What do you buy at Costco?

HisGraceFillsMe · January 15, 2009, 7:18pm

My dad bought our 50" Plasma TV at Costco (yes, I’m completely serious).

Mostly my roommates and I go there for water, other drinks, toilet paper and most of the other stuff that all four of us use so we can split the cost and make it even more inexpensive.

BunsenBurner · January 15, 2009, 7:42pm

HGFM, you might want to take a look at this:

[Divide</a> and conquer at Costco! Buying in bulk, sharing the bounty | Seattle Times Newspaper](<a href=“Page not found | The Seattle Times”>Divide and conquer at Costco! Buying in bulk, sharing the bounty | The Seattle Times)

But for Capitol Hill’s Jonah Burke, 26, who used to share food with his six housemates, all of whom paid for food separately, physically splitting up the bounty of groceries wasn’t the hassle. The problem was splitting up the cost. Burke’s seven-member household would make the pilgrimage to Costco about twice a semester, spending approximately $800 to $1,000 each time.

“Afterward, we’d have to go home and make an Excel spreadsheet,” Burke says. “We’d list how much everything cost in bulk, how much per item, and whether or not each person wanted some of it. It actually worked out really well.”

Burke’s most recent spreadsheet alphabetically lists 107 food items along the Y-axis, and members of the household along the X-axis. A household member would indicate he’d like to share, say, a “Barrel of Pretzels,” by placing a “1” in the column under his name, in the row labeled “Pretzel Barrel.” If only three of the seven-member household wanted to share the pretzels, that $5.99 would be split only in thirds.

“That way, no one was saddled with someone else’s indulgent purchases,” Burke says.

Despite the initial labor of creating a spreadsheet, Burke says that sharing the cost of wholesale bulk-quantity food was noticeably cheaper and easier than if each member of the household shopped at a local grocer each week.

But, he adds laughing, “It’s extremely embarrassing in retrospect. I can’t believe how anal we were.”

:) :)

HisGraceFillsMe · January 15, 2009, 8:35pm

That’s about what we do, but without the spreadsheets. :)

HImom · January 15, 2009, 9:30pm

My S & his room mate have anyone who has a car make a Costco run for them & they just split the cost without the spreadsheet.

I just picked up my glasses there–Rx for both distance & also sunglasses with distance. I also bought a Wii, Wii Fit, Nintendo & GPS; have purchased computers, digital cameras, dairy products, cereals (once or twice they had bugs in them but otherwise have been good), watches, lower end jewelry, books, snacks, Hawaii products to send as gifts, rashguard shirts to wear while in watersports & swimming, sunscreen, electronic dictionaries, printers, bright therapy light, Rx, OTC & supplements, produce, baked goods, and things we can use in bulk, batteries–for household & also car, car tires, sunglasses, beverages, and some meats and fish. Frozen food tends to be pretty reasonable, but you have to have storage space.

We have to be sure to have folks to share with now that there are only 2 of us, otherwise we end up with just too much.

zipyourlips · January 16, 2009, 1:56am

thanks, barrons!

ShesOnHerWay · January 16, 2009, 2:11am

I go about once every two weeks - generally when I run out of cat food.

artichokes (when they have them, jumbo, best price!)
cat food (OK it’s just tuna but we buy in bulk)
chocolate chips
taco seasoning
lettuce (3 pack - great price!)
mexican shredded cheese
apples
satsumas
potatoes!
onions!
baby back ribs
my favorite wine
asparagus
cat trees!
newest bestsellers in hardback
detergent
dish soap
dishwasher tablets
water!
contact lenses
and much much more

And always, HOT DOGS for $1.50 including the soda!!!

lefthandofdog · January 16, 2009, 7:49am

The large platter of fresh veggies and dip is great. The first day, you eat the raw veggies. Then you recycle whatever is left over into stir fry, stews, whatever. Even with a small household, you end up using everything. Add the roast chicken and you’ve got protein - eat as roast chicken the first day, then make a chicken soup with veggies for later. It’s my ‘fast food’ indulgence.

MiamiDAP · January 16, 2009, 10:51am

Roast chicken is very good at Costco, better and cheaper than other places. "Pacific’ brand Organic Tomato Soup in cartons is awesome.

walkinghome · January 16, 2009, 1:21pm

I buy the frozen organic vegetables and the chicken sausage and all kinds of good for you food but my guilty pleasure is their Kirkland Crinkle Cut Potato Chips. They are dark and lightly salted and (oh!) so tasty.

abasket · January 16, 2009, 2:28pm

Just bought those Kirkland chips for the first time last visit - a really, really hearty chip - felt like it was more than a snack food! Almost a meal! :)

Fun to see what eveyone else is putting in their cart at Costco - and funny to see other people’s “regular” stuff is the same as yours.

sarha · January 16, 2009, 2:41pm

We love the veggie platter and the mango salsa, yummy. My H prefers the Kirkland coffee to any other brand.

toneranger · January 16, 2009, 2:50pm

The Mango salsa IS really good. We use it on top of our Costco Salmon.
Just bought some gourmet pasta sauce (roasted garlic) and it’s also really good.
I also buy the chocolate dipped biscotti and bring it into the office as a treat - folks love that they’re individually wrapped.

BengalMom · January 16, 2009, 4:05pm

Mango salsa sounds great. We BBQ their salmon often in the summer, I’ll have to look for the salsa. But even better… ahi. Yummy.

Paper towels
toilet paper
napkins
toothpaste
sunscreen
chocolate chip cookies
water softener salt
tuna
dried blueberries
Hershey’s cocoa

BunsenBurner · January 16, 2009, 4:13pm

Crab legs and halibut! Spices! And lots of Yellow Tail. Around Thanksgiving, our local Costco had frozen Martha Stewart brand apple pies. They were delicious!

parentofbear · January 16, 2009, 5:17pm

I buy a case of tuna to donate to a local food bank and a 40 lb sack of dog food every month.

silvervestersmom · January 17, 2009, 12:47am

Today–a prescription, bananas and a sack of Yukon Gold potatoes. I need 6# for a recipe tomorrow night, gave the rest to my D. Forgot–even though it was on the list–Pacific Organic Chicken Broth.

lorelei2702 · January 17, 2009, 2:17pm

I have just realized that the best thing I have ever bought at Costco was that box of “hotties” toe warmers…ah…

BunsenBurner · January 17, 2009, 2:26pm

I’m going to Costco today to replenish the food and other essential supplies. My shopping list:

artisan bread
croissants for breakfast
potatoes
blue onions
organic baby mixed greens
red peppers
strawberries or other berries
apples
dog food
cat litter
cat food
salmon
wild rice mix (if they still have it)
milk
Yellow Tail
organic ground beef
socks (D took all my socks to college - she thinks college students can’t have too many socks! :eek:)
Windex

Of course I will cruise their clothing isle to see if the cashmere sweaters are on sale like they were last year.

JustaMom · January 17, 2009, 3:01pm

Their brand of paper towels and TP (and with D 3000 miles away, they seem to last forever!)

Their brand of fabric softener sheets & dishwasher detergent (but not laundry detergent).

Gas.

A prescription.

Never buy food there, never did.
Bought a book. Once. Bought a box set of CDs. Once.

abasket · January 17, 2009, 4:30pm

Just got back from a trip myself - treated myself to a nice griddle that I can use on my new glasstop stove. I put off buying it till after Christmas.

Today they had samples of their lobster bisque - I"ve always wondered about it so was excited to try it! Actually, while it was good, it seemed very rich and sweet to me - don’t think I could eat even a cup of it!

What do you buy at Costco?

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