Costco? What makes it awesome for you?

[Major Tom]

I'm with Blue Collar Guy. Not really my scene. I don't have a car, so the savings on gas and tires aren't useful. I do nearly all of my shopping within about a 1.5 mile radius, and my local Costco is ~6 miles away. That, plus the fact that I do all my traveling and hauling stuff on a bicycle, reduces their attractiveness. I prefer frequent and very local trips where I carry a few things in a backpack each time. Also, this is going to sound odd to a lot of folk, but I don't like the fact that they change their product line-up regularly. I like to know ahead of time if a retailer is likely to have what I want before I take the time and trouble to go there. Shopping is not entertainment for me.

However, I do like the way they treat their employees. I wouldn't rule out joining Costco if my living situation changed and it made sense for me.

[audreyh1]

I prefer roasting my own chickens. I buy the organic whole chickens at Costco - they taste amazing. They come two in a pack, so one goes in the freezer.

Then I spatchcock (butterfly) the chicken and roast it in the oven using a large cast iron skillet. This is so easy and comes out some much better than ANY of the store roasted chickens. Chicken, salt, pepper, olive oil, teaspoon chopped rosemary, teaspoon minced garlic. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/...ary-and-garlic

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides Thanks everyone for the input. Doesn't seem I missed much as most of the "i always get" were things I noticed and considered, and either have a better alternative already, or were on the "plus" column. I have the say the staff who do samples seemed very...enthusiastic, and if anything I wanted to get away from them fast - very loudly enticing customers so it had the opposite effect on me lol. Also maybe it was just me, but it seemed a high number of customers don't look where they are going and I avoided several near misses just walking around. Like way more than at the supermarket. Maybe I was just harder to spot as I was the only one without a giant cart. I do like a nice rotisserie chicken but no way would I deal with their parking lot and checkout line to go there at dinnertime just to save $3 vs. publix or fresh market. (Need to get those when I'm ready as they are just not as good re-heated I find. Did I mention I'm picky? lol) But the fact that you can cancel any time and get your fee back (prorated or full, will check it out) makes it worth trying I think. Mine has a liquor store though I didn't check that out yet. I could also see myself planning a visit every few weeks just to go walk around and see what's new, and if the Kirkland Pinot Grigio is good well then....

Sounds like you will not be shopping there.

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 I prefer roasting my own chickens. I buy the organic whole chickens at Costco - they taste amazing. They come two in a pack, so one goes in the freezer. Then I spatchcock (butterfly) the chicken and roast it in the oven using a large cast iron skillet. This is so easy and comes out some much better than ANY of the store roasted chickens. Chicken, salt, pepper, olive oil, teaspoon chopped rosemary, teaspoon minced garlic. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/...ary-and-garlic

Looks wonderful, i saw the video, only question, how dirty does the oven really get? The bride will flip if i suggest this, and we get a splatter filled oven.

[spncity]

Tires
King Size all latex mattress
Avocados
Almond milk
Eggs
T paper
Vita Mixer
Electric pressure cooker
Canned tomatoes, black beans, black olives
Bananas
Romaine lettuce
Celery
Glasses
Juices
Nuts
Vit. D
Cheese
Orange Juice
Down blankets (love these - lighter than a down comforter)

And other stuff.

Just go when they're not busy. Much nicer.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mystang52 Even if there really are some long term savings on other goods, every time I see those long check-out lines it wouldn't be worth the wait for me. YMMV.

Yes, I also have a huge issue with that. If there are consistently long lines that tells me the store is poorly run and/or places no value on my time, and I find that insulting. It's a business, and if they are going to be too busy to take my money I'll spend it someplace else.

Another huge turnoff is the checking of receipts at the door. I am not a thief and will not for one instant put up with being treated like one. I may try walking around that and see what happens - are they going to physically assault me to stop me?

The closest store is about a half-hour away vs. three or four regular grocery stores within 10 - 15 minutes so that's an issue too, although less of one, since I could get a couple of cheap foam coolers and put them in the back of the pickup truck and make a run once a month or so. Although there are only two of us we do have a freezer so that could work.

All that said, I may make a test run at a carefully selected time to fall outside lunch and dinner hours to see what happens, and this thread has made it clear that weekend trips are to be avoided at all cost. Since they offer the refund on the membership if things don't work out there is little risk. Thanks all, I didn't know about that.

[RockyMtn]

Let me see....

Hot dog and pepsi for $1.50
Liquor, wine and beer
Baby back ribs
Steaks
Paper goods
otc medicines
eyeglasses
rental cars (best prices I have found anywhere)
gas and car wash
tires
electronics
golf gloves (only the one's on Costco.com)
water
Gatorade
Dunkin Donuts coffee
Adidas golf socks
Whole Dungeness crabs
Rotisserie chicken

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 Another huge turnoff is the checking of receipts at the door. I am not a thief and will not for one instant put up with being treated like one. I may try walking around that and see what happens - are they going to physically assault me to stop me? .

I understand this is turn off, but it helps prevent theft which is a huge cost item in retail and that cost is passed along to the consumer in the form of higher prices. Another plus is that the checkers have a job, and jobs are important in this economy.

[RetireAge50]

Although the place is a mad house on the weekend we never wait long in line. I think this is due to the people they hire are smart and well paid.

We buy almost everything we need at Costco. Prices are great and since everything is in bulk only need to go shopping a couple times a month.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 Yes, I also have a huge issue with that. If there are consistently long lines that tells me the store is poorly run and/or places no value on my time, and I find that insulting. It's a business, and if they are going to be too busy to take my money I'll spend it someplace else.

I feel the same way, so I only go when they first open at 10:00 am on a weekday. Hardly anyone to deal with. They will even let you in to start shopping about ten minutes early -- they just don't activate the register until 10.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Collar Guy Looks wonderful, i saw the video, only question, how dirty does the oven really get? The bride will flip if i suggest this, and we get a splatter filled oven.

Yes, there is some spatter. And I have my fan/vent running full blast, there can be a little smoke near the end.

My oven is already spattered pretty well from roasting beef bones for stock. So I don't care.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 Yes, I also have a huge issue with that. If there are consistently long lines that tells me the store is poorly run and/or places no value on my time, and I find that insulting. It's a business, and if they are going to be too busy to take my money I'll spend it someplace else. Another huge turnoff is the checking of receipts at the door. I am not a thief and will not for one instant put up with being treated like one. I may try walking around that and see what happens - are they going to physically assault me to stop me? The closest store is about a half-hour away vs. three or four regular grocery stores within 10 - 15 minutes so that's an issue too, although less of one, since I could get a couple of cheap foam coolers and put them in the back of the pickup truck and make a run once a month or so. Although there are only two of us we do have a freezer so that could work. All that said, I may make a test run at a carefully selected time to fall outside lunch and dinner hours to see what happens, and this thread has made it clear that weekend trips are to be avoided at all cost. Since they offer the refund on the membership if things don't work out there is little risk. Thanks all, I didn't know about that.

We only encounter long times on weekends when the store is really crowded. And even then I don't have to wait really long.

When we usually go during the week days, checkout lines aren't long at all.

I suspect it depends on the store.

Receipt check when exiting is usually super fast.

[Rustic23]

We have both Sam's and Costco memberships. Why, Heck if I know! DW buys most of her clothes at either one or the other. I figure I save at least the membership right there. Neither is close, and I would say we go about once or so every couple of months. It a great place t have lunch, well graze.

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetireAge50 Although the place is a mad house on the weekend we never wait long in line. I think this is due to the people they hire are smart and well paid.

I've also never seen a "price check" and they don't mess with paper coupons, both of which slow the line down. ("This coupon is $1 off on 3 but you bought only 2", etc.) They also have someone to pack the order at every register. When I moved out of NJ in 2003 there were pretty much no baggers in grocery stores- they had disappeared over the years.

[Fedup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 Do you raise your own chickens?

No, Albertson's raises them for me. I get the smallest chicken for about $3. Salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and voila delicious roti chicken. I don't use oilive sometime because it can be oily.

[Fedup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 Yes, there is some spatter. And I have my fan/vent running full blast, there can be a little smoke near the end. My oven is already spattered pretty well from roasting beef bones for stock. So I don't care.

I do a lot of my roasting outside, too hot here. I don't want to save money on a $3 chicken and pay $5 to cool down the house.

[Ready]

I shop at Costco every week. All of our groceries come from either Costco or Trader Joe's.

I have to laugh at the people who say they can't buy there because of the bulk size of the purchases. I'm only shopping for the two of us and routinely find that I have to buy multiple containers of each item I purchase because one is not enough. I go through 7 pounds of cherries a week personally, so two 3 pound clam shells don't even last me until the end of the week.

I guess I must be eating too much.

[Hermit]

In the last couple of months:
Hearing aids - $1699
Cell Phone - $219
Tablet - $229
Generator - $615

Maybe its time to cut up my Costco card?

[Fedup]

Wow, I didn't know hearing aids cost that much.

[Hermit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fedup Wow, I didn't know hearing aids cost that much.

I think they are closer to or over $2k each at an audiologist.