Does anyone else have a love/hate relationship with Costco? When going there, I have found some definite best buys from Costco, and some not-so-best buys. There is something about that store that sucks me in (because I love it) and that causes me to lose track of time…and money (hate). I’m going to bet that a lot of it is due to the free samples.
I wish Costco gave free samples of wine. If they do, it’s never been on a day that I’m there, sadly.
So, is everything at Costco a deal? No way. But there are some great money and grocery trip savers that I have found from there.
Best Things To Buy At Costco
- Spinach and other bulk fresh greens: These are great because for a huge container of organic greens, the price is much better than normal grocery stores. I love this because I use greens in my smoothies every day. Plus, you can take half of the package out and freeze it for things like smoothies, and leave the other half fresh in the fridge for salads, omelettes (like my favorite breakfast omelette here), etc…
- Almond and/or Soy Milk: Honestly, you have to really love milk for this to be a good deal. For my family, we drink a ton of almond milk, which has a much longer expiration date than regular milk does. So, for the three-pack that you can find at Costco, we save so much more than buying individually for $2.99+ at the grocery store.
- Cheese: Sandwich cheese, shredded cheese, and fancy cheeses are great to buy from here. Again, you can always freeze them if you don’t use them quickly. The sliced cheese is great quality and I love the variety pack because there is something in there for everyone. Our family loves to snack on cheese trays, so the fancy cheeses that you can buy in larger quantities are great finds (the brie is awesome).
- Almonds: If you love raw almonds like I do, you should be getting them from Costco. You get a huge 3 pound bag for around $12, which is a steal! You can hardly get a pound for under $10 at the regular store.
- Paper Towels and Toilet Paper: These are the best things ever to get from Costco. You get huge packs of the Kirkland brand that last forever. You don’t have to keep making trips to the store when you run out. The rolls are huge and it is well worth the $13-$15 in my opinion.
- Bottled Water: The pricing may be slightly comparable to the grocery store if there is a sale, but whenever we go to Costco, we just stock up on multiple huge cases of water at a great price. We go through tons of bottled water here in AZ, since the tap water is less than acceptable to drink.
Honorable mentions are olive oil, wine, beer and vodka. The olive oil I don’t buy because I get mine from a little local shop in Scottsdale that I love. I do buy wine there from time to time because they have such a huge selection, and the vodka is bottled in the same factory as Grey Goose… you can buy it for about half the price if you get the Kirkland brand.
What are your favorite things to get from Costco?
*Here’s to finding great deals and saving money*
What awesome tips here! We used to go to Costco, but then stopped since I didnt really know if it was worth it. Now with the kids getting older and us meal planning more.. it may be worth it to head back there!
Lauren recently posted…Periscope Love
There are some good finds there if you do your research:)
This is so great to know!! I love going to Costco, but sometimes question which items are really worth it. Thanks for sharing the awesome tips!
Lindsay @Artsy-Fartsy Mama recently posted…Free Printable After School Checklist
Thanks for the additional tips for Costco. We love Costco also! Some favorite things always on our list are: frozen boneless chicken breasts, salmon, snacks, and recently I have fallen in love with their salad kits!
I just had their salad kits for the first time yesterday. Yum!
I’ve been wondering about this – I’m nearly at the end of my first year of membership and I always spend far too much at Costco! Thanks for the tips 🙂
annabelt @ geeks diet recently posted…Shakespeare Monologues that got my son into drama school… (by Klingons, Teletubbies, Tom Hiddleston and two year olds)
My faves: organic olive oil, organic grass fed beef, Wild Planet albacore tuna and their big bags of popcorn for snacking!
Carla recently posted…Sparkling Peach Sangria
I used to always buy trash bags there. Way cheaper. It’s kind of far from me so I no longer have a membership.
Melissa (Wading Through Motherhood) recently posted…5 Signs You Need a Date Night
Interesting, I’ve never looked at those. I will have to next time:)
Yes! I buy all of those things! I love to buy fruits and milk there.
Kim recently posted…Time Management & Clock System
Fruits are a great find there when they’re in season:)
I love Costco! We are renewing our membership this month. So many healthy options there and fun to see what’s new!
Chrissa – Physical Kitchness recently posted…Staying Healthy During Happy Hour
I didn’t realize the water was a good deal, I guess I never looked. Thank you for that tip (we go through water like crazy), and all the others!
Mary recently posted…Watermelon Salad
So do we! It’s just more bang for your buck unless there is a great deal at your local store.
I’m ALWAYS in Costco – everything always looks so good, but I never know what the good deals are. I’ll make a point to add these to my shopping list 😀
Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah recently posted…Pan Seared Scallops with Bacon Cream Sauce