Just joined Costco -what are the good bargains?

[Pooeverywhere]

I have four hungry messy children, one who is still in nappies, two hungry dogs, and a sporty dh. So lots of food and lots of washing.

They all have big appetites, and I've come to the realisation that buying in bulk is probably a good idea.
Are there things I should look out for especially? Dont know where to start really.
Are nappies and wipes a good idea, at the moment I get them from Lidl. Would I be saving anything getting them at Costco?
Thanks in advance.

Don't know about nappies but their butchery section is very good - meat is cheaper than s/market and much better quality.

They often have good deals on things like baby wipes.

We use their own brand laundry detergent which comes in big bucket and lasts for ever. Other cleaning products, i.e. domestos, good value - we stock up when it's on special (it is reduced here this week).

Things like quality tinned tomatoes are a good price if you buy them by the slab, as are OJ, bakery products such as danish pastries and muffins, croissants.

If you drink real coffee, the own brand ground Columbian is good - I like my coffee strong and this hits the spot.

The fruit and veg is excellent quality.

I have my eye on the Sutter Home chardonnay which is on special at the moment.............

I love Costco - we do a big shop then stop for a slice of pizza or a baked potato in the cafe, yum

Dishwasher tablets are always good value.

I've never found nappies cheaper than a typical supermarket special offer, but baby wipes can be good value.

Herbs and spices are definitely worth getting - they sell large catering packs for the same price as a tiny jar in a supermarket.

You have to be careful with what you buy as I find that most stuff is actually more than in the supermarket. I think branded stuff might be cheaper but unless that's what you buy the prices aren't cheaper than supermarket own brand equivalents

I buy washing powder, Pepsi, tinned toms, tuna, loo roll when its on offer, milk, bread, coffee, eggs, printer paper.

Some things I buy if they are the same price as it suits me to buy in bulk less often but you do need to have the space to store what you buy.

I buy: Tea bags, toilet rolls, waahing powder, nappies, dog food. Usually non perishables.

Love their bagels and the birthday cakes look good. DH buys the car wash Autoglym.

Usually spend about £100 per 6 months.

Look out for Kirkland (Costco's own brand) stuff, in particular batteries.

I can't list you all our stuff as we do a mahoosive shop every 2 months. 2 huge trollies full, but you won't regret joining - t'is marvellous.

Also, we get our car tyres there - Michelins - which they fit whilst you do your shopping.

Dishwasher tablets
Detergent and softener
Bottles of water
Peanut butter
Cheese
Chicken if you have room in freezer
Good fruit and veg if you go through a lot

I buy soap powder (Fairy 90 washes) about £20.
Either comfort pure or fairy conditioner.
Kirkland baby wipes - are more expensive but because they are thicker and bigger then pampers/huggies so you use less.
Floor wipes again a pack of 3 lasts about 3months.

Their meat again is more expensive but better quality

I would like to add that the thing about Costco, is that they only sell quality products. So whilst their prices aren't always the cheapest on the market, you will generally be getting better value.

As a rule, you will usually save about a third but make sure you have an idea of your prices before you go. Things aren't automatically cheaper there.

We used to be members of Costco before moving to deepest Cornwall...that was pre-DC though so...

But dog food and massive packs of Dentastix cheap, all paper (loo/kitchen etc), washing liquid, mahoosive bottles of softner, deli foods really nice (pizzas to take home and bake, rotisserie chickens, salads etc all good for easy dinners, bakery stuff, frozen stuff especially fish and veggies.

Also the chilled section - smoked salmon used to be really cheap but its been a couple of years! Big packs of mozzarella - 5 indi packs inside a bag, nice continental cheeses, antipasti, huge buckets of olives......

OH I MISS IT!!

But what I would do if returning now would be to work out what you pay in supermarket for everything on your list and take it with you to check it really is a bargain - remember to write what quantity the price refers to and always make sure you compare with the plus VAT price in Costco. The shelf labels give the without VAT price in bigger print so if you don't double check you will overspend!!

HTH! Have fun...am envious!

Sorry posted to soon.

nappies I think where the same price as in ASDA unless they have the massive boxes, which are bigger then what you can buy in supermarkets.

If you going for the first time I would spend a while looking at prices and sizes from you normal supermaket of items which you think you may buy just so you have an idea of prices. Don't forget to add VAT on to the prices at Costco.

I used to get dog food (Tinned) and the dry food there, sadly I no longer have my dog, but it used to be cheaper than the supermarkets.

Princes fruit juice is very good value

Cheese, cut it up and freeze or buy it already grated (I buy both)

Chicken tenders are lovely, like big chicken goujans (sp) lovely with salad and pitta bread, (another great saving)

Tinned toms, they have a really cheap brand, 3.99 for 24 tins.

Tattie scones are cheap (again freeze some)

Like every where though, something things will be bargains and others not. I never buy washing powder from Costco as the supermarkets have it on offer regularly so I stock up then.

Crisps

Some biscuits

giant jars of jelly beans

gorgeous normandy butter

giant Port Salut cheeses, giant bries, olives!

giant black puddings

danishes, muffins!

oooh and squirty cream...their's is lovely!

Meat is superb, don't know if it's much cheaper but it is much nicer. Same with fruit and veg. Frozen salmon is lovely, about £17 for 7 pieces but each portion is double the size of supermarket ones.

Birthday cakes are fantastic and buffet foods really useful.

Kirkland makeup remover wipes are good too and I love that you can get american magazines like the Oprah one. You have to keep your brain switched on or you will spend a fortune but it is ace.

Big jugs of basmati and long grain rice - 200 servings in each for £3.99.
Dishwasher tablets. Part baked rolls/baguettes/naan breads.
Chicken breasts are about £12 a pack but there are between 10 & 12 breasts per pack and they are all the same size, unlike asda/tesco etc.
Loaves of bread, great big packs of lurpac, cheese.
Herbs and spices - as said unthread, you get catering size jars for the cost of a titchy jar in the supermarket.
Big bags of lemons - 8 for £2.99.
There are monthly offers - baby wipes are often on offer.
It takes massive restraint not to go wild on ones first outing. I have been a member for 3 years and feel a wee thrill each time I go but I'm a sad git.

Oh yes Bepanthen. Got two of the big tubes for £7 and they are almost that for one in Boots.

I meant to add I buy the large joints of beef and pork then cut them into dinner size joints.

Last year I also got these Birkenstock's for £15. So look out for other odd bargains.

Crocs are cheaper
I reckon people just go there for lunch
I love Costco, the toys are cheaper there at Xmas

Toilet rolls
Yoghurts for DS
Milk
Eggs
Birthday cakes

Tinned tomatoes
Tea bags
Nappies used to be cheaper but I don't know if that's still true as Asda is very cheap ATM
Washing powder
Their cafe food is lush! Cheaper than anywhere else and just what you need after a big shop!

we go once a month with my parents - they get good offers on household cleaning stuff and other bits and bobs

Lots of bakery things such as pain au chocolat
Loo roll / kitchen roll
Dishwasher tablets
Jam /peanut butter
individual coffee filters (I'm the only coffee drinker in our house)
fresh fruit, especially the sticks of pineapple
meat - expensive but really good quality
salmon fillets
batteries
Birkenstocks! (my latest bargain!)
books (sometimes, not always many 'quality' books)
cheese / milk / yogurts
hot cooked chickens - I always get one for that day's dinner!
shampoo / conditioner

I go about every 2/ 3 months and spend about £150-£200 a time.

Don't buy their pasta. I had a pack of six bags and my son found a maggot in the first batch I cooked!! Had to bin all six packets and now neither child will eat pasta. It was gross.

We get their pasta and it's very good. Sorry about your experience Puffle though!

The bakery and butchery are very high quality.
For me, its more about doing one massive shop and filling the shed up with washing powder/loo rolls/bin bags etc so that I can forget about lugging that sort of thing back from the supermarket for 6 months.

The ready made lasagne is the best I have ever eaten. I am going to have to go up there now later for one!

Costcos is brilliant if you are having a crowd coming or a party.

I'm not really a costco fan, but do think the cafe is great value!!

I love Costco.

We always keep a stock of loo rolls, kitchen roll (it is great, each sheet is really big and thick). Their washing powder - v concentrated and lasts for ever. It also removes oil!

the herbs and spices - excellent, massive tub for price of a small one in a regular supermarket.

Skippy Peanut Butter and chocolate spread
Oh - and Marmite! Big tub for about £4.

Bottled water - the Kirkland ones. Small bottles work out at about 12p each - great for school pack up (I do refill them a couple of times!)

Big cakes are lush! Chocolate fudge cake for £7.99 - feeds a lot of people. The carrot cake is my favourite though.

toothpaste, dove soap - all those seem to work out good value.

Oh - and the tyres are on offer at the moment 20% off. You can save a lot that way - I think I needsome new tyres so need to ring up and see what they work out at. My DD had some last year and saved quite a bit.

If you area trade member and get there for 10am opening during the week - ours has free coffee and buns laid on too!!

Not especially relevant to OP's requirements but my favourite buys are wrapping paper and ribbons - commercial sized rolls of really good quality stuff, and huge packs of sheets which are great for party presents / pass the parcel etc. Also no party season in this household is complete without a box of Freddos (for party bags, prizes, etc and for DH to scoff the rest).

The most dangerous bit is the stationery generally but that's just because I am an addict.