I joined before DD was born and she's nearly 23. It helped that I worked for Littlewoods and they owned a 25% stake in Costco at the time. We all got free go and see cards. At first we didn't join, and then we did.
We always bought
Loch fyne smoked salmon, at the time £10/pack, when £17 in the shops, which we used to freeze when on offer
The fresh salmon fillet, also frozen
Bradon rost, a sort of hot smoked salmon, but not too often.
The massive chunks of Parmesan we used to cut up and freeze.
The dried cat food, own brand, the cat sitter, a local veterinary nurse, reckoned it was Iams from the look of it.
I can remember Kitchen Aids for £160, including VAT. I dithered for a couple of years, and then decided to buy. They stopped it.
The tyres were sold more cheaply, including fitting, tracking and balancing than my local, not expensive, garage could buy them.
When they had the Gazetta lamps at £160, I bought 3 with a Christmas cheque, a local lighting shop had them at £600 each. Followed by 2 table lamps.
DD had Oshkosh dungarees for £10/time for several years. Too expensive for my budget, but used to take them to a children's clothes dress agency.
Glasses - wear varilux and frames, lenses last time was £250. Where I live each lens costs me 500€.
The deals from time to time on mattresses and rugs are good, even if the product is expensive.
They used to sell a range of oak dining furniture. I knew several stores in the Cheetham Hill/Ancoats area, and when I asked the price, they were horrified at Costco prices, as they were selling them more cheaply than they paid wholesale.
However, the longer the store is open, the more limited the options for the store manager. Each store is a stand alone unit, and each store is responsible for funding the very generous staff bonuses. So, literally, each sq ft has to pay its way, and that is more critical as time goes on.
The card is valid in any Costco, in any country. So, useful for anyone planning a self catering holiday in the US for example.
I live in France, a long way from Paris, and I knew about the plans to open about 10 years before they found a maire prepared to give them planning permission. I did it leaving early one morning, got there about midday, shopped, but about 9pm, just couldn't do the last 50 miles home. I'm mad, but not that mad! Even with the tolls and diesel, I saved money. HOwever the price of regional specialities from the SW made me laugh, they were horrendously high, compared to local.
Good to browse expensive cookery books, to see if you really think it might be worth buying. Got Jamie's American one, half the price it sold at, which was ok, as I've only used 1 recipe, which is now available everywhere.
There are 2 in Spain, so, it might be worth going to Spain with a friend, sharing driving and tolls, to stay a couple of nights, and do a big shop.
In the past I've complained about prices being higher than supermarkets, and got a concerned reply ie Lurpak 500g unsalted was cheaper in Tesco than there. John Lewis told me rather snootily they didn't do price match with shopping clubs, but their never knowingly undersold policy is a bit of a con. Yes, they'll give you the difference if you can prove it, but they won't reduce the price generally across the partnership for everyone.