I hemmed and hawed about Costco for such a long time. It always seemed so backwards: so I have to pay you to shop at your store where I will be paying for each time I come here? That line of logic never made sense to me.
Until I walked in those garage bay doors and into the wonderful world that is Costco.
It was there that I discovered all of the reasons Costco is worth every penny that I spent on the membership!
Is the $55 a year really worth it? $55 is a lot of money when you get down to it. Especially since that’s just the price to get in the door. Not counting the additional money you’ll be spending there once you do your shopping.
We decided to save up and get the Executive membership. Why? 3% cashback on gas and 2% cashback on everything else you buy. Since we only get our gas from Costco, this made sense to us. Plus they’ll refund the $55 difference between the regular and the executive membership if you don’t make it back over the year. Basically there’s nothing to lose here!
But there’s so much more to love about Costco. It’s not just a typical warehouse club. It actually seems like customer service and customer experience come first.
Even my cheap frugal self LOVED it! Here’s why:
Gas
Between $.10 and $.20 CHEAPER than the cheapest gas around. Right now, gas is $1.89 at a normal gas station (I know, what is this, 2003?!) but at Costco it’s $1.75.
Organic produce
Yes, I’m one of THOSE people. But I really try to get organic whenever I can. And I’ve never seen MORE organic produce options at lower prices than I have at Costco. You might want to skip the bulk lettuce unless there’s a dinner party (unless you’re like me and eat 1-2 heads of romaine lettuce a day). If you get the organic spinach which was $3.89 for a giant clamshell box, you can freeze it for when you need spinach for a side dish or for green smoothies!
Kirkland Brand
There is no better generic brand than Kirkland, Costco’s generic. You can get everything from frozen pizzas to jeans with the Kirkland brand and you won’t be disappointed.
Free samples
I’ve never been disappointed with food from Costco, so it’s my favorite when they roll out a new product to sample out around lunch time. It sounds like a suicide mission to go to Costco at lunch time with hungry kids, but it’s actually fun. Everyone gets free samples that will hold them over until we can get home to unload the loot.
Their return policy
Costco has a no-questions-asked return policy. If you didn’t like something for any reason, you can return it. The same thing goes with your membership. If you hate Costco for any reason, they’ll refund your membership fee on the spot.
Organic meats
Like I’ve said, I try to feed my family organic as often as possible. That includes the meat that we eat. Costco offers organic chicken and ground beef for a very reasonable price. For us, it’s $2.99/lb. for chicken and $3.99/lb. for ground beef. Yes, it’s more expensive than the regular meat (which is always around $1.99/ lb. or less), but if you’re looking for high quality organic meats and can’t get any from a farmer, this is the way to go!
Ink refills
I underestimated how often I’d burn through ink when I started homeschooling. You can refill an ink cartridge starting at $7 at Costco! I use this very, very frequently and I’ve never been disappointed in the quality of the ink or in how long it lasts (which I think lasts longer than just getting a new cartridge).
Their takeout food is amazing
Costco’s pizzas have often been asked for by name at potlucks and family parties. They’re delicious and it’s $9.99 for a ready-to-eat extra large pizza. Can’t beat that!
But wait! We can’t forget the equally amazing and inexpensive rotisserie chicken! $5 for dinner tonight, chicken soup tomorrow, and chicken stock the next day!
If you’re a hotdog person, their hotdogs are (apparently) amazing. And it’s $1.50 for a gigantic hotdog and a refillable drink. Perfect way to end a shopping excursion!
They also sell shepherd’s pie, deli platters, wrap platters, chicken caesar salads, and plenty more for basically any occasion that you might need food. Again, I’ve never been disappointed choosing Costco.
No need to clip coupons
They automatically clip the coupons offered and apply manufacturer’s rebates at the register. Planning ahead for what is on sale helps, but there’s no need to go clipping a ton of coupons.
Discount movie tickets and gift cards
You can buy tickets to movie theaters at Costco for a deep discount. You can also get the same kind of discounts on gift cards. You can get $100 worth of gift cards for $75. Especially around Christmas time or graduation party time, this is an amazing deal!
Costco has proven to me so many times that it is absolutely worth it. If you don’t have a membership, it’s definitely a good idea to consider getting one. The savings and the quality of the products is absolutely worth it. I have plenty more reasons Costco is worth every penny, but the best way to find out for yourself is to tag along with a friend and see for yourself!
Get the FREE Money Saving Calendar!
Money troubles got you down? Don't know where to start to fix it?! Constantly overwhelmed by money!??!?
Get daily tips to fix your finances in less than 10 minutes each day!
We have a Sam’s Clu membership since that’s what’s close by, and I LOVE it. We genuinely go at least once a week because the things that we get there are such great deals!