Do you feel like as a two person HH, you get your value from your Costco membership? We've been talking about it for a couple of years, but still haven't done it because of the fee and package size. The travel discounts alone I see mentioned on here are probably worth it.
I also heard about Boxed Wholesale not long ago, and liked it because well...DELIVERY and Costco is 45 minutes away from us and there is no membership fee at BW and I hate fees. But still couldn't really justify pulling the trigger.
Just FYI if you care: I did take advantage of a deal today on Boxed Wholesale at boxed.com, I thought I'd share:
I bought strictly sale stuff we needed----1. Oatmeal same as Costo- 10lbs= $9.99; Back to Nature Organic Mac and Cheese-6 boxes=$11.99; Carr's Water Crackers (family party coming up, would have spent $$ at HEB)=$12 for 6pkgs; Q-Tips 1,875 (which will last us until the end of time, but we needed them)= $9.49*
*I checked all the prices against Amazon, really good deals other than Q-tips which were a $1 cheaper if your were an Amazon Prime Pantry member.
There were other sale things, like K-cups that were a good deal and other things on their Sale tab, but we don't use them.
I spent $33.46 total out of pocket. Free shipping (first order) and had a $10 off code as a first timer signing up. Again, no fee. Saved like $46 on stuff I was going to buy anyway, shipped to my house. I don't know if I will use it going forward, but you can share code with friends and get first time buyers a discount and a $5 rebate when they order. Pretty good deal!
Boxed.com
Use Code: I3XFY
Get a $10.00 discount when you sign up and full disclosure, I get $5 back if you sign-up and order.
We are only 2 people and LOVE Costco. Their discounted gas alone justifies the cost for us. (Today at the regular gas station $1.93/gal and at Costco $1.76.)
But we get the bulk of our stuff there every week. The clincher is that our Costco is 10 minutes from our house and we can do our shopping there and then go to the regular grocery store in the same trip (they are both on the same street).
If it was 45 minutes away, I don't think we would have a membership and would look at other options.
We are only 2 people and LOVE Costco. Their discounted gas alone justifies the cost for us. (Today at the regular gas station $1.93/gal and at Costco $1.76.)
But we get the bulk of our stuff there every week. The clincher is that our Costco is 10 minutes from our house and we can do our shopping there and then go to the regular grocery store in the same trip (they are both on the same street).
If it was 45 minutes away, I don't think we would have a membership and would look at other options.
That's quite a big price difference for gas!
I think this is holding us back more than anything.
We've had a Costco membership forever, and love it. I think I still made sense even when we were 2, but there's one right in our town, and another literally .5 miles from my work, so it's easy to get to. I don't know if it actually works out if it's so hard to get there.
Never heard of Boxed, but delivery sounds amazing!
Love of my life baby boy born 11/11. One and done not by choice; 3 years of TTC yielded 4 MMC and 2 CPs, through 4 IUIs and 2 IVFs. Focusing on making the world a better place instead...and running.
We are a 2 person family with a four legged child, and we easily cover the basic membership fee in savings (within the first 2-3 months). I did a lot of price compares with Amazon and Target. If I kept better records, I would bet we could cover the Exec membership fee. The list below are things I've found that have significant savings over Amazon/Target at normal prices, and they also tend to go on sale at costco too.
Dog food / Dog-safe snow-salt Lubriderm Claritin Razors Snacks Tampons Paper plates/cups Aluminum Foil Costco-brand Advil Kleenex Bar soap Contact solution Garbage bags Dishwasher detergent Swiffer refills Dental Floss
Learn from my mistake; the costco brand batteries suck. But Duracell also goes on sale there too.
laterz We have the executive membership and we always get a check to cover the cost in the rebate every year (plus some).
And we average about $100/wk in shopping just to give you an idea on what we spend. Though we do have a few weeks that are probably closer to $300 in the spring and summer since we buy garden stuff (potting soil and pots) and we have a couple of big parties that we get the bulk of our food/supplies for at Costco.
I feel like our Costco is a good deal for the two of us, just for the cheese alone! LOL
We go through a ton of produce each week -- veggie tray; green beans; bags of broccoli, cauliflower; mushrooms, peppers. Other stamped are rotisserie chicken, cans of tuna/salmon, spices/oils, canned tomatoes and green beans, broth, soup, greek yogurt, almond milk, muscle milk, TP, paper towels.
I agree having it close is key, we go about every 10 days
I feel like our Costco is a good deal for the two of us, just for the cheese alone! LOL
We go through a ton of produce each week -- veggie tray; green beans; bags of broccoli, cauliflower; mushrooms, peppers. Other stamped are rotisserie chicken, cans of tuna/salmon, spices/oils, canned tomatoes and green beans, broth, soup, greek yogurt, almond milk, muscle milk, TP, paper towels.
I agree having it close is key, we go about every 10 days
Is the cheese that much cheaper? We are some cheese eatin' mo-fo's.
With Mr. P's garden, we are somewhat produce sufficient with a two season garden and we freeze or buy frozen out of season.
Post by imojoebunny on Jan 25, 2015 13:29:55 GMT -5
My parents say that prescriptions are a lot cheaper, but we are not on anything regularly.
We just got a membership because I wanted a Vitamix, and they had the best price, even with the membership cost. DH also works nearby, so there is a chance he could run over and get lunch or something, though he doesn't eat the cramp they have at their concession stand.
I went there once and left after I stood in line to buy three things for 15 minutes, only to find out that when it said it takes ATM cards, it really only takes debit cards. I could have written a check, but I would have had to stand in a different line. Life's too short.
I feel like our Costco is a good deal for the two of us, just for the cheese alone! LOL
We go through a ton of produce each week -- veggie tray; green beans; bags of broccoli, cauliflower; mushrooms, peppers. Other stamped are rotisserie chicken, cans of tuna/salmon, spices/oils, canned tomatoes and green beans, broth, soup, greek yogurt, almond milk, muscle milk, TP, paper towels.
I agree having it close is key, we go about every 10 days
Is the cheese that much cheaper? We are some cheese eatin' mo-fo's.
With Mr. P's garden, we are somewhat produce sufficient with a two season garden and we freeze or buy frozen out of season.
Yes! Cheese is such a good deal, from basic giant bags of shredded to large wedges of good cheese. I get Babybel there because those last forever, and are so much cheaper than even Trader Joe's.
Like Boiler said too, we get a ton of veggies there, but that's because of proximity. Huge bag of organic spinach for $5 or something? Sold. Of course, Mr. Pom is probably covering your veggie needs!
Love of my life baby boy born 11/11. One and done not by choice; 3 years of TTC yielded 4 MMC and 2 CPs, through 4 IUIs and 2 IVFs. Focusing on making the world a better place instead...and running.
I'm a single-person household and I absolutely feel I get value from my Costco membership but for me it's only 10 minutes away. I buy all my breads, produce, cheese, milk, some meat, Kirkland brand pills, my vitamins, supplements, face cleansing wipes, etc there and for work I buy facial tissues, paper towels, toilet tissue, coffee and printer cartridges.
ETA - I also buy my gas there. I have the 2% back executive membership and last year received a cheque for $99.25
As a single-person household I've found Costco to be worth it. I stock up on vitamins, TP, tuna, canned goods, wine, etc and also pick up fruit and veggies and other staples weekly or every couple of weeks. I also love to peruse the book section and over the years have also found great deals on things I was going to buy anyway (ie. Danskos). And I try to hit Costco gas when I can too.
We're a two-person household with a Costco membership, and I love it, but I don't think I would drive 45 minutes to go there even if I had a 12 person household. That's too far for it to be convenient.
Boxed sounds great! And it avoids the main problem with Costco - reasonably priced impulse buys. On Friday I went there to but toilet paper and dog treats and came out $128 poorer with a snow shovel that we don't need, 4 camis, two bed pillows, an enormous bag of pretzel rolls, and some chicken salad. The toilet paper was a great price, but paying $3 more for it at Target would have probably been a better financial move, lol.
ETA reviews for the Costco people: Quincy and Sadie love the Nylabone Nubz dog treats that are on sale this month, and they're less than half of what they cost on Amazon. The snow shovel is just ok - snow seems to stick to it, which is exactly what you don't want in a snow shovel. I'm going to give it another chance before I decide whether or not to return it. The camis are awesome and $5 each; I'm going back for more. The bed pillows are memory foam, and are pretty smelly, which I didn't notice in the store. They're airing out on our guest room bed for a few days, then I'll decide whether to keep them. The pretzel rolls are always good, as are the individual Good Foods chicken salad cups originally recommended here by @melissainabq. Their in-house made chicken salad is also really good; I just can't buy it unless we're having lunch guests. It's too big for the two of us to get through.
One vote of dissent here - DH and I had a membership for a year. They were having a really good deal on TVs so we thought we'd give it a shot. I found that we DID use it a fair amount. We got fantastic dog beds there for cheap, bulk ink for cheap, etc. However we also are close by to a target, plus a discount grocer, and we found ourselves spending so much time and making so many impulse purchases between the 3 of them plus amazon orders! So we didn't renew the membership.
laterz We have the executive membership and we always get a check to cover the cost in the rebate every year (plus some).
And we average about $100/wk in shopping just to give you an idea on what we spend. Though we do have a few weeks that are probably closer to $300 in the spring and summer since we buy garden stuff (potting soil and pots) and we have a couple of big parties that we get the bulk of our food/supplies for at Costco.
Same here. I usually buy 7 of their giant bags of potting soil ($10) which would equal $17 dollars of the same at Home Depot. There's $50 in savings right there, plus 2% back on teh executive membership. We got our eyeglasses there, tires, TV, booze, the list goes on and on. I hardly ever get out of there for less than $100.
laterz We have the executive membership and we always get a check to cover the cost in the rebate every year (plus some).
And we average about $100/wk in shopping just to give you an idea on what we spend. Though we do have a few weeks that are probably closer to $300 in the spring and summer since we buy garden stuff (potting soil and pots) and we have a couple of big parties that we get the bulk of our food/supplies for at Costco.
Same here. I usually buy 7 of their giant bags of potting soil ($10) which would equal $17 dollars of the same at Home Depot. There's $50 in savings right there, plus 2% back on teh executive membership. We got our eyeglasses there, tires, TV, booze, the list goes on and on. I hardly ever get out of there for less than $100.
LOL...you guys know there is NO FREAKING WAY I am telling Mr. P about giant bags of potting soil for cheap. I believe that's why we have worms.
Do you use Costco online? THey have free shipping on most items. Pre-kids we used it alot for alcohol, non-perishable items or frozen, furniture/electronics, glasses.
Absolutely! I am just very careful as to what I buy.
Gas aside (there is around a 0.30/gallon discrepancy between gas at Costco and the local stations), I have a mental list of the things that I know are good deals at Costco, regardless of sale. There is a mental list of things that will go on sale for less than Costco, and a final list of things that I buy because I like the brand - regardless of cost.
I do buy the huge packages of meat and break them down into 2 servings (just pulled out 2 pork chops for dinner tonight). I do this for steak, chicken, hamburger too, I get around 3-4 meals out of each package of meat I buy. Most times, these prices are comparable to the grocery story, but the quality seems to be consistently better. Lamb (which we eat about twice/mo) is always cheaper.
Good cheese is ALWAYS cheaper, by about $2/lb. We normally keep aged cheddar, gouda/Jarlsburg, parmesean/romano, gruyere in the fridge at all time in some combo. A local smokehouse supplies Hempler's bacon, which is about $1.50/lb less than any place in town. Eggs are always cheaper by about $0.50, and dairy is always considerably cheaper. Also cheaper is kitty litter and batteries. With 4 computers in the house, all with cordless mice, we go through AA batteries like crazy!
Canned goods are usually hit and miss with regards to price. The only canned goods we buy are tomatoes, beans and chicken stock. I've been getting chicken stock at 0.50/can, which is cheaper than any of the store offerings, even on sale. Tomatoes and beans, not always as good but as they are a pantry staple, then I just keep them stocked regardless of price.
I've found the veggies and fruit to be hit or miss. Last summer, I went berry mad and would buy strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries and we had berry salad for as long as the berries were good. Grapes are hit or miss, I try to sneak one to try before I buy. Avocados, I've had some good ones and some packages that they were brown inside. Same with green beans, but every pack of asparagus I've gotten is good. I flip flop between salad greens, buying romaine, spinach, or some sort of mix - more so during the summer. If I'm making mushroom soup, I'll get them from there.
Most paper products, detergent, baggies are probably a bit more but I buy them in bulk (we do have the room to store them) just so I don't have to buy them so regularly.
I don't buy much clothes there, but I have found some wool socks that I have turned all of my family onto. When they came out last fall, I bought about 25 packages of them and every female I know got socks for Christmas! And everyone who's received them wants more next year!! SO thought I was nuts when I came home with them, but his mom and sister LOVES them and he was very happy I was able to scratch them off his list.
Post by polarbearfans on Jan 25, 2015 15:17:22 GMT -5
We have the executive for a 2 person household. It seemed like a good deal since they will refund if the rebate doesn't cover our membership fee. We have the Amex too, and just our gas rebates not even a year is over $60. I don't buy a ton at costco since i can get a better deal at target combining coupons and cartwheel, but we have had some good deals on food and items for the house. I bought a nice pan recently for a great price. Discount giftcards for holiday gifts.
The costco is about 30-45 minutes from where we live, but I work nearby so it is easy for me to get gas. I also prefer the gluten free shopping better in that area and will make a trip every week or two to shop and will stop buy at costco.
I found that while costco carries a lot of our brands, they don't carry the exact product I want which is why I don't buy toliet paper (they have blue charmin, we like red charmin) or paper towels (better deal at target anyway).
eta: buying in bulk is nice because you don't have to shop as often. Even 45 minutes away is not bad if you go in with a plan. They send you the sale ad in advance, and a lot of prices are usually about the same. Like I know we need ketchup and sweet baby ray's at all times. Costco has a good price and multiple normal size containers to a pack, not some giant tub.
I like buying stuff in bulk because it just makes life easier. I shop at a warehouse store once every month or two. Between buying so much in bulk every few months, stocking the freezer with meat from the farmer a few times per year, all I have to worry about is some perishable items from week to week.
ETA: I'm not sure the items are loads cheaper than what I could get on sale at a regular store. But I think we save money because I'm not stopping during the week to pick up random items because we ran out, along with a dozen other items we didn't need but sounded good because I saw them in the store.
Post by heliocentric on Jan 25, 2015 15:34:49 GMT -5
Do you already have an Am Ex card? We got ours through Costco so the Am Ex annual fee also covers the Costco annual fee. We earn cash back, which is decent, but the Am Ex purchase protection for us has been great. We had a new computer that we damaged repaired for free under the plan.
We find the Costco savings enough to justify a membership (we are also a 2 person family), but the fact that is also provides us with an Am Ex card is an added bonus. Just something else to consider if you think that would be useful for you.
Post by mainelyfoolish on Jan 25, 2015 15:37:15 GMT -5
We tease my parents because they're a two person household (retired) with a Costco executive membership and a BJ's membership. I don't think my mother is capable of shopping at regular grocery stores. My parents I know shop at Costco at least once a week (they live pretty close to one). I think they easily make back their membership fees on meat, milk, and produce purchases.
Do you already have an Am Ex card? We got ours through Costco so the Am Ex annual fee also covers the Costco annual fee. We earn cash back, which is decent, but the Am Ex purchase protection for us has been great. We had a new computer that we damaged repaired for free under the plan.
We find the Costco savings enough to justify a membership (we are also a 2 person family), but the fact that is also provides us with an Am Ex card is an added bonus. Just something else to consider if you think that would be useful for you.
We have the Delta AmEx for now. But good to know, thanks!
If Costco was 45 min away from me I wouldn't have a membership for my family of 5.
But my single mil has one and lives off of their salad and an obsidian occasional roast chicken. She "makes her money back" with gas purchases and by buying everything she samples.
Post by tacosforlife on Jan 25, 2015 16:07:26 GMT -5
Well, we drink unhealthy amounts of bourbon and probably make back our membership fee just in the savings over what we'd spend at a regular liquor store.
I'm pretty sure those items justify our membership, and that's before we get to my glasses.
I tried to get my last glasses at Costco, but they didn't do my prescription. They stop at -10, I'm -11+. I did buy the frames and a friend of mine (who's an optometrist) made arrangements to get the lenses installed with my prescription.