Costco

[MRE]

I recently bought the Natural, and found it bland and nearly tasteless. Admittedly, I'm still a fan of Skippy and have never really liked any of the natural brands that I've tried, but I wanted to give this a try as Costco often surprises. My wife agreed with trashing the open jar and donating the other to the food bank.

[Shel_B]

Hmm. My mad scientist self wonders about an immersion blender. Could be a disaster. Could be brilliant. Has anyone ever tried it?

I wouldn't do that ... again. I found that a spoon works well for me.

However, there is a somewhat more high tech device that many people seem to like: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_13?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=peanut+butter+stirrer&sprefix=peanut+butter%2Cgarden%2C312 Just be sure you get the right size for your jar.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[gfweb]

Jo, are you  near a Costco? They have great meats at a fair price. Their 'choice' is better than most 'prime' (at least around here) and they have that too.

 

Costco is also a leader in meat safety with more stringent requirements than FDA or any state (from what I've read).

 

I make a run to Costco every month or two and lay-in a supply of NY Strip and others...vacuum pack and freeze 'em, and t hen thaw as needed.

 

We have a butcher or two in the area but both are thieves and the meat is no better than Costo's

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Jo, are you  near a Costco? They have great meats at a fair price. Their 'choice' is better than most 'prime' (at least around here) and they have that too.

 

Costco is also a leader in meat safety with more stringent requirements than FDA or any state (from what I've read).

 

I make a run to Costco every month or two and lay-in a supply of NY Strip and others...vacuum pack and freeze 'em, and t hen thaw as needed.

 

We have a butcher or two in the area but both are thieves and the meat is no better than Costo's

 

There's a Costco about twenty miles away, but I don't have a vehicle so that is not much of an option.

[quiet1]

Jo, are you  near a Costco? They have great meats at a fair price. Their 'choice' is better than most 'prime' (at least around here) and they have that too.

 

Costco is also a leader in meat safety with more stringent requirements than FDA or any state (from what I've read).

 

I make a run to Costco every month or two and lay-in a supply of NY Strip and others...vacuum pack and freeze 'em, and t hen thaw as needed.

 

We have a butcher or two in the area but both are thieves and the meat is no better than Costo's

I have to concur - exact cuts available seems to vary slightly, but all of the beef I've gotten at Costco has been really quite good. I picked up a tenderloin for Wellington for Christmas dinner and even though it ended up overcooked a little (first time doing Wellington) it was delicious, and provided you are willing to do a bit of butchery yourself and can afford the initial expense, I suspect the cost would compare quite favorably to filet mignon steaks purchased from your standard assortment of high end supermarket type places, which is mostly what folks have access to.

[Shel_B]

While most of what is presented I already know, there are some things that are new, useful, or interesting.

Click Here

[IndyRob]

The thing I would like to know is whether the annual $50 membership fee can be justified by savings against other sources like ALDI or GFS.

[Shel_B]

2 minutes ago, IndyRob said:

The thing I would like to know is whether the annual $50 membership fee can be justified by savings against other sources like ALDI or GFS.

 

We find that, for us, it does.  I shop at Costco about once a month, not just for savings, but for savings on some items I can't get anywhere else.  We saved a good amount on a set of tires for our Prius, I got a great deal on kitchen towels, and there are food and drug items that we come out very well on, including some items that are impossible to find at our local markets..

 

We have two cards on our membership for the same $55.00 membership fee.  My GF and I don't live together, so we sometimes shop separately, in essence we have two accounts @ $27.50 each.  Hard to lose at that price.

[gfweb]

25 minutes ago, IndyRob said:

The thing I would like to know is whether the annual $50 membership fee can be justified by savings against other sources like ALDI or GFS.

 Really easily even if all you buy is meat there. And the meat is far better than the local supermarket chains (Acme and Giant).

[IndyRob]

Specifics?  For instance, I've bought whole pork shoulder at GFS for $1.29/lb.  Beef tenderloin can be had for $9.99, rib roast for $6.99.

[Yiannos]

32 minutes ago, IndyRob said:

Specifics?  For instance, I've bought whole pork shoulder at GFS for $1.29/lb.  Beef tenderloin can be had for $9.99, rib roast for $6.99.

 

Is this for prime, choice, select, or other? Because if it is one of the first two that is pretty cheap.

[IndyRob]

11 minutes ago, Yiannos said:

 

Is this for prime, choice, select, or other?

 

I can't say for sure, but I just looked at their online ad, and the only beef product there is choice brisket at $2.35/lb.

[gfweb]

Its choice. But the best choice around. supermarket has choice, but its crap.

 

Costco also has prime, but I'm quite happy with choice.

 

 

Edited October 8, 2016 by gfweb (log)

[gfweb]

Today I bought several New Zealand lamb racks for about $11 each.  The local supermarket sells it for $24.

[Lisa Shock]

Most of them here in Phoenix also sell gasoline. I generally save $0.07 - $0.12 a gallon on gas and there is a location near me, so I don't have to drive around to get a good price. I save $25-$30 a year just on gasoline.

 

I also buy large sacks of flour and sugar there, the regular price is a little lower than Smart & Final, but, occasionally, S&F has a baking supply sale that beats them.

Edited October 9, 2016 by Lisa Shock (log)

[Norm Matthews]

Costco has prime brisket as well as choice and the couple times I got it, it was cheaper than choice at other places.

[chromedome]

I also go about once/month. 

 

Here in Canada the math is a bit different, depending which specific products you buy. I seldom get meats at Costco, because their prices aren't especially good and I've not been pleased with their beef or lamb (I do buy pork occasionally). Butter is hit or miss...their price is good, but usually someone has it on for less as a loss leader. They're much, much lower on flour and sugar, so most of my baking originates with Costco. Their price on my GF's antihistamines, and my back pills, is ridiculously low (less than half of Walmart's price, IIRC). I buy my big bags of raisins there as well, and usually any nuts I use in my baking. So yes...for me, I easily make back my $55/yr or whatever it was at the most recent renewal. 

 

I do also pick up a rotisserie chicken several times/year. Chicken is much more expensive up here for a variety of reasons, and I can buy a cooked one from Costco for less than the price of an uncooked chicken anywhere else. I use their TP, too, if I happen to be low on that essential while I'm shopping there (that's another thing somebody always has on for a good price, so I don't go out of my way for it). 

[blue_dolphin]

I bought a membership one year and made it back on a set of tires.  As a non-meat eating household of 1, it was otherwise not worth it.

[rustwood]

1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

I bought a membership one year and made it back on a set of tires.  As a non-meat eating household of 1, it was otherwise not worth it.

 

I am in a somewhat similar situation (1 meat eater, 1 non-meat eater).  It is very conveniently located for us so that makes it a lot easier to justify the membership.  We have 2 sets of tires from Costco and it is worth it just to get them rotated for free.  I also get a prescription at their pharmacy for a fraction of the best price I can get it for at other local pharmacies. That alone more than covers the annual membership fee.  I've read that you don't have to be a member to use the pharmacy, but I believe there are member-only discounts on prescriptions.

 

I am often the only person in line who is only purchasing 2-3 small items.  Of course most items are packaged in sizes that are way too big for 1-2 people (especially fresh food), but there are things I like to buy there on a semi-regular basis (balsamic, peppercorns, maple syrup, vanilla, etc).  Those sort of recommendations are probably already in another thread though.

[blue_dolphin]

42 minutes ago, rustwood said:

It is very conveniently located for us so that makes it a lot easier to justify the membership.

Absolutely.  There are 3 Trader Joes, 2 Targets, a couple of Walmart Neighborhood markets and a Smart & Final that are closer to me than Costco.  If I were a larger household, it would be worth going out of my way.  

[Anna N]

 I am very lucky as a singleton to be able to piggyback on other peoples' memberships!  TP, papertowels, facial tissues, laundry needs are my primary buys but lamb chops and shrimp are much cheaper at Costco most of the time. I have found most of their meats superior to anything in my grocery stores.

[Ashen]

worth it for us just on Gas. My wife works across the road from it.   average at least 100$ per year savings in gas alone.  meat isn't really a savings factor, but quality is much better than supermarkets here.   Cheese can be huge savings.  Feta , parm, brie, balderson cheddar.   Baking supplies  and spices often huge savings.   If you are willing to wait , they often have huge discounts on high end  small appliances.  kitchenaid mixers, blendtec blenders, nespresso machines.   Return policy is crazy good too.  we had a holder tab break off on a drop bowl for kitchenaid mixer we bought there.  phone kitchenaid and the support guy told us just to box everything up and take it to costco , instead of waiting for kitchenaid to do something.  Walked in and within 15 mins we were walking out with a new in the box unit.   I think their electronics policy might have  changed but they used to double manufacturers warranty on most electronics   .. called concierge program in Canada. Not sure about other countries. 

 

http://www.costco.ca/concierge.html

Edited October 9, 2016 by Ashen (log)

[gulfporter]

On 9/11/2001, after the plane hit the Pentagon, the nearby Costco opened its doors to First Responders, letting them take whatever they needed to assist in the search/rescue and dealing with the fire which smoldered for over a week.  The store was closed to the public (as were all businesses in that immediate area), but Costco kept their kitchen open and fed the emergency workers for free for weeks.  Few people other than those connected with local government, knew of Costco's generosity during this tragedy as they never publicized it. 

 

On the membership price and whether it's worth it....we travel a lot by air and need to rent cars at our destinations.  Costco's online car rental prices routinely beat any other discounts we compare them to (frequent flyer accounts; AARP, etc.).  

 

And I never leave a Costco without at least one rotisserie chicken!

[MelissaH]

Costco moved into my part of New York a couple of years ago. I'd been in stores in CO and AZ, and liked those stores better than either BJ's or Sam's (each of which I've had memberships to at various times). But there's only one Costco in the Syracuse area and one in Rochester, the two nearby cities I visit on a semi-regular basis. And neither of those stores is in a part of town where I regularly go for other things (unlike at least one of the BJ's in either).

 

I did finally get to visit the Syracuse Costco with friends who had a membership. I was there specifically because I'd heard they had good deals on lamb, which is otherwise considered a specialty item and is therefore difficult to find and expensive around here. I did, in fact, find a very nice leg of lamb at a much more reasonable price elsewhere in the area. I wish those friends hadn't moved across the country, because I still haven't found enough else that would make it worth getting a membership of our own.

[kayb]

I wish we had Costco; they haven't intruded on the Home of WalMart yet. Soon, I hope.

 

Apropos of not much at all, my daughter and her fiancee got her engagement ring at Costco. They'd stopped to get gas and went inside to pick up something for his mother. Cara stopped to look at jewelry, and found the engagement ring she wanted. They bought it. 

 

I've teased her ever since about getting her engagement ring when they stopped to get gas.

 

BTW, Sam's has a nice rotisserie chicken, too. Much bigger than the standard Kroger/Walmart one. I will occasionally buy one, when I need a meal in a big hurry.