directly to one's door is worth it, particularly for large, heavy, or bulky items. I have certainly found it to be so.

If I want to buy a printer, TV, kitchen appliance — I don’t have to fret about shopping around and comparing model numbers and prices.
Costco’s stock won’t be junk and it won’t be overpriced.
If you buy tires or batteries and come back in with a problem, they handle the prorate discount automatically.

The packages of veggies and fruit are big, so I give half to a friend and still pay the same as I would at the grocery store.

is always the 1.50 lunch!

Finally figured out that I wasn't saving enough to justify the drive of about 10 miles.

I live alone, so buying in bulk isn't in the plan. No room to store all that shit. Still kind of miss buying coffee in actual 3 pound cans, though.

It's not the way my husband and I like to shop. We go to the store frequently, to get things for that day or the next day (more like a European style of shopping). We like to cook from scratch. We don't need giant packages of prepared foods or what have you. Costco doesn't have the variety of products that a supermarket would have. I do understand that a lot of people love it and it fits their needs perfectly.

Also a household of two, we find Costco worthwhile for laundry supplies, dishwasher stuff, paper products, cat litter, socks, etc. We do buy some mostly nonperishable food at Costco, but most food comes from Aldi.

I think another reason we didn't renew is because I always had a bit of dread about driving over there (it's a bit farther than our regular grocery store), parking in the massive lot, braving the sometimes crowded aisles, waiting for the huge receipt ($200 bucks almost every time because, hey, "I'm here; I should buy stuff to make it worth my while" ), etc.

We have a smaller, more manageable discount supermarket nearby called Grocery Outlet that is good for things like paper products, etc. Unfortunately they don't carry unscented kitty litter so I've gotta get that elsewhere.

Now admittedly, I am more than physically capable of handling a big Costco shop. I'm very healthy and walk five miles almost every day. But somehow when it comes to those giant stores I feel overwhelmed and fatigued before I even step inside.

Knowing when to shop matters. Google can tell you what the peak hours are if you search for your local Costco, but in most cases, believe it or not, weekday evenings after around 6-7 are usually slower than mornings. It's the opposite than at most supermarkets. That's because businesses, retirees and housewives with large families do most of the "daytime" shopping at Costco.

When I shopped in person, I went in knowing exactly what I wanted and where each item was. I didn't deviate from the plan, and that saved me a bunch of money. These days, I shop online, and get items delivered. If it's from the local store, then I pay next to nothing, maybe 75 cents or something like that, as long as I hit the minimum, which is nearly impossible *not* to reach, given the immense sizes/quantities of most products they sell.

Shopping online for delivery means that I can comparison shop with my local grocer, Amazon, or whoever. Not everything Costco sells is cheaper than what other outlets offer. I can also control what I buy better, rather than doing the impulse thing that Costco counts on to boost sales. Yes, that mega jar of jelly bellies is mighty tempting...but we don't need it. So I rubbish it from the list, and get only what we need.

When my son was in his teens, we had to shop there, or go bankrupt from how much food he could consume. I didn't know any human could eat so much, but my husband swore it was normal.

Now that it's just the husband and me, we've cut back on the shopping to only a few times a year, but we still have the membership because we're hooked on a few things, like the cheap petrol (the local Costco is 2 miles of quiet road from us). The savings from that alone tends to repay the cost of membership, most years.

I'm completely addicted to their store brand artichoke hearts--can go through the 33oz 2 pack in about two months, LOL. My husband is that way about their gigantic trail mix bag. Their canned shredded chicken is one of the cheapest, per oz, and excellent for making chicken salad sandwiches, or for a quick soup.

Most of what we get isn't food: OTC meds, assorted vitamin supplements, grooming items, and my husband's work jeans (does physical work, so he goes through those like mad). We don't use their detergent because the husband and I have horrible allergies to it (and nearly all of the other brands as well), but my mother loves the stuff. I ship it to her on a regular basis. In fact, I don't get many household things like that. I can usually find most of that cheaper elsewhere.

When we need to get an appliance, small or large, well, they're among the best for those.

So keeping the membership is still worth it to us, for those reasons.

And I love the way they treat their employees.

The investment banking firm I worked for brought the company public. They gave us employees each a 1 year free membership and I was hooked shopping there. Price Club later merged with Costco and it was agreed Costco was a better name. I saw this show on the History channel about the Mega brands that built America and they featured a show how Price club came about and merging with Costco. Ironically Walmart wanted to buy Price club but they merged instead with Costco because Sam Walton ( Sams Club) stole the idea of memberships from the Price club founder.

They charge less than $20 for 360 tablets of generic Zyrtec. Most off brand versions are about the same for a month's supply.

My husband and I make about 4 trips a year to Costco and plan our purchases carefully. With just two of us most of their bulk items are not practical, but we buy meats to portion and freeze, spices (their Kirkland cinnamon is excellent), and frozen fish and vegetables.

We've also purchased a couple TVs through Costco. While the prices may not have been the lowest, the TVs were exactly what we needed at good prices.

We buy our dog food there too.

It’s right next to the grocery store that I always shop at.

I go about once a month or every other month, more often October-December as that’s the time of year we tend to have a lot of parties at our house.

I buy in bulk. It’s how I’ve always shopped, for the cost savings and for having a deep pantry to pull from if needed.

Heading there this morning in fact. My siblings and I are re-furnishing my mom’s house so I’ll be buying some goods for that purpose too.

So it's not a special trip. I just plain grocery shop there once a week. $4.50 for two gallons of milk. $2.99 for two dozen eggs. $6 for two loaves of bread. Etc. Etc. We only use Safeway for various single items we do not require in crate size.

We save so much money.

but then after months of not getting around to it and then a year quickly passed by; I lost the special I signed up for.
Basically, I would simply forget I signed up; then couldn't find the proof so it was too much of a hassle and so little time.

I was already a member, but this one is much closer. I still haven’t explored all that Costco has to offer.

Feel terrible about it, had some favorite items that we always bought there.

The closest is 45 minutes away and I’m just too lazy to drive down there. But I’ve heard so many wonderful things I will have to go there sometime.

She's happy to pick up what I need for me when she goes. As for the giant packs of stuff, she will buy a pack of 3 jars of pasta sauce and give me one. A pack of 12 croissants and give me 3. This works for us, as she has 3 teen/young adult kids that eat a LOT!

I joined because I planned a party. But that was the only time I went. Then it was time to renew my membership. And I was like, "Well, that really didn't pay off". But that was me. Everyone is different. Whatever works for you, is what I say.

If I had gone back multiple times and found it cost effective, I would have renewed, but I just didn't get around to going back. I had nothing against it. I just never went back and then the membership had ended.

It's all about how often you shop there

I belong to Sams but I don’t really want to belong to Sam's. It’s close to my house. I love Costco and had a membership there but it’s not all that close to me and I think I went twice the year that I had the membership because it’s a pain in the patootie to fight freeway traffic and the ridiculous congestion where the Costco is located. So I hold my nose and go to Sams when I need things like TP and paper towels and big cereal and brownie mix for the grands.

but we still haven't made it there. We have two supermarkets close to us that are just a few minutes away, and I'd hate fighting all the idiots on the interstate while making two separate shopping trips to save a few pennies on tp. On the other hand, if there were one just a few minutes away we'd probably join. Lord knows I love good, cheap hot dog.

I get cases of canned items we use frequently, stack them up in the garage and when I run out I get more.

We saved a bunch of $ on an HP laptop, see my post below about other stuff we get.

which is the only time I've ever been in one. We were only there to run in and buy some batteries, so it was hardly a long enough visit to get any real impression of the operation. I'll have to talk to the wife about going to our local store. We actually might buy enough cat supplies to make it worthwhile.

I even order a lot from there. Usually I get a cheaper price than elsewhere and free shipping. I easily save the membership by cost savings like that.

We also fill up gas there as well, consistently the best price in town.

… and were impressed enough that after discussing it at home, we bought a $35 membership. That was 23 years ago. They have a deservedly good reputation as employers and as a business. Their return policy is peerless.

There is only one caveat I really have: if you are buying groceries for only one or two people, you may want to continue shopping at a smaller store for fresh food items. Learn to pace yourself in that regard.

Happy shopping!

unless you are gearing up for a large dinner party or event.

They sell a double pack of goat cheese for the same price as a single roll at other stores.

... but the schlep from da Bronx to Elmsford just wasn't worth it.

It is like two miles from my house...Costco is the furthest but I really like Costco for Coffee and gluten-free stuff.

Costco's the only one that sells "Healthy Noodles."

…it’s just too crowded. Day or night, the parking lot is constantly full. So we joined BJs, which is just around the corner. We only go there once every month or two - mostly for the meat (butcher on site), bulk liquids (soda, tea, etc.), canned tomatoes, paper products, and the delicious rotisserie chicken. Unfortunately, the produce selection is pitiful. Overall, we’re quite satisfied.

We were recently visiting my brother and the Costco nearest his home, OMG, I'd never seen anything like that. It was like pre-covid Disneyland on the busiest day of summer vacation. There were people waiting in line for food samples.

Its not really geared for two people homes, and I buy what I need on the day I need it from specialty stores.

Same here.

Despite being in excellent health, I doubt I could ever live long enough to use that huge bulk amount they seem to sell of whatever it might be.

any other grocery business. He was right.

canned black beans; canned diced tomatoes; canned chicken broth; Ro-Tel; Walnuts. During the holidays, they carry a fabulous brand of cocoa which is the best baking cocoa (outside of the very costly European brands) I have ever used. It's only stocked from Oct until they sell out.

Occasionally I buy other things; the bread we like best is sold there, and we freeze it. We have also purchased small appliances, a laptop, cellphone, excellent cookware, various over the counter medicines, clothing, wine, food for parties or meetings, and the best thing of all:

ROASTED CHICKEN!!! You can't beat Costco Roasted Chicken for price and tastiness.

Especially the chicken! Our Costco has a 3 per customer limit.

as needed. This of course boosts our annual rebate $$. We fill our cars at Costco; if we are not near a Costco when we need to fill up, if I use that card to pay I get the same rebate % as if I were buying it at Costco. (just not the low price. Costco nearly always has the cheapest price per gallon)

I love getting that little check in the mail every February; we take it to Costco and spend it out.

I am still using the roll of plastic film wrap that I bought in 2012.

But the rolls will last for several years, unless you're doing catering.

Never bought food there, except for some of their cheese. I probably would buy wine from them, as they are now the single largest wine buyer in the world. That's why France has allowed them two stores in the Paris area.

I seriously think that Cling Film is reproducing back at the end of the roll.

I'd love to get the unending roll, but driving the 300 miles to Paris or taking the ferry across to the UK doesn't make it worthwhile.

Trader Joe's, which, thankfully, also carries wine and liquor, so I have fun shopping.

skin, bones, etc, make great stock.

And, speaking of the holidays, the adult eggnog!!

and went in once to check it out. I can see it being useful if you have a lot of space to store things or have a large family, but it just wasn't for us.

No garage. Costco is very useful for us.

...since they're always at least 30 cents cheaper. Plus, other stuff we save on like allergy medicine and clothes makes it more than worth the membership. Also, that $10 pepperoni and sausage pizza easily feeds a family of 4 very nicely!!

Let me know if your club sends coupons if your membership lapses.

BJ's is sixty bucks; of you let it lase, you get coupons that allows you to re-up for $20,

They have really good (cheap) birthday cakes, too.

Their bakery item, esp'ly the $5.99 for 10 butter croissants, are the best. I usually freeze half & have them over time. They keep very well, keep their form & thaw quickly. Just pop them in the toaster at a low setting & it's crispy on the outside bit soft on inside - heavenly w a cuppa java.

Sam’s is here though, and does a pretty good job for me. I don’t go inside the store because of my limited mobility and must make use of pick up and shipping services, so I subscribe to their plus service. I’ve been using Sam’s for so long now I doubt I would change even of a Costco was to go up here. I probably do at least $200 a month with them, if not more.

We've been thinking of trying it for a year and see how it works out. We have a freezer and plenty of storage space.

My brother, who lives in the Langley, VA area, goes to one in Springfield, VA, about a 35 minute drive. I confess, I really like them, and what they offer. Still, even if we lived there, most of what we'd buy would be the dried fruits and nuts, palm hearts, spices, things one can buy in big quantities and not have go bad on them in three days. Our household is now just my wife and myself, although her rep as a gourmet chef means that people stop by for dinner more often than I imagine is the case for many two person households.

As it is, we have an open air farmers market in our town square three times a week. They have been doing that for the last 800 years or so, so it is a rather established tradition by now. The town also has its own little fruit/vegetable stores, bakeries, butcher shops, café/pastry shops, all close together near the "Marktplatz," the central town square, so we can always find 95% of what we need without a Costco.