So, tell me about CostCo.

In My Humble Opinion
1

As this thread on shelf-stable milk seems to have morphed into a discussion of the potential merits of a CostCo membership for a single person, and I’ve been mulling the idea for a while now, I decided to make an actual poll. So hey, CostCo members - what do you love and not love about the place? I’d be especially interested in things that might apply to a single person who isn’t going to be able to use up, say, half a side of beef on a regular basis.

For the record, I do love to cook, generally avoid foods with lots of chemical additives, and am not a hugely acquisitive person when it comes to having the newest, coolest electronics or buying tons of DVDs or that sort of thing. So what everyday consumable items do you find yourselves buying there most often, and why? For instance, a friend of mine swears by their salmon, but the occasions when I am going to be able to use up 5 lbs. of salmon before it goes bad are relatively rare. But I am in love with the sugar snap peas from their veggie trays, which other friends have been known to put out when they are having people over. So go ahead, witness for me! (And feel free not to restrict yourselves to food items, though I suspect that’s what I would buy most often if I had a membership.)

2

I’m a member, but I rarely shop there. Their food portion sizes are just too large, and I too am not much of a ‘consumer’. But I like their meat. Some of the best beef I’ve bought has been from CostCo; especially their prime rib. I like Tillamook medium cheddar cheese and Gallo salami, and they’re cheaper there than at the supermarket. Of course the whole point of cheese and sausages is that they keep well; so the larger sizes are okay. When I broke my digital camera I bought a newer, better one at CostCo for about $20 less than elsewhere.

I like that they have samples of their wares. Tasting something first is a good way to decide weather to buy it. (Sometimes I do, most times I don’t.) I don’t like the long lines, and I don’t like that they don’t take Mastercard or Visa.

For non-food items I’ve already mentioned the camera. Most of the other stuff doesn’t interest me. However I will probably buy one of their ‘carport’ things. This is a metal frame with PVC (or some sort of plastic – like those blue tarps, only tan) roofs and sides. I know they can be bought at Pep Boys, but I haven’t compared prices yet. I bought a flat-screen TV elsewhere for my apartment; but they have a small selection of larger TVs that I’ll consider for the house when I move home.

Is it worth $45/year? Mostly I buy the cheese, salami and prime rib. I buy the former to a few times per year, and the prime rib once or twice a year. For me it’s probably a break-even proposition. But I do like their beef and they seem to have the ribs more often than the local supermarket, which seems to reserve that cut for holidays.

3

Although the selection is abysmal, their prices on electronics and software are hard to beat. Books too. They sell movie passes for cheap as well.

They are a great place for cheap toiletries as well, and a lot of their clothes aren’t bad at all. I have a number of shirts and pants from Costco that have been in service for years. Tire prices are nice, and a number of their non-perishables are not TOO massive. They have a great custom cake service if you need a cake for an office party. Their rotisseried chickens are fantastic for quick dinner.

When my insurance pays for the lenses in my glasses and won’t shell out a dime more for the rest of the year, I buy my contact lenses there. Way cheaper than anywhere else.

Oh, and their pizza, served outside the store to all comers, is shockingly good, at least at all the locations around me.

4

I have sporadically been a member, courtesy of my father. I rarely go, though, except when doing a party. Their prices on liquor are pretty good, enough so that if you’re buying in quantity for a party (beer particularly), and you shop carefully, it’s worth it. Their veggie trays, as you note, are good. But for a single person, it doesn’t seem worth it. I’ve probably only been three times in the past two years.

If you’re interested in joining, though, I’d recommend finding some likeminded friends with whom you can split the 5 pounds of salmon or whatever. As to that, though, a friend who shops there relatively frequently buys in bulk and then splits the food up and freezes it. Except for fruits and vegetables, it works. If you shop carefully, you also may find deals on toiletries, although in my experience, the deals haven’t been that good.

My secretary shops there frequently. She buys her glasses there; she books travel through them; she buys furniture, electronics, food, etc. She swears by Costco. But overall, if I didn’t get a free membership from my dad, I wouldn’t bother with one.

5

We hit Costco about 4-5 times a year, but it is well worth it in savings. Toiletries have been mentioned. I can get a 3-pack of shaving gel for the price of a single can at the local Walgreen’s. Ditto Fusion cartridges and the like. Anything that you use regularly, this is the place to stuck up on it at. (My English teachers have all just rolled over in their graves!) The frozen pizza is sublime, and the meat selection superb. We’ve also bought kitchen appliances and garden tools at Costco, at considerable savings. Another vote “Aye.”

6

Canadian Costco: I was a member but $50.00 per year is a lot and you have to buy lots of stuff there to make that worthwhile. Now, I just go through someone else if I want something, not more than once, possibly twice per year. Large quantities aren’t worth the feeling to “use it up” since we’re only two most of the time and recently divested ourselves of a freezer so no extra room. Although, for what is worth, I remember their beef being pretty good, as well as books.

7

Gas is generally $.20/gallon cheaper at Costco than it is at the major gas chains. That alone pays my membership fee.

I usually don’t buy very much at Costco - I really don’t need that much of anything at once, before it goes bad. Electronics are a good deal, as are housewares, books, and DVDs (when I want them).

If I had enough forethought to buy and freeze the meat, that would also be worthwhile.

8

We go about once a month. Meat, vegetables, fruit, toilet paper. Food can be brought home and divided into smaller freezer bags. When I was single, I’d go to a similar store with a couple of friends and we’d divide the purchases to make more single-friendly portions.

In addition to the above, I’ve bought books, software, CDs, DVDs, clothing, towels, USB thumb drives, CD-RWs, photo finishing, and passport pictures at Costco within the last year.

9

Since the membership includes 2 cards per ‘household’; you could do what I do with my dad: split the membership cost with someone else. You’d have to make sure that the other person is good for the $25/year though.

10

I split a membership with my ex-wife so it’s only $23 for me. You’re only supposed to get two cards if it’s a spouse but we still have the same last name so they couldn’t tell and they probably don’t give a crap anyway.

I buy Vitamin Water there by the case for like 80 cents a bottle. It’s $1.20 to $2.00 a bottle elsewhere. It’s worth it just for that.

I just bought Turbo Tax there for $15 less than I could have paid anywhere else including on-line.

Another great value is stuff like Advil and Excedrine. You have to buy a shit load of it but it’s not like it spoils. It can be as low as 25% of the price you pay at the drug store.

Selection is limited which can be an issue. For example, they have great prices on razor blades but they don’t have the kind that fits my handle.

The free samples are good too. If you hit all of them, you’ll get enough food so that you don’t need to buy lunch that day.

I don’t drink alcohol but I understand that the liquor and wine prices are very good too.

11

I think I saw a study that people who purchase food items at places like Costco sometimes eat more than they would have otherwise, simply from having the large packages around. So you need to exercise self-restraint or share the food with others.

I don’t think a membership is worthwhile for a single person such as myself, particularly as I live in a small apartment.

12

Their meat is excellent quality. And my husband loves their salmon. I just bought a 20 pound bag of HUGE (the size of 2 fists) baking potatoes for 6 bucks. If you’re having a party, Costco is awesome because the bulk priced items (e.g. 4 pounds of shredded cheddar cheese for $5.99) can be an incredible value.

I’ve also saved on everything from tennis racquets ($40 for a racquet that retailed at Dick’s for over $100) to eyeglasses ($100 for a single prescription), to laptops. Last year I bought a Nikon D50, which was the same price as everywhere else, BUT it included a second $200 lens and a padded bag which fit everything in neatly.

And their return policy is very generous. A friend of mine just returned a patio set that she bought FIVE years ago because the bolts were rusting. She got her entire purchase price refunded. My daughter’s eyeglass frame had a coating on it that was starting the scratch off; 11 months after I bought them, I got a brand new frame for free.

When I went to Maui in November, I saved enough on one rental car to justify the membership for the year. I’m just starting to research the prices on new carpet. Costco is on my list of places to compare prices.

I love Costco. I have an Executive Membership ($100/year) which earns me a free membership after the EOY rebate.

13

I love Costco. I did what a lot of people above mentioned, which is split a membership with my mom. We alternate years, though, instead of paying half each - I started the membership, she paid the next year, me, then her, and this March it’s back to me.

The thing that makes it worth it, for me, is the coffee beans. I can get a 5lb sack of really decent french roast coffee beans for $10 - try getting a price like that anywhere else. Considering how much of a coffee snob I am, and how much coffee the Tashaboy and I drink, that alone makes it worth it. I also love their fresh produce section (Portabella mushrooms and fresh garlic on the cheap? Hell yes) and their meats - if you scout enough you can get a small pack, or you can buy a big pack and separate then freeze it at home. I also love the toiletries - I HATE having to buy toiletries, so I tend to go to Costco once every few months and buy $50 in toiletries and hide them away - deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and contioner, even condoms. It’s just easier than dealing with Wal-Mart every two weeks.

For you smokers out there, cartons of cigarettes tend to sell pretty cheap at Costco, too. They don’t have roll-your-own tobacco at my Costco, which is what I smoke, or else I’d buy it there too.

Munchies like snack crackers and fruit snacks sell really well there, too. I’m not single, but I’m not married and I don’t have kids, and we have friends over a lot to play video games or watch TV - having the munchies on hand is worth it, IMO. I wouldn’t recommend buying things like soda at Costco, because it’s normally more expensive, but if you want other drinks that you don’t have to pour into a glass - say, Capri Sun or juice boxes - to serve friends, Costco is a GREAT place to get that kind of thing.

Plus their samples! If you go to a Costco on a Saturday afternoon, you won’t have to pay for lunch. I also buy a lot of clothes like pants there. The prices are great and the clothes are comfortable.

Most Costco’s that I’ve been to have a cafe for members - and let me tell you, the food in those cafes ROCKS. You can get a medium-sized (20 oz) soft drink for half a buck, and a whole huge slice of pizza for a buck fifty. They usually have things like hot pocket-style foods and churros there, too. And Kosher hot dogs, which are the best.

The downside to Costco, is, of course, the yuppies. They infest the place.

~Tasha

14

I’ve been a member over 20 yrs. Like others, I buy some food there and freeze it in smaller pkgs. If your local store has gas, it’s hard to beat the price. I found printer ink to be a big savings. The selection is limited, but you rarely, if ever, find anything of poor quality. Many of the clothing items are designer label, for those who care. The pizza, 18" I think, is 10 bucks, or you can take a cook it yourself for $7.50. three choices, plain cheese, pepperoni, or combo. (Peprni., gr. pep., on., mush., saus.) I like the large fresh baked muffins, several choices, a doz. for $6.00. I eat a third of one w/ my coffee in the A.M. Photo developing is cheap.
I think the only way to judge is to get a years membership and try it out.

15

6 year Costco employee checking in here.
The memberships are kind of a nit-pick when it comes to my employer. I actually work in the bakery, but I have helped out in various depts. and have talked to most of my managers to get the feel of just how Costco works.

From my understanding, Costco’s markup is very small, ranging from 1% to about 10%, with the average actually being between 1%-4%. So if we go with 5%, we only make about about a buck on each DVD sold. We get good deals from vendors (Sony, Toshiba, etc) because we buy in bulk. As most of you know, Costco has a very good return policy. We are told to accept any return, no questions asked. We actully had a person return a lawnmower that was like 15 years old. Costco exchanged it for a new one. The complaint was that after 15 years, it simply stopped working. I wonder why.

What Costco really cares about are your membership fees. That is where Costco makes 99% of their money. If you pay for a regular membership, or better yet, an executive membership for $100 anually, every penny goes to Costco. Costco hates it when people share memberships because they are losing out on potential dollars. As an employee, I can get fired for rounding up my friends and having them all shop on my membership (Unless they are all under my household). The reasons are two-fold: One, the company loses on the lack of additional memberships. Two, employees get free executive memberships, which yield a 3% return, with an annual limit of $500. Some employees in the past have schemed to get this limit, and have thus gotten fired.

Costco will also not adverstise that it is against the law for us to charge a fee to access goods that are federally regulated, such as our pharmacy, alcohol, and cigarettes. You do NOT need a membership to purchase any of these items. Most of our employees and managers are ignorant of this, so it’s always amusing to see a customer roll up to the cashier with a crapload of alcohol and no membership. By law, we have to sell you the alcohol. So you can enter a Costco building without having your membership card “checked”. Just tell them to step aside because you are there to use the pharmacy, buy cigarettes or alcohol.

To keep in flow with the discussion, this is what I would do as a single person (and what Costco hates!):

If you can, round up 4 people to, ahem, live in your household. :slight_smile: Split a $100 executive membership, so you each pay $25. Each time you use that membership, you get 3% rebate, which they mail to you in the form of a check every year. If each of you spent about $875 per year in goods, you would each get your $25 back in form of a rebate, therefore making your membership free. This, of course, can only be done if you are all under the same household, per Costco rules.

On a further note, customers were upgrading their computers using our lenient return policy every 1-2 years, so we put a limit on 12 months for computers. But even with 12 months, some people still go crazy with it.

If you are single and live by yourself, Costco might be a stretch for you, but you can still make good on items such as toiletries, clothes, CD’s, DVD’s, etc.

But if you are single with multiple roommates, it is definitely worth it to combine your efforts and shop at Costco.

16

Wow, that’s some good ifo there, thanks!

17

And ifo, of course means, “info,” in my world at least

18

I’m single too, and I shop there every couple of months or so.

It pays for itself in a couple of directions: contact lenses, buying a year’s supply of allergy meds for $12, supporting my aged-cheese habit; any of those make it worth my while to fork over $50 once a year.

I keep a few things as staples that I just wouldn’t without Costco: the afore-mentioned cheese, the Gallo hot salami (which I can’t even find anywhere else, much less for that price!), a gallon jar of marinated artichoke hearts (I go through two or four of those a year; if I had to pay $8 for a teeny grocery store jar, I just wouldn’t eat them, and that would be a shame), or a big jar of capers for $5. Not really sure how long it’s going to take me to use up that last one, but at $5, who cares?

Their food quality is really good too. I buy meat and divide it and freeze it, and I like the individually-wrapped packages of frozen fish to keep around. I like their fresh breads, the cakes are good, and the produce can be excellent, although you have to kind of watch the bell peppers.

I also like to buy a foot-high stack of paper plates, or enough ziploc bags to wrap up a good-sized deer with. I don’t find that the dog food is a particular bargain, but it’s no worse than anywhere else, so if I’m there and need it, I’ll get it.

I don’t buy a lot of electronics there because of their no Mastercard/Visa policy. I like to use the credit card for those things. The lines suck, but if you go in the morning, they’re not bad. I can’t get out of the place without a DVD or a book, or both. I consider it an unusual success if I leave there with a less than $100 bill; therefore, I don’t go at the end of the month. I swear, one of these days, I’m going to come home with a shrink-wrapped two-pack of backhoes, or a dozen llamas.

I find it worth it, but do you have a big pantry and a chest freezer?

19

We get certain staples at CostCo. I hate going there because of the crowds and lines, so it’s my husband’s job and he gets pizza, which makes him happy. We get:

bread
sliced cheese
two kinds of juice
cold cereal
soda pop
string cheese
canned soup
canned tuna
deli turkey for husband’s work lunches
my husband gets short-sleeve cotton shirts and socks
pies at holidays sometimes
photos developed
electronics every once in a while

I’m sure there’s more, but those are the basics. It’s worth the membership cost, since we get more than that in savings.

20

Their pizza is severely addictive. It must be something in the grease. But singing angels appear with every bite. And, in a pinch, I can usually weasel my way in as far as the cafe without a membership card.

I can’t speak about the rest of the store; I just let my wife handle that while I indulge in that seductive, cheap, narcotic pizza.