Is Costco worth it for a two person family?

BuffettFan · 03-19-2019, 05:28 PM

Mrs Fan has wanted to join Costco since they opened one in our hometown.
It is closeby, within a couple miles, and more or less on my way home from work.
I do sometimes buy in bulk and have a vacuum sealer and a deep freeze so buying meat in bulk works for me.
I guess my question would be is the quality good and do the other products lend themselves to a small family?
Thanks in advance!

drunkenmeatfist · 03-19-2019, 05:41 PM

I have a Sam's membership and I think it is worth it for a single person. BBQ related purchases for me are aluminum pans and I love the heavy duty roll of foil. It is $17 for a roll, but it is super helpful to have a gigantic roll of foil available at all times. Of course you can get good deals on food as well.

Headhunter · 03-19-2019, 05:50 PM

I think the quality is good for the price. Especially the prime meats. Its not butcher shop quality, but for daily meats I like it. I don't have a ton of mouths to feed so I do a meat run like once a month and portion out and vacuum bag a bunch to use throughout the month. I am a big fan of their boneless skinless chicken thighs too, they come prebagged in 6 packs of smaller portions. Breasts, wings and tenderloins come the same way.

SmokerKing · 03-19-2019, 05:52 PM

pays for itself just on buying a few electronics, some frozen shrimp, briskets, beer, booze and wine for us

Mike in Roseville · 03-19-2019, 06:05 PM

Honestly...yes. But you have to shop wisely. You can drop $300 in there before you know it, but if you budget your purchases it is really a great deal. My wife likes the clothing and grocery items; I am a fan of the meat from there.

For many of the things we normally buy, it makes a lot of sense.

Also, if you get the basic membership, look into the Costco visa they offer.

4% cash back on gas
3% cash back on restaurants and travel
2% cash back on Costco purchases (so you don't have to use debit or cash).
1% cash back on everything else.

So anytime I eat out, fill up the tank, or shop at Costco I use the Costco Visa (all other purchases I use the Capital One Quicksilver).

Every March they will send you a rebate certificate in your email. Best part is...you don't have to use it all if you don't want to. Say, if your certificate is for $250, you can buy a $50 brisket or a $10 shirt and get the rest back in cash on the spot.

Texan79423 · 03-19-2019, 06:14 PM

I am in the same boat. We buy toilet paper, paper plates, tin pans, paper towels, garbage bags, coffee, and dog food. Briskets and some meat. Most of their packaged food items are simply too large for us.

Happy Hapgood · 03-19-2019, 06:17 PM

Great question. We are asking the same about Sam's Club here.

InThePitBBQ · 03-19-2019, 06:26 PM

Costco is worth the juice for the gasoline and prime packer briskets, their warranty extension on electronics is awesome to.

vwboomer · 03-19-2019, 06:28 PM

The two of us have a membership. I don't find the prices on meat to be any better than the local grocery store - Costco is a 35 minute drive - but I can't speak to the quality of it.

We mostly buy things like paper products, cat litter....
The produce is good, though, and if we lived closer that would be a go to on a regular basis.

You'll save your membership cost for sure. Go for it.

JJJBBQ · 03-19-2019, 06:38 PM

We had a Costco membership before the kids came along. Never regretted it. Even more worth it now.

Besides the USDA Prime beef and great prices, their alcohol selection is pretty damn good. Although I once read somewhere that you didn’t need a membership to shop for alcohol. Gas is also significantly cheaper than the local stations. As Mike said, cash back ends up being a nice yearly surprise.

Joe Black · 03-19-2019, 06:41 PM

We think so. I buy baby back ribs there and we have bought aTV. We get cookies and crackers, non perscription meds, fruit, etc. we like it.

Huskres · 03-19-2019, 06:53 PM

You would save the 60 bucks in fuel alone.

InThePitBBQ · 03-19-2019, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huskres

You would save the 60 bucks in fuel alone.

If you sign up for auto membership renewal they send you a $20.00 Costco cash card, really makes the annual fee's worth it.

blade · 03-19-2019, 08:20 PM

Like all have said, it's worth it. My wife & I (no kids) have Costco and Sam's Club memberships. Both are worth it.

SMOKE FREAK · 03-19-2019, 08:27 PM

I would be a member but it's a 90 minute drive both ways...I wouldn't go there often enough to justify the membership...probably...

03-19-2019, 05:28 PM	#1
BuffettFan is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-10-18 Location: East Peoria Illinois Name/Nickname : Terry	Is Costco worth it for a two person family? Mrs Fan has wanted to join Costco since they opened one in our hometown. It is closeby, within a couple miles, and more or less on my way home from work. I do sometimes buy in bulk and have a vacuum sealer and a deep freeze so buying meat in bulk works for me. I guess my question would be is the quality good and do the other products lend themselves to a small family? Thanks in advance! __________________ We are the people our parents warned us about.

03-19-2019, 06:14 PM	#6
Texan79423 Take a breath! Join Date: 05-21-14 Location: Lubbock, TX	I am in the same boat. We buy toilet paper, paper plates, tin pans, paper towels, garbage bags, coffee, and dog food. Briskets and some meat. Most of their packaged food items are simply too large for us. __________________ Lost Draw Outfit Cook Team
	1 members found this post helpful.

03-19-2019, 06:17 PM	#7
Happy Hapgood somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 03-17-12 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Name/Nickname : Mike	Great question. We are asking the same about Sam's Club here. __________________ Cooking Equipment: Weber WSM, Weber GA, Weber Spirit E-310, Weber 22" OTG Charbroil Oilless Turkey Fryer Wife LuzziAnn 1956 model. Ink Bird IBBQ 4T Wi-Fi Temp Monitor, Superfast LSU Purple Thermapen & ThermaPop, Party Q Ink Bird Sous Vide, HF Flame Thower My Motto these days is "Low Stress, Low Drag". The Artist Formally Known as Toast

03-19-2019, 06:26 PM	#8
InThePitBBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-31-19 Location: South Bend, IN Name/Nickname : Bob	Costco is worth the juice for the gasoline and prime packer briskets, their warranty extension on electronics is awesome to. __________________ Shirley Fabrication 24 X 70 elevated straight back "Fire for Effect"

03-19-2019, 06:38 PM	#10
JJJBBQ Take a breath! Join Date: 12-28-18 Location: Virginia Name/Nickname : J	We had a Costco membership before the kids came along. Never regretted it. Even more worth it now. Besides the USDA Prime beef and great prices, their alcohol selection is pretty damn good. Although I once read somewhere that you didn’t need a membership to shop for alcohol. Gas is also significantly cheaper than the local stations. As Mike said, cash back ends up being a nice yearly surprise. __________________ Weber Performer Deluxe Pit Barrel Cooker 270 Standard Uuni 3 Pizza Oven 22” Blackstone Arteflame

03-19-2019, 05:41 PM	#2
drunkenmeatfist is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-03-18 Location: Texas Name/Nickname : Sammy	I have a Sam's membership and I think it is worth it for a single person. BBQ related purchases for me are aluminum pans and I love the heavy duty roll of foil. It is $17 for a roll, but it is super helpful to have a gigantic roll of foil available at all times. Of course you can get good deals on food as well.

03-19-2019, 05:50 PM	#3
Headhunter Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 03-08-19 Location: Jupiter, FL Name/Nickname : Rob	I think the quality is good for the price. Especially the prime meats. Its not butcher shop quality, but for daily meats I like it. I don't have a ton of mouths to feed so I do a meat run like once a month and portion out and vacuum bag a bunch to use throughout the month. I am a big fan of their boneless skinless chicken thighs too, they come prebagged in 6 packs of smaller portions. Breasts, wings and tenderloins come the same way.

03-19-2019, 05:52 PM	#4
SmokerKing is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 09-07-10 Location: Sunny AZ	pays for itself just on buying a few electronics, some frozen shrimp, briskets, beer, booze and wine for us

03-19-2019, 06:05 PM	#5
Mike in Roseville Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-31-18 Location: Location, Location. Name/Nickname : Mike	Honestly...yes. But you have to shop wisely. You can drop $300 in there before you know it, but if you budget your purchases it is really a great deal. My wife likes the clothing and grocery items; I am a fan of the meat from there. For many of the things we normally buy, it makes a lot of sense. Also, if you get the basic membership, look into the Costco visa they offer. 4% cash back on gas 3% cash back on restaurants and travel 2% cash back on Costco purchases (so you don't have to use debit or cash). 1% cash back on everything else. So anytime I eat out, fill up the tank, or shop at Costco I use the Costco Visa (all other purchases I use the Capital One Quicksilver). Every March they will send you a rebate certificate in your email. Best part is...you don't have to use it all if you don't want to. Say, if your certificate is for $250, you can buy a $50 brisket or a $10 shirt and get the rest back in cash on the spot.

03-19-2019, 06:28 PM	#9
vwboomer Found some matches. Join Date: 02-24-19 Location: Sheboygan, WI Name/Nickname : boomer	The two of us have a membership. I don't find the prices on meat to be any better than the local grocery store - Costco is a 35 minute drive - but I can't speak to the quality of it. We mostly buy things like paper products, cat litter.... The produce is good, though, and if we lived closer that would be a go to on a regular basis. You'll save your membership cost for sure. Go for it.

03-19-2019, 06:41 PM	#11
Joe Black Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-05-14 Location: Greenville, SC	We think so. I buy baby back ribs there and we have bought aTV. We get cookies and crackers, non perscription meds, fruit, etc. we like it. __________________ 24"x48" Bell Fab offset 22" Weber Premium Kettle Char-Grill gasser

03-19-2019, 06:53 PM	#12
Huskres Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 04-20-14 Location: Oklahoma	You would save the 60 bucks in fuel alone.

03-19-2019, 08:20 PM	#14
blade Got Wood. Join Date: 05-21-05 Location: Staten Island, NY	Like all have said, it's worth it. My wife & I (no kids) have Costco and Sam's Club memberships. Both are worth it. __________________ 2 WSM, Weber Kettle OTG, Char-Griller SP w/o SFB & Char Broil Kamander.

03-19-2019, 08:27 PM	#15
SMOKE FREAK Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-03-16 Location: McPherson Kansas	I would be a member but it's a 90 minute drive both ways...I wouldn't go there often enough to justify the membership...probably... __________________ Craig