We love Costco! (food, eyeglasses, clothing, sports equipment, wine, etc. etc.) Hope you enjoy your membership!

Haha, OJ! Costco seems tailor-made for you, though you do have to consider whether you can consume all the chosen produce or other food that comes in large packages. Maybe you can split cost and product with your landlord? (If he's back home.)

We have been members for years. We have saved lots of money on big-ticket items. Not everything is cheaper there, but for the most part, you get good value.

The rotisserie chicken is worth a trip.

Costco is great! This is what we normally get: watermelon, pre cooked bacon (50 slices for $11), salad mix, cherry tomatoes, granola bars, pecans (for baking), and flowers for when we have company over. Costco is great, but I have to be careful or I will end up having a bill for $400!

ETA: Almost forgot, I also get the grass fed, organic beef that comes in a three pack.

They have tons of stuff. Computer stuff and games up front which interested my son. A big selection of pool toys and paraphernalia. Next time my son visits with my grand baby, I am going to buy her floats and pool noodles and a tube, she is fixing to learn how to swim and she loves the pool areas at my apt.

Basilcook, the precooked bacon sounds like an interesting idea to try, is it in the meat department?

I have not had a Costco membership for many years. All the temptation got me into too much trouble, lol. I LOVE browsing the store, but ended up buying too much in bulk that we couldn't get through, and impulse bought a lot of stuff we didn't need. I don't think I've ever had anything from their bakery that wasn't excellent. Sometimes we will go along with family members who have a membership- just love wandering around that warehouse!

I hear their car buying service is pretty good too.

Enjoy your membership!

Lucille, welcome to the world of Costco! You'll need to shop differently, maybe even cook differently or a lot of fresh food will go to waste. Costco is the reason we bought a food vacuum system.

It's also easy to become a victim of the delicious, ready to cook convenience foods that Costco is so famous for. Resist, Lucille! Lol.

By the way, Costco is the country's leading purveyor of organic foods of all kinds.

I've been a Costco member since they opened their first store here in Seattle back in '83!! Now that I am single and live alone, I don't shop there as frequently as I did back in the family days but still go periodically. And I have bought all manner of stuff there over the years - electronics, tires, food, supplies, pet products, plants and bulbs, prescription meds, Christmas gifts, clothes, towels and bedding, books, vacuum cleaners and small appliances. About the only thing I have not purchased from them is furniture :-)

Great store - excellent return policy and customer service and a wonderful snack bar.....the hotdogs and smoothies are exceptional!!

They have excellent meats. We get steaks there are repackage them to freeze. We're going this afternoon. My list includes several items from the vitamin aisle, some Cetaphil cleanser, a jug of Windex to use to refill the small spray bottles I have, unsalted butter, toilet paper and nice paper napkins, coffee beans (grind at home). Hot dogs for lunch.

I love their berries, meats, and rolls of Christmas wrapping paper. We are empty nesters, so don't want huge packages of perishables. When our grandsons were toddlers, we shopped there for their winter birthdays and Christmas toys because their selection was so great, including books. Costco's biggest seller is toilet paper.

We've shopped at Costco since they appeared in our area. Our view is that careful shopping is important. Our consistent purchases are wine, spirits, sometimes beer, thick lamb loin chops (great to BBQ), cases of small bottles of water and CERTAIN produce (we like the mushrooms and the grape tomatoes) . They used to have fresh poke from Hawaii flown in on Fridays but seem to not have that anymore. A lot of their produce is crap. Every time we try a different produce item, like the cited bags of avocados, or melons, or other fruits, we wind up returning them - the stuff can be surprisingly tasteless. Their bagged greens often have an off-putting ammonia smell.

Oh, and especially good for tires. Good prices and good service though sometimes a wait is involved.

Wait until you try their meat! The organic hamburger is soooo good and packaged in easy to freeze packages.

Hmmm, may have to give the meat another try. Was disappointed in the quality of their filets. I do buy their organic chicken thighs & breasts. The rotisserie chicken is a steal!

Dh bought my tires there a couple years ago and he always buys their gas. Cheapest in town.

Lukk, I will buy some meats next visit and just freeze in portions when I get home. The veggie perishables are in large packages, but since one of my meals almost every day consists of a big salad I think that will work out well for me. The sweet peppers I bought were the red and orange ones, not only do they taste great but they look appealing in the salad bowl.

It's interesting for me to read these responses. I never really "got" Costco. I've been in a few times with friends and it seems as though I can get better pricing, or at least similar pricing, elsewhere (on food and goods). I've always walked out without buying anything. And the huge amounts of food per package just overwhelms me. So, next time I'm there, I'll look at it with new eyes as indicated on this thread.

We went in and looked around, did not see any reason to join. So far my GF gave me a baggie of dry cat food from there...made him sick....the runs. She had their vinyl plank flooring installed. I think it looks like contact paper....she loves it...wants her whole house done in it. I don't buy fruits & veggies in bulk...doesn't work for us. I just don't get the appeal...? I usually try to find something positive in every "store", this one .......nope....can't get on board.

Also, I don't return .....anything! If my new patio cushions last 5 years, I'm happy....and that's the warranty on them. (got them on sale 1/5 of reg price...almost free and exactly what I wanted @ a garden center!)

Also, their warranty/guarantees can’t be beat. Best to have your receipt but if not, they have a record of everything you have purchased.

There is a whole lot more to Costco than just food!! And the prices ARE significantly lower if you can buy in bulk - a package of TP purchased at Costco will be the same price as one with half the number of rolls purchased at a regular grocery store. Also far better deals on things like tires and electronics....just about anything, IMO. Gas is always far less at Costco than it is at a regular gas station. And as mentioned, the guarantee/return policy is hard to beat. I can't think of any good reason not to join :-)

Just got our rebate check yesterday, time to go shopping!

Lucille, the pre cooked bacon is in the refrigerated section, kinda of where all the butter is. So not really by the beef. At least that’s where mine is! I get the Kirkland brand of bacon. We are big bacon eaters, so the package is gone within a week!

And oh ya, the meat! We just had some lamb chops from there on the weekend. My husband barbecued them. Cavenders greek seasoning was all we added. To die for!

We have been members for years. His company has been paying for the membership, we had it changed to just us since he retired. Some things are not cheaper some are. I just took my friend that was my neighbor and she lost everything too. She bought her whole summer wardrobe and several new shirts for her husband. She loved it. I think she will end up with a membership. I got several pair of capris and tops, hubby got cargo shorts and summer tops. They had great pj's so I now have a nice selection of them. Certain things I only buy there. I love the big bags of huge lemons. Their fruit is good quality. I like their prepared food, big chicken pot pie, stuffed bell peppers etc they are ready for the oven. Their containers of mixed nuts is great. We go at least once a month usually during normal times.

Love Costco. Love the gas prices too. Luckily my Costco is only a few minutes away from me, makes it very convenient.

One thing I did notice, when you order for delivery, the prices of some items are higher than in the store.

I had a membership when the store opened in our little town. I didn't use it as much as I expected to, and I let it lapse. Before it did, I did a large run for TP, paper towels, olive oil, stuff that didn't expire. Now most of that is gone, I guess I need to re-up.

We don't eat meat at home, so no saving there. I checked tires for my car, and I could get better prices at the tire store in town. We both drive diesel vehicles, and they don't sell diesel, so no gas unless the spare truck needed it. I think at the time I was getting weekly veggie delivery, so I didn't buy those, either. Hmm, that's half the store off the list. I should try again.

Now that I finally live close enough to a Costco to join, I don't need to because a sister is a long time member. I go with her once in a while, to enjoy the samples. If I had a membership myself, I'd be too tempted by the large scale luscious desserts. Easier to resist if don't have free run of the store ....

We don't use Costco as much these days, but I still go there for cheese, toilet tissue, supplements, batteries, eyeglasses and gasoline. I love the selection of wired ribbon available in the spring and holiday times. If I'm cooking in crowd-sized proportions as I do for some holidays, Costco is my go-to supplier of proteins and produce, but for our regular meal preparation, I generally shop at Trader Joe's.

Their pesto butter salmon is delicious! I have had theirs and I now have the recipe and make it myself.. So good, so easy.

We joined Costco the same year we bought our condo on Maui. At that time all the chains on the island sold only 'select' beef. That's changed but their quality and price can't be beat. I think the Kahului Costco is one of their top-volume stores. We hadn't joined at home because the nearest store was some distance. We now have one 15-20 minutes from home, door to door.

I've bought many supplies for the condo at Costco -- linens, towels, coffee makers, knives, kitchen utensils, etc.

Tires were our largest one-time purchase. When one was punctured a year later...they applied a wear-rebate to the new one; we were only out $40. Ours take nitrogen; never a wait to have them checked. Premium gasoline is not the cheapest here, but it is a better blend.

I like all their bakery products. The fruit selection is excellent -- compared to what else is available here (not the superior choices Elmer has in California). I buy steaks, lamb chops, salmon, and some of the prepared dishes. (A tray of ravioli lasagna makes two dinners for us; I freeze half.) I buy milk, cheese, English muffins, half hams for lunch meat, spirits, orange juice, paper products, the occasional top, DH's T-shirts and crew socks. We've bought electronics, eyeglasses, bath rugs, sheets. Before Thanksgiving they have big tins of Walker's shortbread cookies -- we go through two a year. I've had few returns, but I appreciate the no-hassle transaction.

The Costco Travel Department is one of the largest in the world, with the clout to offer bargains and to back you up if a vendor fails to deliver.

Look them up online. I was surprised to see that the membership fees are a huge contribution to their bottom line. I also like the way they treat their employees.

Glenda, their pesto is really good too. I always have some in the fridge.

My son buys everything at Costco including my mothers day present..an enormous hanging basket. Ours is too far for us to deal with all the traffic there and the big packaging of items. I'm sure if one were closer to us we'd go.

I buy Olaplex step 3 (it’s a bond repairing hair treatment for highlighted, bayalaged, and/or all over bleached blonde) on the Costco website - they sell a pack of 2 bottles for less than the price of one is sold for at any other retailer or salon. We get cleaning products, paper towels, soda, and dry good kitchen staples at the warehouse, when there’s room in the freezer we get ground beef and boneless/skinless chicken breasts, and fresh produce if we go on a Tuesday or Thursday (those are the days when they put new arrivals out)

A word about the Executive membership and the Costco credit card. Since we travel very little, I prefer the cash back option. The Exec membership gave me a voucher for $300+ last November, more than enough to pay the fee And the credit card (which we don;t use as much as some people might) have me back another $350 in February.

The thing though about Costco is that everything is always there. Somethings, of course, is seasonal, but others are there for only a short duration.

DH like the "barrel" of mini biscotti. Weren't there when we went back.

If you happen to see shoes there (which are seasonal) you can often buy the same thing from them online if they don't have your size in the store. These too will be available only for a while.

We make a run every 1-2 weeks. The $10 pizza up front is a good deal. I sometimes get basic clothes there like underwear and socks and pants or shirts if my people don't want to go shop. We have enough people that the bulk food works for us. I have my favorites, but we aren't a fan of everything. I do enjoy trying the samples first.

Their crab stuffed salmon is awesome too! I wish it was real crab, but it’s artifical but still excellent. For my mom for Mother’s Day, we gave her a $50.00 Costco gift card. She loves it. She she lives alone!

CindyMac - I've never seen the pesto..is it refrigerated?

I love Costco. If you're low carb, you'll find their bacon is the best. They finally brought back their Kirkland Macademia nuts ( I eat them every day and was sad for months when they didn't have any in stock) and I love their almonds in the huge bag too. Their meat is the best. I prefer it over 'normal' grocery store meat. And their whipping cream is the cheapest.

We're getting one in OKC before long. I'm looking forward to checking it out.

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Ditto to the complimentary comments above! We have been Costco members for years and have bought everything under the sun from there. Check out their seed-to-store produce oversight. This program works with small countries to enable them to have amenities such as health care. I believe it was WSJ that said Costco sells more autos than anyone else in the US. I love seeing the same employees every time I visit there as there is so very little employee turnover. They are consistently adding more healthy food products. However, if a product does not sell well, they drop it from stock. I recently found my Donna Karan scent at Costco for half the department store price (not in warehouse but on the email for special offers). Don't get me started on Costco - I could talk for hours (as you can tell)!

I love Costco. I got a pair of Tom's shoes there for 24 instead of the regular price of 48.00. I love those shoes, wore them walking all over Berlin last month. One day I walked 34,000 steps, without even a blister. If you see something you like, grab it that day because it will probably be gone when you return.

There's only 2 of us so we never did the costco thing until DH needed hearing aids and everyone said that's the place to go, so we did. Since then, I'm addicted to their multigrain crackers which we buy regularly. We also found their cheese to be very tasty (love the cabot vt aged cheddar in the black wrapper) and we will buy their organic apples -- packaged so they aren't all bruised like at the grocery stores -- and I love their fresh pineapple spears. I've also gotten eyeglasses there. The rotis chicken can't be beat for the price...we make several meals and then soup out of it for $5! We've also enjoyed their stuffed peppers. But I'm amazed at the volume of merchandise that goes out the door every time we're there, morning, noon or night. I've also tried their cakes for big get togethers which are out of this world! The carrot cake I bought there was 2-3x the size in the grocery store for half the price.

Love Costco. We don’t go often or I would spend way too much. Like their beef filets, rotisserie chicken, big jar of salsa (can’t recall the brand), fresh fish and seafood in season (check the bags of frozen shrimp - the often have gulf shrimp!), good wines, and many other good buys. I can’t do the toilet paper math in my head, but I think their TP is a pretty good buy for the brand I like.

They recently started selling a kale, Brussels sprout slaw that is wonderful it’s a large bag though, so either split it with a friend or make it for a big gathering. It includes a really nice dressing. I’ve never bought a whole one but their tres leches cake is really good. Ours recently started selling the Kirkland olive oil in a smaller bottle.

And 100% gas (no ethanol) at some pumps.

CindyMac - I've never seen the pesto..is it refrigerated?

Yes.

As I scroll through this thread again, I see I'm losing my mind. I thought Ole Joyful started this thread, and now I see he didn't. Aaack! Sorry, Lucille.

I wondered about your comment but didn't say anything, as I agreed that Costco might indeed appeal to him.

As I scroll through the thread I'm making a list of what I'm going to look for when my son and I go in two weeks so I can buy swim doodads for my grand baby.

I was flipping through the recent Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer (the periodic mailing of featured products) and a thought was triggered about how TJs and Costco are similar for us.

For both, their consistent, widely popular home run products and services and things they do best, are fantastic and often not available elsewhere (either because of the nature of the product or the price). However, also available to buy in both chains are many products that are mediocre at best, often less, that we don't like at all. The challenge over time is to find which is which. Fortunately, both TJs and Costco have generous return policies and we do return the pricier duds.