Just joined Costco - what are your faves?

[dsmith]

I took the plunge and joined even though the store is a bit overwhelming for me. (What was I thinking doing Costco and BJ's in one day?!?!) I was pleasantly surprised at some of the prices compared to BJ's. What Kirkland products can anyone recommend? I was looking at the dishwasher tabs and laundry tabs, but would love any and all recommendations regardless of brand. 

[pinball]

My fav Costco thing is this CEO quote:

Jim Sinegal, Costco's co-founder, once told the company's current CEO, Craig Jelinek, “If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.” “I know it sounds crazy making a big deal about a hot dog, but we spend a lot of time on it,” Sinegal told the Seattle Times in 2009. “We're known for that hot dog.

[prairiewindmomma]

The dishwasher and laundry tablets are good. We like the paper towels, but only tolerate the toilet paper. Generally, anything store labeled is a decent product. Costco has high quality standards.

[Pawz4me]

We just joined a couple of months ago, so we're still newbies. So far the Kirkland things we've found that we like are their peanut butter filled pretzels, the uncured sliced (sandwich) ham, ice cream bars and chicken thighs. In another thread a few weeks ago I asked about the Kirkland PT and TP, saying that I was pretty brand loyal to Charmin and Bounty. The consensus among those who responded was that I should stick with Charmin TP but the Kirkland PT might be acceptable.

[Lady Florida.]

Well their deli whole chicken is a well known loss leader. It's always $4.99 and larger than rotisserie chicken you get at most other stores. 

 

Dh and ds like the steak strips (beef jerky but needs refrigeration after opening). We like their sparkling flavored water - the flavors are better than name brand. I don't care for their TP, paper napkins, or tissues but YMMV. I don't think they're soft enough. They have a wide selection of Asian products both in the grocery and frozen sections. If you live in an area with limited Asian grocery choices like I do, it's worth trying their stuff. <- Those aren't necessarily Kirkland brand, just that they have decent choices.

 

Other than the paper products I mentioned we haven't been disappointed with anything we got there.

[prairiewindmomma]

The toilet paper is like Quilted Northern. If you are Team Charmin, you will not like it.

[marbel]

I am one who can't use Kirkland toilet paper; it makes me itch. That's the only reason I am Team Charmin. The paper towels are OK, I guess - I don't really use them, but my husband likes them.

Of Kirkland products, we use the Columbian coffee beans, Brita-type water filters, butter, both salted and unsalted, the brie (in winter; for some reason brie is winter cheese to us), pesto, and, recently, a Kirkland branded Sartori cheese, which is a brand I thought I had seen elsewhere, maybe Costco bought it. I didn't like the Kirkland feta (which for us is a summer cheese) and was sad when they stopped selling President brand. Oh, we like the bacon and pre-made burger patties. OK, I just thought of another as I'm typing: shampoo and conditioner.  Plain nuts for baking. And the salted pistachios for snacking! 

But we buy plenty of other brands there. The dried figs and apricots they sell are delicious to us. The Cabot brand super-sharp cheddar (all season cheese, LOL). They sell a small boneless ham that is inexpensive and very tasty. In general I think their meat is very good. Oh, their baguettes are the best! Recently I bought some Polish sausage that was a little expensive for me but grass-fed,  uncured beef; we ate some last night and they were so good (if one likes sausage of course). There is a brand of mini pizzas, they come in a box of 12 - 6 of each, pepperoni and plain cheese - that are good for a quick meal or snack. 

Of course there are different things at different Costcos. I remember reading some rave reviews of their dried sour cherries, but I have never seen them in my Costco. 

 

 

[Corraleno]

I've liked pretty much every Kirkland-branded product I've bought except the TP. Non-food products are usually equal quality but cheaper than other brands, and food is either equal quality but cheaper, or better quality for the same price.  If you eat meat and dairy, they have a great selection of really good cheeses (try the Coastal Cheddar and Manchego) and their beef is very high quality. Their own-brand cold cuts (roast beef, pastrami, uncured ham, etc.) are excellent and cheaper per ounce than most stores, and their large rotisserie chicken is still $5

The things I most commonly buy are organic produce and bagged salads; big bags of frozen organic fruit & veg; organic peanut butter & pasta sauce; large jars of herbs & spices; cases of organic soy milk, canned beans, canned tomatoes, and boxed vegetable broth; large bags of nuts and pumpkin seeds; olive and avocado oil (the Kirkland olive oil got great reviews and passed the test for being pure olive oil, and they sell the excellent Chosen Foods brand of avocado oil); big jars of marinated artichoke hearts; maple syrup; the Kirkland version of La Croix; and various household products from light bulbs to toothpaste. If Dd goes with me she often gets shampoo, conditioner, and make-up remover wipes.

Believe it or not they also sell decent clothes there at really good prices. Most of DS's socks and underwear are from Costco (brands like Adidas and Puma), and I've bought clothes there for both myself and DD. (I bought a pair of Sketchers joggers on sale for $12 a few months ago, and when I tried them on at home they were the lightest, softest, and most comfortable pants I've ever owned, so I went back and bought several more.)

Their bedding and towels are good quality, and I even bought the queen mattress for DS's college apartment there. I've bought pots & pans, glass storage jars, office supplies, office chairs, both of my Vitamixes, and my eyeglasses there. They're also my designated pharmacy.

ETA: They have good prices on Clif Bars, jerky, protein & collagen powders, and things like that — DS purposely leaves his suitcase half-empty when he comes home for breaks, so he can fill the other half with Costco stuff when he goes back to college.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Corraleno

[prairiewindmomma]

You can order the cherries for delivery: https://www.costco.com/cherry-bay-orchards-no-added-sugar-dried-montmorency-cherries-8-oz-bag-2-pack.product.100407876.html

Mine just came back into stock in the warehouse in January, so if you haven’t looked recently, you might want to look again soon.

[4kidlets4me]

We love Costco here. Like others have said the paper products aren't the best but everything else has been great. We regularly buy trash bags, dishwasher tabs, frozen fruit and veg, frozen pizza, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, almond butter, spices, olive oil, nuts and seeds, beef jerky, muffins, bagels, pumpkin pie, clothing, towels, socks, etc. If you live in a state where they can sell booze they usually have the best prices and huge bottles as well. We also buy lots of stuff that isn't store brand like Kerrygold butter, ice cream, bread, cereal, rice, etc.

[Spryte]

I like the Kirkland brand natural citrus body soap, maple syrup, thick sliced bacon, chicken stock, chicken bone broth in a box, kitchen trash bags, flowers, and there are probably more.

We buy a lot of things that we like and can’t find elsewhere, too. Parthenon Kalamata olives are one. I think a lot has been covered already.

If you like Sartori cheeses, the Costco price can’t be beat. Hormel Pepperoni, GF pizza, Udi’s bread, Made Good granola bites. Meats are always good quality. Salmon. Mayorga coffee (we like the lighter roasts in our super-automatic). Heavy cream, spices.
 

Really, we shop there a lot, so there’s too much to list.

[marbel]

17 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

You can order the cherries for delivery: https://www.costco.com/cherry-bay-orchards-no-added-sugar-dried-montmorency-cherries-8-oz-bag-2-pack.product.100407876.html

Mine just came back into stock in the warehouse in January, so if you haven’t looked recently, you might want to look again soon.

Never occurred to me to check on that! Thanks!

 

[Lady Marmalade]

I love the cakes in the bakery as well as the Anejo Tequila.  Their pre-made Margaritas are also delicious and don't taste fake.

The TP is a good compromise when you need a more septic gentle TP but want a little bit of softness to remain.   It's not the same as Charmin or Ultra Quilted Northern, but it's better than Angel Soft.

The Kirkland brand plain Greek yogurt is great, and when we didn't have chickens I would buy their brown eggs exclusively.

Sea salt, black peppercorns, olive oil and ground coffee are regular purchases for me.  Their meet is high quality. At Christmas you can buy a whole Iberico Ham.

There's a Mandarin Orange chicken in the frozen foods that is highly addictive.  I buy my big bag of Jasmine rice there as well.

It's hard to beat the prices of the vitamins and painkillers, and I was surprised how much I liked the Kirkland shampoo and conditioner for my hair.

[happi duck]

Single serving hummus 

Single serving guacamole

Napkins 

Nuts from the baking aisle (walnuts, pecans, almonds) 

Eta: pajamas

 

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by happi duck

[mmasc]

Kirkland kitchen trash bags

kirkland dishwasher tabs

kirkland ready-to-eat bacon

Maple syrup

nature valley wafer bars and protein bars

pumpkin seeds

Cool+ tiny probiotic drinks

Their bakery dinner rolls are really good, but seasonal 

basically all of our produce. Their avocados are WAY better than anywhere else locally. And cheaper  

clothes! We buy lots of clothes from there. 

Edited March 29, 2023 by mmasc

[Dmmetler]

It's also a good place to check for electronics-prices are good and their warranty is excellent. In about September, they usually have a great digital piano bundle, either Yamaha or Roland that is about the price of the same model of keyboard through other vendors (usually about $500 for the digital, stand, pedalboard, and bench) 

[Storygirl]

We buy a lot of packaged snacks there -- because lots of teens here! The microwave popcorn has increased in price but is still a good deal, compared with brand names from the grocery store (not quite as good, but we go through a lot of popcorn, so it's worth it). When things go on sale, I stock up. I haven't seen dog treats mentioned yet.

Also, we order contact lenses through Costco, and it's cheaper than other options. Some prescriptions have been cheaper, as well.

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, pinball said:

My fav Costco thing is this CEO quote:

Jim Sinegal, Costco's co-founder, once told the company's current CEO, Craig Jelinek, “If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.” “I know it sounds crazy making a big deal about a hot dog, but we spend a lot of time on it,” Sinegal told the Seattle Times in 2009. “We're known for that hot dog.

"That hot dog" (with a refillable soda) is *still* only $1.50.  

I'm sorry they got rid of the polish dogs, I liked them better than the all-beef franks.

2 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

The dishwasher and laundry tablets are good. We like the paper towels, but only tolerate the toilet paper. Generally, anything store labeled is a decent product. Costco has high quality standards.

Many of those "store labels" are actually name brands with costco's label over the top.   Manufacturers will jump through hoops to provide to costco just for the volume.

Team Charmin.

dishwasher tablets

still use liquid laundry detergent - it's good.

Stock can vary from store to store.   

gift cards can be a huge deal.  I loved when 2dd was in CA - she could get Alaska gift cards and then I could deposit them in my Alaska "wallet" and get some free "money".

cookware,

there are roadshows - what is where is constantly changing

currently - there are treager.

plants, shrubs, bulbs, etc.   Their geraniums are bigger than the ones from the various home centers (and work out to cost less).  Come in a six pack.  I will still end up purchasing a few in a home center as I don't want to buy a whole tray if I only need a couple.

some things are only online

the bacon is good

 

just a bit of triva - I grew up in "that" Kirkland.

 

[gardenmom5]

returns - you don't have to have the receipt, they can look it up . . .and I've taken things back that just sat around collecting dust (never used) a couple years later.  They were happy the tags were still on them.

 

gas prices are very good.

South Seattle has a car wash . . . . . I want a car wash, I don't want to go to south seattle . . . 

 

eta: there prices are usually very good, but they don't have a lot of selection of a specific category of item.

Edited March 29, 2023 by gardenmom5

[Forget-Me-Not]

I adore Costco. The produce and meat are always good quality. Cheese is a fabulous price. Paper products, dishwasher tabs, Tide powdered laundry soap, ice cream, frozen fruits and veggies, chicken breasts, bacon (we love the precooked bacon for easy breakfasts), milk, yogurt, eggs, baking products . . . I could go on. I buy more at Costco than any other store. The pharmacy in my area is fantastic, the tire center is great. Cheap lunch at the food court. Rotisserie chicken for cheap, easy dinner (truthfully I buy them any time I need cooked chicken for a soup/casserole—you can’t buy a raw chicken for that). Electronics warranty is doubled if you use their credit card. Gas is cheaper than anywhere else in town. 

[Heatherwith4]

All of the pastries are amazing.  Not so good for my waistline unfortunately.  

[marbel]

34 minutes ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

I adore Costco. The produce and meat are always good quality. Cheese is a fabulous price. Paper products, dishwasher tabs, Tide powdered laundry soap, ice cream, frozen fruits and veggies, chicken breasts, bacon (we love the precooked bacon for easy breakfasts), milk, yogurt, eggs, baking products . . . I could go on. I buy more at Costco than any other store. The pharmacy in my area is fantastic, the tire center is great. Cheap lunch at the food court. Rotisserie chicken for cheap, easy dinner (truthfully I buy them any time I need cooked chicken for a soup/casserole—you can’t buy a raw chicken for that). Electronics warranty is doubled if you use their credit card. Gas is cheaper than anywhere else in town. 

I am a regular Costco shopper and was there last week, but your post is putting me on the mood to go right now!

I forgot about tires! We buy all our tires there. The free repairs and rotation are so helpful. 

I have to say I don't like the way they package their chicken parts. That is one of the few areas that Sam's club is better to me. 

 😀

Edited March 29, 2023 by marbel

[Guest]

I’ve bought the Kirkland ground bean coffee before. I prefer Dunkin’s but every so often I have a seizure over the price and I get the Kirkland’s. It’s passable. 
 

For a long time, I got their Vanilla ice cream, because it was still a true half-gallon. Alas, I don’t get it now because of lactose intolerance, but AFAIK, they do still have the half gallon size. 
 

I do use thé dish pods with no complaint. 
 

I have bought the body wash; don’t recommend. Not a fan. 
 

I like to get a big fillet of salmon at Costco, section it up at home and freeze pieces. It’s still pricey but a little more bearable than fish counter at Harris Teeter. 

 

[KatieJ]

Not much to add…except as former Scott tp users, we are quite happy with Kirkland Tp!

 

Their return policy is amazing.

we recently had to buy a new printer…Best Buy return time, 15 days. Costco, 90 days. (Electronics are only 90 days , pretty much anything else is several years. I just  returned a chair that  was 15 month old and not holding up..no questions asked, just returned it. That would not have happened anywhere else without a fight)

Be sure to look thru then coupon booklet each month to find out what’s on sale, and stock up then.

 

[Ann.without.an.e]

GF bread

those blue eggs 

hummus 

organic produce 

tubs of vegan butter

Organic frozen fruit for smoothies 

spices and vanilla 

DH is obsessed with the Kirklands crinkle potato chips 

Nitrate free deli meats

peanut and almond butter 

olive oil 

honey and maple syrup

I could write more haha 

[marbel]

6 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

those blue eggs 

What is this? 

[TechWife]

I routinely get:

toilet paper 

otc meds & vitamins  - usually Kirklands brand

toothpaste

M & M’s

gift cards

Pajamas

printer paper

sweatshirts & t shirts

ICE

Other purchases: 

a tv

a tv console 

a tablet

a Cricut maker

my favorite bed sheets

 bath mats

Christmas cards 

spooled ribbon

Christmas Ornaments

artificial greenery

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by TechWife

[BeachGal]

I looove Costco. My husband and I go there every Tuesday.

We buy so many things there. It’s ridiculous. I do avoid bakery items because huge, tasty baked goods are not what I need lying aroundthe kitchen.

A partial list of some things we like: the fresh deli shrimp with cocktail sauce is very fresh. Never had a bad batch; flower bulbs; large tropical plants; Christmas garland; boxwood and arborvitae; sometimes unusual flowers; those coconut and dark chocolate snacks — don’t buy them, too tasty; macadamia nuts; their chocolate and nut bars; manchego, gruyere and burrata cheese; Kerrygold butter; keto ice cream bars; Kirkland coconut water; tomato juice; fruits and veggies; epsom salts; vitamins; camping/sporting goods; coffee; gift cards. 

I own so many articles of clothing from Costco. It’s almost embarrassing.

Glasses, great selection but i use Zenni. We got exams there too that were 👍🏼.

Computers sometimes.

Tires. Windshield wipers.

Rental cars.

Alas, they no longer sell the slices of pizza with sausage and veggies. I’m a little sad about that.

Tip: you can sometimes get better deals online.

[LucyStoner]

4 hours ago, happi duck said:

Single serving hummus 

Single serving guacamole

These are things I love getting.  It saves so much to not have a large container go to waste. 

[gardenmom5]

3 hours ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

I adore Costco. The produce and meat are always good quality. Cheese is a fabulous price. Paper products, dishwasher tabs, Tide powdered laundry soap, ice cream, frozen fruits and veggies, chicken breasts, bacon (we love the precooked bacon for easy breakfasts), milk, yogurt, eggs, baking products . . . I could go on. I buy more at Costco than any other store. The pharmacy in my area is fantastic, the tire center is great. Cheap lunch at the food court. Rotisserie chicken for cheap, easy dinner (truthfully I buy them any time I need cooked chicken for a soup/casserole—you can’t buy a raw chicken for that). Electronics warranty is doubled if you use their credit card. Gas is cheaper than anywhere else in town. 

dh jokes "Costco is our favorite store, we spend more there than anywhere else."
The pharmacy does have very good prices.

re: costco credit card, you get money back (5%?) on everything you buy at costco.  There is also money back (less) at restaurants, etc.

2 hours ago, Heatherwith4 said:

All of the pastries are amazing.  Not so good for my waistline unfortunately.  

I miss the apple strudel.  I don't like the cherry stuff . . . 

Oh - the cakes are great.  We bought a fancy wedding cake for dd, and then we bought some costco sheet cakes to "extend" teh amount of cake we had for a fraction of the price.  And they're good cake.
vanilla or chocolate cake, and vanilla cream or chocolate mousse filling.   A number of choices for decorating them.

The carrot cake cupcakes are good - but the last time i bought them . . . they forgot to put the carrots in them.

 

Lots of seasonal stuff. 
The christmas ribbon is very high quality, and the rolls last.  They can get really good deals on wrapping paper too.

Camping gear, other sporting goods.  today, they had rafts and paddle boards.  Play sets, outdoor patio furniture, etc.   appliances - small and large.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, happi duck said:

Single serving hummus 

Single serving guacamole

Napkins 

Nuts from the baking aisle (walnuts, pecans, almonds) 

Eta: pajamas

 

 

Here, here! 
 

Also, I do always give a look at the clothes because, while not a hotbed of fashion innovation, there can be amazing deals on good clothing staples. Right at this moment I am wearing a black pair of Eddie Bauer leggings with zippered phone pockets on the legs. <$20!  Really hard to beat. They are perfect for sleeping, exercising or hiking. They are even passable for daily wear as long as I’m not going anywhere important. 

[Spy Car]

It may be a polarizing choice, but the Tillamook Extra-Sharp (White) Cheddar cheese is delicious IMO. It comes in 2 lb bricks wrapped in black wrap.

They also have "sharp" (which is orange) and that is quite ordinary. Not "bad," but nothing special.

The extra-sharp tastes like cheese. Real cheese. A tiny bit is like a flavor explosion in one's mouth.

Not recommended if one enjoys only bland cheese.

But if "formage" is your thing, the extra-sharp cheddar is the bomb!

Bill

Edited March 30, 2023 by Spy Car

[prairiewindmomma]

Tillamook also sells Maker’s Reserve extra sharp cheddar directly, @Spy Car. It’s orderable online. Here’s an example: https://www.tillamook.com/products/cheese/makers-reserve-2016

If you love the extra sharp cheddar, this is even more heavenly. I think this is a list of all of the available profiles: https://www.tillamook.com/makersreserve/sharpness

[Spy Car]

5 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Tillamook also sells Maker’s Reserve extra sharp cheddar directly, @Spy Car. It’s orderable online. Here’s an example: https://www.tillamook.com/products/cheese/makers-reserve-2016

If you love the extra sharp cheddar, this is even more heavenly. I think this is a list of all of the available profiles: https://www.tillamook.com/makersreserve/sharpness

Wow. That looks next level.

I'm...like...drooling, just looking at the pictures. Be still my heart.

Similar to the regular Tillamook Extra-Sharp is one sold by the Cabot Creamery brand. For a period Costco had Cabot instead, and we have a market nearby that has Cabot. Very similar to the Tillamook Extra-Sharp.

I would really like to nibble on a little piece of Marker's Reserve right now. I'm always amazed how much more satisfying a tiny piece of extra-sharp cheddar is to eat vs a big chunk of regular old "sharp." Flavor bombs.

Bill 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

Our Costco carries a lot of west coast made cheeses. I can buy a wide range of Tillamook and Beecher’s cheeses. I am spoiled.

If you ever see Rogue Creamery’s blue cheese, buy a wedge. It’s Roquefort style. Their Bluehorn is wrapped in Syrah grape leaves that have soaked in pear spirits and their Brutal Blue is powerful. 

[LucyStoner]

We are a household of 5 (middle aged couple, elderly man, two teen boys) plus have 3-4 other teens around a lot of the time.  I spend at least $400 at Costco, often as much as $700.  We go 1-2x a month.  

My regular items for Costco runs:

Vanilla

Butter

Rotisserie Chicken- I get a few and use it for lunch/meal prep and then make broth.  

Guacamole, Salsa, Hummus - especially the individual ones

Cheese- sharp, extra sharp, mozzarella, feta, cojita, Frigo cheese sticks

Berries

Grapes

Mushrooms

Romaine Lettuce

Salad Kits

Pineapples

Little potatoes

Russet Potatoes 

whatever other veggies and fruits look good, often the asparagus and green beans and oranges, grapefruits and apples.

Quick Lunch and  Dinner stuff (freezer and refrigerator sections)- salmon portions, salmon burgers, ramen bowls, little pizzas for the teens to zap up, Beecher’s Mac and Cheese

Eggos

Breakfast meats

Lunch meat

Flowers (2 dozen roses for $17)

Rao’s Tomato Sauce

Rice

Lentils

Dishwasher Tablets

Snacks - jerky (the Korean BBQ Pork Jerky is amazing), clif bars, nuts, granola bars, apple sauce, tiny naan pieces

Cereal- oatmeal, Cheerios, Raisin Bran

If I stay away from the non-food items, we can hold our bill to under $500.  

I often spend a bit on clothes for the kids (recently got great deals on 2 packs of Adidas shirts and shorts for track practice), batteries, cleaning supplies (best price on magic erasers), the gift cards can save money on gifts - I got my brothers nice baseball tickets for $60/2 tickets.  These would be for seats that are normally $45-55/each + fees.  It’s a great place to get tires and small appliances like vacuums and blenders.  

My friend who is married to a jeweler says that the jewelry is a good price for the quality.  

On our way out, we often have the $1.50 hot dog. 

If you have a lot of people to feed pizza, their whole pizzas are very serviceable for the $10 price tag.  They axed the Supreme in 2021 so it only works if you are fine with plain cheese and pepperoni.  We used to get a Supreme/no meat as the cheapest veggie pizza + a 1/2 pep 1/2 cheese for the kids.  

 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by LucyStoner

[LucyStoner]

1 hour ago, Spy Car said:

Wow. That looks next level.

I'm...like...drooling, just looking at the pictures. Be still my heart.

Similar to the regular Tillamook Extra-Sharp is one sold by the Cabot Creamery brand. For a period Costco had Cabot instead, and we have a market nearby that has Cabot. Very similar to the Tillamook Extra-Sharp.

I would really like to nibble on a little piece of Marker's Reserve right now. I'm always amazed how much more satisfying a tiny piece of extra-sharp cheddar is to eat vs a big chunk of regular old "sharp." Flavor bombs.

Bill 

 

If you are ever on the Central Oregon Coast, you can visit the Tillamook facility.  They have tasting and beer pairings and you can get all sorts of their black label reserve cheeses.  We always get a bunch and live off them while camping on the Oregon Coast.  

[mom31257]

We really like a lot of the clothes they have there.

We use their paper towels and toilet paper, and we get some medicine/vitamins there. 

A few food products: the soups, individual hummus, individual frozen pizzas, Trident fish sticks, peanut butter-filled pretzels, fresh zucchini/squash (lasts a long time), truwoman protein bars, fresh sauerkraut, and the 3 oz multipacks of grilled chicken. 

[mmasc]

I’m posting again, bc I love Costco. 😁

if anyone is looking for nice-looking shirts, I LOVE these shirts. I bought one last year, and went back for all 3 other colors. This year has 4 different colors and I’ll probably pick up another one. The price is so, so good. They’re lightweight and flowy, without being *too* flowy. In store, they’re currently $9.99, but shipped for $11.99 is still a bargain. They really have an Ann Taylor-vibe, IMO, but for $10. I’ve worn mine with ripped jeans and sandals or a suit with jacket—so versatile. 
 

https://www.costco.com/hilary-radley-ladies'-printed-blouse.product.4000025245.html

[ScoutTN]

Things we buy regularly:

produce
wild caught salmon
cheese
pesto
sparkling water
frozen, grass-fed burgers (seasonal availability)
salmon burgers
Kerrygold butter 
coffee beans, dark roast
evoo
jam
maple syrup
Madras lentils 
wine

clothes

We have a small house with little storage or I’d buy more pantry items there. 
 

It is a great place to shop when hosting or feeding a crowd. 

[stephanier.1765]

Gas. If nothing else, I get gas even if I still have three-quarters of a tank left.

[Pawz4me]

We've been disappointed about our Costco's gas prices. They seem to run a penny less than the two stations nearest our house where we usually fill up. It's hard to get excited about a penny a gallon.

[Arcadia]

The Kirkland toilet paper is like the Scott 1000 toilet paper quality. We don’t have a problem with that but prefers Charming so we stock on Charming when its on sale at Costco. 
 

We are surrounded by lots of grocery stores including many asian ones. What we typically buy at Costco are the dried fruits, frozen mangoes, the pork strips and Japanese red bean ice cream. Eggs we can get at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s for about the same price.
Our main use for Costco is gasoline. It is $4.25 currently while surrounding stations charge close to $5. I also get the 4% cash back for gas using Costco visa to pay.

[skimomma]

I don't live anywhere near one, so I have never been to one.  But we do have friends that make the 8 hour round trip to the nearest one a couple of times a year and they "take orders" from friends.  We enjoy cocktails on a not infrequent basis and the Kirkland vodka is huge, really inexpensive, and surprisingly tasty.  So, we "order" a bottle or two whenever they go.  It's a great deal!  I am assuming they sell other spirits and wine but we have not tried them.  Yet.

[gardenmom5]

27 minutes ago, skimomma said:

I don't live anywhere near one, so I have never been to one.  But we do have friends that make the 8 hour round trip to the nearest one a couple of times a year and they "take orders" from friends.  We enjoy cocktails on a not infrequent basis and the Kirkland vodka is huge, really inexpensive, and surprisingly tasty.  So, we "order" a bottle or two whenever they go.  It's a great deal!  I am assuming they sell other spirits and wine but we have not tried them.  Yet.

Costco online is available too.  Do your friends use it?

It's a separate entity - so prices can differ.  many of the same items in the warehouse are available there too.  so are Rx.  And some things you can't get in the warehouse.

[stephanier.1765]

53 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

We've been disappointed about our Costco's gas prices. They seem to run a penny less than the two stations nearest our house where we usually fill up. It's hard to get excited about a penny a gallon.

That's crazy! Right now there is a 30 cent difference between the gas station near me and Costco. Usually though, it runs closer to a 20 cent difference.

[skimomma]

3 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

Costco online is available too.  Do your friends use it?

 

I have no idea, lol!  I do know they drive a huge truck and just about fill it up so the trip might be worth it just to avoid dealing with that much package materials.  Not to mention one has to drive 4 hours (one way) to do a lot of "normal people things" like car recall work, orthodontist appointments, furniture shopping, etc., so I am guessing their Costco habit started as a side-trip.  I have noticed and been confused about finding Costco vodka for sale in other stores.  Not in my own state but in a neighboring state.  No idea how that works......

[Pawz4me]

8 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said:

That's crazy! Right now there is a 30 cent difference between the gas station near me and Costco. Usually though, it runs closer to a 20 cent difference.

That's the type of difference we expected. The day we went to join we planned on driving DH's truck and filling it up to save a lot. But for some reason we ended up taking my CR-V instead, and we were like . .  "Good thing we didn't hassle with driving the truck. It would have been a waste of money." We thought that time might have been a fluke, but every time we've gone the difference has been a penny, except I think one time it was two cents' difference. Big whoop.

Edited March 30, 2023 by Pawz4me

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, skimomma said:

I have no idea, lol!  I do know they drive a huge truck and just about fill it up so the trip might be worth it just to avoid dealing with that much package materials.  Not to mention one has to drive 4 hours (one way) to do a lot of "normal people things" like car recall work, orthodontist appointments, furniture shopping, etc., so I am guessing their Costco habit started as a side-trip.  I have noticed and been confused about finding Costco vodka for sale in other stores.  Not in my own state but in a neighboring state.  No idea how that works......

There was a guy in Vancouver BC that did that with trader joe's.  He'd come down to washington, drive around to a bunch of different trader joe's and stoc up. (he tried not to "Buy too much" at each store).  Then he'd go back to BC where he had a store.

[Corraleno]

Right now Costco gas is $3.79 vs $4.09-4.19 everywhere else, and the 4% back for using the Costco Visa brings it down to $3.63.

I try to time my Costco trips for when I need gas, but if I need to go when my tank is nearly full, I'll take DD's car and fill it up for her.