What's a good deal at Costco?

[valerie]

I'm on the fence about the Costco membership deal.

Wondering what people buy there?  And is it a good deal?

[tiredmomma]

get gas much cheaper than usual places, if u r doing some home improvement projects, you can get some good deals on flooring, etc.

Every Saturday you can go get samples and make a lunch out of it. LOL

There are some things there that are really cheap like Fresh mozzarella is $8 for 2 lbs which I think is good. It is a great place for a cheap cake if u need one for a party. Other things like produce and paper products, they are not good at all for regarding prices.

I think some of the bulk stuff would be some good buys for your family.

I forget, I think the deal is $20 for a year membership. It is definitely worth the $20. Some years it is hard to justify the $55 for us. We were members and then quit and then jump back in when we were doing some stuff around the house and it made sense. Our membership just renewed.

[Lucky Day]

We join every other year when we need new glasses (DH and I both wear glasses and prescription sunglasses).  The savings on that alone pays for our membership.  We also find it's worthwhile to buy:

• tires
  
• Oxy Clean (when Costco has a coupon for it)
• eyeglasses (no one beats their value: you get quality and low price -- Consumer Reports rates them very well)
  
• gasoline
• Sonicare brushheads (when Costco has a coupon for them)
• I would buy dishwasher detergent there when they have a coupon if I didn't already have a huge stockpile of Finish. 
• Kirkland diapers are supposedly great quality and are a "buy" price when they put out a coupon.  I've never used them though; stockpiled enough other kinds. 
• they make awesome carrot cake cupcakes.  avoid them.  I like them too much. 

One of the best things about Costco IMO is you can return just about anything at any time, for any reason (except electronics, which have a 30 or 60 day return window).  Impulse buy something and find it unused in a closet 6 months later?  Back it goes!  It is way too easy to impulse buy in the warehouse, though. 

You can buy many things from Costco.com (like dishwasher detergent when it goes on sale) without being a member.

ETA: it appears they now apply a small surcharge for non-members on .com

[valerie]

Good to know about the glasses. DH & I are both overdue for exams and new glasses/contacts and he no longer has vision insurance so it's all oop.

[wewsrw]

Definately gas-sometimes .20 a gallon less
Samples everyday in the Costcos I go to.
Dog Food-The Kirkland brand is very highly rated 40lb around $30. I had to put Daisy on the Mature Blend. Its a bit more
Allergy medicine-A years worth of generic for around $20. Less with coupons
Beautiful planters for different seasons
Tyson Panko Breaded chicken-frozen.-Awesome
Marie Calendars Chicken Pies-DH takes these for work. I think they are $11 for 8.
Huge Roasted Chickens-$4.99-I always buy 2
Holiday Decorations
Furniture
Custom Decorated Cakes with filling-$19

[Lucky Day]

Sept 10, 2014 12:54:29 GMT -6 valerie said:

Good to know about the glasses. DH & I are both overdue for exams and new glasses/contacts and he no longer has vision insurance so it's all oop.

Some Costcos do vision exams, too, and those were well-rated by Consumer Reports back in the day before we had vision insurance.  That's what drew us to pay for our first Costco membership.  I haven't paid attention to CR's ratings on that recently, though, since we use an in-network optometrist now.   But we still take the written prescriptions to Costco for hardware.  Typically we can both get at least one pair of nice-looking glasses and one pair of fashionable sunglasses with polarized lenses for our $200 per person allowance.  My prescription is very mild so I can usually get 2 pairs of sunglasses + a pair of regular glasses for my $200.  But I think I'm going to need bifocals soon, so that probably will change.  Damn you, old age! 

I know people get glasses dirt cheap online, too, much cheaper than Costco, if you're into that.  I am not, but I remember a few people, I think mashupmom and reporter20 posting about their experiences with that. 

[Clars]

Sept 10, 2014 13:02:47 GMT -6 Lucky Day said:

Sept 10, 2014 12:54:29 GMT -6 valerie said:

Good to know about the glasses. DH & I are both overdue for exams and new glasses/contacts and he no longer has vision insurance so it's all oop.

Some Costcos do vision exams, too, and those were well-rated by Consumer Reports back in the day before we had vision insurance.  That's what drew us to pay for our first Costco membership.  I haven't paid attention to CR's ratings on that recently, though, since we use an in-network optometrist now.   But we still take the written prescriptions to Costco for hardware.  Typically we can both get at least one pair of nice-looking glasses and one pair of fashionable sunglasses with polarized lenses for our $200 per person allowance.  My prescription is very mild so I can usually get 2 pairs of sunglasses + a pair of regular glasses for my $200.  But I think I'm going to need bifocals soon, so that probably will change.  Damn you, old age! 

I know people get glasses dirt cheap online, too, much cheaper than Costco, if you're into that.  I am not, but I remember a few people, I think mashupmom and reporter20 posting about their experiences with that. 

You can also get REALLY expensive glasses online.  As I sit here wearing my $400 La Font frames (I had a large amount left in my flexible spending account one year, so I blew it on spendy frames)

I have gotten cheap glasses from Coastal Contacts from one of their free deals.  Glasses were great.  I would still be wearing them if I hadn't needed a new prescription.

I go to Target for glasses.  They are really reasonable.

[Lucky Day]

Sept 10, 2014 13:02:43 GMT -6 wewsrw said:

Definately gas-sometimes .20 a gallon less
Samples everyday in the Costcos I go to.
Dog Food-The Kirkland brand is very highly rated 40lb around $30. I had to put Daisy on the Mature Blend. Its a bit more
Allergy medicine-A years worth of generic for around $20. Less with coupons
Beautiful planters for different seasons
Tyson Panko Breaded chicken-frozen.-Awesome
Marie Calendars Chicken Pies-DH takes these for work. I think they are $11 for 8.
Huge Roasted Chickens-$4.99-I always buy 2
Holiday Decorations
Furniture
Custom Decorated Cakes with filling-$19

I forgot about the allergy meds! YES!   I've bought 365 generic Zyrtec for like $10 from Costco.com without a membership when it was on sale.  Also generic painkillers are a decent deal, if you're not into drugstore deals and you don't require the brand name.   

I also buy their refrigerated Kirkland (Costco brand) grapefruit cups.  Cheaper than sale + coupons on a similar product at a grocer and I ♥ grapefruit. 

[Lucky Day]

Sept 10, 2014 13:06:08 GMT -6 Clars said:

Sept 10, 2014 13:02:47 GMT -6 Lucky Day said:

Some Costcos do vision exams, too, and those were well-rated by Consumer Reports back in the day before we had vision insurance.  That's what drew us to pay for our first Costco membership.  I haven't paid attention to CR's ratings on that recently, though, since we use an in-network optometrist now.   But we still take the written prescriptions to Costco for hardware.  Typically we can both get at least one pair of nice-looking glasses and one pair of fashionable sunglasses with polarized lenses for our $200 per person allowance.  My prescription is very mild so I can usually get 2 pairs of sunglasses + a pair of regular glasses for my $200.  But I think I'm going to need bifocals soon, so that probably will change.  Damn you, old age! 

I know people get glasses dirt cheap online, too, much cheaper than Costco, if you're into that.  I am not, but I remember a few people, I think mashupmom and reporter20 posting about their experiences with that. 

You can also get REALLY expensive glasses online.  As I sit here wearing my $400 La Font frames (I had a large amount left in my flexible spending account one year, so I blew it on spendy frames)

I have gotten cheap glasses from Coastal Contacts from one of their free deals.  Glasses were great.  I would still be wearing them if I hadn't needed a new prescription.

I go to Target for glasses.  They are really reasonable.

pics or it didn't happen

[wewsrw]

I for got to add the toys for Christmas.

I think it was CNN that did a story on how it is decided which toys Costco will carry for Christmas. Its quite a big deal and a very interesting process.

[Clars]

Sept 10, 2014 13:09:35 GMT -6 Lucky Day said:

Sept 10, 2014 13:06:08 GMT -6 Clars said:

You can also get REALLY expensive glasses online.  As I sit here wearing my $400 La Font frames (I had a large amount left in my flexible spending account one year, so I blew it on spendy frames)

I have gotten cheap glasses from Coastal Contacts from one of their free deals.  Glasses were great.  I would still be wearing them if I hadn't needed a new prescription.

I go to Target for glasses.  They are really reasonable.

pics or it didn't happen

[canadia]

<snort>

Your desk stole your glasses and took a selfie.

[mashupmom]

I went on a tear today and posted a whole list of organic food prices at Costco (collected at Oak Brook store yesterday):

www.mashupmom.com/much-organic-products-cost-costco/

The generic bottle of 365 ct Loratadine was $11.69 yesterday. It's slightly cheaper than the S&S deal on Amazon I posted this morning if you are on the 5% off tier, but more expensive if you are on the 20% off tier -- I've been buying mine on Amazon instead to help get up to the 5 subscriptions for 20%.

Rotisserie chickens $4.99. I bought a big jar of minced garlic there for $4.39 last month. They have a nice whole grain gluten free bread that runs about $4 a loaf. Baking supplies are generally very good prices. The 64 oz organic half & half is about the same price per oz as the conventional 32 oz Dean's at Ultra.

[reporter20]

I love our glasses from Coastal Contacts and Zenni optical. No complaints whatsoever, for glasses that cost $20-50 shipped. But, there is some risk as you're picking glasses without seeing them on your own face.

[Clars]

Sept 10, 2014 14:58:34 GMT -6 reporter20 said:

I love our glasses from Coastal Contacts and Zenni optical. No complaints whatsoever, for glasses that cost $20-50 shipped. But, there is some risk as you're picking glasses without seeing them on your own face.

I look at the size that is printed on the inside of my existing glasses and look based on that.  That way I should at least get something that fits my face.