<p>My stops to Costco are at random times of the day - sometimes seems that they actually DON’T have much samples right at the noon hour. After 1pm they seem to have more…I do love the opportunity to try new things but also have learned to pick and choose so I don’t overdo the calories - I mean, if they have dino shaped chicken nuggets I REALLY don’t have to try those!!! But I certainly have bought some products just because they had samples and I liked it.</p>
<p>Key lime pie (really good)
Paper towels, tissues, and toilet paper
champagne
paperback books
dish washing detergent
Beach stuff</p>
<p>I get the above stuff( Dave’s killer bread, Mochi ice cream, chipotle sauce & Rothschild ginger wasabi sauce) at my local grocery.</p>
<p>I get towels at Costco.Eyeglasses, camisole bra tops,socks…all stuff I don’t need that often so it has been months since I have made a Costco run.</p>
<p>Here is an example of why I use Costco. I opened our renewal letter and looked at the inserts. One was for extended car warranties. I filled out the form on line. A guy called me today. Described the plan, didn’t pressure me, said he could email the stuff, explained when the pricing changes based on my mileage. I asked who he worked for and he explained who they use for underwriting but that Costco runs it, that he’s a Costco employee. They are a for-profit business whose niche is to, in their words, “curate” a relatively limited set of goods and services. They evaluate what they sell to try to give value. The warranty would perhaps not be the absolute cheapest but it will offer more services for the price. </p>
<p>BTW, we buy smoked fish at Costco. They now carry 2 or 3 kinds and have, at least here, a smoked fish spread that’s terrific. The smoked fish is about as good a value as I can get at the Russian markets here.</p>
<p>Lox
Salmon
Beef
Chicken
Frozen meatballs
Hummus
Tobuli salad
Bag of broccoli
Bread - 2 loafs of whole grain
Salsa
Dubliner cheese
Mozarella logs
French beans
Brussel sprouts
kirkland ice cream
Over the counter soft ice cream (very berry sundae)
walnuts
almonds
dates
prunes
dried cranberries
Tomato soup (basil)
Italian seasonning
Cinnamon
Salad dressing (forgot the name)
Muffins for office b-day treat (once/year)
Sun dried tomatoes (sometime)
Pickles (sometime)
Pickled artishokes
Men’s button downs
Many other items, sorry for spelling above. They used to have nice swim suits, one piece with open back. Unfortunately, they switched to cross on a back, I do not like them.</p>
<p>What? No donuts?</p>
<p>MSNBC recently aired a one-hour report on Costco.</p>
<p>Here is the short version:</p>
<p>[Inside</a> the Box: What?s the secret to Costco?s success? - Video on NBCNews.com](<a href=“http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rock-center/47182853#47182853]Inside”>http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rock-center/47182853#47182853)</p>
<p>If you search through your DVR, you may find the full one-hour program.
It was very interesting.</p>
<p>PS: I am a big Costco fan.</p>
<p>Lergnom,
Out of curiosity, what other inserts besides the auto extended warranty (and the reward gift if you have the executive membership) were in with the Costco renewal?</p>
<p>The fig goat cheese log is incredibly delicious. I used slices of it on a salad for a dinner party and got asked repeatedly for where I’d purchased it.</p>
<p>Biggest disappointment: they just started carrying compostable bags, which are required in our area for compostables pick-up, but the only ones they carry are the small ones for bathroom trash can sized cans. We need the tall kitchen ones. (I’m actually throwing out more in compostables than in trash these days between indoor and yard compostables.)</p>
<p>“I am a big Costco fan.”
-Yep, the same. Last year, got $600 back on their card at the end of the year. We could have used it outside of Costco though.</p>
<p>Beef tenderloin and lamb chops. Both items absolutely delicious and about 60% the cost of my upscale grocer. My regular (price competitive) grocer does not carry the same quality meats.</p>
<p>I do a tenderloin a couple of times a year for a holiday or dinner party. It’s practically fool proof and allows me to enjoy my guests rather than prep the meal immediatley prior to serving.</p>
<p>And, gasoline. Prices are about 10 - 15 cents cheaper than my other options.</p>
<p>On the Costco Muffins – Did you know that they’re 610-700 calories each depending on the variety? I hardly ever buy any of the in-house Costco baked goods because everything is super-sized. I wouldn’t mind if the package had 20 muffins or so – then I’d just freeze them – but I’ve seen lots of school events where those muffins are left 1/2 or 1/3 eaten.</p>
<p>
Holy moley. One has to put a LOT of charges on that AmEx card to get that size of a rebate at the end of the year. The only time I got that big a rebate was when I paid for most of one of my son’s Bar Mitzvah expenses, including the entire tab at the hotel where we held the Fri night dinner, the Sat party and the Sunday brunch, the hospitality suite, etc. It was not cheap. </p>
<p>If a person can pay their kid’s college tuition on this AmEx without getting hit with a fee from the college for using a credit card (we were not able to do this as our schools charged to put payments on a cr card) I would recommend putting it on a card that gives a big rebate.</p>
<p>As for Costco gas, I also love the pricing, with one exception. They have no midgrade. Just regular and premium - no midgrade blend.</p>
<p>US prime steaks for summer grilling. Excellent.</p>
<p>I actually have always wondered why Costco has no donuts! None! </p>
<p>The Costco gas price is interesting. Here, I usually find it anywhere from .15-.30 cents cheaper than most stations. When we visited friends in a Chicago suburb I wondered why my friend looked at me funny when I asked specifically if there was a Costco nearby to get gas. Turns out theirs is only a few cents cheaper - not really worth to drive out of your way at all!</p>
<p>"On the Costco Muffins – Did you know that they’re 610-700 calories each depending on the variety? "
- I am very sure that people at my office are aware of relationship beween muffin size and calorie. They are free to cut them as much as they want also. I love one kind and we almost never have “healthy” b-day treats anyway. Usually donuts or begals. And again, one muffin is a norm as well as 2-3 donuts or 2 - 3 begals, which is about the same. I bring muffins because they are way cheaper. If I bring apples and oranges, people will be very mad, trust me.<br>
On a gas prices, we never ever buy gas at Costco, the lines are too long…for $4 of savings, the waiting time cost more tha that.</p>
<p>Arabrab, I love that fig goat cheese, too and only see it at holiday times in the variety pack. I get Trader Joe’s honey goat cheese as a mid-year substitute</p>
<p>Contact lenses!</p>
<p>$4 savings of gas over a year is $200 more for me to spend somewhere else!!! The line goes quick! Less than a 10 minute wait…</p>
<p>Regarding the muffins, they are huge and I would compare them nutritionally to eating donuts - but hey, every once in a while a muffin or donut I like! I have been known though to take those muffins home and cut them in half, ziplock them and freeze - I usually separate them and freeze anyway. My college/graduated and in an apt kids love to raid them when they come home!</p>
<p>When I was a security analyst, I loved Costco. Not sure if its formula is the same, but they priced all products to yield a gross profit margin in a narrow range, and held administrative expenses to a set % of sales. Many people called for the CEO to raise prices and he wouldn’t, as he considered members as important as shareholders.</p>