Is Costco worth it for a two person family?

BuffettFan

BuffettFan

is Blowin Smoke!
Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Messages
1,811
Reaction score
3...
Points
113
Age
61
Location
East...
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!
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Costco is worth the juice for the gasoline and prime packer briskets, their warranty extension on electronics is awesome to.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Like all have said, it's worth it. My wife & I (no kids) have Costco and Sam's Club memberships. Both are worth it.
 
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...
 
Separate from meat, toilet paper etc., half my house came from Costco. Have several couches, chairs, the outdoor furniture, a pergola, several tables...... I first joined to buy a play set for the kids when they were younger. That one purchase justified the membership that year easily as anything of similar quality was 3x the cost. (that wasn't at a club -- Sams had something similar though not as good). Similar story on the outdoor furniture. It wasn't cheap (about $1,500) but would have been at least $4,000 at a dedicated patio store and has held up great for the last 6-7 years.

Not everything is a great deal but in general, they have limited selection but fairly high quality for what they have.

In terms of BBQ specific items, the one near me just started carrying prime briskets -- in fact, it's one of the few places to get briskets at all. Their price for prime is the same as Walmart for Select. Good choice for steaks and pork as well. As others have mentioned, alcohol can also be worth the membership. (and yes, I think that is a BBQ specific item)
 
Don't be a Walmart shopper in a Target world! That is, unless you enjoy the finer things in life then your money may be better spent at Sams Club. If you're the type that spends 30 minutes staring at the imported cheese section at a Whole Foods then gets lost in the Wine isle for the next 2 hours then go Costco. In other words, if you're just in it for the bulk buy then Mr. Walton has you covered. If you're a "foodie" of sorts and tends to spend more on quality items then hit up Costco. They offer different experiences for different consumers.
 
SonVolt said:
Don't be a Walmart shopper in a Target world! That is, unless you enjoy the finer things in life then your money may be better spent at Sams Club. If you're the type that spends 10 minutes staring at the imported cheese section at a Whole Foods then gets lost in the Wine isle for the next 2 hours then go Costco.
Click to expand...

LOL at Costco representing the "finer things in life".
 
I'm speaking in relative terms here... Walmart vs Target etc. In this case, Sams vs Costco. if you need a block of Comté for Gougères you're probably not going to have much luck at Sams. Pick the store that fits your lifestyle.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

cayenne
Vacuum Sealers: Need Recommendations (Brand, External vs Chamber, Bags)...?
2
Replies
39
Views
2K
cayenne
cayenne
G
Anybody have a Costco LEM chamber vacuum sealer?
Replies
6
Views
2K
SoCalWJS
S
smoke ninja
let's cook...a brisket
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
smoke ninja
smoke ninja
J
Long Post of Disappointing Rants and Dreaming of a LSG Pellet Grill
Replies
4
Views
1K
jrTheSmoker
J
rwalters
Pellet Cookers 101 - Part Two
Replies
0
Views
366
rwalters
rwalters
Back
Top