Is Costco membership worth it?

[AdventureGirl!]

The current debate in our house: Is the Costco $60 membership worth it?

We are a two person household with no room to store a bunch of stuff, so stockpiling doesn't work for us.

My husband says it is not worth it for the few specific things that I would like to be able to buy but that we eat regularly.

We have been going from time to time with a friend but it is a big inconvenience to work this out and often run out long before we can work out another trip to the store together. Partner says I should just sacrifice those items to the cause and buy items I don't like as much but don't require this extra fee to purchase.

I see his point, it's just Gluten Free pizza and salsa...but I do really enjoy these only-found-at-costco items.

Do you shop at Costco? Do you feel you get your moneys worth?

[deborah]

No. Can you (or your partner) investigate recipes?

[Blissful Biker]

It's absolutely worth it for us, but we have hungry teenage boys and a cold storage room.

[therethere]

I got a membership last year to get a Black Friday deal. In the past year, I've only gone to Costco maybe 5x? Not worth it to me.  I've actually been meaning to request a refund on my membership, but I haven't gotten around to going. But to me it was mainly due to location. The closest regular Costco is like 10 miles away. I only went once on my lunchbreak and it was mobbed. I never returned. The one closest to me is a business Costco which has even larger bulk sizes (if you could imagine) that I can't justify purchasing. I ended up only buying coffee and chicken broth there. Not worth the 5$ a month to add another place out of the way to shop.

I have a Sam's Club membership also that I'm on the fence as to whether it is worth it. It's only $20 a year though so the savings threshold is low. But of the 10 or so products I bought regularly, they stopped carrying 7 of them. Now I only get coffee and granola bars there. But it's worth the ~$1.75/month just to not have to find coffee sales.

[Indexer]

It's worth it to me, but that's primarily due to gas and the Costco cashback credit card. I pass a Costco everyday and gas there is normally $0.20 cheaper than anywhere else.

10,000 miles per year/40 mpg = 250 gallons per year X $0.20 = $50 in gas savings.
Add in my GF's gas savings. $??
I also have the Costco cash back credit card, which is 4% cash back at gas stations, 3% at restaurants, and 2% at Costco. I normally get about $100/year in cash back from that card.

[OtherJen]

We love Costco (seriously, those GF pizzas are amazing). For us, the discount in generic allergy meds alone is worth it, but we also buy many other bulk staples and have the room to store them.

It sounds like you're not getting enough value out of your membership to make it worth it. Do you have a friend or relative with a membership who would let you tag along or would buy you gift cards (don't need a membership to use those in store)? Then you could still buy the few products you like.

[Schaefer Light]

I dropped my membership this year due to the fact that I now live 30 minutes (or an hour, depending on Atlanta traffic) from the nearest one.  The combination of the time I would waste, the gas I would burn, and the frustration of getting stuck in the inevitable traffic jam either going or coming makes it a non-starter for me.  On that note, Costco really needs to open a store on the east side of Atlanta.

When I lived less than 10 minutes from one, I do believe it was worthwhile for the savings on paper products, charcoal, oatmeal, peanut butter, allergy medicine, toiletries, and gas.  But you really have to do the math for the specific items you buy and compare their prices to other local stores.  You also have to ask yourself if you have the discipline to only buy those items that are on your list.

[MyAlterEgoIsTaller]

I find myself more or less alternating years of Costco membership and then non-membership.  When I've not been a member for a year or so then something will invariably come up where I decide it will be worth it to join again - usually because I need new glasses (they let you in to go to the optometrist without a membership card, but they don't let you buy glasses without it).  Or giant bags of raw almonds.  Or last time it was because I finally ran through my 10-year supply of kitchen sponges. 

But my Costco doesn't have a gas station, and it's 20+ miles from my house, so in the years when I'm a member I feel like I don't get around to going there enough times to really make it worthwhile.  If it were closer and/or sold gas it might seem more worth renewing continuously.

[techwiz]

I would say yes for our household as we have two teenagers, buy our gas there use the Costco credit card with the added bonus of cash back which provides a couple of hundred dollars each year in rebates.

It's not for everyone, and I have a few colleagues who swear they will never step into a Costco again since their experience with the crowds were so bad it's not worth any amount of money in savings.   

[Wrenchturner]

I would say yes for our household as we have two teenagers, buy our gas there use the Costco credit card with the added bonus of cash back which provides a couple of hundred dollars each year in rebates.

It's not for everyone, and I have a few colleagues who swear they will never step into a Costco again since their experience with the crowds were so bad it's not worth any amount of money in savings.

The crowds and shopping experience are horrendous, worse than wal mart, and being single I don't really benefit from the economy of scale.  I tried their membership for a month.  Good products though.

[OtherJen]

I would say yes for our household as we have two teenagers, buy our gas there use the Costco credit card with the added bonus of cash back which provides a couple of hundred dollars each year in rebates.

It's not for everyone, and I have a few colleagues who swear they will never step into a Costco again since their experience with the crowds were so bad it's not worth any amount of money in savings.

The crowds and shopping experience are horrendous, worse than wal mart, and being single I don't really benefit from the economy of scale.  I tried their membership for a month.  Good products though.

Oof, yes. I'm a freelancer so I usually go on weekday afternoons. I don't know if I'd consider the membership worth it if I had to battle the weekend crowds.

[Wrenchturner]

I would say yes for our household as we have two teenagers, buy our gas there use the Costco credit card with the added bonus of cash back which provides a couple of hundred dollars each year in rebates.

It's not for everyone, and I have a few colleagues who swear they will never step into a Costco again since their experience with the crowds were so bad it's not worth any amount of money in savings.

The crowds and shopping experience are horrendous, worse than wal mart, and being single I don't really benefit from the economy of scale.  I tried their membership for a month.  Good products though.

Oof, yes. I'm a freelancer so I usually go on weekday afternoons. I don't know if I'd consider the membership worth it if I had to battle the weekend crowds.

The costco I visited was even busy during weekday afternoons!  And unless you're buying a huge pile of stuff, the checkout lines aren't worth it either. But it's worth trying out.

[redhead84]

Ours is close to our house and pretty much next door to our normal grocery store which makes it pretty convenient. We get good deals on Costco's fuel, generic medication, glasses, the rotisserie chickens, and a lot of the Kirkland branded foods (frozen veggies, peanut butter, nuts, quinoa, olive oil, etc.) We've learned which items are a good deal and which aren't. If the store wasn't convenient, I wouldn't go out of my way to shop there.

[honeybbq]

I really like Costco and think they have very good prices on most items that I buy. However, I hate the crowds, the parking lots, everyone stopped in the middle of the aisle to eat a crappy sample.

I usually go 45 minute before closing time on a Friday night. And I usually only go every 2 months and not between Nov 1 and Dec 31.

Things that I buy:
food-
Dave's bread
Meat (chicken, turkey, beef)
Rotisserie chicken
pepper 6 pack
avocados
salad
veggies- beans, cauliflower, etc
fruit- berries, apples, oranges, etc.
olive oil
yogurt
frozen peas and corn
wine and beer
cheeses
hummus
I try not to buy too much premade stuff but they sell some Indian food and their homemade pizzas are delish.

Misc:
they have great sports equipment in our area, like tents, snow shoes, ski gloves, etc.
kid's clothes and sets. Halloween costumes, 'fancy' dresses for Xmas, etc.
Books/DVDs are similar to amazon pricing usually.
dog stuff- greenies, beds, treats

I have not bought appliances there, but I've only heard good things.

[John Galt incarnate!]

The current debate in our house: Is the Costco $60 membership worth it?

We are a two person household with no room to store a bunch of stuff, so stockpiling doesn't work for us.

My husband says it is not worth it for the few specific things that I would like to be able to buy but that we eat regularly.

We have been going from time to time with a friend but it is a big inconvenience to work this out and often run out long before we can work out another trip to the store together. Partner says I should just sacrifice those items to the cause and buy items I don't like as much but don't require this extra fee to purchase.

I see his point, it's just Gluten Free pizza and salsa...but I do really enjoy these only-found-at-costco items.

Do you shop at Costco? Do you feel you get your moneys worth?

I had a Costco membership but after I got it  I shopped there so  infrequently that I didn't renew it.

Every now and then I go with my friends  who do shop there regularly.

I put what I want in their shopping cart and pay them when we get home.

I do get my money's worth at Costco because I'm a selective shopper.

[John Galt incarnate!]

I really like Costco and think they have very good prices on most items that I buy. However, I hate the crowds, the parking lots, everyone stopped in the middle of the aisle to eat a crappy sample.

I usually go 45 minute before closing time on a Friday night. And I usually only go every 2 months and not between Nov 1 and Dec 31.

Things that I buy:
food-
Dave's bread
Meat (chicken, turkey, beef)
Rotisserie chicken
pepper 6 pack
avocados
salad
veggies- beans, cauliflower, etc
fruit- berries, apples, oranges, etc.
olive oil
yogurt
frozen peas and corn
wine and beer
cheeses
hummus
I try not to buy too much premade stuff but they sell some Indian food and their homemade pizzas are delish.

Misc:
they have great sports equipment in our area, like tents, snow shoes, ski gloves, etc.
kid's clothes and sets. Halloween costumes, 'fancy' dresses for Xmas, etc.
Books/DVDs are similar to amazon pricing usually.
dog stuff- greenies, beds, treats

I have not bought appliances there, but I've only heard good things.

I always buy the Kettle brand potato chips.

They are my favorite.

[Xlar]

I find it is worth while but I also pay for the membership in savings just from purchasing gas. Any savings from the main store is just a bonus. There are certain items that we buy from Costco regularly that are much, much cheaper than other grocery stores. Like their pre-cooked chickens, heavy cream, and avocados. When they have sales other items become well worth it as well. Like we got some organic pasta for less than $1 per lb recently.

If you don't go regularly then a good option may be getting a Costco gift card periodically. You have to have someone else buy it but then it will get you into the store when ever is convenient for you. Sadly I think you have to pay with the gift card + your credit card so you may need to get a new gift card every time? But I'm not certain.

[mountain mustache]

I love Costco, and I am a single person. I live 2 hours away from the nearest one currently, but will soon be moving back to about 10 min away, and am looking forward to it. I have a deep freezer, and tons of storage space, so it really works out for me to stock up when I am in the city, and buy way cheaper groceries than are available in my town.

Here is what I like to buy
- Rotisserie chicken
- Organic raw spinach
- organic raw baby greens
- 10 pound bag of organic carrots
- 20 pounds of onions for like...$4.99
- chicken thighs, breasts, and whole roasting chickens
- organic ground beef
- organic ground turkey
- all sorts of organic frozen veggies and fruits
- laundry detergent, dish soap, paper towels, toilet paper, etc...I hate running out of these things, so having Costco quantities means I only have to think about buying them like...1x a year
- kerrygold butter
- bacon
- 5 pound bags of good coffee
- olives
- artichoke hearts
- organic peanut butter
- organic canned tomatoes, and tomato paste
- 505 green chiles, and green chile sauce
- salsa
- coconut oil, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil (their price on this is amazing)
- maple syrup
- walnuts, almonds, etc
- spices

I pretty much stock up on all of these things, depending on what I am out of on about a 2-3 month basis. I'm just one person, but none of this stuff goes bad if frozen/stored correctly. I hate grocery shopping, and love having all of the food I need to cook 3 times a day. All of these products work out to be much cheaper than my local grocery stores, plus I run out so infrequently which I like, and it keeps me from having to shop more than 1x a week for fresh produce.

[nereo]

It was definitely worth it to us when we lived nearby.  At the time we were a 2-person household living in an apartment, so we share the OP's lack of stockpiling space.

Among the things that made it worth it to us was
cheese
nuts
baking ingredients
gasoline

Sadly we moved and the nearest Costco is 2+ hours from us, so we let our membership expire.

we'd routinely save $10-15 each visit over comparable products at our other supermarket options.  Fuel saved us another $5/month.  The "crowds" never bother me much - seems like a first world sort of problem (for real crowds, visit some developing countries where you might wait 4 hours to get fuel or groceries during shortages).  Even on a weekend we never waited more than ~10 mintues to checkout at our Costco.  Staff was unfailing friendly and helpful, too.

[John Galt incarnate!]

I love Costco, and I am a single person. I live 2 hours away from the nearest one currently, but will soon be moving back to about 10 min away, and am looking forward to it. I have a deep freezer, and tons of storage space, so it really works out for me to stock up when I am in the city, and buy way cheaper groceries than are available in my town.

Here is what I like to buy
- Rotisserie chicken
- Organic raw spinach
- organic raw baby greens
- 10 pound bag of organic carrots
- 20 pounds of onions for like...$4.99
- chicken thighs, breasts, and whole roasting chickens
- organic ground beef
- organic ground turkey
- all sorts of organic frozen veggies and fruits
- laundry detergent, dish soap, paper towels, toilet paper, etc...I hate running out of these things, so having Costco quantities means I only have to think about buying them like...1x a year
- kerrygold butter
- bacon
- 5 pound bags of good coffee
- olives
- artichoke hearts
- organic peanut butter
- organic canned tomatoes, and tomato paste
- 505 green chiles, and green chile sauce
- salsa
- coconut oil, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil (their price on this is amazing)
- maple syrup
- walnuts, almonds, etc
- spices

I pretty much stock up on all of these things, depending on what I am out of on about a 2-3 month basis. I'm just one person, but none of this stuff goes bad if frozen/stored correctly. I hate grocery shopping, and love having all of the food I need to cook 3 times a day. All of these products work out to be much cheaper than my local grocery stores, plus I run out so infrequently which I like, and it keeps me from having to shop more than 1x a week for fresh produce.

Costco's garlic powder and cinnamon are a good value.

[FINate]

We are a family of 4.

Financially, our Costco Executive membership pays for itself with the cashback rewards. The key is to be strict about only buying stuff you would otherwise normally buy. This includes with the proceeds of cashback rewards check. Costco counts on people splurging with that "free" money. Don't. Just spend it on your normal groceries and you'll come out ahead.

That said, there is something about Costco that's starting to drive me nuts: so much damn plastic and excessive packaging. We're thinking of letting the Costco membership expire and instead getting our produce and meat at the Farmer's Market and/or a CSA, and a local dairy that uses reusable glass containers. We know this will cost more.

[Car Jack]

Not for us.  Friends of ours did some research and concluded that it would only be worth it for them if buying tires.

I've gone in with a list of things I regularly buy and wrote down prices.  I then compared with my go-to, Market Basket.  Not only was Market Basket cheaper, I wouldn't have to pay to be a member or drive an hour to get to the closest Costco, which at that time, I worked half a mile from.

[OtherJen]

I really like Costco and think they have very good prices on most items that I buy. However, I hate the crowds, the parking lots, everyone stopped in the middle of the aisle to eat a crappy sample.

I usually go 45 minute before closing time on a Friday night. And I usually only go every 2 months and not between Nov 1 and Dec 31.

Things that I buy:
food-
Dave's bread
Meat (chicken, turkey, beef)
Rotisserie chicken
pepper 6 pack
avocados
salad
veggies- beans, cauliflower, etc
fruit- berries, apples, oranges, etc.
olive oil
yogurt
frozen peas and corn
wine and beer
cheeses
hummus
I try not to buy too much premade stuff but they sell some Indian food and their homemade pizzas are delish.

Misc:
they have great sports equipment in our area, like tents, snow shoes, ski gloves, etc.
kid's clothes and sets. Halloween costumes, 'fancy' dresses for Xmas, etc.
Books/DVDs are similar to amazon pricing usually.
dog stuff- greenies, beds, treats

I have not bought appliances there, but I've only heard good things.

I always buy the Kettle brand potato chips.

They are my favorite.

Those chips are so freaking good. I only let myself buy them a few times per year.

[kanga1622]

It isn’t worth it in our situation. We live 65 miles from the closest Costco. We get to that town at least 4 times a year but sometimes more.

We tag along with someone that has a membership. Once a year we do a big stockpile of individual packaged snack items that can be snacks for the kids on road trips, after school care, and last minute needs. Then we grab a coconut oil, maple syrup, and minced garlic. We do have someone that can stop and grab something if we need it. For instance, my youngest needs extra protein as he is vegetarian (sensory issue). It is significantly cheaper to buy Carnation instant breakfast packets at Costco. So we buy a couple boxes on our “back to school” run and maybe another 1-2 in the spring. But we don’t save enough to justify the $60 fee. Unfortunately we end up buying a lot of processed stuff when we go as that is what lasts in the pantry. We couldn’t go through the giant bags of apples fast enough.

[OtherJen]

Not for us.  Friends of ours did some research and concluded that it would only be worth it for them if buying tires.

I've gone in with a list of things I regularly buy and wrote down prices.  I then compared with my go-to, Market Basket.  Not only was Market Basket cheaper, I wouldn't have to pay to be a member or drive an hour to get to the closest Costco, which at that time, I worked half a mile from.

Comparison pricing is the way to go. There are definitely things that I always buy at Aldi, or at Kroger or Meijer when the sales are good. I never buy produce at Costco because the local independent produce markets have comparable or better prices and I don't have to buy in bulk.

[Buffaloski Boris]

No. For the few specialty items we get there, it’s not worth the cost of membership. Stores like Aldi are usually cheaper and you don’t have to buy in bulk. Gas is a good deal as are the rotisserie chickens. Otherwise it’s not worth the trip.

[Abnormal Housewife]

If this particular friend or another with a membership could pick up a Costco gift card for you in the amount you usually spend, you can shop without a membership. 

[Zikoris]

You definitely have to do the math. We're also a household of two and have something like five things we buy there, but those five things make up for the membership cost, so it's fine. But pretty much if even one of those things disappeared, we'd probably ditch it.

[minimustache1985]

If this particular friend or another with a membership could pick up a Costco gift card for you in the amount you usually spend, you can shop without a membership.

Yes, if you have a Costco GC you don’t need a membership to use it.

It’s worth it for us, though we do share the membership with my mom (her and I have the two cards from back when I lived with her in college, H doesn’t go without me or at all if he can avoid it haha).
I buy:
Rotisserie chickens
Tri tip and flank steak (price/quality value is better than my local stores even on sale)
Avocados and sometimes occasional other produce (like last week when a two pack of raspberries was $3.29 and they weren’t on sale at other stores)
Maple syrup
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Butter
Bacon
Hot dogs
String cheese, or any cheese we will use the whole thing of in time
Any spices I use that they sell- vanilla, cinnamon, black pepper
Kirkland detergent
Dishwasher pods
Clorox wipes (like once a year)
Trash bags (like once every two years)

Hoping the next kids butt fits the Costco diapers too, they’re very well rated but our son experienced leaks with them.

[AdventureGirl!]

Thank you all so much for the quick response! This was my first posting on the site and I didn't expect so many people to chime in so quick.

Based on what you all have said, I do not think the membership would be worth it for us.

I had not taken into account the gas and travel time, as the store is 10 miles away - when I can just walk to three other grocery stores that are right by my house. I also think that because we can't stock up, we would lose some of the benefits and just end up eating the same thing for days on end.
Or I would constantly talk myself out of going because I would have to drive there.

I work from home, so I could go midday on days when my husband works from home as well and the care is here - so I am not too worried about the crowd thing.

But overall, I think I have been talked out of it.

If anyone lives in the Edina area and wants me to take me to Costco with them so I can get GF pizza - I will gladly push the cart and give ya some cash for gas ;)

[Daley]

Personally, it's worth it for us, but we're less than three miles from one. We did the math, and found that the savings on salad, eggs, cheese, and almond flour alone was enough for us to justify the membership given our current dietary habits and my dietary restrictions.

If anyone lives in the Edina area and wants me to take me to Costco with them so I can get GF pizza - I will gladly push the cart and give ya some cash for gas ;)

Let me introduce you to a recipe that'll kill your taste for frozen GF pizza (and potentially trips to Costco for it specifically, instead of, say, mozzarella and almond flour), and is simple and fast enough that a kid can do it: Fat Head Pizza Crust.

The recipe is quite versatile and filling, and in addition to pizza, we've turned it into crackers, biscuits, breadsticks... and can be baked in the oven, cooked on the stove, tossed in between panini/sandwich griddle plates for a waffle iron (dare you think we invested in a unitasker)... one word of warning, though: don't eat your normal serving of pizza with this stuff, and cap yourself at a couple slices. Each slice (1/8th) of the crust alone is around 200 calories, 3/4ths of which comes from the fat in the cheese and eggs. You try eating half a pie, and you'll wail like a 1970's Alka Seltzer ad. As such, it's a treat in the house.

[seattlecyclone]

For us I think the membership pays off, but we rely pretty heavily on the stockpiling. Most of the stuff we buy there is things like 25-pound bags of flour and sugar, cases of canned tomato products, cases of soy milk, 24-packs of beer, etc. The prices on these large quantities tend to be better than what we'll usually find at our neighborhood supermarket, but without some space in our basement set aside to store all this stuff it would never make sense to buy it in that quantity.

That said, the amount of space required really isn't that much. We have two shelves in our basement, each with a 2' x 3' footprint, full of food we have no immediate use for. That's a total of 12 square feet. This is in addition to the normal kitchen storage where we keep enough for our day-to-day use.

[chemistk]

Personally, it's worth it for us, but we're less than three miles from one. We did the math, and found that the savings on salad, eggs, cheese, and almond flour alone was enough for us to justify the membership given our current dietary habits and my dietary restrictions.

If anyone lives in the Edina area and wants me to take me to Costco with them so I can get GF pizza - I will gladly push the cart and give ya some cash for gas ;)

Let me introduce you to a recipe that'll kill your taste for frozen GF pizza (and potentially trips to Costco for it specifically, instead of, say, mozzarella and almond flour), and is simple and fast enough that a kid can do it: Fat Head Pizza Crust.

The recipe is quite versatile and filling, and in addition to pizza, we've turned it into crackers, biscuits, breadsticks... and can be baked in the oven, cooked on the stove, tossed in between panini/sandwich griddle plates for a waffle iron (dare you think we invested in a unitasker)... one word of warning, though: don't eat your normal serving of pizza with this stuff, and cap yourself at a couple slices. Each slice (1/8th) of the crust alone is around 200 calories, 3/4ths of which comes from the fat in the cheese and eggs. You try eating half a pie, and you'll wail like a 1970's Alka Seltzer ad. As such, it's a treat in the house.

We freaking love this crust, it's all but replaced regular pizza in our house. I can shred broccoli into the crust and add a bit extra flour, and the kids get an extra helping of veggies without suspecting anything.

The irony too is that almond flour is typically so much cheaper at Costco than at the grocery store.

-----

In response to OP - we were gifted a membership and I think we'll renew, because certain things are reliably far less expensive at Costco (almond flour, quinoa, vitamins, flavored seltzer, occasionally some good clothes, etc.). We can fill up the van if it's low when we go at $0.15 per gallon less on average, and there's enough free samples to constitute a lunch for the kids.


-----

Editing to add: as someone who works with the quality/regulatory department of a food company, I can say with some certainty that Costco has higher food quality & food safety standards for the products it stocks in its store than nearly every other major retailer and even some first world governments. Generally speaking, most grocers have high standards but Costco is so committed to quality and safety that it will elect to manufacture a popular product under its own label if it finds that product isn't up to snuff. 

[highplainsdrifter]

If you're looking to test out a membership for a year. Check out Groupon. I just bought a membership through Groupon for $40 and got a $20 gift card, a thing of laundry detergent, a steak, bunch of TP and paper towels. I couldn't use the 'he' laundry detergent in my ancient washing machine and returned that for $18.99 store credit. This Groupon pays for itself easily, then lets you test out if the membership will be worth it.

I've found within my first month of membership that it will be worth it. I've easily 'saved' enough to cover membership in the first month by buying things that my wife and I eat often. I'm lucky enough to live about 1 mile from a location and I think I can save the cost of annual membership just buy buying their gas. Their gas is between .10 - .50 a gal cheaper than other gas stations in my local area.

[Nightwatchman9270]

We had one for a while and it was break-even at best.  A lot of good stuff, esp the prepared stuff but most of the stuff (Indian pre-made, soups, etc) were very high in calories.  We are a family of three so we actually save money just eating less.  Prices for staples (chicken, ground turkey, vegetables) were comparable to Aldi but no way in hell do we need the quantities that they sell.  I go through MAYBE 3 advocados a week....don't need a bag of them.  We eat a lot of potatoes but any bigger than a 10 lb bag and they rot in our house.  Same with onions.  Everything else there canbe bought on Amazon and are "once every 5-10 years" types of purchases.  Honestly unless you have a family of 5 or more, I don't see how anyone really can justify the expense.  No family of four or less needs those quantities unless they are flat out over-eating.

[OtherJen]

Let me introduce you to a recipe that'll kill your taste for frozen GF pizza (and potentially trips to Costco for it specifically, instead of, say, mozzarella and almond flour), and is simple and fast enough that a kid can do it: Fat Head Pizza Crust.

Okay, this sounds awesome. I hadn't seen it before, so thanks for sharing!

[mm1970]

We love Costco (seriously, those GF pizzas are amazing). For us, the discount in generic allergy meds alone is worth it, but we also buy many other bulk staples and have the room to store them.

It sounds like you're not getting enough value out of your membership to make it worth it. Do you have a friend or relative with a membership who would let you tag along or would buy you gift cards (don't need a membership to use those in store)? Then you could still buy the few products you like.

+1 (or is it +2 by now?)

I almost had a heart attack yesterday when they moved the pizzas to a different location.

It's worth it to us.  How many GF pizzas do you eat a year?  How much does that save you vs buying them in a store (if you can find them).  We eat one a week, they are $6.50 each, and they'd probably be $9 elsewhere (just by google), that's $130 a year.

But we've got kids and we also eat a lot of cheddar cheese...

[OtherJen]

We had one for a while and it was break-even at best.  A lot of good stuff, esp the prepared stuff but most of the stuff (Indian pre-made, soups, etc) were very high in calories.  We are a family of three so we actually save money just eating less.  Prices for staples (chicken, ground turkey, vegetables) were comparable to Aldi but no way in hell do we need the quantities that they sell.  I go through MAYBE 3 advocados a week....don't need a bag of them.  We eat a lot of potatoes but any bigger than a 10 lb bag and they rot in our house.  Same with onions.  Everything else there canbe bought on Amazon and are "once every 5-10 years" types of purchases.  Honestly unless you have a family of 5 or more, I don't see how anyone really can justify the expense.  No family of four or less needs those quantities unless they are flat out over-eating.

I can see how it would be expensive/not worth it for pre-made foods and/or if you don't cook from scratch regularly. My household is two adults. I don't think we buy anything pre-made at Costco except the gluten-free pizzas, rotisserie chickens (two meals plus a half-gallon of homemade stock for $4.99!), and some type of crunchy snack (usually the almond flour crackers, which I haven't been able to replicate successfully). We cook from scratch most nights. I'm 41 and my single-digit clothing size suggests that I'm not overeating. I think husband still wears a 33-waist in pants (he's in his mid-40s so it might be 34 now).

My regular purchases tend to be coffee beans (best price locally for the quality), organic extra-virgin olive oil (by far, best price locally), bulk brown rice (cheaper even than Aldi), raw almonds (best price locally), organic ground beef and chicken thighs (best prices locally), store-brand laundry detergent ($11 for a huge jug on sale), paper products (best price for quality level), blocks of sharp cheddar (best price locally), frozen salmon filets (more expensive than Aldi but we prefer the quality), bacon (best price locally), and wine (store brand is very good at $6.99 per bottle). Less regular purchases include fancy deli meats and cheeses (usually at holidays), spices, avocado oil, coconut oil, balsamic vinegar, trash bags, and clothing basics (gloves, socks, thermal underwear). And seasonal allergy meds—seriously, that savings alone is probably the break-even point that makes our membership worth it.

[FIPurpose]

For what I buy, I find that Costco is about 10% cheaper on average. So if I buy about $600 worth of goods in a year, then it's worth it. I think I spend about 200-300 per month at Costco, so very much worth it.

They also sell higher quality items. organic olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil, Kerry Gold Butter (25% cheaper than anywhere else I've seen).

But! It can seem like you're not saving money in the first few months. The savings come from your stuff lasting longer, not from cheaper trips. In fact you probably spend more per Costco trip, but over time you'll find that you don't have to go to the grocery store every week or you end up skipping a week every couple months. You'll only know for sure by measuring your own numbers.

[Nightwatchman9270]

I wasn't saying we eat a lot of pre-made stuff.  I just said Costco pre-made stuff is especially good!
I stand by what I say though.  Unless the two of you are eating INSANE amounts of food or only shop there once a month, I can't imagine the quantities you have to buy there make it worth while.  We eat a lot of rice, but a 10 lb bag lasts us months, same with chicken breasts, ground turkey, onions, etc.  I guess if you had a big freezer it might be worth it?  But then you'd have to buy and supply power to a big freezer.  Nope.  Still don't get it.  But maybe you guys just have a super rev'ed up metabolism or are marathon runners!

BTW...organic olive oil?  Do you REALLY think that is any healthier?  I guess if it helps you sleep at night...

[OtherJen]

I wasn't saying we eat a lot of pre-made stuff.  I just said Costco pre-made stuff is especially good!
I stand by what I say though.  Unless the two of you are eating INSANE amounts of food or only shop there once a month, I can't imagine the quantities you have to buy there make it worth while.  We eat a lot of rice, but a 10 lb bag lasts us months, same with chciken breasts, ground turley, onions, etc.  I guess if you had a big freezer it might be worth it?  But then you'd have to buy and supply power to a big freezer.  Nope.  Still don't get it.  But maybe you guys just have a super rev'ed up metabolism or are marathon runners!6-l

BTW...organic olive oil?  Do you REALLY think that is any healthier?  I guess if it helps you sleep at night...

Yep, once every 5-6 weeks. I buy the 4-lb pack of ground beef, 5–6-lb pack of chicken thighs, 3-lb bag of frozen salmon. They fit just fine in our standard freezer attached to our fridge. Rice gets stored in airtight jars and does last for months. We eat three meals per day. Maybe we have good metabolisms. Lucky us.

The organic oil has been cheaper per ounce than the other bottles of oil at Costco recently. I sleep just fine, thanks.

[FIPurpose]

BTW...organic olive oil?  Do you REALLY think that is any healthier?  I guess if it helps you sleep at night...

Yes Costco's Organic Olive Oil is pretty famous for being of great quality. Buying Olive Oil either comes with the problem of it being rancid, or being cut with cheaper oils. Costco's Organic Olive Oil is highly trusted as being a purer Olive Oil and isn't rancid by the time you open it.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/costco-olive-oil_n_5981e0abe4b09d24e9945c22?guccounter=1

[bluebelle]

If there was a costco that was easier to get to,  I might get a membership.   My brother loves them, but he's retired, and lives closer to one....and I get him to buy the one thing I like for me (kirkland plastic wrap).   

[Nightwatchman9270]

Never had any rancid olive oil at Aldi.  Neither I nor you have any proof that Olive oil is cut with cheaper oils.  Not sure you'd know it if they did.  I sure wouldn't.  $10 per liter vs. $6 per liter.  Choice seems pretty obvious, but hey, I'm just trying to save money on things.  Pretty sure that's what this whole website is about.  Again, if thinking more expensive olive oil makes a bit of difference in your life, go for it.

Seems like a lot of people on this board have really lost their bearings.....

[FIPurpose]

Never had any rancid olive oil at Aldi.  Neither I nor you have any proof that Olive oil is cut with cheaper oils.  Not sure you'd know it if they did.  I sure wouldn't.  $10 per liter vs. $6 per liter.  Choice seems pretty obvious, but hey, I'm just trying to save money on things.  Pretty sure that's what this whole website is about.  Again, if thinking more expensive olive oil makes a bit of difference in your life, go for it.

Seems like a lot of people on this board have really lost their bearings.....

You could also just buy peanut oil and save even more money! Don't worry the info is free.

[OtherJen]

Never had any rancid olive oil at Aldi.  Neither I nor you have any proof that Olive oil is cut with cheaper oils.  Not sure you'd know it if they did.  I sure wouldn't.  $10 per liter vs. $6 per liter.  Choice seems pretty obvious, but hey, I'm just trying to save money on things.  Pretty sure that's what this whole website is about.  Again, if thinking more expensive olive oil makes a bit of difference in your life, go for it.

Seems like a lot of people on this board have really lost their bearings.....

From reading these forums and the blog over the last several years, I understood the point of Mustachian frugality to be based on prioritization: spend on what you value while cutting costs on everything else. We live in what is apparently a very small house. I buy gasoline for my tiny purchased-used car maybe once a month. Husband probably buys gas for his 18-year-old car every 2 weeks. These spending patterns are because we don't personally value a larger house, a large vehicle, or a regular driving. Somebody with kids, a job that requires them to haul equipment, or a commute would have different spending patterns. I think I acknowledged that in my first response to the OP, because it doesn't sound that her circumstances make a Costco membership worthwhile. Her circumstances are different than mine.

For example, a few extra dollars for good olive oil is worth it to us because we do value the way that we cook at our home (and because I have gotten rancid olive oil at Aldi, Meijer, and Kroger). We think the food prepared in our own kitchen tastes way better than the food in most restaurants, and this helped us get out of the habit of eating in restaurants and buying take-out. A whole $12 bottle of delicious olive oil that will last for a few months is still cheaper than many restaurant entrees.

But then again, I suppose it's possible that really have lost our bearings, Mr. Money Mustache included:
https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/09/30/is-a-costco-membership-worth-the-cost/
https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2018/05/15/a-day-in-the-life-of-my-supposedly-frugal-stomach/

[nereo]

Never had any rancid olive oil at Aldi.  Neither I nor you have any proof that Olive oil is cut with cheaper oils.  Not sure you'd know it if they did.  I sure wouldn't.  $10 per liter vs. $6 per liter.  Choice seems pretty obvious, but hey, I'm just trying to save money on things.  Pretty sure that's what this whole website is about.  Again, if thinking more expensive olive oil makes a bit of difference in your life, go for it.

Seems like a lot of people on this board have really lost their bearings.....

There's a pretty well documented practice of olive oils being adulterated with cheaper oils.  Cooks Illustrated had a segment about it a while ago, and IIRC it is more rampant with the lighter flavored versions.  And yes, most people can taste the difference, particularly if they are compared side-by-side.  Here's one article regarding the issue. And another on the confusion about what is "fake" about many of these oils.
tl;dr - many major brands labeled "extra virgin" do not in fact meet the requirements for this unadulterated, first-press characterization.

Yes, this forum often focuses on how to save money, but if you think this is about extreme frugality you are missing the point (blog post embedded).

Regarding organic/certified vs. non - the research on whether it's more nutritious is ambiguous, but pesticides and fungicides from non-organic sources are detectable in the final product.  Further, it's not just about the impact on one's own health. For many the impact of conventional farming practices are as big a reason to buy organic as any hope that it will be "better" to ingest.

[Kris]

We are a two-person household. Before I met my husband, I would never have even considered buying a membership to Costco.

I'd say that for the vast majority of 2-person households, it's not even close to worth it. Especially if you are short on storage (and we are).

The reason I allow it in our case (I have financial veto power) is that my husband is an amazing cook and food is his main and major hobby. We bought a small condo-sized deep freeze to accommodate more bulk meat and other freezable items. In our case it is worth it because of how much grocery shopping he does there and some of the amazing deals he gets. And while he was still working, we bought the majority of his work clothes there, and generally our winter coats, etc. come from there as well.

[mm1970]

I wasn't saying we eat a lot of pre-made stuff.  I just said Costco pre-made stuff is especially good!
I stand by what I say though.  Unless the two of you are eating INSANE amounts of food or only shop there once a month, I can't imagine the quantities you have to buy there make it worth while.  We eat a lot of rice, but a 10 lb bag lasts us months, same with chicken breasts, ground turkey, onions, etc.  I guess if you had a big freezer it might be worth it?  But then you'd have to buy and supply power to a big freezer.  Nope.  Still don't get it.  But maybe you guys just have a super rev'ed up metabolism or are marathon runners!

BTW...organic olive oil?  Do you REALLY think that is any healthier?  I guess if it helps you sleep at night...

In response to this and your later comment on olive oil - there have been plenty of studies where groups have purchased various olive oils and tested them and found them to be mixed with inferior oils.  The reason for buying Kirkland Organic isn't necessarily the organic label (for many), but the fact that this one in particular has been shown to be pure.

As far as whatever else people are eating and whether Costco is worth it.  It depends on -
- where you live (other store options)
- how often you shop
- what you eat (vegan, paleo, etc)
- how big your family is

Our family of 4 has a grocery bill of approx $8600/year.  That's about $5700 for a family of 2 adults (I have children that don't yet eat like adults).  If you save 10% at Costco (like someone else mentioned), then that's definitely worth it, assuming you buy everything there.

We save probably $175 on the GF pizza alone.  Then $120 on cheese.  I haven't even gotten into Claritin, tortillas, eye-glasses ($350 saved without insurance, $515 with insurance). 

For the items I buy there, they are far more than 10% cheaper.  I don't buy everything cheapest possible.  Things like olive oil, I want quality.  For items like beans and rice and vegetables, I am trying to avoid plastic.  So I am willing to pay more to buy my beans and rice in the bulk bins and pay more.

[mountain mustache]

I wasn't saying we eat a lot of pre-made stuff.  I just said Costco pre-made stuff is especially good!
I stand by what I say though.  Unless the two of you are eating INSANE amounts of food or only shop there once a month, I can't imagine the quantities you have to buy there make it worth while.  We eat a lot of rice, but a 10 lb bag lasts us months, same with chciken breasts, ground turley, onions, etc.  I guess if you had a big freezer it might be worth it?  But then you'd have to buy and supply power to a big freezer.  Nope.  Still don't get it.  But maybe you guys just have a super rev'ed up metabolism or are marathon runners!6-l

BTW...organic olive oil?  Do you REALLY think that is any healthier?  I guess if it helps you sleep at night...

Yep, once every 5-6 weeks. I buy the 4-lb pack of ground beef, 5–6-lb pack of chicken thighs, 3-lb bag of frozen salmon. They fit just fine in our standard freezer attached to our fridge. Rice gets stored in airtight jars and does last for months. We eat three meals per day. Maybe we have good metabolisms. Lucky us.

The organic oil has been cheaper per ounce than the other bottles of oil at Costco recently. I sleep just fine, thanks.

Same, I go every 6-8 weeks, sometimes 12 weeks (I'll go way more once I'm closer) but I also buy the 5-6lb pack of chicken thighs, frozen salmon filets, and 4lb pack of ground beef, and plenty more and it honestly doesn't last me...that long. It would all fit fine in my standard freezer if I didn't share with two other people. That meat probably lasts me 2 months at a time, which to me is perfect. I guess I eat a lot...I'm an athletic person, and I love eating large meals...I'm pretty lanky, and I guess I have a high metabolism!

I think the difference, at least for me, is...sure, I could go pick up a pound at a time of ground turkey or chicken. I'm a single person, that would be fine. But first, I eat probably double that throughout the week and I prep most of my food ahead of time because I'm super busy. Also, I hate shopping frequently, and tend to spend more when I am going to the store all the time.  So going to Costco every 2 months or so keeps me out of the store except to refresh my produce, which I like. Also I personally love to cook, and so going to my freezer and seeing all of the ingredients I need without having to make any trips to the store makes me super happy. If you have the money and space to buy items you will absolutely use, I don't understand why it wouldn't make sense to stock up?

Oh yeah, and that organic olive oil is amazing, and such a good price lately. I can't find it anywhere near me for close to that price.