To renew Costco or not to renew; that is the question.

[raccoon]

I was a Costco subscriber for two years. Then my subscription ran out a few months ago.

I live alone and don’t do much cooking. But I found they had good prices on some things such as paper products, the hand lotion I use, vitamins, etc. Costco didn’t help me out much as far as food is concerned because I don’t cook much. When I did buy the food, most of the time it’s in such volume that I couldn’t use it. Like I bought a big sack of Craisins and ended up giving them to a friend.

I doubt that I am saving anything to use Costco. I haven’t kept track of every savings, but the subscription fee was $60/year unless it’s gone up. I could see how it would be a good thing for a family, Or for anybody who does a lot of cooking and has a big freezer.

Your thoughts?

[Demovictory9]

1. i too waste food when bought in bulk. not a member of costco

[Pachamama]

2. Share the subscription

If you have a good friend and neighbor, get a membership and have one of you get the second card or both agree to share the expense and trips to Costco. I have been doing that for years and it works out well.

[dhol82]

8. That's what I do.

My friend and I just swap the card when we need to make a trip or else just go shopping together.
As long as you pay cash there is no problem.
I don’t tend to buy fresh food because the sizes are just huge. They do have amazing deals on frozen and canned food.
Anyway, $30/year I can deal with. If you can find a third person it goes down to $20.

[Wounded Bear]

27. They do seem to have been a bit lax on checking the photo on the ID when I go in lately...

I wouldn't "lend" my card to anyone, though.

[dhol82]

34. I forgot about the photo check

Haven’t seen it done in years.

[2naSalit]

58. You can have a second person, they get a separate card

to your acct. just tell them you live at the same address. That's what I did for a while with a friend years ago. Then you each have your own card with your own photo.

[dhol82]

63. That's a great idea.

Thanks.

[Farmer-Rick]

45. Have you seen anyone kicked out for shopping there?

I just find it hard to believe someone spending money there would be kicked out.

And I really think paying to spend your money seems self defeating.

[KentuckyWoman]

48. You get a "household" card also, and the address doesn't need to be the same.

I pay for the membership and have a Costco Visa. I buy gas, cleaning supplies, paper goods, pharms, hearing aid batteries... sometimes durable goods. Not enough to warrant the membership.

My niece, who helps us these days has a herd of kids and some food items are cheaper there for her. She carries the household card, with her own ID number, picture and address info attached to it. I just went with her at sign up and explained she does some of my shopping.

Easy peasy.

[mitch96]

40. +1 !

[Kaleva]

3. My wife and I don't need to buy in bulk so stores like Dollar General are fine with us.

[Yavin4]

4. I'm new to Costco and love it.

I've saved quite a bit of money cooking more instead of eating out/ordering in which can get quite expensive. I don't waste food.

[brewens]

5. I'm single and think paper products alone come close to paying for the card. My cat likes the

Kirkland dry cat food, so I'd have to at least get a buddy to go buy that for me.

I cook a lot and their burger is the best deal by far in my area. If you never got one of their rotisserie chickens, try one of those and tell me that's not a great deal.

Their Kirkland Columbian coffee is also a good savings. If you like just regular coffee, that's a good one because they don't make you buy ten pounds at a time. My storage is limited, so I don't get everything there that could save me a little.

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. The coffee I buy pays for the membership

I buy whole bean coffee from them and the difference per pound vs the grocery store pretty much pays for the membership for the year. (Yeah, I drink that much coffee!)

Plus their gasoline tends to be around 30 to 40 cents a gallon cheaper than average gas stations

Having said that, if you aren’t saving $50 a year (roughly the membership cost) then it’s not worth it.

[WhiteTara]

19. I buy Costco coffee too.

I don't live near a store so they ship my coffee shipping included. It is definitely the way to go for coffee drinkers.

[Greybnk48]

30. I drink LOTS too! And it's $3 to $5 cheaper than at our local stores!

We also have a retired friend that comes almost every day for coffee. I'm going to start filling up there too. Thanks!

[Wounded Bear]

37. Plus, they sell it in real 3 lb cans...

you don't see those in the regular grocery outlets.

[JustAnotherGen]

6. I live in the Historic District

Of a small town. They shut down the streets at Halloween and our house is at the center.

We have the Executive membership - $99 plus rewards.

1400 to 2000 trick or treaters.

Our membership with those 400 piece bags of candy and the rewards certificate? That covers Halloween.

Also - we both have Seasonal allergies. The cost of Flonase there compared to Walgreens or Target?

It's of high value to us.

And - I like their business practices.

[yellowdogintexas]

35. Claritin as well! nt

[pintobean]

9. I recently bought a TV there

that was 50 bucks cheaper than anywhere else. Plus, I didn't have to wait on shipping, or worry about porch pirates. But, what we save on coffee and paper products pays the annual fee. And some of their deli stuff is delicious. Meat is about the same price as the grocery store, but much better quality.

[Timmygoat]

10. I love Costco

Since my husband died I am now living alone and still save money at Costco, when I buy a large pack of fresh chicken I put it in smaller packages in my freezer, the rotisserie chicken is great and wonderful value, I am now hooked on those French Rolls they are selling, individually wrapped and can be stored the in the freezer, if friends are here I can take out what I need, still as fresh as the day they were baked. I could bore forever with my feelings about Costco, the gas price is wonderful and most of all the employees go
out of the way to be helpful.

[marlakay]

55. I feel the same way

Its just my husband and me but we both love Costco and if I was alone I would still go.

Of all the stores in town Costco and Trader Joes have the best service, both companies that treat employees well.

One person said fruits and veges too big, yes you can’t freeze those so I buy those at Trader Joes.

[RazzleCat]

11. a couple of other costco benefits

Here a a few things I saved on at Costco this year. Tires, gas, eyeglasses, merino socks. I also used the Costco car purchase and was quoted 4K below the sticker. I know some would be able to get that via "debate" with the dealer, but I liked just walking in an receiving if with out any back and forth. I do cook a lot, but don't buy that much food at costco as we are a house of two only, but I still save over that $60.00 a year. Cooking products I use from Costco, Olive oil, pasta, cereal, butter, nuts, and coffee. I also purchase all the basics from them and have found the Kirkland brand to be excellent. Paper products, cleaning/laundry etc. And yes I too take like a year to run out of them.

[yellowdogintexas]

36. additional bonus: Kirkland paper towels and TP are from P & G

not Georgia Pacific (Koch company)

[MichMan]

12. I am not interested in paying a fee to shop anywhere on general principle

[ProudMNDemocrat]

13. Just my husband and I...

And we are Costco members and always will be.

It depends on what you get. I buy coffee, the white albacore tuna, 6 pack chicken stock, egg whites, frozen veggies, produce, pickles, mayo, ketchup, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, meats, etc. So it pays for us.

As well as things for the home non-food related like our 50 inch Samsung HDTV, stand, computer, small appliances, etc. My husband works part-time there demoing.

[Lars39]

14. I get cost of membership back on savings of Zyrtec purchase alone.

A Foodsaver helps, too. 🙂

[dalton99a]

15. Let it lapse if you're not using it enough

Costco is a good company that treats its employees well and provides a wide range of savings to its customers

[consider_this]

16. Do not forget...

I don't think anyone mentioned the alcohol or clothing items that are a good deal.
Just stocked up on some Goose Island Bourbon County stout yesterday, and their Kirkland tequila and gin are good and offered at a great price.(they have name brands too)
I will reiterate that the quality of their meats are always great.

[consider_this]

17. oh, and...

I have found that using the Costco travel for rental cars has almost always been cheaper than any other online sites or direct from the car rental companies.

[LiberalBrooke]

18. If you buy prescription glasses

you save hundreds on each pair. That alone is worth the membership.

[hlthe2b]

21. If thre are enough items that you routinely use and for which the savings is substantial, it might

still be worth it.

For me, I routinely buy their pre-cooked no-filler no nitrates turkey breast for $3.99/pound. I cut up in `12-16 ounce portions, keep one in the fridge and the rest in airtight glass containers in the freezer. Never had an issue with freezer burn that way.

My dog loves dentastix chews and they have a special on them 2-3 times a year that is amazing, so I will buy several boxes.

I buy their very lean hamburger in quantity and either portion it up to freeze for later cooking or cook it all up freezing some portions for sauces or chili later.

Stocking up on paper towels and toilet paper is a no brainer. Coffee is likewise a good deal, whether branded or not.

Their Kirkland signature products have earned a very good reputation. Even their own branded California olive oil gets superior reviews over the majority of "named brand" domestic products. I certainly think their own branded products are far superior to Sam's Clubs and in some cases better than the big name brands.

Your mileage may vary. I'd shop there more if it were closer to home or at least go for gas which is consistently the lowest price in town.

I likewise buy packaged whole nuts in quantity--almonds or walnuts or pecans--because they likewise freeze well and you can get a real savings over these fairly pricey items.

I DON'T waste. My late Dad would be shocked at how careful I am now as opposed to earlier in life. Having only yourself in the household, that should be easy for you to control too. I'm careful about perishables and force myself to eat them when I don't want to or ensure it is an item safe/healthy for my pup to share or for the wild rabbits that live around my house (e.g., apples, celery, carrots).

[spinbaby]

22. We have a Costco list

Even with just two in the household, Costco is worthwhile. Stuff we buy there includes dishwasher detergent and rinse agent, laundry detergent, paper products, peanut butter, coffee, coffee filters, cat litter, cheese, Irish butter, Greek yogurt—all things we we use regularly. We also get our eyeglasses and tires there.

[Ferrets are Cool]

23. Love Costco, but it is not for everyone.

[Chellee]

24. If all you buy is gas and medicine, you'll recoup your membership cost.

We're a household of two, so we hardly buy anything perishable there. We won't get it finished and I don't have the freezer space to save it. But I've done the math and we save more than the cost of our membership every year. As someone mentioned upthread, if you get a pair of glasses, your membership is paid for for several years.

[Wounded Bear]

25. I'm in the same boat...

I don't think I save enough to justify the cost savings, and the drive is around 2-3 miles or so.

But they do have some products that I enjoy, including coffee in the 3 pound cans for less than $10 and breakfast cereal in larger boxes. I can sometimes use their frozen food items, though I don't have a lot of freezer volume. I don't use many of their paper products, but they often have laundry soap in the bigger containers, too.

I'll probably stick with them.

[StarfishSaver]

26. I love Costco

Not only are their prices great (and it's not always necessary to purchase in bulk and they sell many things beyond food), their customer service second-to-none, the company is a responsible and admirable corporate citizen that treats its employees well and doesn't built its business on corporate greed.

I'm proud to be a Costco customer.

(No, I wasn't paid for this ad).

11 Reasons To Love Costco That Have Nothing To Do With Shopping

1. The company pays a living wage. Costco’s CEO and president, Craig Jelinek, has publicly endorsed raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, and he takes that to heart. The company’s starting pay is $11.50 per hour, and the average employee wage is $21 per hour, not including overtime. Most other big box retailers start their employees at minimum wage.

2. Workers get benefits. About 88 percent of Costco employees have company-sponsored health insurance ...

3. The CEO makes a reasonable salary. Costco’s CEO makes far less than most executives, with a total compensation package of about $4.83 million in 2012. In contrast, Walmart CEO Mike Duke made roughly $19.3 million during the same year. Walmart’s CEO earns as much as 796 average employees, according to CNN Money, compared to Costco’s CEO making 48 times more than the company’s median wage ...

4. Costco helped its employees weather the recession. When the economic crisis hit and other retailers laid off workers, Costco’s CEO approved a $1.50-an-hour wage increase for many hourly employees, spread out over three years ...

6. It also doesn’t waste money on expensive advertising ...

7. Its prices aren’t horrendously high. ...

8. It embraces equality. Costco scored extremely well (90/100) on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, an assessment of LGBT policies in the workplace.

10. Costco’s employees are loyal ...

11. Free samples. Need we say more?
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/reasons-love-costco_n_4275774

[Greybnk48]

28. My Cameron coffee is $3 to $5 less a bag

than in the store so it's worth it. We buy the paper products and many other things there as well, but there are certain things we avoid because if we can't share it it goes in the trash.

So I know what you mean about the Craisens. We always discuss items like that because of waste. We do split some stuff and freeze it if possible, or share with a friend that lives alone.

[albacore]

29. Costco has a lot of organic products....

... and a lot of prepared foods in their frozen section. Prepared foods are not always the healthiest...too much salt... but reading the ingredients can find you some really good food that's ready to microwave.
Dog food...wiper blades...OTC drugs....
Real savers.
Somebody already mentioned that they're good employers. At our store, there are two folks I see all the time who've been with Costco since the mid 1990's and lots who have been with them since the early 2000's. You don't keep people that long by mistreating them.
That's important to us... and why we don't shop at Mall-Wart.

[Sancho]

31. I save money on Costco...

...eyeglasses and prescriptions (I have insurance, but Costco beats the copay)
...occasional "big buys" like tires, appliances, mattresses, etc. save me the entire fee for the year
...I have had no problems returning items to Costco
...their wine prices are fantastic
...discount cards for movies, etc. are often 20% off if you buy them at Costco - we buy their discount cards fairly often
...I often get gas at Costco (it's the cheapest in town)

In short, even though I don't usually buy large amounts of food that we can't eat, we still think Costco more than pays for the membership

[FarPoint]

32. I renew...

I always get best deal with gas....that alone is a fantastic deal....Love the rotisserie chickens...get one weekly... there's the Pharmacy deals, the wine ....I get fruits, veggies there... besides the bulk items...

[cbdo2007]

33. Just make a monthly list of what you would get...

At Costco and the price there vs another store and see if you save at least $5 per month.

For us we buy 2 rotisserie chicken there per month ($3 savings each vs our local grocery store) and 4 gallons of milk per month ($1savings each), 4 things of salad mix ($2 savings each) and other things but just those 3 things mentioned is $18 per month savings (over $200 savings per year) so makes it worth it.

[yellowdogintexas]

38. My list of necessary Costco items: (two in the household)

1. Gasoline PS if you get the VISA membership card you can use it for gas and get the same bonus points as if you buy at Costco; great for travelling)
2. Kirkland Canned Chicken Breast! I make enchiladas, chicken salad, Pantry Soup (Southwestern style soup)
3. Walnuts
4. Peanut Butter
5. Canned goods I use a lot of: Black beans, Ro-Tel, diced tomatoes and Swanson's chicken broth.
6. Dave's 21 grains and seeds double pack (bread)
7. The big blister pack of chicken breasts. You cut the packs apart and pop them in the freezer. Then thaw when you need them Two ginormous breasts per pac. Organic or non.
8. This time of year, Rodell's organic cocoa. Doesn't spoil and is extraordinarily good. ( I bake a lot, but it never spoils.)
9. Their wines are good
10 Rotisseri chicken of course. I usually buy one when I am at a loss for supper that day and we eat it over two days. We eat the breasts that night and I cut up the dark to pop into a dish calling for precooked chicken.
11. Eyeware: Love my glasses and the price
12. That awesome check I get every January.
13. Generic OTC Meds and supplements.
14. Hot and sweet pickles
I also got my food processor, my mini blender, a great set of cookware and my laptop there.

[Hekate]

53. Sounds like us, pretty much. Plus I just got a stash of Xmas toys and a gift basket for ....

...a holiday party gift exchange.

[Sneederbunk]

39. Could not do without the gas.

[Recursion]

41. Does yours have a gas station?

If it has a gas station the membership earns itself back in a month or so depending on your driving patterns; at that point the 60-count bags of frozen Jamaican beef pies are just a lagniappe.

Also, check out their travel agency: seriously. Very very cheap flights and hotels.

[dalton99a]

44. And their cruises and vacation packages

[RainCaster]

42. Our kids are grown now, but we still use our Costco membership

For:
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Vitamins
OTC meds
Eggs
Cheese
Tires
Batteries
Photo printing
Glasses
Bread

Why:
They treat their employees very well. We see the same people working there for more than 20 years now.

[jalan48]

43. I got Michelin tires installed for $360. Everywhere else I checked was at least $600. The $200+

I saved has paid for my membership for 3+ years.

[dalton99a]

46. +1. Their car batteries are also the best deals in town

They are much cheaper and have a longer warranty than comparable products at auto part stores

[DeminPennswoods]

47. IIRC, the 10% rule applies to membership fees

If, for example, your fee is $60, then you have to spend more than $600/yr to break even. Add up how much you spent or expect to spend there in a year. If it's more than $600, then the fee's worth it, if not, the fee's not worth it.

I haven't shopped at a warehouse club for years, but I believe you can buy without being a member as long as you pay a one time charge on your purchase.

[Tree-Hugger]

49. It depends on your needs

It may be helpful to make your weekly/monthly shopping list and then compare prices.

I miss our Costco membership. We're currently back in a bad financial spot, so we couldn't renew this year, but we will go back once things look up.

Our Costco does not have gas, so I can't comment there. A lot of people like them for tires, but I can do better at our local Mavis.

We are a family of 4. I like Costco for:

OJ
Trash bags (one box lasts forever)
School Snacks - this is a big one for us. They have great prices on organic school snacks.
Juice boxes for school.
Frozen fruits (when we have freezer space).
Organic strawberry jelly for PB&J sandwiches. My son eats PB&J daily and one if their jars lasts a very long time. It more than pays for itself compared to organic jelly from elsewhere.
Chicken drumsticks
Grassfed ground beef
While chickens (when we have the freezer space)
Palmiers - these are my comfort snacks and I am in love with theirs. I have been missing them a lot this year.
Sneakers - my husband gets great sneakers for $15 to $20
Kids clothes
Kids toys
Clothing - I got the most comfy pair of joggers there for cheaper than Wal-Mart and they were better quality and actually made with mostly cotton.
Coats
Jackets
Pajamas
Christmas wrapping paper. They have an amazing double-sided wrapping paper that cuts like butter. One roll will last years and can double as a weapon.
Printer ink
Their electronics prices are very good
The occasional novelty items
I got the best reusable stainless steel water bottles there.
My kids love their pizza and their smoothies.
Batteries
Vinegar
Baking soda
And more.

I only learned of their glasses prices as we lost our membership. Once we can renew, I will use them to get a spare for my daughter.

I don't find that their produce is a very good deal. I do a lot better with produce at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.

[csziggy]

50. I save enough on my Zytec generic to pay my membership

As you do, my husband and I buy supplements at Costco. I really like their big bags of frozen vegetables instead of buying small bags at the regular grocery store. But then, we have a huge freezer so we have the space. Sometimes we buy frozen meats and every so often we buy fresh meat but not very often because it takes too long for us to use their large packages.

Every so often we buy other stuff - electronics, cameras, and other odds and ends, but not terribly often. Most of our gas is bought at the Costco tanks since they are as close and convenient as anywhere else for us.

If it weren't for their great price for the Zytec generic (365 tablets for about $17 rather than the drugstore brand 30 tablets for the same price) I wouldn't keep my membership.

[nilram]

51. I kept track for a while and I could buy for the same price elsewhere

if I watched for sales. And those packs of things like granola bars would have two flavors I liked and one I really didn’t.

But, this was before they sold gas and prescription glasses and packages of pre-made entrees that can be frozen. And nowadays, my partner coordinates a “family” membership with us and a third friend.

Prescriptions are cheaper and they treat the staff well, according to my sister the pharmacist. In my state, you don’t have to have a membership in order to have prescriptions filled there.

[R B Garr]

52. $60/yr is only $5/mo. I would keep it. Protein powder

alone is worth it over a years time, vitamins, and fruit. Check out the cell phone plans. There’s enough savings to justify the $5/mo even for one person. Costco gas...definite savings

[liberalla]

54. Single person here also. I love Costco but let my membership expire about 4 years ago,

when I hit 'hard times' and had to cut or eliminate everything I could. I certainly miss some of the items I used to get there... and at some point I expect I'll join again.

That's the thing, you can always join again. It's not like you'll never be able to go back... So don't sweat it! 😁

[WestLosAngelesGal]

56. Gasoline is always cheaper at Costco

Likewise, the warranty prices on computers is a fraction of what you might pay elsewhere. Other things to love buying at Costco:
Lunch or dinner for a couple of bucks. I eat there at least once a week, even if I buy nothing else. Tires and car batteries are a great deal. Pre-sliced snack size cheese in a variety pack. Rotisserie chicken (the best deal in town). Those giant bags of popcorn or tortilla chips can be taken to a party for your contribution to it. And stacks of tortillas (just refrigerate them and they will last for a long time). I am a fan of the pre-cut celery stalks. I really like that Mateo medium salsa in a jar.

Things not to buy at Costco because they are more expensive than other stores:
butter
apples, lemons, avocados
dishwasher pods and laundry detergent
canned vegetables

And things not to buy if you have no room to store it all:
toilet tissue
paper plates
red disposable cups (Kirkland's answer to Solo cups)

Yucky things:
bananas (cheap off-brand and they never ripen properly)
avocados (look fine on the outside, but pink on the inside - most of them are garbage-bound)
Ready-to-eat hard-boiled eggs (taste like the plastic sleeves they are sealed in)

[Laffy Kat]

57. You can get good deals on paper products, TP, etc. at a Dollar Store.

That's what I do. I don't think the quality is the same but I can live with it.

[mercuryblues]

59. gift cards

they sell gift cards at a discounted rate. You can get 4 $25 apple gift cards for $90. 4 $25 honey baked ham gift cards for $75, then combine them with HBH store coupon and get a good deal on a ham.

I buy their hamburger, make up 1/4 lb patties and freeze them. I pry them off as needed for meals. Their 6 pack of chicken is a good deal. I can get 2 meals for 2 out of each pack. For you it would be 1 meal and the leftovers for lunch the next day or invite someone over for dinner.

[Demonaut]

60. well worth it, just for the gas savings

[Zambero]

61. Easily recoup with the food sample meals

2 or 3 multi-course lunches per month if well-timed!

[Retrograde]

62. If you have the storage space

paper goods - toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, etc - are a good buy. I go with a list of staples I know they'll have and I'll use, like dishwasher detergent and olive oil, and I'll if I see something at a good price that won't go bad such as canned tuna or coconut milk I'll buy that. Produce is hit-or-miss: in summer we can go through one of their packs of strawberries or raspberries, but mostly their too large for two people. They have the best prices on chicken around here, and that freezes well. I've recently been buying tubs of kimchi (it's surprisingly good in grilled cheese sandwiched). My biggest beef with their foods is that once I find something I like they discontinue it.

I browse their clothing and housewares sections, and sometimes find something I need or want. My husband buys piles of boring identical socks. Overall, I think we get our membership money out of it.