Author Topic: Costco Pricing - Paper products  (Read 5817 times)

Goldielocks

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Costco Pricing - Paper products
« on: November 13, 2018, 03:24:34 PM »
I did not have the heart to ressurect the old "Is Costco cheaper?" thread.   So here we are.

I had heard for the last 15 years how much"cheaper" it was to buy Costco Paper products - and that their Toilet paper is the number one selling TP, and product, that Costco Canada sells.

I have bought this in the past, and decided that having a membership just for cheese, toilet paper and a couple of other things just was not worth it for us... but I never really double checked the Toilet paper prices.

Until now.

Costco 30 pack of double ply toilet paper
425 sheets per roll, approx 11 x 10 cm sheets.
Not individually wrapped
Cost $45 (without coupons)...
Cost for 100 "sheets"  = 35 cents

Purex Double roll, 24 pack,
253 sheets per roll, approx 10 x 10cm sheets (10% smaller in width / area).
Cost 38 cents / roll (Anywhere from 36 cents/roll to 42 cents per roll price went down this year)
Cost per 100 "sheets" 15 cents   If I adjust it for the smaller size, it is still under 17 cents per 100 sheets.   HALF THE PRICE

I feel a little victory dance / vindication coming on, because my in-laws treated me as crazy for not renewing our Costco Membership years ago, and cited "toilet paper" costs being low as the reason.

ketchup

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2018, 03:52:27 PM »
I'm in the US, but I'm pretty sure the toilet paper pack is more like $15, not $45.  Definitely less than $20.

hops

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2018, 06:06:23 PM »
In my much-cheaper-than-Canada neck of the woods they're very competitive on toilet paper, but I can still usually get it cheaper via Amazon's Subscribe & Save.

For paper towels I've not found anything better (my wife overuses them and I've done as much nagging as I'm willing to). For facial tissue, when it's on sale they're hard to beat.

Edited to add: If your having a membership is so important to your in-laws, they should pay for it.
« Last Edit: November 13, 2018, 06:07:58 PM by hops »

Kitsune

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2018, 08:41:03 AM »
I'm in Quebec, and I was like 'wtf that toilet paper was 16.99 last time I went' - are you getting your numbers from their website? In which case, yeah, it's 45$ for TWO packs of 30 rolls (go re-read). AKA: twice the quantity, so halve your numbers if you're getting it online (and the cost includes shipping) or 13c/100 sheets based on my last visit, so ever so slightly cheaper. In no way is it twice the price.

So no, I wouldn't get a Costco membership just for that (as others have mentioned, there are equivalent ways of getting it), but it's at least equivalent in cost to other options, and you can evaluate not having a costco membership based on the products you actually use and the other options you have within reasonable distance.

ketchup

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2018, 09:05:24 AM »
I'm in Quebec, and I was like 'wtf that toilet paper was 16.99 last time I went' - are you getting your numbers from their website? In which case, yeah, it's 45$ for TWO packs of 30 rolls (go re-read). AKA: twice the quantity, so halve your numbers if you're getting it online (and the cost includes shipping) or 13c/100 sheets based on my last visit, so ever so slightly cheaper. In no way is it twice the price.

So no, I wouldn't get a Costco membership just for that (as others have mentioned, there are equivalent ways of getting it), but it's at least equivalent in cost to other options, and you can evaluate not having a costco membership based on the products you actually use and the other options you have within reasonable distance.
This is a big thing I totally forgot about.  All costs on their website include shipping, and are therefore higher than the in-store prices.

skuzuker28

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2018, 09:18:22 AM »
The savings on gasoline more than pay for the membership for us.  Cheap TP is just a bonus.  Sure isn't $45 a package for us, more like $15 as mentioned above.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2018, 09:25:41 AM »
Online I'm seeing $18.99 + $3 delivery for the toilet paper mentioned.
https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature-2-Ply-Bath-Tissue%2C-30-Rolls.product.100142093.html

It costs about $12.99 in store based on the reciept I have from this weekend.

Where does $45 come from?

Dave1442397

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2018, 01:04:13 PM »
I just bought the Costco TP a few days ago - $16.99 on my receipt (NJ).

Shinplaster

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2018, 02:06:57 PM »
Ontario here, and a pack was around about $16.99 or so a week ago.   $45 is not the right price for one pack.

I was not a believer in Costco TP, until I finally bought some.  Their double rolls are actually double rolls, unlike the ever shrinking ones of other manufacturers.  They seem to last a long time, and while not as soft as some, I am a convert.

Having a membership for the cheese and a few other things is bad?   : p   

Goldielocks

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2018, 04:01:37 PM »
Online I'm seeing $18.99 + $3 delivery for the toilet paper mentioned.
https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature-2-Ply-Bath-Tissue%2C-30-Rolls.product.100142093.html

It costs about $12.99 in store based on the reciept I have from this weekend.

Where does $45 come from?
The Canadian site.   Thank goodness if this is for 2 packs, not one pack... but that brings up the question of who would want to buy 60 super size roles of TP at one time (other than a business with multiple stalls).

Even so, we are not at the same price, pretty much as what I can buy locally.   The last 24 pack  (not costco) I was even able to bring home on my bike, so I avoided fuel for the car, too.

Goldielocks

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2018, 04:05:59 PM »
Ontario here, and a pack was around about $16.99 or so a week ago.   $45 is not the right price for one pack.

I was not a believer in Costco TP, until I finally bought some.  Their double rolls are actually double rolls, unlike the ever shrinking ones of other manufacturers.  They seem to last a long time, and while not as soft as some, I am a convert.

Having a membership for the cheese and a few other things is bad?   : p
Yeah,  I can't make the membership price back on the items that are truly lower in cost, like cheese.   I can (and have) made it back in years where I had one single very large purchase, and got that item at a great discount (I bought a Sealy mattress there one year).   Even then, although I used the membership for food runs, I was having trouble getting many items less than I normally pay, per unit price.     Cheese, kitchen garbage bags, dish fluid if there is a great coupon, ...  it seems like some of the discount grocery stores have dropped their prices to Costco / cheaper level around here.

Does anyone know WHY Costco Canada's cheese is so much cheaper, anyway?  Their eggs / milk / bread / etc aren't, that is for certain.

Michael in ABQ

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2018, 07:25:29 PM »
Paper towels are $12.99 and TP is $16.99 per my receipt in NM.

Incidentally both 2% and whole milk were $4.35 for a 2-pack, or $2.175 per gallon. The price does vary I've noticed but it's generally cheaper. Even at the commissary on base whole milk was $2.55 to $2.99 a gallon for the cheap brand.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2018, 07:11:37 AM »
For dairy, name brand cream is cheaper - I can get store brand cream cheap but not as cheap.  My big savings that basically pay the membership are pool chemicals  (I comparison shopped, big differences) and dog food and treats (once upon a time).  Other things are sometimes better at Costco, sometimes elsewhere, or I prefer a different brand.  I am fussy about tissues, it is either KleenexTM or KirklandTM, the rest are too hard on my nose.

ketchup

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #13 on: November 16, 2018, 08:13:51 AM »
For dairy, name brand cream is cheaper - I can get store brand cream cheap but not as cheap.  My big savings that basically pay the membership are pool chemicals  (I comparison shopped, big differences) and dog food and treats (once upon a time).  Other things are sometimes better at Costco, sometimes elsewhere, or I prefer a different brand.  I am fussy about tissues, it is either KleenexTM or KirklandTM, the rest are too hard on my nose.
I too have noticed Horizon organic heavy cream at Costco tends to be slightly cheaper per unit than the basic generic version at the "other" grocery stores.  Like a good millennial, I don't buy tissues or napkins, only toilet paper and paper towels as far as paper products go.

Our biggest money savers at Costco:
avocados
romaine
coffee
chicken thighs
chicken drumsticks
heavy cream
bacon
olive oil
avocado oil
macadamia nuts
protein bars that don't suck
spices
coconut milk
bottled fucking water (I'll see myself out)
gasoline (especially premium, as I found out when I briefly ran that in one of our cars to diagnose something)

Things that used to be big money savers but are now basically equivalent to other stores:
eggs
Kerrygold butter
vanilla extract
frozen broccoli florets
coconut oil
carrots

FIRE@50

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #14 on: November 16, 2018, 08:21:47 AM »
The annual xmas tree purchase covers the cost of membership. Gas probably even more so.

J Boogie

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #15 on: November 16, 2018, 09:25:55 AM »
Kind of curious if the US-CA lumber tariffs play into that.

I know lumber prices in the US have gone up as CA increased tariffs on lumber, which makes me think as lumber has become more valuable that forest managers are letting their sticks grow a bit wider for bigger future profits rather than taking them down  for pulp now. Less trees going to pulp = high prices for TP.

The everyday consumer doesn't look at these prices quite as much as builders do. And I imagine the price for TP is relatively inelastic :)

FIRE@50

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #16 on: November 16, 2018, 11:32:02 AM »
Stop flushing money down the toilet! Where is the break-even analysis on the bidet installation?

Obviously I will need the wireless remote and the heated seat. "Honey, where did you put the remote?"

https://www.costco.com/Bio-Bidet-USPA-4800-Luxury-Smart-Bidet-Toilet-Seat.product.100214700.html

Dr.Jeckyl

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #17 on: November 16, 2018, 11:41:41 AM »
The savings on gasoline more than pay for the membership for us.  Cheap TP is just a bonus.  Sure isn't $45 a package for us, more like $15 as mentioned above.

Cheap gas is probably the best benefit of the Costco card but I still couldn't justify it. It seems that we spend more because of the "savings" at Costco. Now I'm buying my paper products at Aldi. Good quality stuff at low prices and I'm already there doing my grocery shopping.

Goldielocks

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #18 on: November 16, 2018, 05:59:19 PM »
The annual xmas tree purchase covers the cost of membership. Gas probably even more so.
LOL...   I am picturing my $20 tree trying to justify a costco membership!  Obviously your tree is a lot nicer than the one I bought at the grocery store last year.

I also realized that instead of driving almost as far to Costco, I could just drive to the US and get my fuel there, saving about 30%. (or 20% net of the extra cost of gas).


Michael in ABQ

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #19 on: November 17, 2018, 07:55:47 AM »
Stop flushing money down the toilet! Where is the break-even analysis on the bidet installation?

Obviously I will need the wireless remote and the heated seat. "Honey, where did you put the remote?"

https://www.costco.com/Bio-Bidet-USPA-4800-Luxury-Smart-Bidet-Toilet-Seat.product.100214700.html

Because of this post I now see an ad at the bottom of this thread for a bidet.

esq

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Re: Costco Pricing - Paper products
« Reply #20 on: November 17, 2018, 09:18:52 AM »
I only ever compare TP prices by the square foot. This way it's apples to apples. Right now Aldi has the best price....about $.012  per s.f.

Had a Sam's membership about 25 years ago, but never renewed after the first year.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2018, 09:20:27 AM by esq »