Calling all Costco cognoscenti - what're the good deals?

[masraum]

For us PP-board folks that're new to Costco, what are your go-to great deals that can be had?

What do you regularly get there or watch for?

How do you shop there?

I feel like I've heard tires and batteries mentioned. Maybe oil, too? I assume there's other stuff, maybe "prime" meats?

The kids' have Costco and the wife has been going with one of them from time to time, and finally decided that we needed our own account so we went tonight. Holy carp! What a freakin' mad-house on a Fri evening! I can see that the wife will likely do most of the shopping during the day, during the week without me. I suspect my trips there will be few and far between, and maybe on days off or a random trip.

I assume they have a certain amount of stuff that's just always there, but that other items come and go when they can get a good deal. How do you know that something new has come in that you want? Is it just the luck of the draw that you are strolling through and stumble across something?

Help me/us benefit from your experience and avoid any pitfalls.

[Arizona_928]

Toilet paper and paper towels.

I like the Kirkland canned chicken as well.

[WPOZZZ]

$5 chicken! My dog loves it.

[Evans, Marv]

I buy TP, paper towels, & tissues in those big bundles so I never run out. We also buy paper plates, bowles, etc. and use them a lot. I buy their socks and cheap pants for working in. Reading glasses, meat, frozen veges & frozen berries, campari tomatoes, vitamins, packaged nuts, etc. You'll find your balance after some time. We also use their credit card & get around $500 to $600 back on that each year as well as the 2% on purchases from our Executivce membership, which pays for the memborship and then some. I guess I'm a junky when it comes to those kinds of stores. I started with Fedco, then Price Club, & finally Costco. I'm not sure I'll live long enough for the next iteration.

[herr_oberst]

$5 rotisserie chicken; tasty AF, and if you get two or three you can boil the carcass' for soup. These are subsidized as per the CEO orders. There's plenty of magazine stories about this and the 1.50 costco dogs.


I don't have a card, but I went with a friend just yesterday.
I bought 24 organic eggs for 10 bucks.
Big block of tillamook medium cheddar
Big-Ass package of Bounty Paper towels
Giant can of roasted salted Kirkland peanuts

First thing I saw when I walked in was the biggest TV I've ever seen, for 800 bucks. I think it was 80"?

[Pazuzu]

Meat.

Beef tenderloin ends for less than $8 a pound.
5 pounds of chicken breast.
Salted peanuts.

Where did you find a Costco, or are you driving into the Big City?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

Meat.

Beef tenderloin ends for less than $8 a pound.
5 pounds of chicken breast.
Salted peanuts.

Where did you find a Costco, or are you driving into the Big City?

~55 miles to the one in Katy at Grand Parkway and I10. The wife is down in Friendswood fairly often visiting with the grandkids, so she'll usually be going there.

[LWJ]

Underwear. Awesome. Wool socks. Also awesome. Manchego (sp?)cheese. Also buy car tires and batteries. Electric/computer stuff used to have a 2x warranty. Not sure if they still do. I suspect not.

Eggs.

Ibuprofen.

Hearing Aids - don't do this yet - MIL does though.

Glasses.

Pharmacy for some items.

Levis.

Dog food.

Gasoline.

Got a killer deal on T-Mobile a few years back. I think they are affiliated with a new carrier today. Worth looking.

And...WINE. Costco is supposed to be the largest volume wine seller in the US. I believe it.


The thing about Costco is that their purchasing skills are extraordinary. I really don't ever question their quality. And if you do? The return policy is amazing. They won't typically be the least cost. But, they will have excellent value. I am typing this on a MacBook Air that came from ...Costco!

[masraum]

Lots of good info folks, thanks!

[wildthing]

We wait for the coupon books to get deals on detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, batteries, chips... whatever we need or crave, we wait for the coupons most of the time. The rest have been mentioned above and don't go on sale - rotisserie chicken, hotdog, chicken bake, meat, salmon.

The coupon book is usually posted on costcoinsider .com or even Reddit.

[Crowbob]

OJ, those two-packs.

And once in a while something in housewares like stainless steel utility sinks and led light strips. Oh, shop cloths, sometimes yellow and sometimes red.

[917_Langheck]

Back in the early 80s we called it the hundred dollar store - because you didn't get out for under a 100$. You could easily call it the thousand dollar store today.

While there are regular items on the shelf, throughout the year there are seasonal and odd lot items, usually of good quality. You never know what you may find that you suddenly can't do without! But more than that, there are many more things on the webpage that arent on the shelves. Very dangerous. But, if you don't like it, take it to the store and get a refund. No need to ship back. That's worth some of the crowded mess trouble.

Also, no nonsense tires and battery purchases.

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

$5 rotisserie chicken; tasty AF, and if you get two or three you can boil the carcass' for soup. These are subsidized as per the CEO orders. There's plenty of magazine stories about this and the 1.50 costco dogs.


I don't have a card, but I went with a friend just yesterday.
I bought 24 organic eggs for 10 bucks.
Big block of tillamook medium cheddar
Big-Ass package of Bounty Paper towels
Giant can of roasted salted Kirkland peanuts

First thing I saw when I walked in was the biggest TV I've ever seen, for 800 bucks. I think it was 80"?

I was so tempted to buy the 98" tv. Those Kirkland VA peanuts are delicious. So are lots of their pastries. I wish they would bring back their roasted garlic loaf instead of that rosemary one.

[porsche tech]

First pair of hearing aids I bought from a private audiologist for about $3000 each. Lasted about 5 years and replaced them with Phillips from Costco for $1800 for the pair (with TV adaptor) about a year ago.

[Bob Kontak]

They sell premium vanilla ice cream in two 1/2 gallon tubs that are boxed together. Very high butterfat and it's delicious. You will be amazed at the size of a real half gallon.

In 1987 Anchorage Costco sold 30lb tanks of R12 for $97.

[greglepore]

In addition to the above:
Wine-the Kirkland stuff is always pretty good for the price, and they often get stunning deals on both domestic and imported wines. It turns over quickly (the sale stuff).
Mozz cheese-the Kirkland brand-its the texture of fresh mozz but with less water than the other big brand and melts better
Pet food-our dogs get kirkland, and some of the aforesaid chicken-I pressure cook the chicken to make it easier to pull apart, and then I have a base for stock
Spanish EVOO-3 liters, excellent for the price
King Arthur Flour-10 lbs for same price as most places get for 5
Nonna Biscotti-half price, but only a month or two a year
IQF Chicken breast-I like this better than having to portion and pack their fresh breasts
The bread and rolls are usually well under grocery store prices.

A couple cautions-not everything is cheaper than normal, and you have to buy quantities.
Some stuff (ie the imported pasta) cycles seasonally and you might find your favorite gone.
The entire experience is set up to make you impulse buy-use care.
The fruits and veggies are well priced, but look carefully at the package before you get to the register, its usually good but they have such big quantities that sometimes its not optimal.

[unclebilly]

Milk, gasoline, clothes, shop rags, prescription meds, we shop there a lot.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Eyeglasses are the best thing to get at Costco. My last pair was $1000 at See and my current set
From Costco that are identical were $200.

Whole untrimmed briskets for smoking

Stuff.

Love Costco for variety and prices

[aschen]

I love costco I can buy 8x as much stuff for 10x the price

Actually costco is a good place to buy almost anything in my experience, non sarcasticly

[masraum]

Thanks everyone for all of the info/advice.

Originally Posted by greglepore

The entire experience is set up to make you impulse buy-use care.

Yes, I noticed that walking around last night. I have, over the years, tried to cultivate a self-edit where I may pick something up, but given a moment, I'll often think "I don't need this," and then put it back down. Most of the time these days, I think "cool/want" but then don't even pick the thing up.


I get the impression that the buyer for the place will go out and find stuff that they can get a deal on if they buy in bulk, and that may be the only shot that they have of that item, they got a deal, it's in the store for a good price, but once it's gone, it's gone, at least in the near term. I assume that there are only some things that are always there.