Is Costco worth it? Would I do just as well at aldi/asda/lidl/poundland?

[mulranno]

Will only buy food at costco, binliners, cleaning stuff etc shampoos etc....£25 fee and at least an hour and half round trip will be another £10 in petrol. I am feeding a household of 7 tho

[TantrumsAndGoldAndOrange]

I don't like Costco because they charge you for the privilege of shopping there. I use Macro.

However, I love places like this because it saves a fortune buying things like washing powder, bleach, toilet rolls, bleach etc in massive packets so it saves an awful lot of money, especially in larger families.

[mulranno]

thinking it through in reality for me it will probably be more convenient as I work full time and dont live or work in an urban area couldnt even tell you where my nearest lidl/poundland etc is will need to see where macro is...

[TantrumsAndGoldAndOrange]

Are you in north london or nearby, by any chance?

[Kahlua4me]

I love Costco!
We buy mostly from there now. Certainly all our cleaning stuff, meat and breads. I decant meats into smaller sized portions and freeze. Only thing we don't get there is alcohol as supermarkets always have offers on.
We have executive card which works out to be free at end of year. Every time we shop we get 2% back. At end of year Costco send a renewal letter with voucher for the amount saved which always covers cost of membership. Sometimes more if friends come with me over year, using my card!

[mulranno]

I am in bucks nearest costco is watford I think can you see their prices online? would be worth it if they delivered! is asda the only cheap supermarket to deliver?

[TantrumsAndGoldAndOrange]

Makro store locator

www.makro.co.uk/public/uk/Home/How+to+shop/Store+Locator

Also prices online.

[racingheart]

I really don't think Costco is worth it, personally. I used to go with a friend and trail round after her, looking for things that weren't more expensive than Sainsburys. It's good if you want catering packs of sweetcorn relish but I don't.

Only really fab value thing I ever bought was the biggest box of Persil in the world which was £11 and lasted 6 months, doing an average of 10 washes a week.

[mulranno]

Just looked at Macro you can buy online!! saves me a day though I might have to go in to register...

[mulranno]

doesnt tell you price per litre etc finding it hard to compare do you but the big catering ashing up liquid and decant?

[mulranno]

think some of these are cheaper elsewhere?

[PickledFanjoCat]

There is something so satisfying about buying things in hooooooge packets though!

[mulranno]

again looking at whole chickens £3.30 compared to 2 for £7 at asda not sure it is worth the hassle ?

[zipzap]

Some things are good - like the ready roast chickens. Same price as sainsburys etc but much bigger. Herbs - big pots that are x10 or more the size of normal herbs for £2-3. Big trays of cherry plum tomatoes for £3, about x4 the size of the ones in the supermarket. Pack of 8 packs of pitta for a couple of quid. Big cartons of Covent garden soup for a pound.

I also got some nice serving dishes, selected creams etc are cheap (the Elizabeth Arden cream my mum uses is a quarter of the price), nappies, Xmas puds were good make - Matthew walker - and very cheap, all sorts of weird and wonderful American things you never knew you wanted.

But other stuff not so cheap - eg butter - it's anchor but costs about the same as supermarket own label. So yes it's cheaper for anchor butter (assuming no price offers on at the supermarket) but you can still get cheaper butter elsewhere. They trumpet out something about not aiming to provide the cheapest product possible but the best product at the best price. So it's often a cheaper place to get good quality stuff, just not the cheapest way to get stuff regardless iyswim.

[racingheart]

But Zipzap isn't it all that American stuff you never knew you wanted that spikes up the final price? You end upbuying stuff because it's a deal or because it's new to you, instead of sticking to meal plan shopping and saving a fortune.

[SomebodySaveMe]

If you are in bucks there's one in Milton Keynes.

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

I go for washing powder, baby wipes, dishwasher tablets, cat food, bottled water and big packs of peanut butter etc. Worth it for me but I don't buy meat and stuff there.

[mulranno]

just been to pundland and the Aldi both for the first time stacked up at pl with shampoos conditioners deoderants bin bags cleaning fluids toothpaste tin toms etc for at least 4 months - £36!! would have saved £6 if I had printed off the voucher! PL was mobbed ... but Aldi was v quiet - unexpectedly peaceful like some little mini super market in a country town -- v little fruit and veg tho

[mulranno]

?pundland? the Aldi? -- sound pissed!