What Do You Buy at Costco ?

Updated on October 12, 2012
D.G. asks from Mansfield, TX
28 answers

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Thursday ! I am so glad tomorrow is Friday ! I just got a Costco membership. I have so many friends that love it and have recommended it so when my work was doing a sign up I went ahead. What do you moms & dads buy there ? What is good deals and what tends to be less that good deals ? I don't have diapers, formula or wipes to buy. But I do have a dog and 2 growing (eating me out of house and home) boys. Thanks for any input !

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Thanks so much for all the input ! I will definitely go and check it out before I buy anything in order to get an idea. I'm excited !

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K.W.

answers from Seattle on

You have a wonderful working list of items already identified.

Costco is fabulous. They have the best workers of the big, warehouse type stores because they treat their employees well, pay them fairly, give them healthcare, and give them appropriate benefits. Their workers stay around for years and years.

5 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

Milk - it's $2.50 per gallon vs $4 at the store.

Hormel/kirkland bacon
Laundry detergent
Dishwashing Detergent
waffles
butter

I buy things I know I'm going to use so they don't go bad. I don't buy the cereal there. Even though we go through it - just not fast enough.

4 moms found this helpful
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J.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

Hmmm.. I did not know Costco contributed to Obama. Another reason to shop there for me...

I was there this a.m. I shop there probably every 6 weeks or so.

I love their frozen broccoli - it's organic and cheap, as are the green beans.

I like to look at the per unit price. Today I noticed they had Annie's mac and cheese and the per unit price was $0.99! That's way cheaper than I can get it at the store. So, I added it to my list.

All the things that have been listed are things we buy as well.

I also like to get some garden stuff there - I bought bulbs to plant this fall - they were way cheaper than the garden center, and probably comparable to Lowes, but I think better.

The Kirkland brand products are generally great.

Oh - and I bought my camera there. I did a ton of research, did my comparison shopping at a local store, then saved well over $100 by ordering it from Costco.

3 moms found this helpful

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M.R.

answers from Seattle on

Always:

Bananas
Oranges
Maple Syrup
Bacon
Steaks
Salmon
Butter
Milk
Eggs
Bread(s)
Honey
Brown Sugar
Yogurts
Frozen Berries
Veggies/Salads in the refrigerator section: berries, organic spinach, corn on the cob
Toilet paper
Paper Towels
Valerian Root
Baby Wipes
Prescription Glasses
Socks for the kids
Underwear for me
Seasonal gear like jackets, furry slippers for the house
Artichokes

5 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

I purchase Packages of the Panties, camisoles.
My husbands pants and Jeans, his socks. We have purchase tennis shoes,

DVD's, Books, Books on CD..

Tampons, Zyrtec, Deoderant, toothpaste. I love their bath soap..
Fresh Flowers.
Our artificial Christmas tree, Prescription eye glasses, photos printed there.

A Lane recliner, Appliances, Vacuum Cleaner,

Wine, Cheese, Beer, Baked items, Custom Cakes, Salmon, Packaged foods, Their Beef is excellent..

Their fresh food that you heat up, Fresh Produce.

Coffee beans, Frozen treats, Their frozen pizzas are good cooked on the grill.

Toilet Paper, Paper Plates, Plastic cups, Ziploc bags, trash bags, Detergent, Bath soap.

Olive Oil, Spices, crackers, cereal, Pancake mixes, different mixes, Gift Cards to local restaurants Snacks, Halloween Candy.

We are looking for a TV..

I even ordered fresh flowers for an event through their mail order..

We even at one point considered a casket!!! It was for my husbands grandfather, but my MIL chickened out..

And of course we always fill up with their gasoline.

5 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I buy everything I can there. The key to savings is not buying something that will go bad before you can use it all.

So we have one of those vacuum sealers and portion the meats and freeze it. On produce I have found that sometimes it is still cheaper to buy it there even if some goes to waste. Like they have six bell peppers for what two cost at the grocery store. Usually I can use them all but if one dies I am not to fussed about it.

I am addicted to cheese, soooo much cheaper there!!!
___________________________________________________________
Oh yeah, gas, okay here is a funny thing the gas guy told me. Costco does not adjust their gas prices until the next truck comes. So whatever that truck cost is what they charge until that tank runs out. So, if prices are rising I have seen a 50 cent a gallon difference between Costco and everywhere else. Going down I have never seen them more expensive but I have seen them the same price as everywhere else.

_________________________________________________________

Oh yeah, unless I go in for one thing, which is still a 50 dollar trip, don't expect to get out of there under 100 dollars, most of ours are 300 to 400. In my defense that is all I spend in a month!

5 moms found this helpful
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N.K.

answers from Detroit on

Regular purchases - family of 4:

Fruit (strawberries, Rasberries)
Frozen Bag Chicken Breasts
Frozen All Natual Chicken Nuggets - kids love them!!
Salmon
Avocados
Feta, Parmesan
Romaine Lettuce
Organic Milk
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Dish Washer Detergent
TP
Lysol Wipes
olive oil
rice
bakery items - breads, cakes
pumpkin pie - best!!
And of course the $4.99 rotisserie chickens

3 moms found this helpful
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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

There is SO much there that you can buy. And if you have two boys it's a great place to shop. They have almost anything you can think of there. We get a lot of their frozen stuff. They have great produce. We get their brand of gateraide. When you go just expect to be there for at least an hour if not more. Because of where you live I am assuming you will go to the one in Arlington off of Matlock and 20. I have only been in that one two or three times. I usually go to the one in Duncanville. But they should have people giving out samples. If you have a cell phone (which most do) they usually have better deals on upgrades for most brands than anywhere else including online. They give you back the fee for upgrading that your provider charges and give you all kinds of extras with them that no where else will.

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!

3 moms found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from Houston on

I just got home from Costco! In additional to my usual list, I purchased a new coffeemaker for $10 less than it was listed on Amazon. I also bought a new food processor. And from my usual list, I bought
fresh ground beef (93% lean for 2.99 per pound)
stew meat
fresh spinach
spring mix
bell peppers
kalamata olives
feta cheese
bacon
Hebrew National hot dogs
Salmon
cheddar cheese
tomatoes
frozen berries
Apples
Oranges
Onions
Tide
Trash bags
furnace filters

When I plan ahead, I save a great deal of money by shopping at Costco. The products are superior to what I found at other stores.

2 moms found this helpful
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E.L.

answers from Dallas on

Like Tori said… they have the best cake in the world! They also have top quality choice meats!! We have both Sams Club and Costco and here is what we get at Costco:

Frozen Ahi Tuna (to make sushi)
Organic veggies
The Kirkland laundry products are a consumer reports top pick
Sodas
Beer (ours also has a liquor store)
rotisserie chicken
Chicken pot pie (they make it with the bakery pie crust and 3 lbs or rotisserie chicken!)
Clothes/socks/jackets/towels/sheets/pillows
We ordered our bedroom furniture from Costco.com, they have white glove delivery
Egglands best eggs
Spinach and Mozzarella raviolis
Flowers
Makeup
Christmas gifts… I just bought a 3-pack Ninjago Lego set for $49.00! It includes 5 Lego people, airplane, more cycle and like 25 weapons 
Lotion
Hummus
Soups
Cheese and Lunchmeat
Coffee
Almonds
Gas :)

Love that place! Enjoy!

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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have shopped Costco and Sam's. Sam's is less expensive.

I don't buy meat or fresh vegetables because Costco and Sam's are both more expensive than your local grocery store when those items are on sale.

You can save money on toilet paper, spices, dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream . . . ) and some frozen foods.

Sam's annual membership is also less expensive. AND Costco has made HUGE donations to Obama's campaign so when you shop at Costco, you are supporting Obama's re-election campaign.

Good luck to you and yours.

2 moms found this helpful
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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

CAKE!!! No, but seriously, cake. ;) It is SO good. That is not the soul reason I have the membership but it helps!

I also buy...
Annie's Organic Bunny Snacks
Avocados
butter
toilet paper
soda
artichoke dip (it is REALLY good, so is the artichoke jalapeño dip)
batteries
clorox wipes
Oxy Clean
bread
clothes (they really do have good deals on good stuff)
The snack section is pretty extensive and we buy various things at various times.
Ibuprofen
string cheese
Baby Bell cheeses
lamb chops (they are awesome and have a great price!)
rotisserie chicken
brats and hot dogs if we're having a party
vinegar ( I use it in the wash and it's big and cheap there)
pasta and sauce

We did buy a dog bed there probably about 6 years ago and it's still in great shape, and my huge dog sleeps on it every night! It was only $20. We don't buy dog food there, but I know they sell some brands.

You can easily get carried away so you do have to look at the tags and see how much you're spending per unit. Sometimes the grocery store does have a better deal on things, like produce, but honestly, if it's off season, the berries are usually cheaper at Costco. Avocados are always cheaper and WAY better at Costco than the grocery store.

The toys and clothes are really a good deal. They have name brand stuff for great prices.

2 moms found this helpful
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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

We buy (assuming we can't get at our local farmer's market)
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
Peaches, pears, melons
Broccoli, asparagus, green beans, avocados
Dried apricots, prunes, mangoes
almonds, walnuts, pecans
organic peanut butter
kid's pajamas
Laundry detergent, oxyclean, zip loc bags, scotch tape, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bath soap, tampons
contact lenses and contact lens cleaner
coffee, olive oil, balsamic vinegar
smoked salmon, edamame, Laughing Cow cheese wedges, Parmesan reggiano, aged cheddar
seafood when they have a 'seafood weekend' - they bring in a little counter and more of the seafood is local or sustainable

I do not buy chicken (always has added water), salmon (generally Atlantic, not wild caught), shrimp (Asian, not Gulf)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.E.

answers from New York on

i <3 their frozen section.. i have a hard time controlling myself and not buying everything they have lol.. i just bought a whole bunch of fleece onsies for my daughter they werel ike 7$ a piece, they have good deals on seasonal stuff- jackets, sweatshirts,stuff like that.. we stock up on mac&cheese.. giant bottle of tums & nyquil/dayquil, peanut butter, cereal.. mostly stuff that can sit in the cabinet and a while and wont go bad, especially being that everything u buy from there is so big!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

On a regular basis: bread, peanut butter, jelly, milk, cheese, dog food, toilet paper & other paper goods, pancake mix, oatmeal
Seasonal items are usually great buys.
Clothes are good deals as well.
and gas!

1 mom found this helpful
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E.F.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Milk, eggs, precut and ready to go organic veggies, flour, oats, socks/pjs/shirts/coats, Food Should Taste This Good brand chips, toilet paper, contact lenses, laundry soap. Love Costco!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from Seattle on

Milton's whole wheat bread
Oh boy oh berto beef jerky
Cliff bars
Organic milk
Their ready to eat chicken noodle soup in deli
Netrogenia body wash
Clorex wipes
Kids swim suits
Gift cards to Starbucks and restaurants
Spinach cheese raviolis frozen
Birds eye chicken noodle veggie stir fry frozen
Gifts, books
Veggie booty

1 mom found this helpful
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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

My brother buys all bbq stuff there, meat--especially ground beef, pasta, and all snacks for his 2 boys and daughter. We have an option of membership at a discount and seriously considering it but it is not really near us so it would be about a 30 minutes drive to get to one. But seriously considering since my bro loves it and says he saves a lot of money.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.L.

answers from Las Vegas on

I LOVE Costco!!
We buy SFBAY coffee <<< and it's good stuff..
Calamata Olives
Canned Tuna that been line caught. this way, the tunas are smaller and supposedly have less toxins.. (it's good )
toilet paper
feminine products
Bison Steaks (love these) taste great bbq'd and if you are one who doesn't like corn fed beef, Bison will only eat grass, which makes the steaks very lean..
Optifree
The sharpies (if you need some for school supplies and or art projects) are cheaper as well as other markers..

1 mom found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

Maybe Costco is a lot better in the US than it is in Canada, but here it is really only good for things like electronics, prescriptions, tires and junkfood. For most grocery items the prices are the same at Superstore, but at Superstore there is a better selection, you don't have to buy huge quantities or buy a membership. The odd time I do find a good deal on something they don't have it the next time I go. I used to have a membership, but it wasn't worth it for us. I do go with my neighbour once in a while and pick up one or two things. What I do love is all the product sampling and the cheap hot dogs.

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S.M.

answers from Dallas on

On top of all the other great suggestions, I'll add Kirkland's peaches to the list.

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J.B.

answers from Boston on

Technically we shop at BJs. I only go 2-3 times a year. I usually go at the end of the summer and stock up on juice pouches, iced tea mix, and packaged snacks that are shelf stable (crackers etc.). I go in November and stock up for holiday cooking - large quantities of butter, cheese, cream cheese, eggs frozen meatballs, frozen appetizers, flours, nuts, vanilla extract, sugars, chocolate chips, dried fruit, chicken stock, root vegetables etc. Then at the beginning of the summer I stock up on party supplies because we have people over all summer long - hundreds of plates, cups, napkins, utensils, a few table cloths, lemonade and iced tea mixes, water, soda, chips, salsa, frozen burger patties, hot dogs, etc. Whenever I go I use coupons and get paper towels, toilet paper, big bottles of shampoo and conditioner, razor blades, shave gel, body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash etc.

I know people who shop there weekly or monthly but to me it's not worth the time to go more than a few times a year.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

You have to know your prices. I would go but not to shop. Get an idea of what is a good deal and then go back. I love Costco but it is very easy to run up a big bill.

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H.C.

answers from Dallas on

One of the reasons I got my Costco membership in the first place was because I had just gotten a pure bred standard poodle puppy and wanted to feed her the best, healthiest dog food available and after alot of research on dog food, Kirkland's brand dog food is some of the healthiest dog food on the market and its super reasonable. There are lots of other things I buy there too, but you said you had a dog, so I wanted to let you know about that! Have fun shopping!

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N.B.

answers from Dallas on

What don't I buy at Costco?!?!?! Don't know what others have told you, but I LOVE COSTCO!!! They have the best meat around, I don't buy meat anywhere else. Paper products, fruit, veggies, milk, coffee, etc. Plus bought both my girl's bedroom sets from there. Have a kitchen table from there. Also an electic kettle, coffee cups, serving plates, generator... I think if you name it we've bought it from there ;-) It's a joke with my friends ask where I bought something, it's always costco. Enjoy!!

M.R.

answers from Detroit on

Seriously, everything! lol

I LOVE Costco! You will see. Have fun!

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I go about once every 8-12 weeks. My favorites are:

Kirkland baby wipes ( no baby here but those wipes are fantastic for quick cleanups, etc. I have a pack in every room!)
Kirkland toilet paper and paper towels
Foil
Plastic wrap
dishwasher detergent
dishwashing liquid
butter
cheese
DanActive
canned corn, beans, diced tomatoes
lemon juice
Hellman's mayo
Peanut Butter

I usually do not buy meats, seafood, etc.. only goods listed above plus a few more I am sure I forgot.

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L.M.

answers from Reno on

I LOVE their artichoke dip! Warm it up and it's marvelous!! :D
(dang.. now that I'm thinking of it, I want some! lol)

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