Costco or no?

[Rolltydr]

After a few years on TUG, I know that many of you are faithful Costco members and shoppers. Also, at least one of you worked at and retired from there (looking at you DaveNV). We were members for a year or 2 probably about 20 years ago when they opened a store near us in Birmingham. We found that we just didn’t shop there enough to justify the membership, so we let it lapse. Now, we are in St. Augustine and a new Costco is opening in August about a mile from our house. We are looking again to see if we should get a membership and, if so, which one. I think we’ll buy most of our gas there, although there is a Buc-ee’s across the street. They are usually about $.10/gal cheaper than anyone else around so it will be interesting to see how they compare to Costco. We won’t buy too many things in bulk because we don’t have storage space for it. So, should we or shouldn't we? What say you, fellow Tuggers?

 

[Snazzylass]

If it's a new Costco to the area, you might get an invite for a free first yr membership. I know I did years ago.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Love Costco. Love the quality the selection. And the best return policy around.

 

[beejaybee]

We use Costco for our eyeglasses, hearing aids, wine (10% discount for 6 bottles) and fake Baileys, booking cruises and rental cars, gas...
Recently, I found knee-length shorts for $9.99 at a Vermont Costco. Their fully cooked turkey breast is a bargain compared to buying it at a deli dept.-just slice it and freeze in small packets for sandwiches. Their tuna is a great buy and 8 cans of that doesn't take up a lot of pantry space. Their salmon can easily be divided into 3 meals and frozen. Their pizza is pretty tasty and only $2 per slice. I also buy both Kirkland and Kerrygold butter and freeze that.
We signed up for the Costco Visa citicard with no annual fee but beaucoup bucks back on our anniversary date.

 

[Rolltydr]

If it's a new Costco to the area, you might get an invite for a free first yr membership. I know I did years ago.

That would be nice. I’ll watch for it. Thanks.

 

[VacationForever]

We go to Costco once a month or every other month, primarily to shop for meats. They have the best meat, prime grade beef and baby back ribs with membrane already removed. They also have many frozen seafood options which we love - marinated wild salmon, chilean sea bass and wild large shrimps.

 

[Rolltydr]

We use Costco for our eyeglasses, hearing aids, wine (10% discount for 6 bottles) and fake Baileys, booking cruises and rental cars, gas...
Recently, I found knee-length shorts for $9.99 at a Vermont Costco. Their fully cooked turkey breast is a bargain compared to buying it at a deli dept.-just slice it and freeze in small packets for sandwiches. Their tuna is a great buy and 8 cans of that doesn't take up a lot of pantry space. Their salmon can easily be divided into 3 meals and frozen. Their pizza is pretty tasty and only $2 per slice. I also buy both Kirkland and Kerrygold butter and freeze that.
We signed up for the Costco Visa citicard with no annual fee but beaucoup bucks back on our anniversary date.

I hadn’t thought about eyeglasses. Do they accept vision insurance? We have an excellent policy that pays for one pair of regular glasses or sunglasses every year. I’ll check into the credit card. We actually have a Citi Cashback card that pays 2% cash back for all purchases. I’ll see how the Costco card compares.

Thanks for the info.

 

[RX8]

I hadn’t thought about eyeglasses. Do they accept vision insurance? We have an excellent policy that pays for one pair of regular glasses or sunglasses every year. I’ll check into the credit card. We actually have a Citi Cashback card that pays 2% cash back for all purchases. I’ll see how the Costco card compares.

Thanks for the info.

Yes, the optical department accepts insurance. There are independent optometrists within Costco. You can check with them to see if they accept your insurance. I do not believe you need a Costco membership to use them.

I had a membership (through my dad) since way back when it was known as Price Club. Been a member ever since. I am biased since my wife currently works at Costco but these are the reasons why I recommend Costco.

• Cheap merchandise prices
• Cheap food prices
• Cheap gas
• Good deals on appliances and electronics
• Generous return policy
• Pharmacy and Optometrist on site
• Costco Travel benefits - rental cars, cruises and hotels, many with extra bonus cash card with purchase (hotel and cruises only)
• When traveling, great for stocking up for your timeshare vacation. Also great for cheap souvenirs (such as local football, baseball or college shirts or hoodies).
• $1.50 hot dog and drink and $9.99 large pizzas (also great for cheap vacation meals)
• With the Costco Citi Visa card, membership pays for itself with cash back.

Costco Citi Visa cash back.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I like fresh vegetables and fruits at Costco. I eat mostly broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and salad items.

We buy a lot of do-it-yourself items at Costco. Rick has somethings he always buys there, like eggs, bacon and his favorite Reiser's potato salad to go with our pulled pork.

We bought a large pork shoulder/butt and cut it into four smaller ones, froze those, and we make our own pulled pork with it. So good with the McCormick packet for pulled pork in the crockpot.

We buy chuck roasts for pot roast. Rick likes the Smuckers PBJ uncrustables because he can take two out 30 minutes before he eats and he enjoys those every day.

We buy butter, sour cream, shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar). We buy organic ground beef in the 3 pack. Pasta is cheap there and Rick likes the Rao's sauce they sell. We buy sausage at Costco too, in the four-pack package and use it for spaghetti sauce (me without the pasta).

The frozen chicken breasts are great for our chicken taco soup for the crockpot.

We rarely go to the regular grocery stores.

Summer is a great time for Costco purchases for us.

 

[Rolltydr]

I like fresh vegetables and fruits at Costco. I eat mostly broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and salad items.

We buy a lot of do-it-yourself items at Costco. Rick has somethings he always buys there, like eggs, bacon and his favorite Reiser's potato salad to go with our pulled pork.

We bought a large pork shoulder/butt and cut it into four smaller ones, froze those, and we make our own pulled pork with it. So good with the McCormick packet for pulled pork in the crockpot.

We buy chuck roasts for pot roast. Rick likes the Smuckers PBJ uncrustables because he can take two out 30 minutes before he eats and he enjoys those every day.

We buy butter, sour cream, shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar). We buy organic ground beef in the 3 pack. Pasta is cheap there and Rick likes the Rao's sauce they sell. We buy sausage at Costco too, in the four-pack package and use it for spaghetti sauce (me without the pasta).

The frozen chicken breasts are great for our chicken taco soup for the crockpot.

We rarely go to the regular grocery stores.

Summer is a great time for Costco purchases for us.

I haven’t been there in almost 20 years so, are all grocery items in bulk or can you just buy single regular size items like in a grocery store? You said you rarely go to a regular grocery store so I’m curious if you just buy everything in bulk. We shop at Publix and actually have a new one opening in a few months about a mile in the other direction. We probably go to Publix 3-4 times a week just to pick up a few items at a time. I’m not sure I would want to go to Costco that often.

 

[DaveNV]

After a few years on TUG, I know that many of you are faithful Costco members and shoppers. Also, at least one of you worked at and retired from there (looking at you DaveNV).

What say you, fellow Tuggers?

Ok, here's the deal: When the new warehouse opens, join, and ride it out for the first year. You have absolutely nothing to lose. Here's why:

It'll cost you $120 for the Executive Membership for that first year. You'll receive a 2% rebate check on everything you buy, except for gas. If you expect to be making any sort of major purchase, (tires, electronics, TV or computer, major appliances and such), you'll quickly spend more than the needed amount to break even on that membership level. Even buying quality wine or good cuts of meat will add up quickly. So ask them to track your spending for you, to see how well you do.

If you find you aren't using it that much, and your rebate check doesn't cover the difference between the Gold Star and Executive Membership levels, (in other words, if the rebate check is less than $60), they will downgrade you to the Gold Star level, at $60 a year, and give you the difference between your 2% rebate check and the $120 you'd paid to be Executive. So in that way, you have no risk.

And if you find flat out you just aren't using it much at all, they will cancel your membership and refund the membership fee at any time during that membership year. You could literally cancel on the 364th day of the year, and get your entire membership fee refunded to you.

As for the Citi Costco Visa card, as listed above, you'll receive 1-4% rebate on all purchases made anywhere, not just at Costco. But you'll also get a rebate on gas bought at Costco, which you don't get if you use a different form of payment. So it's a worthwhile card to have. Note that Costco gas prices tend to be cheaper than anything around, including any cheapo gas stations. And it's quality gas. You need a Costco membership card to buy gas there, so give things a chance. It may surprise you how much you can save.

You need to check out the warehouse, because things are different than they used to be. Yes, there are some bulk items to buy, but there are a lot of non-bulk items available now, too. The fresh deli and organic items are extensive, and are usually in a size that you and your wife can use alone, without having guests over to help eat it all.

And don't forget the quality of what Costco sells is usually higher than anything in the competing market area. But it's Costco, so if you buy something and you just don't like it, you can get a full refund, without complications. As I say, you have nothing to lose.

All in, it's worth checking out. Have fun!

Dave

 

[joestein]

Personally, I have found that the quality of stuff at Costco has gone downhill and their prices have risen significantly, especially meat. However, they still do have some great values. Especially Eyeglasses and rental cars.

I have two Costco's near me. One in Marlboro (a wealthy area) and one in Hazlet (not as wealthy). My wife buys a salad kit at Costco - At Marlboro it is 2 separate kits attached for $7.99. At Hazlet the same 2 separate kits attached were $5.99.

This is the first time I noticed a difference in prices between Costco's. I did not notice any sales signes - so I don't think that was the reason.

 

[DaveNV]

Personally, I have found that the quality of stuff at Costco has gone downhill and their prices have risen significantly, especially meat. However, they still do have some great values. Especially Eyeglasses and rental cars.

I have two Costco's near me. One in Marlboro (a wealthy area) and one in Hazlet (not as wealthy). My wife buys a salad kit at Costco - At Marlboro it is 2 separate kits attached for $7.99. At Hazlet the same 2 separate kits attached were $5.99.

This is the first time I noticed a difference in prices between Costco's. I did not notice any sales signes - so I don't think that was the reason.

Joe, I'd try to verify the item number. If they're the same number, they should usually be the same price. It may have been marked down for some reason. On perishable items like salad, they may mark them down to get them sold while they're still good.

Dave

 

[Rolltydr]

Ok, here's the deal: When the new warehouse opens, join, and ride it out for the first year. You have absolutely nothing to lose. Here's why:

It'll cost you $120 for the Executive Membership for that first year. You'll receive a 2% rebate check on everything you buy, except for gas. If you expect to be making any sort of major purchase, (tires, electronics, TV or computer, major appliances and such), you'll quickly spend more than the needed amount to break even on that membership level. Even buying quality wine or good cuts of meat will add up quickly. So ask them to track your spending for you, to see how well you do.

If you find you aren't using it that much, and your rebate check doesn't cover the difference between the Gold Star and Executive Membership levels, (in other words, if the rebate check is less than $60), they will downgrade you to the Gold Star level, at $60 a year, and give you the difference between your 2% rebate check and the $120 you'd paid to be Executive. So in that way, you have no risk.

And if you find flat out you just aren't using it much at all, they will cancel your membership and refund the membership fee at any time during that membership year. You could literally cancel on the 364th day of the year, and get your entire membership fee refunded to you.

As for the Citi Costco Visa card, as listed above, you'll receive 1-4% rebate on all purchases made anywhere, not just at Costco. But you'll also get a rebate on gas bought at Costco, which you don't get if you use a different form of payment. So it's a worthwhile card to have. Note that Costco gas prices tend to be cheaper than anything around, including any cheapo gas stations. And it's quality gas. You need a Costco membership card to buy gas there, so give things a chance. It may surprise you how much you can save.

You need to check out the warehouse, because things are different than they used to be. Yes, there are some bulk items to buy, but there are a lot of non-bulk items available now, too. The fresh deli and organic items are extensive, and are usually in a size that you and your wife can use alone, without having guests over to help eat it all.

And don't forget the quality of what Costco sells is usually higher than anything in the competing market area. But it's Costco, so if you buy something and you just don't like it, you can get a full refund, without complications. As I say, you have nothing to lose.

All in, it's worth checking out. Have fun!

Dave

Are you sure you’re not still on the payroll? You’re one of their best hucksters!

Thanks for all the info. I knew you’d bring it. I will probably need at least one set of tires so that’s a good point. I also will need to replace my MacBook Air. Do they have better prices than Apple or does Apple require them to stick with their MSRP?

 

[Luanne]

Are you sure you’re not still on the payroll? You’re one of their best hucksters!

Thanks for all the info. I knew you’d bring it. I will probably need at least one set of tires so that’s a good point. I also will need to replace my MacBook Air. Do they have better prices than Apple or does Apple require them to stick with their MSRP?

DaveNV never was on the Costco payroll.

 

[DaveNV]

Are you sure you’re not still on the payroll? You’re one of their best hucksters!

Thanks for all the info. I knew you’d bring it. I will probably need at least one set of tires so that’s a good point. I also will need to replace my MacBook Air. Do they have better prices than Apple or does Apple require them to stick with their MSRP?

Thanks, but I was never on their payroll. That was my husband. But I've been a member since 1982 (Price Club --> Price Costco --> Costco.) But I'm a dedicated member, and I recognize the value in supporting the company. I do shop in other stores, but I generally start by checking Costco for many things. Not huckstering for them, I just like the business model.

(As an aside, my Citi Costco Visa rebate for this year is already more than $350, and I'm only four months into my card's calendar year. So my Executive Membership has already paid for itself. I expect I'll get a whole lot more when I'm done, by the time we reach the end of the year. And that's a separate check from the 2% rebate we'll get from the Executive Membership. Win-win.)

The brand name tires at Costco are frequently on sale, some with rebates attached, so watch for that. Ask the Tire Shop what's on sale, or is going on sale, when you need them. It's a great value at a fair price.

As for Apple products, there may be a slight discount at Costco - you'll have to compare prices at the time. Note that the models Costco sells are the off-the-shelf versions, not the customized versions you can get from Apple directly. So if you need something special, it may be easier to buy it from Apple. (Pay for it with that Citi Costco Visa card, so you'll get the rebate on the sales price. More money saved. )

Dave

 

[geist1223]

You do have to shop. The other day Wild Caught never frozen Salmon was $13.99 pound at Costco and you ended up with so much in the Packet you would end up freezing some. There goes the never frozen bonus. We did not buy. Later we were at Fred Meyer (Kroger). Their Wild Caught never frozen was $4 per pound cheaper and you could decide how much to buy. We bought 1 large Filet and grilled it on the Barbecue that night. Milks and eggs are cheaper at Safeway or Fred Meyer. Fresh Fruit and Vegetables are cheaper at WINCO.

 

[amycurl]

I *heart* Costco. I just returned from getting my tires balanced and rotated, for free. I had snacks and a drink (for free--they had water samples today, too!) while sitting on a real comfortable couch in air conditioning while I wait. I bought gas for under $4.50/gallon, picked up loratadine-D (Claritan D) 24 hour for under $5 for 15 tablets (it's three times that, even for generic, at CVS or Walgreens) at the pharmacy and purchased a nice multi-pack of Band-aids to replenish all of my various first-aid kits (and travel packs.) I didn't even buy any food on this trip, LOL, and still got my money's worth.

We pay for the Executive membership, and while we might not get the whole membership amount back as a rebate, we do get enough back to cover the basic membership cost, so, in the end, it still pays for itself. (I may not be explaining that right, but I have done the math correctly over many years.)

And the pizza and hot dogs from the food court are a *steal.*

I was heartbroken this week when I went to replenish my Smart Balance (we use one big tug, freeze the other...we only usually purchase it maybe 3-4 times a year) to find they didn't have it anymore, and had I Can't Believe It's Not Butter instead. REALLY? I can't believe it's not Smart Balance. *sad trombone* They've also stopped carrying the dried cherries that my husband loves as snacks and salad topping, as well as pine nuts (it was the only *reasonably* place to purchase pine nuts, to be honest.) I try to put it behind me, but I'm still kind of in mourning about those items, LOL.

But during the #quarantimes, they started carrying King Arthur all-purpose flour, which, I've found, is totally worth the difference in price--esp. since now that I'm buying it at Costco, it is much more reasonably priced than purchasing it at the grocery store (or from their website site.)

I also really appreciate Costco's responsibility for their supply chain, especially when in comes to seafood. There's actually a lot of slavery tied to shrimp harvesting in SE Asia, and I'm reassured that Costco is not contributing to that issue.

 

[Luanne]

When we lived close to a Costco we went every week. Now that the closest one is an hour away we go once a month. I've been a member since it was Price Club.

 

[Rolltydr]

Thanks, but I was never on their payroll. That was my husband. But I've been a member since 1982 (Price Club --> Price Costco --> Costco.) But I'm a dedicated member, and I recognize the value in supporting the company. I do shop in other stores, but I generally start by checking Costco for many things. Not huckstering for them, I just like the business model.

(As an aside, my Citi Costco Visa rebate for this year is already more than $350, and I'm only four months into my card's calendar year. So my Executive Membership has already paid for itself. I expect I'll get a whole lot more when I'm done, by the time we reach the end of the year. And that's a separate check from the 2% rebate we'll get from the Executive Membership. Win-win.)

The brand name tires at Costco are frequently on sale, some with rebates attached, so watch for that. Ask the Tire Shop what's on sale, or is going on sale, when you need them. It's a great value at a fair price.

As for Apple products, there may be a slight discount at Costco - you'll have to compare prices at the time. Note that the models Costco sells are the off-the-shelf versions, not the customized versions you can get from Apple directly. So if you need something special, it may be easier to buy it from Apple. (Pay for it with that Citi Costco Visa card, so you'll get the rebate on the sales price. More money saved. )

Dave

Sorry for the error. For some reason, I thought you both worked there.

I hate getting another credit card but I may have to. It looks like it might be worth the trouble.

 

[ScoopKona]

I wish Costco didn't have quite so generous a return policy. It irks me if I visit Costco during the week after the Superbowl and see a line of people all returning big-screen televisions.

Yeah, we all know what these moochers did -- scored a "free" TV so they could impress people at their superbowl party.

I have also seen people return what looked like a year's worth of dead alkaline batteries and worn-out tools. I don't know if that means I lived in an area with awful people, or if awful people gravitate to the generous return policy.

There are only a few dozen items I'll purchase at Costco. But those few dozen items makes the membership card worth it.

Since there is no way I'd ever spend $6,000 in a year at Costco, I don't bother with the executive membership. I'd never recoup the money.

 

[DaveNV]

Sorry for the error. For some reason, I thought you both worked there.

I hate getting another credit card but I may have to. It looks like it might be worth the trouble.

I know it probably sounded like I worked there, because I was always touting the benefits. Truth be told, I'd quite often take Tug questions to my husband, and ask him how it worked, so I could be very specific in my replies. He started as a Front End Cashier, then was a Membership/Marketing, and Refund Cashier with Costco, all for about 25 years. Tons of experience in how things worked. I was in IT all of my working career, the last 13 years of which I worked for a major Pacific Northwest regional hospital and medical center.

The credit card may be worth it, in the end. I also have several, but the Citi Costco Visa is the only one I carry and use. The rest are locked in the safe.

Dave

 

[billymach4]

Costco is my one and only religious affiliation.

 

[billymach4]

Costco is my one and only religious affiliation.

I tithe weekly

 

[billymach4]

FWIW I posted months back that the financial wizards of the internet are predicting this year COSTCO will be increasing membership fees. Apparently we are due for an increase at point in their cycle.