Top 3 Values at Costco

[rosarugosa]

In another sense of the word "values," I especially like giving my business to a company holding firm to their DEI programs in the current political environment.

[roomtempmayo]

Last night we had some of their Argentine red shrimp with a stirfry.  I assume shrimp is never very healthy, but those little buggers taste great.

[crocheted_stache]

In another sense of the word "values," I especially like giving my business to a company holding firm to their DEI programs in the current political environment.

On a similar "not really groceries" note, the bit of Costco stock I've held individually for well over 10 years now has been doing quite nicely. I can't speak to current prices in terms of whether I'd buy more now beyond letting the dividends reinvest, though.

[Archipelago]

In another sense of the word "values," I especially like giving my business to a company holding firm to their DEI programs in the current political environment.

And also compensates their employees well.

[We be free if we try]

@roomtempmayo, The wild-caught red Argentine shrimp are very healthy, IMO.

I'm gonna to sound like such an elitist (perhaps I am!?) but I mostly only buy organic and humane-raised, and Costco is one of the world's largest sellers of organic food. So, besides the above wild-caught shrimp, and their wild-caught salmon, I buy a LOT of their organic produce, EVOO, avocado oil, coconut oil, oats, oat milk, 1/2 & 1/2, cheese, yogurt, butter, various kinds of nuts, almond flour tortillas - ALL organic. This level of organic variety is hard to get in most mainstream groceries outside of Whole Foods. However, when I was in TN recently the Costco didn't stock the same amount as in the Bay Area.

My main disappointment is they don't sell decaf organic fair-trade coffee here - can't imagine why, I'd think it would sell well. They have it online.

[dcheesi]

Maple syrup
TP
Paper towels

These are 3 of my top as well.  Even with it just being me now, the membership is still worth it to me because of how close I am to them.  My daughter has my spare card and finds quite a bit there that she needs, including adding to her work wardrobe because she’s on site every day.

Ones I haven’t seen mentioned yet are birdseed and pet items.  I wish they carried suet more often, but I’ve learned to stock up when I see it.

REAL maple syrup is way better than the fake stuff. This is one small luxury I will never give up.

I've never warmed up to pouring dirty tree blood on my pancakes.  Give me chemically pure, lab perfected 100% pure Aunt Jemima any day of the week.

I thought Aunt Jemima was retired. Is she back?

Ha, I forgot about that.  I'm sure she's relaxing with Mrs. Butterworth*, Uncle Ben, and that cream of wheat guy somewhere in mascot heaven now.  Probably with the land of lakes lady** too.

Actually, I think that all of the human mascots you can find any more are white now.  The Quaker guy, Colonel Sanders, Mr. Clean, Chef Boyardee, The Lucky Charms leprechaun, The Burger King king, the Wendy's girl, Flo the insurance lady, the Sun Maid lady (maiden?), the Hamburgler, Cap'n Crunch, the Keebler Elf, the Snap/Crackle/Pop elves, the Gerber baby, the Brawny paper towel guy . . . has outrage over mascot racial stereotypes resulted in an ethnic cleansing where we're now only allowed to buy from white people?







* Holy crap, further research seems to indicate that Mrs. Butterworth is still available for sale?  REALLY?

** Who was actually designed by an Ojibwe man in the '50s who gave her culturally appropriate beadwork in the art.  I'm not sure how to feel about that.  Does that make the character less objectionable?

Is Mrs. Butterworth bad? I never perceived that character as being specifically Black or PoC, nor as a servant figure, just a nice old lady with "butter" in her name (butter flavor being a key feature of the product). But maybe I'm just naive?

[Dicey]

We have Sam’s and Costco, so I’ll try to name things I can’t get at Sam’s, but can get at Costco

1) Organic frozen mango chunks.  Sam’s doesn’t carry plain mango, everywhere else is just crazy expensive.
2) Organic flour.  Sam’s doesn’t carry organic, and Costco’s is 10¢ less per pound than Azure Standard with the bonus of not having to buy 50# at a time.
3) California extra virgin olive oil, when they have it.  We rarely cook with EVOO, and wouldn’t buy this for cooking, but it’s a staple in our home dressed salads.
4) Organic half and half, great price
5) Dubliner cheese, and manchego

A block of cheese will be cost $10 there and then at the grocery store $10 gets you something 1/5 the size its crazy. Costco is elite for good cheese, but its hard to eat it all ahah

Wow, I've never heard of that problem.  P-)

[GuitarStv]

Maple syrup
TP
Paper towels

These are 3 of my top as well.  Even with it just being me now, the membership is still worth it to me because of how close I am to them.  My daughter has my spare card and finds quite a bit there that she needs, including adding to her work wardrobe because she’s on site every day.

Ones I haven’t seen mentioned yet are birdseed and pet items.  I wish they carried suet more often, but I’ve learned to stock up when I see it.

REAL maple syrup is way better than the fake stuff. This is one small luxury I will never give up.

I've never warmed up to pouring dirty tree blood on my pancakes.  Give me chemically pure, lab perfected 100% pure Aunt Jemima any day of the week.

I thought Aunt Jemima was retired. Is she back?

Ha, I forgot about that.  I'm sure she's relaxing with Mrs. Butterworth*, Uncle Ben, and that cream of wheat guy somewhere in mascot heaven now.  Probably with the land of lakes lady** too.

Actually, I think that all of the human mascots you can find any more are white now.  The Quaker guy, Colonel Sanders, Mr. Clean, Chef Boyardee, The Lucky Charms leprechaun, The Burger King king, the Wendy's girl, Flo the insurance lady, the Sun Maid lady (maiden?), the Hamburgler, Cap'n Crunch, the Keebler Elf, the Snap/Crackle/Pop elves, the Gerber baby, the Brawny paper towel guy . . . has outrage over mascot racial stereotypes resulted in an ethnic cleansing where we're now only allowed to buy from white people?







* Holy crap, further research seems to indicate that Mrs. Butterworth is still available for sale?  REALLY?

** Who was actually designed by an Ojibwe man in the '50s who gave her culturally appropriate beadwork in the art.  I'm not sure how to feel about that.  Does that make the character less objectionable?

Is Mrs. Butterworth bad? I never perceived that character as being specifically Black or PoC, nor as a servant figure, just a nice old lady with "butter" in her name (butter flavor being a key feature of the product). But maybe I'm just naive?

I always assumed that since she's filled with brown syrup and brown coloured she was intended to be a Black person.  Google is telling me that the company was going to change the bottle when Aunt Jemima got the axe, but apparently later decided that she's white and therefore can be spared the ethnic cleansing.

[Telecaster]

On a similar "not really groceries" note, the bit of Costco stock I've held individually for well over 10 years now has been doing quite nicely. I can't speak to current prices in terms of whether I'd buy more now beyond letting the dividends reinvest, though.

I've been wanting to buy Costco stock forever, but it has always been "too expensive."   The price just keeps going up though.   The company has an unbelievable moat.   

[41_swish]

Another one I forgot. Protein bars are a great price there. I like the Kirkland Signature ones, but they have other brands that are good, too.

[GilesMM]

As we all know, the Treasure Hunt gimmick at Costco keeps many coming back to see what limited-time surprises have appeared on the shelves.  I was there yesterday (too crowded!) and the aisle cap feature 600-toot spools of 12-gauge wire!  And people were buying them!  First of all, I've never seen massive wire spools at Costco as it is really not an electrical supply go-to.  And second, how many people are shopping for 12-gauge wire?  90% of residential applications are 14-gauge due to lower cost.  (Our house happens to be 12-gauge, but I have no need to run more wire...)

[GilesMM]

On a similar "not really groceries" note, the bit of Costco stock I've held individually for well over 10 years now has been doing quite nicely. I can't speak to current prices in terms of whether I'd buy more now beyond letting the dividends reinvest, though.

I've been wanting to buy Costco stock forever, but it has always been "too expensive."   The price just keeps going up though.   The company has an unbelievable moat.

The 10 and 20 year CAGRs for the stock are around 20%!  The good news is, you hold a fair portion of it in VTI/VTSAX or equiv.

[MacGyverIt]

Prescription medication - YMMV depending on the specific meds and your insurance but for some things it's been significantly cheaper than Walgreens for us.

I’d recommend also checking out Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs. He’s taken out the middlemen (PBMs) resulting in massive savings on tons of prescription meds.

[sonofsven]

As we all know, the Treasure Hunt gimmick at Costco keeps many coming back to see what limited-time surprises have appeared on the shelves.  I was there yesterday (too crowded!) and the aisle cap feature 600-toot spools of 12-gauge wire!  And people were buying them!  First of all, I've never seen massive wire spools at Costco as it is really not an electrical supply go-to.  And second, how many people are shopping for 12-gauge wire?  90% of residential applications are 14-gauge due to lower cost.  (Our house happens to be 12-gauge, but I have no need to run more wire...)

How much was 600' of (I assume) 12/2?

[Sibley]

Huge costco trip today. I price checked almost everything against Meijer, and everything I checked was a lower per-unit cost. Got more of the sourdough bread cause it was yummy. However, I'm being very careful not to buy anything that is a "settle" for something. 2 hours in the store, and next time I'm going during the week after work. Just nuts.