No, I haven’t actually bought a coffin from Costco, but I learned recently that I could.
Before I had kids, I never really understood the need to go to Costco so often, but now I can’t live without my sometimes semi-monthly trips. If I’m not careful I will easily blow my entire months grocery budget on one trip to Costco. Below I’ve outlined how to get the most out of your Costco membership without blowing your grocery budget.
15 things You Should be Buying at Costco
1. Diapers and Wipes: I realize some people are “diaper snobs” and prefer to stick to a certain brand of diaper no matter the cost. I, however, am not, and utilize the Costco coupon book to stock up on whatever diapers are on sale at the time. Costco carries Huggies Brand diapers and wipes as well their Kirkland brand. I’ve used both, and they are very similar. I’ve heard that Costco outsources their Kirkland brand products to the name brand manufactures, so they are quite literally made in the same factories. Regardless, the prices, when on sale, can’t be beat! I just buy whatever is on sale and try to stock up until the next coupon cycle comes out.
2. Printer Ink: Ink is so cheap at Costco, but there’s a catch- you will need to bring your old printer cartridges with you and they will refill them for $7.99! We own a small business and ink was costing us a small fortune before I learned this little secret!
3. Photo Prints/Photo Cards/Canvases: I’m scared to let this out for fear that everyone will end up with the same Christmas Card this year! We design and print our Christmas cards every year from Costco. It costs me $14.99 for 50 cards with the option to add additional cards for $10 per set of 25. I also order photo gifts (think Mouse Pads, Mugs, Blankets, Calendars) for family and friends as well.
4.) Eye Glasses: We’ve ordered my girls last three pairs of glasses from Costco, and we’ve save about 50% off what we would have paid ordering directly from the eye doctor. Costco has their own optical warehouse and because of this they can offer amazing deals on eyeglasses. I’ve heard their eye exams are great as well, although we haven’t used them for that service.
5. Medicine: Prescription and over the counter medicines like Ibuprofen are a steal at Costco, and you don’t have to be a member to utilize the Costco Pharmacy. They blow CVS and Walgreen’s out of the water and are even cheaper than Walmart!
6. Fresh Christmas Trees: Costco will start selling right around Thanksgiving, so call your local store for details. At my store in Lenexa, they are getting them the day after Thanksgiving and are not offering an online ordering option. Trees range in height from 6-8 feet and are all right around $30! If a fresh tree is your thing, this is a great deal!
7. Tissue Paper/Wrapping Paper/Bows: I wrap roughly a 1,000 gifts per holiday and Costco has me covered on their adorable and affordable paper options. I love picking out the pack of coordinating paper and bows for each year! Plus, you get approximately 1 million sheets of white tissue paper for next to nothing. I use it all year.
8. Batteries: Stick with the Kirkland brand, and you’re basically getting the same as Duracell. (see point #1 about name brand vs. generic at Costco)
9. Gas: Gas is sometimes as much as 10 cents per gallon cheaper at Costco, plus you get 3% cash back if you use the Costco credit card.
10. Rental Cars: Did you know Costco offers this service? We rented a minivan from Costco on our last Spring Break trip and paid what I would pay for renting a regular car!
11. Detergent/Cleaning Products/Toilet Paper: Stock up when it’s on sale. We love the Kirkland HE Free and Clear Laundry Detergent. It’s a steal and lasts forever!
12. Rotisseries Chicken: At $5, you can’t beat a rotisserie chicken. It’s a meal in itself or there is so much you can do to re-purpose or stretch it for multiple meals. I always grab a chicken when I’m there.
13. Olive Oil: It is a fantastic deal at Costco!
14. Cake: You can get a huge semi-customizable sheet cake from Costco for $17. It’s delicious and easily feeds a crowd! We’ve done this for many birthdays. Speaking of cake, who’s tried the triple layer chocolate cake from Costco? My husband request this cake every year for his birthday. It’s a chocolate lover’s slice of heaven!
15. Frozen Fruit: Hands down the best price for the amount and variety, especially if you make smoothies frequently.
I’m barely scratching the surface of all that we buy at Costco, but these are the big money savers for our family of five!
I love learning new tips for shopping at Costco, so please share!
