Kirkland signature brand formula is 46 cents an ounce and the name brand, Enfamil, is 89 cents an ounce. My wife and I are using cloth diapers, but if you are going the disposable diaper route, Costco offers the best value in that arena, too.
I just purchased a new set of luggage , and the value that Costco provided was incredible. The actual cost of the luggage is super competitive, but on top of that, Costco offers the best guarantee in the land. Craft beer is my thing. But if you are a wine connoisseur, Costco is the place for you. I had to add these items to my list, because I love them and they make dinner really easy sometimes.
The line to fill up at the Costco gas station just wastes too much time. Nonmembers can use these cards to purchase cheap gas at Costco gas stations, a privilege usually reserved for members.
Because Costco warehouses are typically found in more suburban areas, driving miles out of the way for cheap gas may not be the most cost-effective way to fill your tank, which is something to consider before you stock up on Shop Cards. If you love Costco but only visit for its affordable eye exams and bottles of wine which you can buy without a membership , you should probably take a pass. The standard membership is Gold Star , which comes with one primary household card and a second card for a qualifying person living at the same address.
For purchases at Costco. In many cases, yes. One Wirecutter writer justifies his membership almost entirely because of the money he saves booking rental cars through Costco Travel. And not everything sold at Costco comes in bulk. You can shop for things like headphones, iPhones, engagement rings, Legos, and plenty of other items. Elissa Sanci is a staff writer for Wirecutter, where she covers deals, consumer shopping, and personal finance.
Her byline has also appeared in Good Housekeeping and Marie Claire. Does the membership extend to Costco. How do you pay for purchases? What services can you use without a Costco membership? I had long resisted the warehouse store because of the membership fee , and instead did my shopping at Target, Meijer, and Kroger.
But I decided to finally get myself a membership to see what all the fuss is about. Here's what I noticed on my very first visit.
The first thing you notice walking in is a sign stating the days Costco closes. There are only seven — information you may want to sock away if months from now you find yourself still scurrying around for last-minute gifts on Christmas Eve. Now you know where to go. Costcos may close early before holidays, though, so check your store's schedule.
The biggest catch to shopping at Costco is the membership fee. Both types include a membership card for you and an extra card for your household. To save money on membership, look for Groupon and LivingSocial deals. Or, if you have a friend with a membership, ask them to get you a Costco Shop Card to make purchases without a membership. Limit one per household. Nontransferable and may not be combined with any other promotion. You must join in person with a Costco representative.
New members will get their Costco Shop Card by mail in four to six weeks. Costco Shop Cards are not redeemable for cash, except where required by law. Each membership includes one free household Card. May be subject to sales tax. Departments and product selection may vary. You'll need to show your Costco card to enter the store, but if you're signing up like I was, you'll be directed to a membership desk just inside the exit area.
The customer service reps were friendly and efficient in signing me up and taking my photo for the back of the card. If you ever have to return an item — Costco has a very generous return policy — this is where you'll come as well. Items such as food, paper goods, office supplies, diapers, and personal care products are all sold in large packages — this isn't the place to come to buy a single orange or loaf of bread.
That means that if you live alone or in a very small apartment, a Costco membership may or may not be worth it. For large families or someone with plenty of storage space, a membership makes more sense. Because everything is in such large packages, and to save time, goods are usually sold right off the pallet it was shipped on. The aisles are wide so carts loaded with items — and, after hours, forklifts — can get through.
I didn't notice any employees helping people load things into carts, but I'm sure if you asked for help with that pound bag of dog food, someone would step up. For more smart Costco tips, please sign up for our free newsletters. Those bulky items demand a choice for carts when you walk in the door. Choose either an oversized grocery store style cart, or go with a flatbed. If you're buying lots of heavy beverages, for instance, you'll probably want a flatbed.
It'll be easier to move things on and off. These big-ticket electronics grab the attention, whether you're in the market for a new television or not. Expect big sales around the holidays and right before the Super Bowl. Unlike grocery stores, you can get a new phone and wireless plan at Costco.
There's a kiosk in the electronics department and usually a dedicated wireless employee. Most of the major carriers and phone manufacturers are represented. On Black Friday, warehouse clubs such as this can be the easiest places to score great cell deals. The computer selection at Costco isn't huge, but unlike if you bought online, you can actually try computers before buying.
Chances are you'll see a kid or two playing with them while waiting for their mom to finish shopping. Store layout isn't intuitive, so departments along the outer walls of the store are marked with big red signs that can be read from practically anywhere.
It helps if you're looking just for meat or paper goods, which are in the back of the store. Aisles don't have signs identifying what's there. So as you walk past huge, long, towering aisles, you just have to look down them as best you can for what you're looking for. Though that product has since disappeared, her other Costco favorites are Kirkland-brand seltzer water, clothes, and decaf coffee. The store can also be a good deal for people who split their memberships with others or have large households.
Mary Meisenzahl, a retail reporter with Insider who splits Costco purchases between herself, her boyfriend, and her parents, buys bulk-sizes of frequently used items, like oat milk and dog treats. Costco is known for bulk sizes, which translate to higher prices, so you can rack up a long and pricey receipt if you have a tendency to impulse shop.
If you're far away from one of Costco's locations , you might be wasting more money on gas driving to the store than you're saving. Plus, if you have to make a long drive to get there, you might not be shopping there enough to make the cost of a membership worth it. Costco's whole appeal is bulk buying, so unless you're shopping for a lot of people or if you know you're going to be using it up fast, buying produce or meat in bulk won't save you money unless you can eat it before it expires.
Costco has a reputation for bargains, but not all Costco deals are as thrifty as you might think — items like pasta and name-brand cereal are usually cheaper at regular grocery stores.
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