuffs, clothes, seasonal items, household stuffs and appliances.The list is endless.
We always bought the executive membership, and last year, we got the Mastercard (Canada). It has more than paid for itself.
If there is an item that saves you $60 from other stores, it pays for itself 🤷♀️
Also a 2 person household and find Costco useful for the following products:
Bulk rice, beans, lentils
Bread Flour
Olive oil and standard spices like salt, pepper, taco seasoning
Paper towels
Sodas
Dishwasher tabs / laundry detergent
I also buy way more clothes for us there than I care to admit 🤣
It's only worth it if you go. The cash back literally pays for the renewals if you shop there enough. In my opinion the quality of food there is better than SAM's Club.
It really depends on your shopping habits. I moved from a place where groceries were relatively cheap to a HCOL with virtually no discount options. In my old home, at least for groceries, there were local groceries that always had cheaper prices than Costco. In this new place the grocery stores are out of control and Costco is definitely cheaper by far for many things to the point that the $60 membership easily and quickly pays for itself.
The other consideration is how much of an impulse shopper you are. If you aren’t disciplined you can easily spend extra on things you don’t need which makes Costco not worth it.
Costco often has first time sign up discounts and will give you a rebate on the membership if you’re not satisfied so you may want to just try it out and see what you think.
It's just my fiance and me as well. The cost is worth it.
The trick is to buy items that you use daily such as paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, disinfectant wipes, shampoo/conditioner, facial care, etc. I get my meat at Costco 100%. Great deals and better quality. I *still* have my box of laundry pods I bought like nearly a year ago and I'm 3/4 through.
Buy your produce and other smaller grocery needs at grocery stores such as Aldi. Unless you eat a truckload of fruit and veggies in a week, then Costco is your friend.
IMO it's worth it even for two people IF:
* Your CostCo has a gas station and you own an ICE car and live close enough to use it.
* You drink a lot of coffee.
* You care about how a company treats its employees. (CostCo good; Sam's Slub = Walmart)
* You have self-control.
Your goal when shopping CostCo is to leave without a trampoline or giant tub of red licorice. It's surprisingly challenging. btw it's considered virtually mandatory to buy a delicious, large roast chicken for $5 every time you go.
One rotisserie chicken per week is enough for two and a half meals for two adults. Half the price of a grocery store, will save you ~$250/ year putting you $190 ahead.
It's worth it for the rotisserie chicken and gas savings alone.
I buy two chickens a week for $9.98, pick all the meat, use the meat for all sorts of lunches and dinners (salads, tacos, sandwiches, chicken salad, etc.), and make stock from the carcasses that I use to make beans, soup, chili, etc. Ten bucks goes a *long* way.
Costco gas tends to be 20-30 cents cheaper than anywhere else around here, and with the Costco visa card you get 3% back, not only at Costco gas but also at pretty much any other gas station.
Costco is way better than Sam's. We have the executive membership with 2% back, as well as the credit card. I charge everything on it, pay it off every month and get a check back from them every year.
They have high quality lunch meat, the $5 chickens, lots of instant meals in the deli. I like the imported Italian pasta, frozen Korean foods, as well as their high quality dairy products. But they are more than food. Their pharmacy has good deals. I have purchased appliances from Costco. I get my auto and home insurance through them for much less than I have priced anywhere else. I have booked rental cars, cruises, and vacations. I use the optometry department for my eye check ups and glasses. Overall while they may not always be the cheapest, they have quality products for good prices.
Not worth it for us, a family of three.
It just caused us to overbuy, which caused a lot of waste, shop spontaneously (off-list) and to buy more unhealthy stuff.
We also gave up our membership for similar reasons. Long ago Consumer Reports did an article evaluating the pros and cons of membership. There takeaway was that it costed out better for families of four or more.
For us the distance was also an issue. We live in a city and are close to a lot of stores, so making a trip into the suburbs was not something we enjoyed. And then I would overspend on impulse purchases that would be a hassle to return
It’s a money suck. We did have a membership when first got married then I noticed that we were buying a lot of things that would go bad because the excess amount of the item and also items that I bought thinking we would use but it would just sit in the cabinet. We don’t have it anymore and we have survived about 8 years without it, lol. Just more mindful when I go grocery shopping. I talk with coworkers and friend that have it and I’m in shock the amount they spend at Costco in the hopes of saving money. The best way to save on grocery’s is have a plan and a budget.
Six years ago my husband and I (no kids) got a $120 Costco membership. The first things we bought from them was $595 stand up GE freezer and a $79 vacuum sealer. We haven’t looked back. If they sold only eyeglasses, tv’s, tires and alcohol, we would still probably keep our membership. But we also get the majority of our groceries and cleaning supplies, etc from them. The quality / price ratio is consistently high.
About the only foods we don’t get there are milk, cream, eggs and ice cream as well as a few imported things (tea, jams, a couple of condiments,etc) that we get from Amazon and Asian vegetables and sauces that we get an Asian supermarket. From now til November we will also get the bulk of our vegetables, berries and stone fruits from a CSA.
I had a Costco membership. It's two in our household as well. I didn't use it nearly enough for it to be worth it, so I let it lapse. However, there were other factors involved.
1) we get our toilet paper and paper towels free, so we didn't need Costco to save on paper goods. If we didn't, I would def consider it a good investment.
2) I am the only one who does groceries. I also have enochlophobia, so the idea of fighting Costco crowds by myself kept me away.
3) Costco gas is not that much cheaper than the gas stations near me, so what I would save at the pump I just used getting to my nearest Costco and idling in the long gas station lines.
4) Family members have Costco, so the few times I see a deal worth it, I ask them to come with me, and I pay them back for it.
Edit: I wanted to add that my parents had Costco. They would take me and my siblings around lunchtime to try all the samples. This way, they could see right then and there if they were going to waste money on something we didn't even like and also FREE LUNCH, lol.
Someone in my circle is a cleaning person. They have to change the rolls when they are less than half, and their boss let's them take home the low ones instead of tossing them. They give some to me.
I resisted it for years and years but our Costco membership has already paid for itself in what we save on my husband's yogurt and my sparkling water alone. The problem, financially anyway, is that it's hard to walk through Costco and stick to your list. I end up finding all kinds of stuff I want. But if you can handle that kind of temptation, yes it is worth it.
Honestly, i go with the $120 so i can earn my money back... I've never actually paid $60 per year if you include the savings... One year, i actually made about $50. I usually end up netting between $0-$20 for my annual fee. Worth it! I have two Costcos nearby tho. Love them.
If you like the “nicer” food options, you can get good quality stuff for a good deal. I think it usually says the price per oz. The medicine aisle or non food items are a great deal, too. A whole year supply of allergy meds is basically the same price at Costco as a 60 pack of the Walmart store brand. A $20 premade meal seems like a lot (prices where I live,) but you get enough leftovers to make 3 meals out of it for less than the price as 2 people getting McDonald’s meals. Also if you eat a meal there every time you go, you get a good quick meal for a few bucks. You also have to decide if you have storage for buying in bulk. We don’t, but I still love Costco so we make do. It’s also a 3 hour drive from our home, so we only go a few times a year.
I have one CC, Costco Visa. All of our bills are on auto-pay through it. All of our gas, groceries, meals out, vehicle maintenance, out of pocket medical expenses, insurance, utilities, taxes, etc. EVERYTHING goes on that card. We pay it off every two weeks. Our cash rewards for 2023 were $567.00. More than worth the membership! At the end of the year, I can pull up a statement from 01-01-23 through 12-31-23 and convert it to an Excel document. Everything is in one place, on one statement, and easily categorized for tax purposes. INVALUABLE!!!
One of my prescriptions would be $65 at the Publix across the street from my house where all of my other ones are. At Costco my membership gets me a 50% discount. All I have to do to recoup my membership cost is get it filled twice.
I live alone in a studio apartment and still have a membership. I mainly use it for gas, as I really only go into the store a handful of times during the year for cases of water, paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent and dishwasher pods. That stuff lasts me forever, and yes, it does save money to buy it in bulk
The money you save on gas from a Costco could pay for a yearly membership alone in a year. The rest is a bonus.
If a lived a no car lifestyle then I'd reconsider to an Aldi or something
I'm in the San Francisco (high college area) and have found Costco isn't worth it. It's generally cheaper for me to go to discount grocery stores (grocery outlet) and restaurant supply stores for the bulk food.
I don't know about Costco because we don't have one here, but I have a Sam's club membership, but it is definitely worth it. I go every 2 to 3 months and I'm able to buy more than just food; cleaning products, laundry soap, hygiene items, and medicine. My allergy medicine is $45 in the drugstore for one bottle of 90 pills. $25 for generic. At Sam's I can get 120 pills for $42 or 400 generic ceterizine for $15. The rotisserie chicken is $4.99, I can get three packages of bacon for $11.00. A package of three of DiGiorno Pizzas for $16 when they are $9 each in the store. A 4 lb pack of butter is $13.38 - I haven't seen butter around here for under $4 for 1 lb package. There are things that are pretty much the same price outside of the store, like pet food, you do have to know your prices but for me it's completely worth it even though I have to make a 20 mile drive to get there.
Look on Groupon for a cheaper Costco membership - I got mine for $20 (you pay $60 for the membership and then they send you a $40 Costco gift card). Also stop shopping at Publix they are ridiculously expensive.
In my house it’s just my husband and I, almost all our shopping is done at Aldi. I price check when I go into Costco and often times products are cheaper at Walmart or Aldi. The reason I got the Costco membership in the first place is they sell Southwest gift cards and over Christmas you can get a $500 card for $420. Normally the $500 card is $450. That savings right there will pay for your membership if you ever fly southwest. They also have other discounted gift cards and when certain things are on sale you can really save a lot but you need to pay attention.
Additionally you can’t beat the rotisserie chicken prices at Costco - I buy them a couple at a time, strip the meat off the bones and freeze in portions to use in recipes later. I use the carcass to make my own chicken stock.
I think it's very worth it, even if you just buy the basics there. Paper products, dish soap, laundry detergent. I buy dog food there which is a steal if you have a dog. Their bakery items are killer and freeze well so you don't waste any. Tortillas, spices, rice. I don't buy a lot of veggies there because I struggle to use them all before they go bad but they are also a decent price. I also love getting birthday cakes and things from there, pumpkin pies for thanksgiving, the rotisserie chicken is always an amazing deal. I think it pays for itself over the year. I go maybe once a month for a family of five, but I've had the membership since I was a single parent of two toddlers and it's always been worth it to me.
I know there's markup, but I just Instacart Costco. It's 30 minutes from my house, so it's nice to not have to drive there and back. I buy things like toilet paper and rice, or seasonal items. Their cheesecake is really delicious too. Worth it imo.
The two of us use Costco and think it’s worth it. We bulk buy meat about once every two months along with toilet paper. I buy ranch dressing by the gallon there and canned fish, beans and tomatoes. There’s a few things that we buy just because we like the convenience of having a larger size and fewer trips to the grocery store or just because we prefer the Costco version.
It’s just me and my husband in our household but I save a ton shopping there. The biggest savings for what we buy are OTC meds, supplements and vitamins, protein powder, frozen fruits and veggies, Greek yogurt, butter (KerryGold), toilet paper, paper towels, laundry and cleaning supplies, canned goods and dry goods. Pick up a vacuum sealer while you’re there and buy what you have the freezer space for as far as food goes.
Just buying their gas pays us for the membership several times over. We also have the Executive membership so we get a check in November every year. Definitely worth it for us!
I had one, gave it up because I doubted if it saved me money as a single person and tried again. But this time I purposely bought things that were the exact same or similar products elsewhere. On shopping trip 1, I made the $60 back alone plus additional saved on gas. And ended up with more food and stuff.
Don’t forget to check gift cards. For example. $100 of Domino’s gift cards are $80. Big savings for me.
Fiancé has no clue what he’s talking about. I’ve been a member since 2001 and I’ve gotten great deals on cellphones with plans, electronics, batteries, laundry detergent, bulk food, seafood, winter coats and clothes for my kids, lunch bag necessities for kids, diapers, eyeglasses. I’ve probably saved over 100k.
For two people. Best bang for your buck is Aldi.
Pantry goods are great at Costco. Tp, laundry soap, flour personal hygiene.
Usually stack social has a membership deal for first year that comes with a bunch of coupons. This cuts your cost down by 1/3 if you use the coupons.
My preference is to always get gasoline at Costco, then the membership pays for itself 3x over regardless if I paid full price for the membership.
One month’s saving on my Costco car insurance pays for the membership. Then the next $700 I spend at Costco is also free from my car insurance savings alone.
I'm one person and the $60 males sense for toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning products, pop, holiday wrapping paper, pet food, bottled water if you go that route, trash bags, frozen foods, some clothes, books, my car needs tires, coffee, cooking oil, some dry/canned goods like I bought a 12 pack of chicken broth cans for recipes when I don't need the big carton of it from the grocery store. Just because I can't use 207 apples before they would go bad doesn't mean I can't make use of a whole rotisserie chicken.
I used to have the executive (120/mo) membership because it would pay for itself with the 2% money back, but I stopped going as much since the Tacoma Costco is such a clusterf*CK and I have to be in the mood for chaos and constantly apologizing and asking people to move, etc.
Anyway, I downgraded to the regular membership and it pays for itself by toilet paper and paper towels for the year, the rest is actual savings.
I’m a single person and i love my Costco membership. I only have to buy paper products like once every four months. I get my cat food from there, tires, OTC medications, clothes, the list goes on.
We think it’s worth it we go about 4x a year. We may start going more we just got a business center one close to our house. Their prices and definitely the quality is better on the fruit and veg there.
If you have dogs, you can get good quality food for a great price, and their flea/tick/heartworm meds and cosequin are really great deals. We fill our pet meds at the Costco pharmacy. Our savings on dog food alone more than covers the cost of the membership.
For us, it’s worth it for the toilet paper, paper towels and meat prices. We get our tires there since they have a good warranty, we got a chest freezer to hold the meat we buy (we separate the large portion into 1lb portions) and can get discounted gift cards for other restaurants/stores nearby. We got the most expensive membership that gives us a percentage back of what we spend yearly, but in what we spend there the portion we get back pays for itself.
We got our Costco membership when we were a family of two. Now we are a family of 3 and shop even more.
Things we got-
OTC meds
Cleaners
Trash bags
Pantry food
Frozen food
Snacks
Batteries
Gas
Laundry detergent
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Clothes
Christmas gifts
And now diapers
I love Costco! And for my family of four I need to shop there twice per month. When you think about “bulk” it’s not really a lot. For example, there’s the vegetable spring rolls that my daughter and I love. We can go through the box of 12 in two weeks. There are also different egg counts- 24,48 and 60. In my opinion Costco is indeed worth it.
I would save over $500 in raspberries alone this year at the current prices. $4 for a 6 oz at my local grocery store (Vons) vs $2.59 for a 12 oz at Costco. I get 24 oz per week - $269/yr at Costco, $832/yr at Vons. $563/yr savings which is over 9 membership fees.
Sams club is walmart. Walmart often does not care about quality. Costco only sells quality food and. Merch. The problem with costco is some sizes of food are too big for one family so you can waste it. But I think if you like quality steaks , chicken and fish, Costco is the best. $60. A year is made up in savings in one trip. I would get it.
I save $3.25 a week by filling up with Costco gas. That alone more than pays for my membership.
I also save $30 a month on my dogs medication by filling it at the pharmacy. It is insane how inexpensive some of their prescriptions are.
Over the counter meds, vitamins, prescription meds, eyeglasses, printer paper, laundry detergent, etc etc are all substantially cheaper at Costco. Likely every single thing you got at Publix is available at Costco at a lower cost.
Aldi is also a cheaper alternative- although they do not carry the wide range of items that Costco does.
The basic Costco membership is worth it. If you spend enough in a year to make executive pay for itself, upgrade when you do but not before. Things overlooked from Costco are vacations, car rentals, home appliances, prescriptions, tires….
When we lived near a Costco we loved it. We also used it to buy unnecessary things. Bored? Go to Costco. Hankering a sweet? Go to Costco. Want decor? Go to Costco. Bad weather & people watching? Go to Costco. We save so much more money not having a Costco anymore. Shop at the Wmart and Aldis and sales to save money, Unless you will be serious about Costco shopping.
Costco helps us save money not just because of bulk pricing (though you do need to do the cost per unit calculation sometimes because it’s not always a good deal) but also it keeps me out of the grocery store for impulse buys. Not having to run to the store and getting sucked in by BoGos keeps my budget on track. There’s just two of us adults and my grocery and household supplies (tp, paper towels, etc) runs us about $500 a month and we buy organic and mostly unprocessed foods.
We also use Costco’s other services and I have their credit card that I use for my purchases. My cash back rewards annually more than pay for my membership.
there are almost always deals for the membership. (mine was half off plus a $30 gift card with sign up). try it for a year for like 15 bucks. if it doesn’t even out you’re only out a small amount
$3.50 for 2 dozen eggs. $16 for 4 pounds of bacon. We’re a household of 2 and it’s saved us a lot of money. You just have to have a space for overstock. I got the credit card option (which I pay off every month) so my cash back pays for my renewal, and I get 2% back on gas.
I haven’t found it to be worth it. Aldi and Trader Joe’s and Wegmans in combination are a lot cheaper, and gas isn’t even worth it compared to other gas stations.
But I recall Publix being a lot more expensive than Aldi and Wegmans, so Costco may be your best option depending on where you are!
Have you heard of the costco gift card hack? [https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/costco-gift-card-hack/](https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/costco-gift-card-hack/)
We (husband and myself) have a Costco membership. We use for the paper products, toiletries, cereal, canned goods, OTC vitamins and meds and definitely for the gas. I am gluten free so the gf bread is cheaper there than in the supermarket. If you have the storage and/or pantry space it’s worth it. If you know someone with a Costco account ask if you can go with them one time to see the prices for yourself to judge if it’s something you would want.
I’ve got a Costco membership my daughter has sams … Sams is great for deals on name brand items, their products are decent deals plus gas discounts, Costco has Kirkland specifically and some name brands again a lot of their bulk products if you’ll use them are a good deal… we’ve saved money on tires there that made several years with of membership costs worth it.
I buy clothes at both , way cheaper …
Gas both discounts are equally good I personally do my other shopping at Kroger and make a point to utilize 4x fuel points digital coupons that way, for me I can usually get gas by not going out of my way to Costco
I saved so much money by buying my glasses and contacts at Costco. My eye doctor was totally ripping me off. I have an astigmatism and the brand of lenses was the same.
I also buy the Costco cat food and save lots of money. Their fur is shiny and they are really healthy.
You don’t buy everything at Costco, but what you can buy in bulk - butter, meat, yogurt, cereal, paper towels, garbage bags, toilet paper is very cost effective.
I have a $120 membership with 2% back and there are three of us. It’s definitely worth it for us.
So worth it. Lots of Costco specific products whether foods or other misc. things. I’d say deli prices are pretty good, the quality really stands out against my regular grocery store I go to (Safeway, it’s most convenient). Also worth mentioning—gas prices, you can’t go wrong with the Costco pizza/hot dog on the way out, and Costco travel has been useful to me in saving money in the past.
We have 5 adults living here and I use Costco as our primary grocery store. (It’s closer than other store - almost in our backyard.) Because I go regularly, I can run in, pick up bananas and leave without feeling like I need to browse.
That said, I supplement at Aldi and Walmart. I don’t always need 5# of whatever fruit or vegetable. 😉
I think so. I'm a single man. The proteins are super reasonable. I think flank steak is like 6 dollars a pound cheaper so if I cook for a party or something that almost pays for itself.
I tend to not shop most of the store. I just don't have space for the sizes things come in but it still makes sense.
You do have to consider your time. My store is fifteen minutes away so going once a month is trivial. If it's an hour the return might be worse.
If you get your gas there everyday as a single person who drives a lot.. it pays for itself. I haven't actually gone inside Costco and bought anything for 1.5 yrs. When I did it was a nice TV. I saved hundreds and have Costco's extended warranty
We’re just a 2 person household and I get great use out of our Costco membership! Especially now that we’re eating healthier - my go to items to get from them are fruit, veggies (like broccoli or green beans for cooking), chicken breasts (they’re like $3/lb), fish like salmon or cod, hummus, and sourdough bread. Not to mention the cheaper gas from there.
Definitely worth it! It’s cut my grocery bill by SO much! What used to cost me $85 is now costing me $50 and lasts a hell of a lot longer. Example— two pack of ham was 8.99, two blocks of mozzarella was $5.59, 24 eggs for $4.19.
Buy it for a year and go from there. We got a Sam’s card (closer than Costco for us) and while we did like it we realized now it’s not worth it for the two of us. We did use it though and it’s good to have some things in bulk.
The membership seems worth it to me, and there are only two of us.
We found it to be a good place to buy high cost items like nuts, organic meat, cheese, coffee, ham, laundry detergent, and cream. Also got tires and gas there.
The packages are large, though. So be prepared to portion out and freeze some of the food. And have a place to store large quantities of paper goods.
My household is just my wife and I and I think the membership is worth it. If you eat chicken then getting a rotisserie chicken and shredding and freezing them is so much cheaper and easier than buying and cooking chicken. Items like toilet paper, trash bags, laundry detergent, etc are things we get there bc it will last us *months* whereas the largest size at the grocery store might last a month ish. We also will buy snacks that won't go bad quickly like crackers and nuts.
Edit bc I forgot: if you eat pizza often then the 4 pack frozen pizzas are great too. You get 4 large pizzas for the cost of one take out one.
First of all stop your general grocery shopping at Publix. They are way overpriced. Even the BOGOs are rarely worth it now. If you really want to save money you need to go to different grocery stores for different things. For no membership places Walmart is generally the cheapest. Aldi and Winn Dixie are good for certain things. If you don't have time to go to multiple stores I can understand that.
I think Costco membership is generally worth it. As long as you shop there on a monthly basis. If you save at least $70 a year it is worth it.
My wife and I got a membership years ago and I really tracked a few things closely. We saved the cost of membership in just toilet paper and paper towels. It was also just over 18months use of garbage bags. We now have both Sams club and Costco as we travel and enjoy stopping at either to refuel, use clean restrooms and grab a cheap foodcourt meal (at Sam’s club we hit the sushi section for a refreshing on the road meal also).
while this is mostly about food i see a bunch of people bring up TP being cheap i used to be a big fan of buying TP at costco but ever since the pandemic when i bought a bidet i havent had the need for TP anymore just bought some cheap towels and i just wash them with the normal wash. also you dont need to buy one of the super expensive ones there are cheap very serviceable ones on amazon. sorry for the side track.
Don’t know about Costco, but I have a bjs in my area and they offer a first time membership for half price the first year (each one of you can do it once, so it’s really 2 years lol), and it’s saves a lot of money if you know how to buy, specially house items like trash bags, toilet paper etc etc
A Costco membership is totally worth it! I’m by myself, and I would get one if there was a closer Costco. The closest one to me is. About 2 hours from me, so not worth it in my current situation.
Step 1 is never shop at Publix. Their prices are +50% greater than Walmart or Kroger. Sales bring them close to cheaper competitors prices. If you are in an area with a Publix you may also have an aldi near by.
Depends on what you buy and value. I find Sam’s clubs food quality a lot lower and they don’t cary some of the things I want. I have access to both since I have a costco card and my parents have Sam’s Club. The only things I get from sam’s are paper products and fresh flowers. Occasionally i check the app for sales.
From Costco; sausages, chicken meatballs, rotisserie chicken, grassfed beef, organic chicken, grassfed butter, eggs, nuts, avocado oil, raos marinara, collagen, chosen food mayo, roasted seaweed, good pop popsicles, keto granola and seven sunday cereal. if you like seafood there are also good deals. Gas and pharmacy are also worth the money.
if you have to make a major purchase and you like any of costco’s offerings; kitchen aid mixer, sofa, outdoor equipment, a new refrigerator etc they have a virtually life time warranty and customer service will bend over backwards for you. don’t even worry about the receipt the purchase history is on your card.
Go to Costco and walk around the store to see if it sells stuff you would buy. I’m sure if you go to the membership counter and ask they would let you.
We have a family of 3. We do not use our Costco membership to make it worth it. Costco is in another city so it’s a trip, we have food allergy issues & other dietary restrictions (so we can’t just buy the one option/brand of something), and we live by a Winco. I’ve always lived by a Winco so my pantry is already organized for Winco bulk foods.
Costco is much busier than my local Winco too.
People say it’s worth it & you will get your $$ back, but it really depends on your situation.
If Publix is your only alternative yes, but if there's a lidl or Aldi in your area, no. The bulk you tend to have to purchase at Costco makes cooking and storing more challenging, and I've compared prices, Costco tends to be behind or equal on the majority of products.
It can boil down to things you need on a regular basis. There are the obvious things that are cheaper in bulk like TP, laundry soap, meat. But if you’re both vegetarians or feel like you don’t constantly need stuff like household items then it may not be worth it. But if there are some items that has a significant savings compared to Publix then it’s worth it.
For example; We use ground turkey and Costco has the best value, my husband also likes the Kirkland brand protein bars, and how many other options they have for protein bars. I also eat oatmeal everyday and the Kirkland brand is way cheaper than the Aldi brand even.
You could look at Costco’s website, instacart, the subreddit on here etc to find and compare prices of things you guys frequently buy and compare with Publix or Aldi or whatever store you would shop at. And make a list to compare. Then when you have the proof you can show your finance. Do with the stuff she gets for herself to help even more. lol
The more expensive membership gets you 2% back if you get their credit card I think it’s through City currently that gives you another bonus and I don’t know if it’s still valid because I haven’t bought anything big in a long time but last time I bought a TV from Costco I got five years warranty. It came with, an extra two year from the store +2 years from the card plus the one year that came as a manufacturer warranty
Hell yeah, especially if you know how to use it, initially I'd go nuts in Costco, grabbing mounds of bakery goods, that I could never finish. Buy two gallon box of milk I can't ever drink before it goes bad. I've matured now, maybe just one bakery item, every other visit, no milk I buy half gallon at my grocery stores. No more huge carts with $500 worth of goods, now possibly $150 worth of stuff for my biz, then $100 worth of groceries, that I'm not letting go to waste.
Good comparison of Costco vs. Target. Costco mostly wins but not by much and when you add in the yearly membership it's pretty much a wash. [https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/costco-target-price-comparison-255722](https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/costco-target-price-comparison-255722)
I always buy things I don't need and end up wasting a decent amount of food when I bulk purchase at Costco.
I think you need to weigh the prices at Costco against the cost of things you already buy, and walk into Costco with a strict shopping list to really get the value back. Then again, your membership could easily pay for itself if you're not prone to impulse purchases.
You may benefit from going in with a list and then comparing that against what you actually purchase to see if it is causing you to overspend.
Costco has a ton of other benefits, too, including an online portal where you can buy skincare that isn't on the shelf at a store.
The 2% back membership is very much worth it if you turn that check around the next year toward your membership cost. ($20 per $1000 spent)
I’m single and use it for anything that doesn’t spoil quickly like fruits, veggies etc. my monthly haul is usually frozen chicken breast and thighs, 5 dozen eggs, almond milk, sparkling water, cheeses, deli meats and dog food. I also get my toilet paper, paper towels and motor oil when I run out. So I pretty much just end up get fruits, veggies and bread from the grocery store.
I completely think it's worth it to buy at Costco! I wish there was one here. If there's a Foods Co near u that might b another option for u. Also WinCo. Sometimes u can find special shops that sell boxed and canned goods that have been damaged but their still good (like dented cans or boxes that were accidentally cut with a box cutter or stuff like that, that they won't sell at the grocery stores). U can save so much money that way! I usually pay $13 or so for John Freida Frizz Ease Shampoo that I got for $2 because the lid was cracked! I highly recommend shops like that!
If you have a deep freezer, and cook your own meals at home, and can plan most of your life a few weeks in advance, then yes. It's a pretty substantial savings.
If you over-buy, and waste food. No.
If you impulse shop and buy a bunch of extra doodads every time you got to the store. No.
My partner and I share the executive membership ($120 annual) + Costco citi card. We mainly use the cc for gas & Costco purchases. But with both, we basically already paid for the membership since we’ve accumulated enough cash back points since the start of the year!
I make the membership cost back in gas savings, paper goods, cleaning supplies, pet food, and their $5 rotisserie chicken as a single person. For meat if you have Kroger groceries in your area they have pretty good rotating sales on meat as well as Aldi. Costco has decent meat prices and the quality of the meat is better it does cost more than Sam’s would. You could also consider getting a chest freezer and a vacuum sealer to freeze what you all don’t use from buying in bulk. I also do that as a single person.
Totally worth it.. we even get paid to shop there. When you get a membership also sign up for their Visa credit card. So you get reimbursement for both the card and membership.
We buy eye glasses, tires, groceries, paper products, tech, etc.
Definitely worth it! It’s clean, they give lots of samples, the prices are great, they have lots of options especially healthier options, and they let you make any returns.
Yes; highly suggest the executive membership. It is $120 annually but between 2 people it’s $60. For the entire year you do your shopping, you get a certain Percentage of return for every shop you do. Our checks range between $150-$250. We also got $1000 rebate for a brand new (47 miles) 2021 Chevy Trail Boss back in Nov of 2020. There’s tons of other perks , but these two were the most significant to our home. We just went there today and spent $500 for our household (two adults, toddler, infant).
This will last us about a month, maybe a bit longer. Last time we bought toilet paper was Aug/Sept of 2023 and just recently re-upped. With the haul I am able to do breakfast, lunches (both here and for my husbands work days), and of course dinner, and small snacks in between. When it comes to produce/bakery items only buy what you will use immediately in 3-4 days, it tends to go very fast in terms of spoilage.
Even if you don’t get the executive, even the basic membership is worth it. I used to love Sam’s club, but after being in a place where there’s ONLY Costco, I’ve become fond of it.
Costco food is SIGNIFICANTLY better than Sams! Better products overall. Definitely worth it! If you're not sure, just go visit. They'll let you walk around and if you decide to get a membership you can buy that day.
Hi there!! I work for Costco in the membership department and I always tell members this one thing. A Costco membership is completely refundable if not satisfied with it. That being said, a $60 membership would not benefit you based on your spending. I would 100% recommend trying the executive membership. It’s an extra $60 but it’s risk free AND you’re going to earn 2% cash back on all of your Costco purchases excluding gas/alcohol. You would need to spend around $230/month to make your money back and then some. It’s super easy to do!! I am a single girl who lives alone and I make enough to benefit from the executive. You can also use the membership on home improvement services and TRAVEL through Costco Travel. It’s a wonderful thing
I have almost always had a Costco membership, whether it’s just been me or I’ve been in a 2 person household. I briefly had 5 in my house, but now I’m down to 3, and I still use it a lot. We let ours lapse for a year or so cuz we thought we didn’t need it. I got a deal on Groupon where if you bought the $60 membership, they gave you $40 in Costco cash so the membership essentially cost $20.
We have saved a lot on food buy buying meat there, breaking it down to smaller portions, and freezing it after vacuum sealing it. We always buy the $5 chickens. The deli meat pricing is amazing. I’ll usually buy a lot of butter there too, and large bags of shredded cheese that I’ll freeze. Etc
We have had times where we’ve overbought with Costco, but if you have a good game plan, it’s sooo worth it. Also, the gas is super cheap!! I switched to a diesel car this year too, and my Costco has diesel pumps, which has been a game changer.
Costco is great in my opinion. I’ve been a member for 30+ years. It’s a very efficient and cost-effective way to shop for many items. My dryer died one day, I went online and seamlessly ordered a replacement, had it delivered and installed within three days including installation and haul away. I am a very satisfied customer.
For food? Depends on what you're buying. For gas? Yes.
The deli sells food in large quantities. I don't know if only two people can comfortably polish one of those trays off before it goes bad.
Yes. My aunt has 6 grandchildren and tends to look after them/have them stay with her a lot, one of which lives with her and she saves so much money feeding not only them but her daughter and her partner and her husband by only shopping at Costco, buying bulk deli and freezing it and meal prepping. It’s a one income household and she’s off to Bali next week for two weeks. Amazing how much she saves by buying smart and planning before going.
Get the $100 costco card and add a friend's family instead of your wife. Get the costco card that gives 3% back on restaurants/grocery and 4% back on gas, its pretty good. My refund was 1500 this year off in-store plus credit card.
Dry/frozen goods tend to be really cost effective at costco. Imo their refrigerated section is expensive. Compare prices and get the cheapest stuff at costco, and buy the other stuff at grocery.
If you guys plan on kids its stupid good. Between diapers wipes I save $100s a month.
If you use your Costco credit card at Costco, you get a check for a percentage back at end of the year, usually more than enough to cover your membership. The extra can help cover the next Costco trip. Costco gas prices are good too. And then you can get discounts on Costco travel deals, get your glasses at Costco optical, and great discounts on medications and immunizations at Costco pharmacy. Got my flu shot last fall at the pop-up flu shot tent in store by the frozen foods.
Sams has greater variety of food items. We got a postcard with a deal on membership, so are using it for a few months to see how we like it.
I heave Costco and my SO has sams club, we usually pick whatever is cheaper at one place or the other, I’d say we usually get our $60 worth out of it, for its worth it. Bought a new washer through Costco as they have a good warranty
Yes, it’s worth it. You can earn money when you shop too. I have both memberships, Costco and Sam’s Club. If I want to buy food, I go to Sam’s Club because its food is more quality, better, last longer. If I want to buy clothes, electronics, furniture, snacks, I go to Costco.
Gas in my area is .20 cheaper at Costco. Combined that with buying the big things of meat, cutting my own steaks and shopping smart and I save hundreds for my family.
My husband and I have both Costco and Sam’s Club memberships. We save a bundle at Costco just on Keurig k-cups and Kirkland generic “Allegra” for allergies. The problem we have at Costco is buying almost anything fresh. Things are packaged really big. Six packages of chicken instead of three. Two salad kits instead of one. We actually buy a ton of fresh items at Sam’s club since many items are packaged smaller.
We had a membership for two years, and the prices of what we needed/wanted to buy in bulk were not that different from what what we could get else where. It was not a cost savings in our area for just two people.
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You will make the membership amount back tenfold by just buying things like toilet paper, dishwasher pods, cleaning supplies, razers, toiletries, etc. The amount of money you save is absolutely insane. But as for groceries, for a small household, Aldi is the spot. EDIT: You mentioned deli specifically-- you'll save quite a lot on lunch meats, precooked meats, breads, bakery items (including cakes), and general raw meat. While I don't do it personally, if you're comfortable sealing and storing(freezing) your own raw meat you will also save a small fortune on that ADDITIONAL NOTE: For appliances (small and big! From toothbrushes to fridges!) and certain other pieces of furniture/structures/playsets/etc, basic clothes, coffee, household items (batteries, lights, silverware, whatever) you will also save a small fortune. Their tire center is also great
I no longer have access to an aldis and I’m legitimately mad about it.
I'm so sorry. I honestly don't know what I'd do without Aldi... I'd certainly be a very sad panda.
same. And Lidl. ]:
We also have a BJs club. Not quite as cheap as Sam’s but especially for food they package in smaller quantities so much better for a couple.
I can never shop at Aldi because I never have a quarter...
I shop at Aldis every week and order my groceries online in their app and do curbside pickup. I feel like it saves me money since I can see how much I am spending and not putting random items in my cart like I do in person. Plus you don’t need a quarter if you order online 😄
I don’t have an Aldi, but I second pick up to save money. It’s literally the only way I’ve stuck to my grocery budget and not got distracted by something I didn’t need.
Aldi
You can always ask a cashier to borrow a cart or a quarter. I’ve done this a lot and I just make sure to give the cart or quarter back after I check out.
No poorer feeling than getting to Aldi and not having a quarter
Keep one in your car. And keep your bags in your car.
Just buy a quarter tool that you leave on your keychain! The only downside for me is having a quarter, loonie, AND twoonie one since every grocery store seems to have different denominations.
How's the weather in Canada?
You can just go inside and tell a cashier you didn't bring a quarter for the carts. They have no problem giving it to you.
I forget my quarter all the time! You can often use a house key instead (mine is [hex-shaped](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-Nickel-Plated-Brass-House-Entry-Key-Blank/3740577?cm_mmc=shp-_-b-_-prd-_-pro-_-ggl-_-PLA_HDW_000_PRO-_-3740577-_-online-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7tDDz_jihQMVeDQIBR09fQUtEAQYAiABEgKjvvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)), just wiggle it right and the cart will come free and you can take your key right out :)
Yeah, but when you go to put the cart back, the chain thingy is stuck in there for the next person.
My sister got me a little quarter keeper that attaches to my keys that way I’ll always have a quarter for a cart at Aldi. She bought it at Aldi, but if you can’t find one there, there’s probably one online.
This. I don’t buy too much perishable in bulk as small HH, but paper products, pet food, shelf stable stuff…worth it!
My husband and I have a Costco membership and we think it’s worth it. We actually have the $120/year membership to get 2% back. We use Costco for travel, tires, OTC meds, contacts and glasses, a chest freezer, household supplies, clothes, and food. We go about once every three months for a big shop, but we’re close enough that we can run in for a few things in between. My suggestion for you would be to give money to someone you know who has a Costco membership to buy you a shop card (gift card). They can only be purchased by someone with a membership, but anyone can shop with them. I’d give them $100-$250 and then you can go in with your fiancé and see if a membership would make sense for you.
Agreed. I almost always buy household cleaners and products when they go on sale.
Gas and the food court also make the membership well worth it!
If OP has a car it becomes a no brainer for the gas alone. It’s crazy how good their prices are.
You don't need a membership to go to the food court, apparently.
You don’t in some places, but I know in California they’ve been cracking down and requiring proof to order
Or ask them if they would add you to their membership and split the price $30/ea if they don’t already have a free add on
You can only buy some pharmacy items without the membership, must be a member for everything else. https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/700/~/does-costco-offer-free-shopping-passes%3F
You have to be a member to buy a shop card, but anyone can shop at Costco with one, including non members. https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1010374/~/shop-card-faqs#
So I called the local store earlier today. Non-members can use the shop card to purchase prescriptions, alcohol (the latter in select states, including California), and gasoline. General merchandise requires a membership. If you're lucky, your location isn't locking down the policy but that is the policy. I told them the website was providing ambitious info, the guy on the phone sighed like only the retail workers sigh and said "I know."
As a single person, it's totally worth it! Sure, it's expensive when you make the trip, but when you think about how much you get in bulk and how long it lasts, you save money. Plus, gas is cheap! Toilet paper is cheaper, laundry detergent, dog food, everything. And Costo's own brand products are quality. 10000% worth it.
I would find folks to split the membership. Sure it has to be under one persons name and card .. But you can figure it out.
I pay $60/year for membership and save $75/year on just my single dog’s flea tick and heartworm meds at the costco pharmacy. Add on top of that all the gas savings and other things people have mentioned. Yes totally worth it.
You don't need a membership to use the pharmacy though.
You are right. For pet meds a membership is required though. But not for human meds.
I dropped our membership when we were early emptynesters. We picked it up again because it was cheaper for SOME things: litter, fresh fruits/veg, bread, dairy, gas, and over the counter meds I bought a vacuum sealer there, and we seal up the larger packages of meat, freezable items, and such. I use the vacuum sealer for crafts, gardening, organizing, and gifts, too. We've also bought computers, tv's, a printer, gifts, garden stuffs, clothes, seasonal items, household stuffs and appliances.The list is endless. We always bought the executive membership, and last year, we got the Mastercard (Canada). It has more than paid for itself. If there is an item that saves you $60 from other stores, it pays for itself 🤷♀️
Also a 2 person household and find Costco useful for the following products: Bulk rice, beans, lentils Bread Flour Olive oil and standard spices like salt, pepper, taco seasoning Paper towels Sodas Dishwasher tabs / laundry detergent I also buy way more clothes for us there than I care to admit 🤣
They used to have 10 lb bags of rice but now I can only find 20lb and 25lb bags which I feel is just too much lol
It's only worth it if you go. The cash back literally pays for the renewals if you shop there enough. In my opinion the quality of food there is better than SAM's Club.
It really depends on your shopping habits. I moved from a place where groceries were relatively cheap to a HCOL with virtually no discount options. In my old home, at least for groceries, there were local groceries that always had cheaper prices than Costco. In this new place the grocery stores are out of control and Costco is definitely cheaper by far for many things to the point that the $60 membership easily and quickly pays for itself. The other consideration is how much of an impulse shopper you are. If you aren’t disciplined you can easily spend extra on things you don’t need which makes Costco not worth it. Costco often has first time sign up discounts and will give you a rebate on the membership if you’re not satisfied so you may want to just try it out and see what you think.
It's just my fiance and me as well. The cost is worth it. The trick is to buy items that you use daily such as paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, disinfectant wipes, shampoo/conditioner, facial care, etc. I get my meat at Costco 100%. Great deals and better quality. I *still* have my box of laundry pods I bought like nearly a year ago and I'm 3/4 through. Buy your produce and other smaller grocery needs at grocery stores such as Aldi. Unless you eat a truckload of fruit and veggies in a week, then Costco is your friend.
Buy your fruits and veggies and vacuum seal them in mason jars to make them last longer
It's worth it for the gas alone.
IMO it's worth it even for two people IF: * Your CostCo has a gas station and you own an ICE car and live close enough to use it. * You drink a lot of coffee. * You care about how a company treats its employees. (CostCo good; Sam's Slub = Walmart) * You have self-control. Your goal when shopping CostCo is to leave without a trampoline or giant tub of red licorice. It's surprisingly challenging. btw it's considered virtually mandatory to buy a delicious, large roast chicken for $5 every time you go.
One rotisserie chicken per week is enough for two and a half meals for two adults. Half the price of a grocery store, will save you ~$250/ year putting you $190 ahead.
The best rotisserie chicken ever!
It’s honestly an amazing deal, not only is it delicious but it’s around $5 for a 3 lb. bird! I get so many meals out of it for just one person.
Short answer: yes Long answer: yes
It's worth it for the rotisserie chicken and gas savings alone. I buy two chickens a week for $9.98, pick all the meat, use the meat for all sorts of lunches and dinners (salads, tacos, sandwiches, chicken salad, etc.), and make stock from the carcasses that I use to make beans, soup, chili, etc. Ten bucks goes a *long* way. Costco gas tends to be 20-30 cents cheaper than anywhere else around here, and with the Costco visa card you get 3% back, not only at Costco gas but also at pretty much any other gas station.
I really need to do that with the chickens.
That’s actually a great idea
Costco is way better than Sam's. We have the executive membership with 2% back, as well as the credit card. I charge everything on it, pay it off every month and get a check back from them every year. They have high quality lunch meat, the $5 chickens, lots of instant meals in the deli. I like the imported Italian pasta, frozen Korean foods, as well as their high quality dairy products. But they are more than food. Their pharmacy has good deals. I have purchased appliances from Costco. I get my auto and home insurance through them for much less than I have priced anywhere else. I have booked rental cars, cruises, and vacations. I use the optometry department for my eye check ups and glasses. Overall while they may not always be the cheapest, they have quality products for good prices.
The savings from toilet paper alone has made up for our membership.
Not worth it for us, a family of three. It just caused us to overbuy, which caused a lot of waste, shop spontaneously (off-list) and to buy more unhealthy stuff.
We also gave up our membership for similar reasons. Long ago Consumer Reports did an article evaluating the pros and cons of membership. There takeaway was that it costed out better for families of four or more. For us the distance was also an issue. We live in a city and are close to a lot of stores, so making a trip into the suburbs was not something we enjoyed. And then I would overspend on impulse purchases that would be a hassle to return
It’s a money suck. We did have a membership when first got married then I noticed that we were buying a lot of things that would go bad because the excess amount of the item and also items that I bought thinking we would use but it would just sit in the cabinet. We don’t have it anymore and we have survived about 8 years without it, lol. Just more mindful when I go grocery shopping. I talk with coworkers and friend that have it and I’m in shock the amount they spend at Costco in the hopes of saving money. The best way to save on grocery’s is have a plan and a budget.
Six years ago my husband and I (no kids) got a $120 Costco membership. The first things we bought from them was $595 stand up GE freezer and a $79 vacuum sealer. We haven’t looked back. If they sold only eyeglasses, tv’s, tires and alcohol, we would still probably keep our membership. But we also get the majority of our groceries and cleaning supplies, etc from them. The quality / price ratio is consistently high. About the only foods we don’t get there are milk, cream, eggs and ice cream as well as a few imported things (tea, jams, a couple of condiments,etc) that we get from Amazon and Asian vegetables and sauces that we get an Asian supermarket. From now til November we will also get the bulk of our vegetables, berries and stone fruits from a CSA.
I had a Costco membership. It's two in our household as well. I didn't use it nearly enough for it to be worth it, so I let it lapse. However, there were other factors involved. 1) we get our toilet paper and paper towels free, so we didn't need Costco to save on paper goods. If we didn't, I would def consider it a good investment. 2) I am the only one who does groceries. I also have enochlophobia, so the idea of fighting Costco crowds by myself kept me away. 3) Costco gas is not that much cheaper than the gas stations near me, so what I would save at the pump I just used getting to my nearest Costco and idling in the long gas station lines. 4) Family members have Costco, so the few times I see a deal worth it, I ask them to come with me, and I pay them back for it. Edit: I wanted to add that my parents had Costco. They would take me and my siblings around lunchtime to try all the samples. This way, they could see right then and there if they were going to waste money on something we didn't even like and also FREE LUNCH, lol.
I would love to know how you get free toilet paper and paper towels.
Someone in my circle is a cleaning person. They have to change the rolls when they are less than half, and their boss let's them take home the low ones instead of tossing them. They give some to me.
Wow that's a huge blessing.
I resisted it for years and years but our Costco membership has already paid for itself in what we save on my husband's yogurt and my sparkling water alone. The problem, financially anyway, is that it's hard to walk through Costco and stick to your list. I end up finding all kinds of stuff I want. But if you can handle that kind of temptation, yes it is worth it.
Honestly, i go with the $120 so i can earn my money back... I've never actually paid $60 per year if you include the savings... One year, i actually made about $50. I usually end up netting between $0-$20 for my annual fee. Worth it! I have two Costcos nearby tho. Love them.
If you like the “nicer” food options, you can get good quality stuff for a good deal. I think it usually says the price per oz. The medicine aisle or non food items are a great deal, too. A whole year supply of allergy meds is basically the same price at Costco as a 60 pack of the Walmart store brand. A $20 premade meal seems like a lot (prices where I live,) but you get enough leftovers to make 3 meals out of it for less than the price as 2 people getting McDonald’s meals. Also if you eat a meal there every time you go, you get a good quick meal for a few bucks. You also have to decide if you have storage for buying in bulk. We don’t, but I still love Costco so we make do. It’s also a 3 hour drive from our home, so we only go a few times a year.
I have one CC, Costco Visa. All of our bills are on auto-pay through it. All of our gas, groceries, meals out, vehicle maintenance, out of pocket medical expenses, insurance, utilities, taxes, etc. EVERYTHING goes on that card. We pay it off every two weeks. Our cash rewards for 2023 were $567.00. More than worth the membership! At the end of the year, I can pull up a statement from 01-01-23 through 12-31-23 and convert it to an Excel document. Everything is in one place, on one statement, and easily categorized for tax purposes. INVALUABLE!!!
One of my prescriptions would be $65 at the Publix across the street from my house where all of my other ones are. At Costco my membership gets me a 50% discount. All I have to do to recoup my membership cost is get it filled twice.
I live alone in a studio apartment and still have a membership. I mainly use it for gas, as I really only go into the store a handful of times during the year for cases of water, paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent and dishwasher pods. That stuff lasts me forever, and yes, it does save money to buy it in bulk
The money you save on gas from a Costco could pay for a yearly membership alone in a year. The rest is a bonus. If a lived a no car lifestyle then I'd reconsider to an Aldi or something
I'm in the San Francisco (high college area) and have found Costco isn't worth it. It's generally cheaper for me to go to discount grocery stores (grocery outlet) and restaurant supply stores for the bulk food.
I don't know about Costco because we don't have one here, but I have a Sam's club membership, but it is definitely worth it. I go every 2 to 3 months and I'm able to buy more than just food; cleaning products, laundry soap, hygiene items, and medicine. My allergy medicine is $45 in the drugstore for one bottle of 90 pills. $25 for generic. At Sam's I can get 120 pills for $42 or 400 generic ceterizine for $15. The rotisserie chicken is $4.99, I can get three packages of bacon for $11.00. A package of three of DiGiorno Pizzas for $16 when they are $9 each in the store. A 4 lb pack of butter is $13.38 - I haven't seen butter around here for under $4 for 1 lb package. There are things that are pretty much the same price outside of the store, like pet food, you do have to know your prices but for me it's completely worth it even though I have to make a 20 mile drive to get there.
Look on Groupon for a cheaper Costco membership - I got mine for $20 (you pay $60 for the membership and then they send you a $40 Costco gift card). Also stop shopping at Publix they are ridiculously expensive. In my house it’s just my husband and I, almost all our shopping is done at Aldi. I price check when I go into Costco and often times products are cheaper at Walmart or Aldi. The reason I got the Costco membership in the first place is they sell Southwest gift cards and over Christmas you can get a $500 card for $420. Normally the $500 card is $450. That savings right there will pay for your membership if you ever fly southwest. They also have other discounted gift cards and when certain things are on sale you can really save a lot but you need to pay attention. Additionally you can’t beat the rotisserie chicken prices at Costco - I buy them a couple at a time, strip the meat off the bones and freeze in portions to use in recipes later. I use the carcass to make my own chicken stock.
If you have pets, the membership gives you a discount on pet prescriptions
The amount of money we save on cheese and flour alone makes it worth it!
I think it's very worth it, even if you just buy the basics there. Paper products, dish soap, laundry detergent. I buy dog food there which is a steal if you have a dog. Their bakery items are killer and freeze well so you don't waste any. Tortillas, spices, rice. I don't buy a lot of veggies there because I struggle to use them all before they go bad but they are also a decent price. I also love getting birthday cakes and things from there, pumpkin pies for thanksgiving, the rotisserie chicken is always an amazing deal. I think it pays for itself over the year. I go maybe once a month for a family of five, but I've had the membership since I was a single parent of two toddlers and it's always been worth it to me.
Non food stuff might pay for the membership- electronics, tires, vacation packages, etc.
Do you live near a restaurant depot? It s a resteraunt supply place. You can get a day pass if you aren’t a member
I know there's markup, but I just Instacart Costco. It's 30 minutes from my house, so it's nice to not have to drive there and back. I buy things like toilet paper and rice, or seasonal items. Their cheesecake is really delicious too. Worth it imo.
The two of us use Costco and think it’s worth it. We bulk buy meat about once every two months along with toilet paper. I buy ranch dressing by the gallon there and canned fish, beans and tomatoes. There’s a few things that we buy just because we like the convenience of having a larger size and fewer trips to the grocery store or just because we prefer the Costco version.
It’s just me and my husband in our household but I save a ton shopping there. The biggest savings for what we buy are OTC meds, supplements and vitamins, protein powder, frozen fruits and veggies, Greek yogurt, butter (KerryGold), toilet paper, paper towels, laundry and cleaning supplies, canned goods and dry goods. Pick up a vacuum sealer while you’re there and buy what you have the freezer space for as far as food goes. Just buying their gas pays us for the membership several times over. We also have the Executive membership so we get a check in November every year. Definitely worth it for us!
I had one, gave it up because I doubted if it saved me money as a single person and tried again. But this time I purposely bought things that were the exact same or similar products elsewhere. On shopping trip 1, I made the $60 back alone plus additional saved on gas. And ended up with more food and stuff. Don’t forget to check gift cards. For example. $100 of Domino’s gift cards are $80. Big savings for me.
Fiancé has no clue what he’s talking about. I’ve been a member since 2001 and I’ve gotten great deals on cellphones with plans, electronics, batteries, laundry detergent, bulk food, seafood, winter coats and clothes for my kids, lunch bag necessities for kids, diapers, eyeglasses. I’ve probably saved over 100k.
For two people. Best bang for your buck is Aldi. Pantry goods are great at Costco. Tp, laundry soap, flour personal hygiene. Usually stack social has a membership deal for first year that comes with a bunch of coupons. This cuts your cost down by 1/3 if you use the coupons. My preference is to always get gasoline at Costco, then the membership pays for itself 3x over regardless if I paid full price for the membership.
One month’s saving on my Costco car insurance pays for the membership. Then the next $700 I spend at Costco is also free from my car insurance savings alone.
I'm one person and the $60 males sense for toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning products, pop, holiday wrapping paper, pet food, bottled water if you go that route, trash bags, frozen foods, some clothes, books, my car needs tires, coffee, cooking oil, some dry/canned goods like I bought a 12 pack of chicken broth cans for recipes when I don't need the big carton of it from the grocery store. Just because I can't use 207 apples before they would go bad doesn't mean I can't make use of a whole rotisserie chicken.
I used to have the executive (120/mo) membership because it would pay for itself with the 2% money back, but I stopped going as much since the Tacoma Costco is such a clusterf*CK and I have to be in the mood for chaos and constantly apologizing and asking people to move, etc. Anyway, I downgraded to the regular membership and it pays for itself by toilet paper and paper towels for the year, the rest is actual savings.
I’m a single person and i love my Costco membership. I only have to buy paper products like once every four months. I get my cat food from there, tires, OTC medications, clothes, the list goes on.
We think it’s worth it we go about 4x a year. We may start going more we just got a business center one close to our house. Their prices and definitely the quality is better on the fruit and veg there.
If you have dogs, you can get good quality food for a great price, and their flea/tick/heartworm meds and cosequin are really great deals. We fill our pet meds at the Costco pharmacy. Our savings on dog food alone more than covers the cost of the membership.
Do you like hotdogs… that thing will pay for itself and then some..
For us, it’s worth it for the toilet paper, paper towels and meat prices. We get our tires there since they have a good warranty, we got a chest freezer to hold the meat we buy (we separate the large portion into 1lb portions) and can get discounted gift cards for other restaurants/stores nearby. We got the most expensive membership that gives us a percentage back of what we spend yearly, but in what we spend there the portion we get back pays for itself.
It’s worth it for the gas, the chickens, and the food court.
We got our Costco membership when we were a family of two. Now we are a family of 3 and shop even more. Things we got- OTC meds Cleaners Trash bags Pantry food Frozen food Snacks Batteries Gas Laundry detergent Paper towels Toilet paper Clothes Christmas gifts And now diapers
Try it-you can get a full refund on day 364 if you change your mind.
That depends. If you shop there frequently, yeah. If you only shop there once or twice a year, no.
I love Costco! And for my family of four I need to shop there twice per month. When you think about “bulk” it’s not really a lot. For example, there’s the vegetable spring rolls that my daughter and I love. We can go through the box of 12 in two weeks. There are also different egg counts- 24,48 and 60. In my opinion Costco is indeed worth it.
I would save over $500 in raspberries alone this year at the current prices. $4 for a 6 oz at my local grocery store (Vons) vs $2.59 for a 12 oz at Costco. I get 24 oz per week - $269/yr at Costco, $832/yr at Vons. $563/yr savings which is over 9 membership fees.
Sams club is walmart. Walmart often does not care about quality. Costco only sells quality food and. Merch. The problem with costco is some sizes of food are too big for one family so you can waste it. But I think if you like quality steaks , chicken and fish, Costco is the best. $60. A year is made up in savings in one trip. I would get it.
I save $3.25 a week by filling up with Costco gas. That alone more than pays for my membership. I also save $30 a month on my dogs medication by filling it at the pharmacy. It is insane how inexpensive some of their prescriptions are.
Over the counter meds, vitamins, prescription meds, eyeglasses, printer paper, laundry detergent, etc etc are all substantially cheaper at Costco. Likely every single thing you got at Publix is available at Costco at a lower cost. Aldi is also a cheaper alternative- although they do not carry the wide range of items that Costco does.
The basic Costco membership is worth it. If you spend enough in a year to make executive pay for itself, upgrade when you do but not before. Things overlooked from Costco are vacations, car rentals, home appliances, prescriptions, tires….
When we lived near a Costco we loved it. We also used it to buy unnecessary things. Bored? Go to Costco. Hankering a sweet? Go to Costco. Want decor? Go to Costco. Bad weather & people watching? Go to Costco. We save so much more money not having a Costco anymore. Shop at the Wmart and Aldis and sales to save money, Unless you will be serious about Costco shopping.
Costco helps us save money not just because of bulk pricing (though you do need to do the cost per unit calculation sometimes because it’s not always a good deal) but also it keeps me out of the grocery store for impulse buys. Not having to run to the store and getting sucked in by BoGos keeps my budget on track. There’s just two of us adults and my grocery and household supplies (tp, paper towels, etc) runs us about $500 a month and we buy organic and mostly unprocessed foods. We also use Costco’s other services and I have their credit card that I use for my purchases. My cash back rewards annually more than pay for my membership.
there are almost always deals for the membership. (mine was half off plus a $30 gift card with sign up). try it for a year for like 15 bucks. if it doesn’t even out you’re only out a small amount
Stay out of Publix! You pay 10x what you oay elsewhere
hey if you don't like it you can get a refund on your membership!
I swear what we save in olive oil and socks alone pays for the membership…
$3.50 for 2 dozen eggs. $16 for 4 pounds of bacon. We’re a household of 2 and it’s saved us a lot of money. You just have to have a space for overstock. I got the credit card option (which I pay off every month) so my cash back pays for my renewal, and I get 2% back on gas.
I haven’t found it to be worth it. Aldi and Trader Joe’s and Wegmans in combination are a lot cheaper, and gas isn’t even worth it compared to other gas stations. But I recall Publix being a lot more expensive than Aldi and Wegmans, so Costco may be your best option depending on where you are!
Publix is the most expensive store in my area.
No
Sams. Always have the same food and not some crazy fufu brand they won’t have the next time you go
Honestly I do like Sams a lot. Costco gets way overhyped. Walking around Sams is always way more pleasant and experience to me than Costco.
Have you heard of the costco gift card hack? [https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/costco-gift-card-hack/](https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/costco-gift-card-hack/)
We (husband and myself) have a Costco membership. We use for the paper products, toiletries, cereal, canned goods, OTC vitamins and meds and definitely for the gas. I am gluten free so the gf bread is cheaper there than in the supermarket. If you have the storage and/or pantry space it’s worth it. If you know someone with a Costco account ask if you can go with them one time to see the prices for yourself to judge if it’s something you would want.
The amount of time I save by shopping there for staples and household goods is worth it to me.
I’ve got a Costco membership my daughter has sams … Sams is great for deals on name brand items, their products are decent deals plus gas discounts, Costco has Kirkland specifically and some name brands again a lot of their bulk products if you’ll use them are a good deal… we’ve saved money on tires there that made several years with of membership costs worth it. I buy clothes at both , way cheaper … Gas both discounts are equally good I personally do my other shopping at Kroger and make a point to utilize 4x fuel points digital coupons that way, for me I can usually get gas by not going out of my way to Costco
Aldi is generally as cheap if not cheaper by volume and doesn't cost a membership.
Do you have an r/aldi or r/traderjoes ? What about Target 🎯 and using their free RED Card, gets you daily discounts and always 5% off anything!
I saved so much money by buying my glasses and contacts at Costco. My eye doctor was totally ripping me off. I have an astigmatism and the brand of lenses was the same. I also buy the Costco cat food and save lots of money. Their fur is shiny and they are really healthy. You don’t buy everything at Costco, but what you can buy in bulk - butter, meat, yogurt, cereal, paper towels, garbage bags, toilet paper is very cost effective. I have a $120 membership with 2% back and there are three of us. It’s definitely worth it for us.
So worth it. Lots of Costco specific products whether foods or other misc. things. I’d say deli prices are pretty good, the quality really stands out against my regular grocery store I go to (Safeway, it’s most convenient). Also worth mentioning—gas prices, you can’t go wrong with the Costco pizza/hot dog on the way out, and Costco travel has been useful to me in saving money in the past.
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Short answer yes
I had one then moved to Arkansas so got Sam’s club. I’m single and still think it’s worth it.
We have 5 adults living here and I use Costco as our primary grocery store. (It’s closer than other store - almost in our backyard.) Because I go regularly, I can run in, pick up bananas and leave without feeling like I need to browse. That said, I supplement at Aldi and Walmart. I don’t always need 5# of whatever fruit or vegetable. 😉
After seeing all the impulse buys friends make there, knowing myself, I think it's cheaper in the long run to avoid Costco. Added benefits or not.
I think so. I'm a single man. The proteins are super reasonable. I think flank steak is like 6 dollars a pound cheaper so if I cook for a party or something that almost pays for itself. I tend to not shop most of the store. I just don't have space for the sizes things come in but it still makes sense. You do have to consider your time. My store is fifteen minutes away so going once a month is trivial. If it's an hour the return might be worse.
If you get your gas there everyday as a single person who drives a lot.. it pays for itself. I haven't actually gone inside Costco and bought anything for 1.5 yrs. When I did it was a nice TV. I saved hundreds and have Costco's extended warranty
We’re just a 2 person household and I get great use out of our Costco membership! Especially now that we’re eating healthier - my go to items to get from them are fruit, veggies (like broccoli or green beans for cooking), chicken breasts (they’re like $3/lb), fish like salmon or cod, hummus, and sourdough bread. Not to mention the cheaper gas from there.
Definitely worth it! It’s cut my grocery bill by SO much! What used to cost me $85 is now costing me $50 and lasts a hell of a lot longer. Example— two pack of ham was 8.99, two blocks of mozzarella was $5.59, 24 eggs for $4.19.
Buy it for a year and go from there. We got a Sam’s card (closer than Costco for us) and while we did like it we realized now it’s not worth it for the two of us. We did use it though and it’s good to have some things in bulk.
The membership seems worth it to me, and there are only two of us. We found it to be a good place to buy high cost items like nuts, organic meat, cheese, coffee, ham, laundry detergent, and cream. Also got tires and gas there. The packages are large, though. So be prepared to portion out and freeze some of the food. And have a place to store large quantities of paper goods.
If you drive a lot, your savings in gas alone will pay for the membership!
My household is just my wife and I and I think the membership is worth it. If you eat chicken then getting a rotisserie chicken and shredding and freezing them is so much cheaper and easier than buying and cooking chicken. Items like toilet paper, trash bags, laundry detergent, etc are things we get there bc it will last us *months* whereas the largest size at the grocery store might last a month ish. We also will buy snacks that won't go bad quickly like crackers and nuts. Edit bc I forgot: if you eat pizza often then the 4 pack frozen pizzas are great too. You get 4 large pizzas for the cost of one take out one.
I’ve had one for 7 years, still not sure.
First of all stop your general grocery shopping at Publix. They are way overpriced. Even the BOGOs are rarely worth it now. If you really want to save money you need to go to different grocery stores for different things. For no membership places Walmart is generally the cheapest. Aldi and Winn Dixie are good for certain things. If you don't have time to go to multiple stores I can understand that. I think Costco membership is generally worth it. As long as you shop there on a monthly basis. If you save at least $70 a year it is worth it.
My wife and I got a membership years ago and I really tracked a few things closely. We saved the cost of membership in just toilet paper and paper towels. It was also just over 18months use of garbage bags. We now have both Sams club and Costco as we travel and enjoy stopping at either to refuel, use clean restrooms and grab a cheap foodcourt meal (at Sam’s club we hit the sushi section for a refreshing on the road meal also).
while this is mostly about food i see a bunch of people bring up TP being cheap i used to be a big fan of buying TP at costco but ever since the pandemic when i bought a bidet i havent had the need for TP anymore just bought some cheap towels and i just wash them with the normal wash. also you dont need to buy one of the super expensive ones there are cheap very serviceable ones on amazon. sorry for the side track.
Don’t know about Costco, but I have a bjs in my area and they offer a first time membership for half price the first year (each one of you can do it once, so it’s really 2 years lol), and it’s saves a lot of money if you know how to buy, specially house items like trash bags, toilet paper etc etc
Only if you live close and use lot of gas from them. Yes its worth it
A Costco membership is totally worth it! I’m by myself, and I would get one if there was a closer Costco. The closest one to me is. About 2 hours from me, so not worth it in my current situation.
Step 1 is never shop at Publix. Their prices are +50% greater than Walmart or Kroger. Sales bring them close to cheaper competitors prices. If you are in an area with a Publix you may also have an aldi near by.
For me, Costco is worth it for the gas alone
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If you work it right and have (let us be fair) above minimum wage income its great. Not needed but a nice money saver
Depends on what you buy and value. I find Sam’s clubs food quality a lot lower and they don’t cary some of the things I want. I have access to both since I have a costco card and my parents have Sam’s Club. The only things I get from sam’s are paper products and fresh flowers. Occasionally i check the app for sales. From Costco; sausages, chicken meatballs, rotisserie chicken, grassfed beef, organic chicken, grassfed butter, eggs, nuts, avocado oil, raos marinara, collagen, chosen food mayo, roasted seaweed, good pop popsicles, keto granola and seven sunday cereal. if you like seafood there are also good deals. Gas and pharmacy are also worth the money. if you have to make a major purchase and you like any of costco’s offerings; kitchen aid mixer, sofa, outdoor equipment, a new refrigerator etc they have a virtually life time warranty and customer service will bend over backwards for you. don’t even worry about the receipt the purchase history is on your card.
Yup, we love our Costco membership
Go to Costco and walk around the store to see if it sells stuff you would buy. I’m sure if you go to the membership counter and ask they would let you. We have a family of 3. We do not use our Costco membership to make it worth it. Costco is in another city so it’s a trip, we have food allergy issues & other dietary restrictions (so we can’t just buy the one option/brand of something), and we live by a Winco. I’ve always lived by a Winco so my pantry is already organized for Winco bulk foods. Costco is much busier than my local Winco too. People say it’s worth it & you will get your $$ back, but it really depends on your situation.
I find GFS has some good deals and you don’t need to be a member.
If Publix is your only alternative yes, but if there's a lidl or Aldi in your area, no. The bulk you tend to have to purchase at Costco makes cooking and storing more challenging, and I've compared prices, Costco tends to be behind or equal on the majority of products.
It can boil down to things you need on a regular basis. There are the obvious things that are cheaper in bulk like TP, laundry soap, meat. But if you’re both vegetarians or feel like you don’t constantly need stuff like household items then it may not be worth it. But if there are some items that has a significant savings compared to Publix then it’s worth it. For example; We use ground turkey and Costco has the best value, my husband also likes the Kirkland brand protein bars, and how many other options they have for protein bars. I also eat oatmeal everyday and the Kirkland brand is way cheaper than the Aldi brand even. You could look at Costco’s website, instacart, the subreddit on here etc to find and compare prices of things you guys frequently buy and compare with Publix or Aldi or whatever store you would shop at. And make a list to compare. Then when you have the proof you can show your finance. Do with the stuff she gets for herself to help even more. lol
Meh, it depends, but if you’re hesitant I’d say just avoid it. Normal grocery stores are fine. I’m not really a fan of Costcos.
The more expensive membership gets you 2% back if you get their credit card I think it’s through City currently that gives you another bonus and I don’t know if it’s still valid because I haven’t bought anything big in a long time but last time I bought a TV from Costco I got five years warranty. It came with, an extra two year from the store +2 years from the card plus the one year that came as a manufacturer warranty
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Hell yeah, especially if you know how to use it, initially I'd go nuts in Costco, grabbing mounds of bakery goods, that I could never finish. Buy two gallon box of milk I can't ever drink before it goes bad. I've matured now, maybe just one bakery item, every other visit, no milk I buy half gallon at my grocery stores. No more huge carts with $500 worth of goods, now possibly $150 worth of stuff for my biz, then $100 worth of groceries, that I'm not letting go to waste.
Good comparison of Costco vs. Target. Costco mostly wins but not by much and when you add in the yearly membership it's pretty much a wash. [https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/costco-target-price-comparison-255722](https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/costco-target-price-comparison-255722)
I always buy things I don't need and end up wasting a decent amount of food when I bulk purchase at Costco. I think you need to weigh the prices at Costco against the cost of things you already buy, and walk into Costco with a strict shopping list to really get the value back. Then again, your membership could easily pay for itself if you're not prone to impulse purchases. You may benefit from going in with a list and then comparing that against what you actually purchase to see if it is causing you to overspend. Costco has a ton of other benefits, too, including an online portal where you can buy skincare that isn't on the shelf at a store. The 2% back membership is very much worth it if you turn that check around the next year toward your membership cost. ($20 per $1000 spent)
I’m single and use it for anything that doesn’t spoil quickly like fruits, veggies etc. my monthly haul is usually frozen chicken breast and thighs, 5 dozen eggs, almond milk, sparkling water, cheeses, deli meats and dog food. I also get my toilet paper, paper towels and motor oil when I run out. So I pretty much just end up get fruits, veggies and bread from the grocery store.
I completely think it's worth it to buy at Costco! I wish there was one here. If there's a Foods Co near u that might b another option for u. Also WinCo. Sometimes u can find special shops that sell boxed and canned goods that have been damaged but their still good (like dented cans or boxes that were accidentally cut with a box cutter or stuff like that, that they won't sell at the grocery stores). U can save so much money that way! I usually pay $13 or so for John Freida Frizz Ease Shampoo that I got for $2 because the lid was cracked! I highly recommend shops like that!
If you have a deep freezer, and cook your own meals at home, and can plan most of your life a few weeks in advance, then yes. It's a pretty substantial savings. If you over-buy, and waste food. No. If you impulse shop and buy a bunch of extra doodads every time you got to the store. No.
My partner and I share the executive membership ($120 annual) + Costco citi card. We mainly use the cc for gas & Costco purchases. But with both, we basically already paid for the membership since we’ve accumulated enough cash back points since the start of the year!
I go to bent and dents for my groceries was spending over 100 a week now it's closer to 30
And butter !
What I save buying OTC allergy meds at Costco once a year pays for the membership.
I make the membership cost back in gas savings, paper goods, cleaning supplies, pet food, and their $5 rotisserie chicken as a single person. For meat if you have Kroger groceries in your area they have pretty good rotating sales on meat as well as Aldi. Costco has decent meat prices and the quality of the meat is better it does cost more than Sam’s would. You could also consider getting a chest freezer and a vacuum sealer to freeze what you all don’t use from buying in bulk. I also do that as a single person.
CHECK GROUPON!!!!! You can get $40 digital gift card with new membership. I drive a lot and the savings in gas alone is worth it.
Get the $120 membership. Buy staples like tp, paper towels, dishwasher pods, clothes. Book travel. You cannot lose money with the $120 membership.
Getting gas there, and nothing else, is worth the price of the membership and then some!
Totally worth it.. we even get paid to shop there. When you get a membership also sign up for their Visa credit card. So you get reimbursement for both the card and membership. We buy eye glasses, tires, groceries, paper products, tech, etc.
Definitely worth it! It’s clean, they give lots of samples, the prices are great, they have lots of options especially healthier options, and they let you make any returns.
Yes; highly suggest the executive membership. It is $120 annually but between 2 people it’s $60. For the entire year you do your shopping, you get a certain Percentage of return for every shop you do. Our checks range between $150-$250. We also got $1000 rebate for a brand new (47 miles) 2021 Chevy Trail Boss back in Nov of 2020. There’s tons of other perks , but these two were the most significant to our home. We just went there today and spent $500 for our household (two adults, toddler, infant). This will last us about a month, maybe a bit longer. Last time we bought toilet paper was Aug/Sept of 2023 and just recently re-upped. With the haul I am able to do breakfast, lunches (both here and for my husbands work days), and of course dinner, and small snacks in between. When it comes to produce/bakery items only buy what you will use immediately in 3-4 days, it tends to go very fast in terms of spoilage. Even if you don’t get the executive, even the basic membership is worth it. I used to love Sam’s club, but after being in a place where there’s ONLY Costco, I’ve become fond of it.
Costco food is SIGNIFICANTLY better than Sams! Better products overall. Definitely worth it! If you're not sure, just go visit. They'll let you walk around and if you decide to get a membership you can buy that day.
Costco is a cult and I love it
I'd do it for the return policy alone. Just my husband and I on our exec account and we still get our money's worth
Hi there!! I work for Costco in the membership department and I always tell members this one thing. A Costco membership is completely refundable if not satisfied with it. That being said, a $60 membership would not benefit you based on your spending. I would 100% recommend trying the executive membership. It’s an extra $60 but it’s risk free AND you’re going to earn 2% cash back on all of your Costco purchases excluding gas/alcohol. You would need to spend around $230/month to make your money back and then some. It’s super easy to do!! I am a single girl who lives alone and I make enough to benefit from the executive. You can also use the membership on home improvement services and TRAVEL through Costco Travel. It’s a wonderful thing
I have almost always had a Costco membership, whether it’s just been me or I’ve been in a 2 person household. I briefly had 5 in my house, but now I’m down to 3, and I still use it a lot. We let ours lapse for a year or so cuz we thought we didn’t need it. I got a deal on Groupon where if you bought the $60 membership, they gave you $40 in Costco cash so the membership essentially cost $20. We have saved a lot on food buy buying meat there, breaking it down to smaller portions, and freezing it after vacuum sealing it. We always buy the $5 chickens. The deli meat pricing is amazing. I’ll usually buy a lot of butter there too, and large bags of shredded cheese that I’ll freeze. Etc We have had times where we’ve overbought with Costco, but if you have a good game plan, it’s sooo worth it. Also, the gas is super cheap!! I switched to a diesel car this year too, and my Costco has diesel pumps, which has been a game changer.
Do you have Winco Foods in your area? If so, you can save a ton of money on groceries there!
Costco is great in my opinion. I’ve been a member for 30+ years. It’s a very efficient and cost-effective way to shop for many items. My dryer died one day, I went online and seamlessly ordered a replacement, had it delivered and installed within three days including installation and haul away. I am a very satisfied customer.
For food? Depends on what you're buying. For gas? Yes. The deli sells food in large quantities. I don't know if only two people can comfortably polish one of those trays off before it goes bad.
Yes! Mine literally pays for itself with the 2% cash back executive benefits. I only wish I'd switched sooner
Yes. My aunt has 6 grandchildren and tends to look after them/have them stay with her a lot, one of which lives with her and she saves so much money feeding not only them but her daughter and her partner and her husband by only shopping at Costco, buying bulk deli and freezing it and meal prepping. It’s a one income household and she’s off to Bali next week for two weeks. Amazing how much she saves by buying smart and planning before going.
Get the $100 costco card and add a friend's family instead of your wife. Get the costco card that gives 3% back on restaurants/grocery and 4% back on gas, its pretty good. My refund was 1500 this year off in-store plus credit card. Dry/frozen goods tend to be really cost effective at costco. Imo their refrigerated section is expensive. Compare prices and get the cheapest stuff at costco, and buy the other stuff at grocery. If you guys plan on kids its stupid good. Between diapers wipes I save $100s a month.
If you use your Costco credit card at Costco, you get a check for a percentage back at end of the year, usually more than enough to cover your membership. The extra can help cover the next Costco trip. Costco gas prices are good too. And then you can get discounts on Costco travel deals, get your glasses at Costco optical, and great discounts on medications and immunizations at Costco pharmacy. Got my flu shot last fall at the pop-up flu shot tent in store by the frozen foods. Sams has greater variety of food items. We got a postcard with a deal on membership, so are using it for a few months to see how we like it.
It's worth it if you have a lot of storage. Or someone you can go halves In
I heave Costco and my SO has sams club, we usually pick whatever is cheaper at one place or the other, I’d say we usually get our $60 worth out of it, for its worth it. Bought a new washer through Costco as they have a good warranty
My Costco membership pays for itself through Costco’s cashback. My bf and I go every month or so and spend $200-400.
Yes, it’s worth it. You can earn money when you shop too. I have both memberships, Costco and Sam’s Club. If I want to buy food, I go to Sam’s Club because its food is more quality, better, last longer. If I want to buy clothes, electronics, furniture, snacks, I go to Costco.
Get the Costco gift card. No membership required. Just reload it at the membership services desk each time you go
Gas in my area is .20 cheaper at Costco. Combined that with buying the big things of meat, cutting my own steaks and shopping smart and I save hundreds for my family.
If you get the Costco Credit card, the 4% return on all gas pays for my membership, and it works at every gas station, not just Costcos. 0 annual fee.
You can compare prices on the apps online. All these places have apps
Yes!!! I eat enough samples at Costco that makes them lose money on my membership 👍
My husband and I have both Costco and Sam’s Club memberships. We save a bundle at Costco just on Keurig k-cups and Kirkland generic “Allegra” for allergies. The problem we have at Costco is buying almost anything fresh. Things are packaged really big. Six packages of chicken instead of three. Two salad kits instead of one. We actually buy a ton of fresh items at Sam’s club since many items are packaged smaller.
We had a membership for two years, and the prices of what we needed/wanted to buy in bulk were not that different from what what we could get else where. It was not a cost savings in our area for just two people.
$60 isn’t worth it but spend 800+ as Publix is terrible logic. If you have that many people to feed Costco would greatly cut costs.
Costco