What is COSTCO like? Anyone have any experience?

[drosophila]

Interested to know how it compares to other discount stores. Thanks

You can get the usual good bargains - similar to Makro I would say.

My skinflint DP has a good ruse going too. He pays the £25 (or whatever it is) membership fee, then uses the store a few times. Then he tells them he wants to stop being a member, so they give him his fee back. Then he leaves it a few months, then rejoins, then leaves again after a few weeks. So basically, it is not really costing him anything to use the store. Clever or what?

I think they are all the same. As long as you have the space to store things when baulk buying, then you can save money.

We go through phases with Costco - sometimes think it's the bees knees othertimes really bad.

Their stock varies from visit to visit.
You have to be really disciplined in what you buy to get great savings so only buy things you would normally buy i.e. kitchen roll, toilet roll, cleaning products etc and don't get diverted into books, clothes and nonsense aisles (power tool aisle is a particular favourite of DH as that way a big bill lies...

Don't find their meat and fresh food great quality though my parents swear by their frozen food and the fruit and veg is quite good.

some things are really good - like 36 pitta breads for £2.14.

Some things like toilet rolls are not cheaper.

Personally I save the cost of membership solely by buying my Bakers Complete dog food there - 20kg for about £14 - that's much cheaper than supermarkets.

Thanks everyone. We are thinking of nappies, washing powder and things like that.

Sorry, also meant to say that last time we went to Costco I took the printout with me from my last big Supermarket internet shop to compare prices that way you can see whether Costco prices are actually cheaper.

Washing powder yes because the boxes are bigger.

Nappies i didn't think were any cheaper although i do like their wipes as my dc don't react to them.

When i go i make a list of what i like includind size and price to compare.

Baby wipes are on offer at the moment. My dad is a member and he bought me six crates! Works out at just under 74p a pack for the Johnson's ones, they are about £2.50 in Boots I think so that's quite a big saving.

Other good deals - dried fruit, herbs, oil etc - all in industrial quantities.

Agree that you have to stay on the straight and narrow... when we go round with my folks I always have a go at persuading husband that we NEED a hot tub / chandelier / marquee... luckily he hasn't let me get away with it so far.

MILK cows milk is cheaper!!! Sainsburys is £2.25 for 6 pints Costco is about £1.60!!!! I go through 18 pints a week so it adds up.

We buy peppers (6 in a pack) bread (2 pack for £1.80 for seeded granary) part baked rolls/baguettes

Toilet rolls are cheaper, we buy their own brand 3 ply but it does come in a pack of 48!! Kitchen roll is taller and fatter and cheaper Tissues but again huge pack. We use our loft and we have a utility that we stash cans in.

Tinned tomatoes I think are 12 or 16 in a pack but much better quality as is meat/fish/chicken. Obviously it comes in huge packs so you have to have somewhere to store it or freeze it. Chicken breasts comes as a pack of 13!

Washing powder is a 90 or 120 wash, I buy persil which I wouldn't normally.

If you know someone with a card then go round and cost it up. We love it, we are executive members as we spend a lot and then we get 2% back of what we spend.

We have never got sucked into 4foot tall christmas soldier or giant air hockey table but we were gutted to see our Brittax car seat £35 cheaper 3 weeks after we had bought it from somewhere else.

We use Mackro for envelopes/paper, frozen food and home stuff, Costco for fresh food.

Costco is absolutely brilliant. Everything there is really top quality. The food is great but sometimes you have to buy a lot at once.

Often they get specials that are only there for a short time. It's brilliant for toys and books too.

food top notch and fresh meat and fish really cheap. Frozen chicken breasts work out at half supermarket cost.

CHOC FUDGE CAKE YUMMY.
fantastic for books and wines

worth the membership fee

I love it and think on the whole the quality is very good. I used to have a B&B and used to stock up regularly, it is very easy to get distracted though and the alcohol isn't great value - supermarkets usually win hands down on price for that.

Bargain birthday cakes too (£12.99 and fed 25) but only go for a plain one as the iced ones are slightly illuminous

their own brand baby wipes are great - Kirkland - really thick and strong and don't dry out. Like lizziemum (waves) my dc don't react to them either.