Food Theory: Costco DOESN’T Save You Money!
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Inflation is getting out of hand! With rising gas prices, egg shortages, and interest rates, most of us are looking to save a buck where we can. And a great way to do that is buy buying BULK! Or is it actually the way to go? We’re breaking down the biggest myth when it comes to Costco and the best hacks for saving money at your local retailer.
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#Costco #GroceryShopping #SaveMoney #Grocery #GroceryStores #MoneySavingTips #MoneyHacks #CostcoHaul #EggPrice #Inflation #Theory #FoodTheory #Matpat
Amazing video Food Theorist Team! 😀Costco Hot Dog + Soda Combo Forever!!!
This video seems to be anti Costco tho?
Lol
I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS MY DAD AND I WATCH THEM WEEKLY
E
Poutine better
When I lived in LA in a large, poor, family, my mother used her Costco membership exactly how you're suggesting. Every other dinner was Costco hotdogs, and it kept our family fed for years. We couldn't afford meals, so 3.00$ to feed 5 people was a great deal. My mother is an amazing and thrifty woman.
W mother. What an amazing lady 😤🔥🔥
W mother, top ten, don't trade her for the world
You don't need a membership to go to the food court? At least in NJ.
Skill issue tbh
@@Shesana it says in the video that some of them are just outside of the store!
Matpat’s inner dad is on full display. Trying to be as cheap as possible with shopping like a true father.
This just brings back so many memories
Matpat is making 7+ figures a year bro, I don't think he necessarily needs to pinch any pennies
@Deadpool. @Don't Read My Profile Photo bruh
@@GabrielDeVargas 💀
I mean with the disgustingly ridiculous economy I don’t blame him
I have a Costco within a mile or two of my house. I probably make up my membership fee just from rotisserie chickens. I think I've become recognizable to the staff by repeatedly walking out with just a chicken. My 4-year-old knows that we have to look for the biggest chicken
I love making enchiladas out of that chicken
Check the ingredients there, they are not just chicken, eating too many of these can have some issues
@@Serpinoroth ... the extra ingredients are fine
@@ryann8348 are you SURE? sodium phosphate, modified starch, dextrose, carrageenan (very bad for you), sometimes even high fructose corn syrup
@@Serpinoroth yes, those are all fine in the proper doses. I even have a jar of modified starch I use in baking
As someone who worked there, they also move products around regularly to make you spend longer looking for things. Its not just the random placements, the placements change constantly.
Interesting. I go to the same Costco for more than a year and the only thing they changed place for was sliced baked beef and bread. Everything else remains on their places.
@@Helga_Chi You got the lawful one.
while that is true at holidays the graham crackers are over by the nuts instead of in the aisle. just one example been shopping at costco since they opened their first store here.
So does my local grocery store. They move products around all the time. Just yesterday we went grocery shopping the store was using most of the shopping carts to move products around.
As someone who works there this is reason for moving things just is not in the mind of anyone in the store or even corporate. its based on the season, sales, quantity, and also some corporate mandatories as they're called.
As the oldest of 7, Costco and Sam's Club are a lifesaver. When you have to buy 9 peoplesworth of things, you end up getting way more bang for your buck, you use everything, and it's way less individual items to handle when shopping. So while it's a mediocre deal for an average family, it works wonders for a large family like mine.
Yeah, as soon as I saw the title I knew this guy was coming from a more wealthy background lol- Costco is amazing for medium/large families (esp lower income- we don’t go in there to buy much other than food)
Same with my family of 6, well 7 counting the dog
I don’t think his economic look at prices took in the sales price into consideration. Meaning if you are like me and buy your regular stuff when it is on sale you save even more. Plus clearance items like clothes can be 3, 5, or 7 bucks when they started at 10 to 15 bucks an item.
The amount of people sitting eating hot dogs at the San Francisco Costco is ridiculous. It’s still fun I suppose.
You really claiming to be the oldest 7 year old bro? Unreal
Shrinkflation is also terrifying I work in a grocery store and noticed that a brand of pasta sauce had changed their Alfredo sauce to be like 100ml less. Noticeably smaller jar and same price
Without seeing it often customers won’t realize
@@TheSloppyjoejr People do realize. There's just not much they can do about it. These companies act in tandem; when one pulls some scummy practice, all their competitors do it too, because they can't let them get that leg up on margins. So what are you going to do, buy from their competitor who just did the same thing? In the really shitty cases, like in the case of internet service providers, they actually intentionally do this in a cooperative manner, to avoid competing with each other. Also known as an oligopoly, which our already weak antitrust laws weren't remotely prepared for. This is why pretty much everywhere in the world has better internet speeds and pricing than the US.
@@TheSloppyjoejr People are better at recognizing things like that than you think. Plus “huh, this alfredo i made has less sauce in it than normal, it needs more, but I used it all. oh would ya look at that, the jar is smaller than the one I just threw away. “ People are more likely to accept a higher price for the sake of buying their needed/favorite products than if they literally receive less. If you buy it every week, you likely wont even look at the price
@@ledumpsterfire6474 Exactly, not only do companies do monopolizing and price-fixing with impunity, they also know full-well that there's just nothing customers can do, partly _because_ of the monopolies, but just because they control the supply, and you can't exactly just NOT get stuff like food or Internet or phone service or electricity or housing. 😠 And the government just lets it happen. 🤦
@@I.____.....__...__ Yeah, generally people don't want to outlaw something that benefits them personally, even when it's harming the very government they work for, nevermind the people who put them there. Hope they're good and cozy inside their corporate overlords' pockets, like the greedy, pathetically weak men and women they pretend not to be right up until someone offers to cut them a check.
We did the math, back when we lived near a CostCo. The best deal was actually the gas--it typically ran about 10-25 cents a gallon below the nearest stations in any direction. That pretty much covered the cost of our basic membership over the course of a year.
meal prepping with rotisserie chickens will save you a boatload of money too - also filling pharmacy prescriptions. If you want pizza - $10 for a full foodcourt pizza is literally unbeatable
It's even better if you have the costco credit card cause you'll be able to get a further 4% cashback from the gas
Spot on! In where I live, Costco is usually about 50 cents per gallon cheaper. As some one who commute, money back in a few month
Take almost a dollar difference here in socal.
Costco gas is also considered "Top Tier" gas. That would be worth a membership, but for me, I don't live close enough to a Costco to justify a membership there. I have at least 2 Sam's Club locations that are closer to me than Costco. If Costco opened a location near me, then I'd consider it.
Some really great points made. One thing to consider re bulk purchasing that first came to my mind is: bulk buy what doesn't expire. Ie toilet paper, kleenex, unwaxed floss, pasta, flour, dried legumes etc. Even toiletries and skincare can expire and you'd be surprised how quickly you get sick of the fragrance, or you skin decides to reject your favourite moisturiser you've been using for 10 years - or it's just not moisturising enough now that you've turned 27. Another thought that came to mind - you can really make some cost savings if you have growing sons, even more if they're athletic.
10 years of buying and using moisturizer, I honestly didn't realize this was a problem for people. I'm a 22 year old man and I've never used face moisturizer 😂 I just be raw dogging it after the shower and I have essentially 0 acne. Every few months I might get a lil pimple on my cheek but every single time i get one I know exactly why I got it and what my face was near to give me the pimple. I've probably saved hundreds if not thousands in the toiletries area by not using extra stuff. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, tooth paste, razors, deodorant that's really all I need
Yup. If you're bulk buying, go for that kind of stuff. TP, floss, toothbrush heads, soap - all things my family bought here on the regular.
I sense a French person
As someone who recently said to my husband "what if we got a costco membership and just ate hotdogs for every meal, that would save a lot of money right?!" I feel like this video is incredibly relevant to me personally.
Let me change your world You don't need a membership change at the food court and get the hot dogs 🤙🙏🤘✌️
And if you have a car that uses gasoline instead of a plug-in car their gas is always cheaper than everywhere else that's a big win for you.
@@cryptofacts4u in some places Just in some places
@@cryptofacts4u something you might want advertise to people the pharmacy is open to non-members also the photo area where they do print jobs
@@cryptofacts4u I'm Australian though and I don't know if that's possible here... I'll have to check
Back when I lived with my parents, brother, and grandparents, Costco was an ideal place for us to buy most of our groceries. When I moved out with my fiance, it became a LOT harder for us to justify Costco while living in a 1 bedroom apartment with very limited kitchen/refrigerator space.
yeah its great for largy families, as some one from a family of ten, its a great place to shop
Well yeah, why would you need bulk for two people?
@@FluttershyIsAGoddess Because some bulk items are cheaper. Also if you get paid monthly you might want the bulk option as opposed to five boxes of the same item
@@FluttershyIsAGoddess it's great if you've invested in a dedicated freezer in addition to your fridge.
@@FluttershyIsAGoddess easily lots of reasons, depending on what you buy. Especially when your membership is free
I have the $120/yr membership, but I don't pay a dime for it. The 2% cash back they give on all of my purchases pays for the membership and usually leaves me $20-40 left over to pur toward my shopping bill. The main reason I keep shopping there is the quality of their produce. No store in the area can beat it. Family of 4.
Mom and I literally did the math on the costco membership and we figured that if we filled up on gas 8 times a year between the two of us, we'd be saving money with the membership. We barely shop there (maybe once a month on average) but the gas savings alone put us ahead. Might be different or not so different for you depending on exactly how much gas you need and how much the costco fuel savings are for you on average. These calculations were done assuming costco was charging 70 cents less than other gas stations for fuel which is roughly accurate to our area.
Yes and I noticed he never mentioned the gas. My car only takes prem and I have to fill up weekly I have certainly saved the price of membership and them some
Nope! You 100% burn those savings off idling in the 45 min lines that exist for costco gas. If you go during off-peak hours, then you are inconveniencing yourself to break even on a membership. LOL. And you have to fill up from empty to even make it somewhat reasonable. So sad. Just go to the cheapest ARCO in town and pay the same price for immediate top tier gas.
Looks like you are comparing the more expensive gas station prices against Costco. There are gas stations around that come within $.10-$.15 higher than Costco. Do the math on that and now you’re not saving any money at all, but is costing you more to fill up.
@@jesse_- I live in Chicago and all the gas stations have pretty unified pricing until you get more than an hour's drive away thanks to city taxes + their markup. Gas is fairly expensive in the big city and costco is by far the cheapest option since their markup is very small.
@@Charge11 "If you go during off-peak hours, then you are inconveniencing yourself" - who says that peak hours are the same for everyone?
As a Costco employee who works in the meat plant making the $1.50 hot dogs, I have a lot of pride in the products with make and will always grab a hot dog when I’m out shopping at Costco almost every time.
Man…. Those hot dogs are the BEST! Thank you for the work you put in every day! 👍🏻👍🏻
No hate and I'm very happy you take pride in what you do. I just personally find it strange to be prideful doing something for a massive company that would dump and forget about you before you can blink.
@@Dirovex this is a common sentiment I’ve heard actually. Have a lot of friends who have said nothing but good about the company, which genuinely surprised me but also is great to hear considering how companies like Amazon treat their employees.
Hey stranger on the internet, is it true that Costco is genuinely a good place to work at?
@@Dirovex Dude, Costco is #1 on every "best places to work for" list ever, by a wide margin. They're about as far from asshole companies like Walmart and Amazon as you can get.
As a current worker for 5 years, This is all true. But as an employee, benefits, free membership, discounts, and food from the food court (btw you can make your own pizza at the end of the day) is worth it.
Our Costco and Sam’s both use take and bake pizzas last I checked so that’s surprising. Is your location/region actually making the pizzas from a dough and toppings?
@@pws3rd170 i know at least the costco in my area actually makes them (i can see them make it)
@@pws3rd170 Yeah at my colorado location they make it there
They also have reduced gas prices for member which saves a fair amount
Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, James 2:24,26 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. John 3:16 'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 3:19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Honestly, the groceries I have access to, Sobeys, Save On, Safeway, Super Store, Coop, Freshco... none of them sell as fresh meat or Salmon in decent sized packs and the cost of meat is much better at Costco. Plus the salad packs are priced way better. I always just buy the same items I don't impulse buy.
They have the best produce and paper products. Their paper towels are the best.
I already saved $100 at Costco in March (I bought a $200 electronic device for $100). What I mean is, I went shopping for an electronic item that I found as low as $200 at other stores, then found a BETTER one at Costco for $100 LESS. I have compared prices for things I buy at Costco vs every other grocery store in my area. Costco is better quality and less expensive. The vitamin suppliments are a great value as well. Buying ingredients in bulk does NOT mean that you have to eat the same boring meals every day. A 20lbs bag of rice can be turned into a LOT of different things. Great prices on large quantities of alcohol, which can be used to make extracts. Huge bags of chocolate chips for cookies, large jugs of whipping cream for desserts and you can't beat the 2 flats of 6 humbo muffins for $9.99. These are just things I can think of off the top of my head. Oh, and at my local Costco Business center, I saw whole lambs, just hanging in the refrigerator. I would not know what to do with a whole lamb, I'm just saying it's an ingredient and it's there. Costco is deffinetly my go-to for quality items at discout prices. If you lack self-control and impulse buy, this may not be the store for you but if you can control yourself and NOT buy everything you see, this is a great place to save money! And no, I do not make $100K, I am just frugal and know a good deal when I see it. ❤ Costco ❤ ❣️
What’s did you get if you don’t mind?
Another factor you didn't mention: as long as one person in a group is a member, a whole group can get in. A lot of families across multiple households will shop together to "share" a membership. Sometimes people three or four households will all go at once.
I know quite a few people that will all chip in to buy a card
So as a Costco employee technically you’re not allowed to do that. Only the people with the membership cards can pay. Sure One person can pay for 3 family’s worth of shopping but with Costco sized carts that’s typically hard. Now im not saying family’s sharing cards doesn’t happen people get away with it all the time, but don’t be surprised when you get to the end and they say only the member can pay.
@@DJChavz1 you can just get someone to venmo you the money before hand or right before you buy the stuff. not that hard and if u have a costco giftcard which a member can buy it will let you shop without a membership
@@DJChavz1 ok that doesn’t count for (underage) children and spouses right
or idk just let one guy do the buying and split it up later. im in another country where traditional market exist and i cant belive american try to complicate how bulk buying is a bad thing. the only bad thing on bulk buying here is if you bulk buy from suspicious vendors that try to sell waste factory product that didnt pass quality control
Having enough discipline, I have more than made my money back on things we do not waste in our house. With my executive membership, I’ve also earned myself over a grand in rewards this year, so I’m happily pro-Costco haha
Yeah if you spend a lot that 2% back can be worth it! My mom actually pays for a membership that both me and my brother split. We get free costco and she gets our check at the end of the year. We all benefit!
Let me check my math here… to make a g off the 2% savings from being an executive you would have to spend 50 grand at costco that year. You buy their furniture or something?
@MDutra-zw9dy while my credit card gives 5% back when used certain places 2% at others and it costs $0. I've even gotten 6% back at times! 😅
Been a Costco member for longer than i can remember and the savings add up if you have a family of 4 or more. From all the groceries to gas to tires/car battery and many other deals. It's all about convenience
As a Costco worker for more than 5 years, I agree with everything he said, Costco also makes their stores in a “horseshoe” fashion, with the expensive items, plus the free samples, being on the ends, with the deals more towards the middle of the isle, making you stay on the main isle GENIUS!! They also make their gas around $0.30 cheaper than competitors around the area, with the Visa card, which also has deals (and basically a free membership when you signup) is definitely an anti-inflation strategy that shouldn’t be overlooked.
In marketing that's called "Prime Real estate" and every major retailer uses it. You could literally say this about any Chain in the world.
@Darktion You just made your own video impersonating as Matt. Bruh.
I used to work at Costco, if you have a $120 membership you get money back from your purchases. If you have and upgrade from the base $60 Gold Star to the $120, but for that year you don't at least earn back the $60 for the extra upgrade costs, they'll refund you the difference at the end of the year.
This is 100% true. I get a check every year that I use to pay for my next year’s membership and still have money left over. I haven’t paid for a membership in 15+ years. Executive membership is the way to go if you shop at Costco regularly or have a big family.
@@michellesimonds7723 yeah I did the same with my executive membership in the US. Unfortunately they don't offer that overseas, at least in the country I'm in.
I worked at Sam's Club and that was basically how it worked for us too. Actually we were always in a back and forth with Costco over better rewards and prices and when we started offering credit cards that tied into the memberships that let you earn money to use at Sam's Club whenever you used the card anywhere that seemed like a good deal at the time, granted you actually used it enough.
yep. did that for 2 years and then just decided to go with the regular membership as we never reached the $60 difference.
It like $ 5 a month for gold star if you do the math.
This video did nothing but make me respect costco even more and want to spend more there 😭
My God, you're easily influenced.!!!!!
You're either a Costco bot or a very sad individual
This is no different than any other grocery stores tactics. I have been a loyal Costco member for over 33 years so your depiction of what they’re doing is the same as what everybody does in a grocery store and they do save me money. I also get my prescriptions filled at Costco and thereeighth of the price that I would pay at CVS Walgreens, or any other pharmacy
Also pro tip: freeze everything! Costco cheese freezes well with all types, and individual items that freeze (burritos, pizza,fish, meat, bulk deli items you can re-bake), can be frozen for up to 18 months. I’m poor, a bit younger than the demographic and live in an apartment. But I store carefully and have a deep separate freezer and airtight containers for dry goods. I even buy a few items for neighbors, who pay a few percent more for me to bring it to their apartment! Then I get annual cash back too.
IMO cheese starts to get a bit iffy after it's been in the freezer for more than about 8 months. It starts to smell a bit like baby chuck. Still fine to eat, just iffy.. Best to use it with something that'll mask the smell, like mexican
I freeze meats and shredded cheeses and it’s so nice, luckily the ones I buy are sealed so it’s not a lot of hassle
@@LemurG Exactly! I buy shredded cheese for Mexican food and a sort of pasta casserole bake, where cheese is the binder for pasta, meat, spinach, and other veg.
In my house we do that with meats, buy in bulk and can last us around a month, we are a house of three
Costco freezing still isn't saving you money. It will only accumulate food until you run out of room and are forced to eat stuff. Remember we're running off the membership timer and saving the membership amount before you have to go back and without buying a bunch of stuff you don't need.
As a Costco employee, this was fun to watch. And you’re not kidding about the products being all over the place. We’re told it’s to "create a treasure hunt atmosphere" haha. In reality the store basically get disassembled and then reassembled every night. It’s super chaotic and messy, and it’s always incredible how quickly everything becomes ship shape just in time. It’s a good company, and I love my store’s workplace.
If they reassemble the items in different orders every night, then how do the employees remember where the items are if the customer asks for help?
@@greywolf7577 they typically don't, as a self professed costco addict i can attest to how many times i try to find a specific thing and employees haven't a clue where it is or if it's even in stock. what makes things worst is i discovered every costco location stocks different items so i'm on a "casual" tour of visiting a different costco when i happen to be in in th vicinity of one i haven't been to before in my state. they have got me hook, line and sinker lol
@@greywolf7577 We don’t remember
@@greywolf7577 Most will radio to Merch (Who assembled the warehouse each night) or the Front End. Some basic things don’t usually change locations. And an item will have a place in a general part of the store, if it’s a food it’ll go in foods, etc. But it could be placed near the entrance on the fence. Or chips that go on the chip aisle might go in front of the coolers if we’re doing a promo or something, idk. I work in maintenance, so I only know where certain items are, and will have to either make a guess or check over the radio for the rest.
Moving everything around obviously makes people buy more, but I ended up not buying coconut water anymore because it kept getting moved and my toddler can only stand so much time in a store 😔
Fun Fact: The original CEO of Costco was once asked if they could change the prices of the hotdogs they sold to modern day prices. He said that never will happen, and the hotdogs still remain the same cost they were from when the store first opened. Have to admit, they know what they are doing. Edit: THEY CHANGED THE PRICE AGHAGGGAGUDIDNRNDJDDJBDBD Edit: (again) THANK GOD THEY DIDNT IT WAS JUST SOME RUMOR IN THE COMMENTS
There’s an article where there was a threat made over the price of a hot dog. Something like “don’t you ever f** change the price of the hot dog”
Prices have changed on the hot dog :(
@@Awareness_With_Dennis NOOOOOOOO
@@Awareness_With_DennisReally? It’s the same for me.
their business model is excellent....eg...their fuel stations...no window washing brushes...they do not want you lingering there.....no shopping bags, just reuse the boxes...when they're out of something, they don't worry too much about re stocking it thus the shopper knows they probably should buy it then and there whether they need it right away or not, because next time it might not be there...no coupons....and limited variety of credit cards accepted.
Two aspects of possible savings you didn't mention are gasoline and the Costco Visa. At least in suburban MD, I have never seen any gas station offer prices at the Costco level (although, once in a while, some stations have come within five cents). And if you have the affiliated credit card, using it at Costco (2%), restaurants--including convenience stores--(3%), gas or EV charging (4%), anjd 1% everywhere else, you get a credit voucher each year to use at Costco. If you're buying enough, especially if you've followed the savings tips in this video, that yearly voucher will more than cover the costs of a membership--even the $120 one.
The real savings of Costco and similar places is when you are in a family of >4 and have to go back every two weeks to restock everything you brought. Basically, it can save thousands if you need to constantly consume and cycle through those products. I think our family of 7 uses around 200-300 dollars per trip and go every other week (~10k a year) typically on consumable items.
How do you only go shopping once every 2 weeks? I am a European and that sounds crazy to me. How are you eating anything fresh on that second week?
@@mathiaszimmermann5938 They probably go to a regular grocery store to get some of their fresh produce, but things like potatoes, onions, & carrots are fine for a couple weeks (if not longer). I'm pretty sure even fruits like apples, pears, & oranges can last that long in the fridge. Things like meat and cheese can be frozen, as well as buying frozen vegetables, like broccoli & peas. Also, they could have a vegetable garden or fruit trees.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention gasoline purchases. I easily make my membership dues back in gas savings. Anything I save on food is just extra. Also, the quality of food that I get is usually better than what I’d get at Walmart.
Until recently one could buy costco gas without being a member though ...
@@steelethescene not sure what area you’re in but everyone I’ve used asks for your membership card…
Their gas is expensive and garbage
@@lebronjames4705 riiiiiight. That’s why it’s cheaper than all the surrounding stations.
@@steelethescene you can borrow a card from the attendant there but that will only work so many times. You do need a membership there.
Pre-pandemic, it was true that Costco was cheaper than Walmart/ supermarkets. Now, even the eggs are more expensive in Costco. The only consistent cheap thing is the 40 pack bottled waters. Otherwise, you need to look at every price tag before you decide to buy or NOT.
The environmental impact of that water is huge.
yup, I had a Bjs membership, and I used to check the price of everything before buying because when you calculate by ounce or lb, a lot of times your not really getting a good deal
This is precisely why the wife and I avoid almost all perishable food items at Costco that can’t be frozen and thawed. We might pick up some fruit every now and then, but that becomes a daily staple. Otherwise, everything food related either gets portioned and frozen for later use, or is already in packaging that prolongs the freshness anyways. Oh…. and the hot dog deal is something we take advantage of every visit… our 5 year old included. 😎
Whenever my mom shops at Costco she always asks friends and family if they need anything before she goes. Then, she almost exclusively gets non-perishables, and will distribute items between several households. I never realized how much of a smart strategy that was until now. I’ll have to tell her that I have a greater appreciation for her efforts!
(As she gets their gas. Which from the comment section I’ve learned is also smart)
She is a smart woman.
Going to costco is like running on a battlefield, starting at the parking lot. Your mom is truly a Saint!
Your mom is a genius & truly knows how to make up for the Costco membership money
The fact that Costco is selling same weight of cooked chicken cheaper than raw chicken at our local traditional market makes Costco really a no brainer. I’m not sure it’s my country only or not, but the price differences is way beyond a few penny or a few dollar overall compare to all other possible grocery shop available for us. Like, we’re talking about 25%different on sth like tissue towels that lands on a necessity side while it don’t really expired.
That’s why you always make a list and stick to that list. We’re a family of 6. I have a sam’s club membership and bulk is more time saving for me. So, I always shop for only what I need. But, I rarely ever step foot in the store at all these days. Being able to buy what I need and just go pick it up without stepping foot out of my truck.
I'm single and I use my Costco card for chicken, free samples, an abundance of toilet paper, a $1.25 hot dog, and an abundance of people watching. It makes me happy. Thank you very much. It's worth it.
The hot dog is 1.50 not 1.25
Costco ends up being better if you have an idea of how much you go through as far as food items. Usually their frozen foods (and some refrigerated foods) are enough for a family of 3 or 4. The big problem (as you stated, MatPat) is that they get you with all of the other things you see while trying to buy the things you need. It's how a reasonable shopping trip ends up costing a couple hundred dollars very quickly. :) We've started to learn that it works better if we buy certain things at Costco (usually sale items) and try to buy the rest at out local supermarkets. Saves a lot of money.
Heck, there are even articles and sites devoted to "what's worth your money in Costco". Their Vodka for example, rivals Grey Goose.
that is what my dad does for regualr markets as well. he will buy some stuff at one store and others at another
As someone who consumes an insane quantity of eggs, costco has been a lifesaver. Their eggs never spiked in price and they’re pretty cheap given todays pricing
And now that I'm grown I eat 5 dozen eggs so I'm roughly the size of a BARGE! (Sorry this begged for a Gaston reference)
@Sunny Things you lucky duck!
@𝙸𝚝𝚣_𝙵𝚕𝚞𝚏𝚏𝚢 you lucky *chicken**
So true we started buying them in 2020 at Costco never went back
@@brookerousselle4971🤣🤣🤣
I can confirm about the samples cause I used to work as a Costco sample person. And every time I would do samples. They would sell out of whatever I was sampleing.
I gave up my Costco Membership, every time I went there I was buying stuff “I didn’t know I needed”. The grass feed beef is something I like, I found it cheaper elsewhere, the gasoline where I live is always cheaper than in the city so that was never a motivation for a membership. I realized that I can find the things that I get at Costco without paying for a membership. I just don’t need anymore stuff.
My college friends and I chipped in for a Costco membership. All of us together using one membership was pretty worth it. There were several apartments all using one card. It was pretty nice
This is most efficient way to use their membership. They allow it anyways if you follow their rules.
I've seen quite a few places that do that. Recently me, my brother, and his gf have been planning in chipping in together to get one.
Sounds nice actually
My family falls in the poor camp, but we're also executive members at Costco, which is something you didn't actually fully cover in your theory. You mentioned the executive member benefits, of which there's a pretty good perk. At the end of the year, executive members are sent a redeemable coupon from Costco that refunds them a small percentage of all the purchases they made at the store that year, up to a max of $1,000. Since my family's the type to bulk buy everything we need for the family to last until the next paycheck, we do the majority of our essential purchases at Costco. While we never spend enough to get $1,000, we do often get enough back that it's above the cost of getting a new executive member card, and then some. So we do get our money's worth that way. And while there have been the impulse buys on occasion, pretty much everything we've bought there gets used before it expires. Often times we know that something won't be used right away, so we store it in a deep freezer my parents got back in the late 80s until we need to take it out and thaw it. Sometimes it results in us having some leftover meals that we don't have to spend as much during our next grocery run.
Totally forgot about that! I just got our rewards check and it was $350. What a win!
a deep freezer/chest freezer is such an essential item for storing food long term. they're amazingly efficient and practically never die because of how little they ACTUALLY have to run. i highly recommend them, they are great for storing meats
I think my grandmother had one at her old house. Maybe I'll need to tell her to get a another one.
My family falls in the poor camp, but we're also executive members at Costco, which is something you didn't actually fully cover in your theory. You mentioned the executive members benefits, of which there's a pretty good perk. At the end of the year, executive members are sent a redeemable coupon from Costco that refunds them a small percentage of all the purchases they made at the store that year, up to a max $1,000. Since my family's the type to bulk buy everything we need for the family to last until the next paycheck, we do the majority of our essential purchases at Costco. While we never spend enough to get $1,000, we do other get enough back that it's above the cost of getting a new executive member card, and then some. So we do get out money's worth that way. And while there have been the impulse buys on occasion, pretty much everything we've bought there gets used before it expires. Often times we know that something won't be used right away, so we store it in a deep freezer my parents got back in the late 80s until we need to take it out and thaw it. Sometimes it results in us having some leftover meals that we don't have to spend as much during our next grocery run.
Sounds about right i think its 2% per purchase. I don’t use Costco but Sam’s club and they also have a similar system but its 10$ per 500$ spent. Yearly i get anything from 180-340$ which already covers the 120$ membership. And the reason why i prefer sam’s is simply that i only have Mastercard credit cards so i can only use the 2% cash back at Sam’s Club. If u have a visa credit card you can do the same at Costco and save x2. My family is the same as urs when it comes to buying and consuming before things expire or deep freeze them.
We just recently acquired a Costco card for the first time through groupon w/c was running a holiday promo, membership with $40 Costco giftcard. Basically it only cost us $20 for the year. Only use it for gas, mostly non-perishable daily use items like toilet paper, dishwashing liq, lotion, soaps, etc; staple foods like rice, coffee, creamer, eggs, & ofc the roasted chicken & hotdog. I still shop at other grocery stores when items like meat are cheaper elsewhere.
That’s great! That means that all these impulse buyers are subsidizing my carefully selected items! And I don’t even have to pay the membership fees because all the cash payers are offsetting prices to accommodate my credit card rewards points… And no, I don’t pay any interest because I pay full balance with automatic payments…
truuuuu
With a family of 8 we went thru food and other essentials like crazy. I had the executive membership which offers 3% cash back. Our cash back alone covered our membership fee plus extra and Costco always had the cheapest gas in town
Yep and if you don’t get enough in cash back rewards to cover the cost of the difference between the executive and gold membership, Costco refunds you the difference in store credit.
I don't know about you, but that cheap gas always resulted in lower MPG for me. When I would be getting 28MPG from the Circle K I found myself getting closer to 22MPG at Costco.
@@orangeapples - I actually get 1mpg better on Costco gas at 18mpg, vs 17mpg at the local Shell and Chevron. That said, ALL 3 choices for me use a 10% ethanol blend. Ethanol raises the octane but at the cost of efficiency - so using “E10” gas, I get about 8% worse fuel economy. If your Circle K is non-ethanol, this may explain some of the difference. Also, Costco’s top tier rating means they use more detergents to keep your engine running cleaner. It’s possible Circle K’s lower tier gas offers high mpg at the cost of carbon and other deposit build up.
So basically so long as you're not wasting the product that you buy and throwing it in the trash, it's worth it. Seems like a win to me so long as you're responsible and thoughtful about what you buy.
I don't have a membership and go multiple times a month and never throw away anything
Right. I’m halfway through the video and so far all I’ve gotten is that it doesn’t work if you’re impulsive when you shop and/or you rarely use it. But if you go in there weekly for your normal grocery shopping with a list, you are perfectly fine. Of course I wrote the title off as uninformed simply because the gas station pays for the membership several times over
More and more costcos are requiring memberships for food, even if the food court is outside. You may be in for a $61.50 hotdog when you get there.
“Let’s make shoppers spend more time looking for things in our store” - Costco 🤝 Ikea
There are things that wasn't discussed: - Costco Gas, always cheaper by quite a bit vs other places and you fill in at least around 10+ gallons per trip. - If you get their VISA card, you will get cash back from your purchases that can cover your yearly membership fee. - The rotisserie chicken is always $5 while you will pay at least $8-9 at any other store. The raw chicken itself is already more than $5. However, to get to where this chicken is, you have to go through the gauntlet of other advertisement. - You will be carded just to order from the food court (at least at the place where I shop). So, no cheap hotdog for you non-members. - Cheap stuff do run out and they're not obligated to fill those up to meet the demand (eggs, toilet papers, rotisserie chicken). This means they cap their loss leaders so they do not bleed profit. You don't always get the best priced items if you come too late.
The food court costco one near me doesn't really check cards.
@@brayburell6814 yeah my costcos food court is in the store and I just walk in and buy food no problem. It was like that before and after they swapped locations too
- The theory is on food, so it's understandable why he'd forget to mention Gas. Also, not all Costcos have Gas pumps; mine only recently had a pump added within the last 6 months. - The VISA card is also one of the 4 ways to have a membership. That said, it still falls into the "Sunk Cost Fallacy" category he mentioned, it just reduces the amount you actually need to spend to save... not to mention, using it has hidden costs if you don't pay it off at the end of the month. - Rotisserie chicken is a great deal, but you do have to butcher it yourself. Not for everyone... but the other chicken-based deals around it are also just as good. Also... I could swear he did an "episode" on the chicken once before. - As some other comments mentioned, food court is a wild-card; depends on the location. With the Food Court Kiosks they've added to some locations, it'll probably become more consistent though. Never been carded at one of the Kiosks, for the record. - Business gonna business. Not really relevant to the video's content, but a point is a point.
Another thing that wasn't discussed: the cell phone jammers they put up so you can't compare prices.
Yep, between the CC cash back and bonus from the exec membership, I pay for the membership (Costco & CC) easily
As a previous Costco vendor - they truly do pass the savings on to you and their quality stands are pretty high. I just saved a lot on a Nespresso machine that I was going to buy anyway. There’s good ways to shop there and there are bad ways to shop there, you need to price compare and be realistic about your needs. The hotdogs and rotisserie chicken are incentive items that Costco is literally losing money on and chucking it off to advertisement costs
THE KZheadR forgot about gas savings. In my area it’s about 50 cents less per gallon. Or $250 less per year. That more than covers my membership fee .
@@electrictroy2010 well I'm not waiting in those lines for half an hour everytime I need gas, that's not worth the savings anymore
@@t3ch5upp0rt8 feel yah, my cheapest Gas Station is usually only 1-5cents lower and it's packed.
@@electrictroy2010 Because this is a food channel, not a gas channel.
@@t3ch5upp0rt8 ive gotten lucky and gotten right in like, 4 times in a row now. its liek a drug xD
I return stuff all the time and they don’t make it a big deal like other stores, and when I go check out almost all cashiers are being used un like others stores sometimes it’s the little stuff that makes the biggest difference in your day.
11:00 mark is very accurate. 1. u need the cash available to buy in bulk. 2. as u said the storage. pantry, at bare minimum. so yea sadly most people wont budget well enough to make use of costco, and even if they do, small apartments already tight on space isnt going to be any more fun with piles of costco products in corners lol..... it is good for familys of 5 or so, or ofc more... as u said u got to get through the items u buy as well.
The broken strategy I found with Costco: You buy only one membership and then buy food and goods for a bunch of people or friends. They usually do not care if a small group of people come in as long as the one person with the membership is technically doing all of the shopping. You can even split the membership costs so it's a lot less for you to spend on a membership. This works with extended or larger families as well.
I've actually asked them about this and non members can shop if the member is present with them. They want non members to get hooked on Costco and buy their own membership 😜
You can also add one other person to your costco account, and they will get their own card.
Yeah, my dad and his buddy were thinking about splitting the yearly fee for a card. Edit because it is a yearly fee, not a monthly fee
Yes this
Employees also get to add another person to their membership
For my household of seven, Costco has definitely saved my parents a bunch of money. We are the target audience, plus, when they bring us kids along we try to sell them products they don't need and we want. We make Costco more money, but we save so much its worth it.
Similar situation, a grew up in a Costco family of 8. I laughed when he mentioned about the amount of eggs and milk, because my family did go through eggs and milk we did indeed probably need that cow he joked about. For a married couple or family of 4 the cost isn’t that justified, but if you have 8 mouths to feed, buying in bulk just makes sense. And as a food focused channel Mattpat didn’t mention gas as well, which was another expense my family heavily relied on. The cost of the membership quickly paid for itself and then some.
@@philipbarton3456 fr whenever we go to costco the snacks would go in a couple of days
@@philipbarton3456 Or, if you're obese and weigh as much as 8 people, then Costco also could work for you.
Agreed! Except we’re a household of nine. Or were… my sister married and there’s a baby on the way🥰
For our household of 12 OF COURSE IT SAVES US MONEY, also every trip to Costco which is monthly we minimum buy 400-600 dollars worth of groceries or something above 30+ different products. So it is ABSOLUTELY worth and we use basically everything in that given month. And our household still only makes close to 100k a year all together on an average year. c:
One unmentioned benefit is the fact that bulk purchases save you a lot of time checking out. If I want a stock of green beans for example I'd have to scan 12 cans rather than one package at costco.
Costco is 1. convenience. Large quantity means less trips, 2. Some Kirkland house brand items are BETTER quality items than their retail counterparts. In particular, their trash bags are better than force flex, their cold brew cans are better than other brands and their Kirkland ground coffee is roasted by Starbucks roasters, etc. 3. Cheap good wine, and 4. Their meat quality. Particularly their higher end steaks and seafood(tuna, salmon etc.
As a foreigner visiting my US relatives in Washington DC a few years ago, I had no idea Costco was a membership only store. They didn't have any pre-check or signage outside to inform me, and I was by myself that day, as my relatives were attending one of their friends wedding, which didn't concern me, so I just headed in and started shopping. As a tourist I wasn't interested in foods, but I needed some new underwear and socks and while in there I found some other things that were at least a lot cheaper than in Sweden that I put in my cart. Come checkout I was asked to show my membership card, which of course I didn't have any. A few award minutes later trying to explain I was just a tourist and didn't know, at first thinking it was an issue of picking the right checkout, like the fast lane is only for members or something, he just gave up and let me pay anyway.
We do actually have people at the door for this sort of thing but sometimes people slip by. My guess is that a supervisor or perhaps a manager knew that you wouldn't be returning so they just let the sale happen even though we're really not supposed to do this because the company lives and dies on membership fees. Also yes, sometimes you might just end up with a cashier who's just looking to avoid an argument so they bend the rules even though we have pretty strict directions from corporate.
@@epbluwe have a sams club membership and we used to always have to show the card, but recently the person who is supposed to be at the door just hasn’t been there and I walk on in with my card out of my wallet for nothing.
I think it was pretty obvious we were tourist and didn’t mean anything by not having a membership, just that we didn’t know. Also the lines for each register was pretty huge and he’d already entered all our products before asking for a membership card, so there would have been quite a hassle and delayed the line even more to turn us back. Also it wasn’t any huge amount, we didn’t get any food for instance since we were just tourists, don’t remember exactly since this was in 2015, but I think roughly 200 dollars and half of that was an SSD we picked up. I did however keep an eye out for any signs or bouncers on the way out since we knew by then and know I didn’t see any, at least not anyone obvious, like dressed in branded clothes or anything, so we just assumed it must be so well known to Americans and that tourists never really went there since it wasn’t really on any main shopping street and didn’t sell a lot of products a tourist might be interested in. We’d never go in there if it weren’t because I was looking for some cheap underwear since I hadn’t packed enough, and it looked like a place that might have a cheap clothes section on the side, similar to how many larger grocery stores in Sweden have a smaller sections for clothes, toys, gardening, videos/DVDs (before streaming killed that part), on the side of the food.
You can only buy cigs and alcohol without a membership.
@@BellabaddiI didn’t know that! Thank you!
Costco is a social experiment gone wrong. 30min to park 45min to checkout. 20min to have recipient checked to leave. 30min wait to get gas. All to save $15 total.
Costco is a cult
I love all of your channels so much.
I think the point many people miss is it’s not just about the savings but more about the quality for price. Costco brand products are second to non when it comes to big box stores like Walmart. The best of almost everything, in bulk, at a reasonable price. The chickens, prepackaged food, and bakery alone are worth the trip. You just can’t beat it!
This too! I can reliably trust what I get at costco to be good, and if it's not they have such a generous return policy. They also treat their employees well, to my understanding.
@@constantinak7719 Costco is the best when it comes to returns, in my experience.
this and rather than having 10 brands Costco finds the best one and just gives you the best right off the bat.
hang on hang on... you're telling me... I can get more better stuff for less $$$s????? this is life changing.
Exactly
Costco is one of the greatest stores. It does save money as long as you have self-control. Otherwise it is the same as a regular store.
I hear ya. And so much truth here. And there are ways to shop Costco without these problems. We tend to do paper products there and that amazing chicken. Otherwise purchases are in consideration that it’s a 1-2 person house shop. Sometimes we’ll buy and split the bulk with another small household.
Having a costco 5 min from my school was massive. Always easy to get a cheap lunch and gas if needed. NTM buying select things in bulk for dinner was massive as a student living by themselves.
Even if I'm not saving all that much by shopping at Costco, I do like that I'm giving money to a store that pays its employees almost twice as much as Walmart, plus benifits
My mom and I went to Costco bi weekly. We're a family of 5 and my brother, sister, and especially stepdad, are food vacuums. So shopping at Costco was actually the smarter thing to do, we had a route through the store and everything.
Gotta optimize your grocery trips!!
different things work for different people!!
SAME THO but my family is 7 memebers... abd we usually go to costco ever 1-2 weeks.
twice a week or once every two weeks?
@@SasukeUchiha-fk3kb memebers
I can go to 3 gas stations close to my home that are less expensive than Costco. To top it off, in California, membership stores don’t have to display their gas prices prior to entry. People assume Costco has the cheapest gas prices, but sometimes they don’t.
Where we live they always have the best price in town for gasoline. You can save 3% more if you have the Costco Citi Visa. I've also found that using their sale booklet does save money, if it is something you already use. Purchasing their Kirkland brand saves too.
Honestly shocked you didnt mention the gas station usually attached to the costco store. 95% of the time they have the cheapest price for gas in my area and I probably get a majority of my memebership paid for by savings in gas prices
idk, this video seems off, Costco has far more perks that whats listed in the vid
@@Caterpillartears its still rated top tier, which lots of random gas stations dont meet, only downside is the alcohol % is different
Living in Arizona, we make up the cost of our Costco membership with three words: car battery warranty. Given 100+ degree heat is terrible on lead acid car batteries, we have to replace our $120 car battery almost yearly during the summer. Costco has a battery warranty of 3 years from time of sale, which carries over and resets to three years when you exchange your battery. We have for years gotten car batteries from Costco (most of them free) because of this.
Shop with a Gift Card. They HAVE TO let you IN.
@@traybern i never considered that
@@geddon436 A member still has to purchase the shop card in the first place so you're better off in the long run just paying the dues so that you don't have to keep bothering your friends to buy you more shop cards. We also have to call supervisors over to key in the exception every time you get to the register so you'll be waiting longer and holding up the line. Lots of things on the web call it a "hack" but it's really not as clever as they make it sound because once your card balance is used up we throw away the card and you can't buy more or refill it on your own.
Walmart does that 😂 3 year warranty and you don't need a membership lmao
I melt here
a year later and back to this video. that hotdog meal is even better. it's far harder to get that meal without a membership now, but its still getting better and better.
My wife and I did the math for us it more than pays for itself in the Gas and TP. I lot of times we can get great deals on things we already have on our shopping list in the food and drinks category. I seldom even look at anything else.
As a cafe employee in Sams Club (Costco but make it Walmart), I will always advocate for the food being insanely cheap considering inflation. Depending on the store, we won't even ask to see your membership (if you manage to sneak in through the exit).
I have a membership, but I often go through the exit without ever having my membership checked when I go buy pizza
You work and at sans club cool I think my mom has a membership there I really wanted the members mark unicorn set but I asked for other things for Christmas but hey at least its on best yes I mean the one that cane out last year with the wings the 2021 version I got and I love them ❤sorry I loves magicly colorful toy ponies aka my little pony and yeah u mean the fake my little ponies that are sometimes at sams club
My Sams doesn't ask for membership upon entrance anyway; they stopped sometime in 2021. At the Costco they do as for the membership proof, however you can say you are going to get Prescriptions or the Cafe, which are available for non-members.
@@realShadowKat Yeah, why do they even have the person at the door if they are going to let in anyone who claims to have a prescription anyway? Why not just check the card at checkout?
@@realShadowKat cool idk if our same club has done that
If you are actually a student or low income family costco can still save you money, but it takes a little more work. The biggest thing people don't tell you about costco is, not everyone needs a membership, only 1 person needs one and you can split multiple purchases just like any other store. Meaning that you can get together with other students and families and schedule regular costco trips where everyone meets up and does their shopping, then all check out with the same membership, all while paying separately. and if you all share the cost of that one membership you can pay it off within the first few purchases.
This depends on the store. Some stores won’t let you show your card for non-member purchase with you. Especially if it’s large and not just ‘oh they wanted to grab one thing’. Because then they’re missing out on membership fees which is the majority of their income.
@@strawberrycherrybaby Sure. But it's easy to solve that - just have the person with the membership pay for it all, and get reimbursed later. Buying in bulk and splitting up the goods is a great way to save money if you know people who will split a tray of eggs, or a tray of meat with you. It just takes some planning. I've been in groups of people who basically shared a membership (one person had it in their name, but the cost was split 3-ways), and we would either shop together or just put in requests to buy certain things when the actual member was going shopping, and for 20 bucks, we each saved over 100 bucks over the course of a year (compared to what smaller-sized items would've cost even at an inexpensive place like Wal-Mart). And no food went to waste.
You sir just changed what it means to buy in bulk
That! buy cooperatively and beat the system!
Not in California. My GFs family has a Costco Membership, the cardholder who's name is on the card has to be present.
The savings also depends a lot on the product. I buy Diet Coke at costco and compared to buying 12 packs at the grocery store, it's less than half the price or about $12 savings per 'pallet' of Diet Coke I buy.
General question for anyone in college, (for a research project). How does a research project sound going over global inflation rates from the past (for any amount of time) and compare them to to todays inflation?
Here are some tips that I learned at Costco. Instead of buying shredded mozzarella cheese, or even blocks of cheese, by individually wrapped cheese strings or baby bell cheese. They have a much longer shelf life because they are vacuum sealed and you can portion out properly what you want. Instead of buying fresh chilled milk, buy vacuum sealed milk or plant based milk that don’t require refrigeration. These cartons of milk are actually shelfstable without refrigeration up until the expiration date which is at least a few months. Don’t bother buying cereal unless you actually love to eat it every day, it’s actually healthier to buy oatmeal and stored in a vacuum sealed container. The vacuum sealed containers are a usually good deal at Costco and can store a significant amount of shelfstable produce such as nuts, oatmeal, flour, pasta etc. Tomato paste can be used to make tomato sauces, stews and curries, and is a great way to use up old frozen vegetables. All you have to do is use one can pursue pot, and use an immersion blender with any vegetables and stock. Tomato paste also takes up less space than tomato sauce. When you buy fresh produce, such as meat fruits or vegetables, freeze half, cook a quarter, and keep the other quarter in your fridge for next time. When you buy jars of jam, save those jars! Not only are they good drinking glasses but they are good for storing things, food or physical items otherwise. You can even sanitize them in boiling water, and reuse them to re-seal and preserve food for pickling or even jarred meat for long shelf stable food down the road. Freeze your slice bread or keep it in the refrigerator. They cook just fine when you put them in the toaster.
Dang. Love these tips! Thanks!!
You sound like my parents, full of wisdom and good advice. They did everything except the string cheese and milk (Dad would always end up eating all the string cheese, lol).
Nice
Just a quick note, please don't reuse jelly jars to can food for long-term storage. They should be fine for short-term storage (think months, not years) of acidic or pickled foods. But neither the glass or the lids of those jars were designed to handle the heat or potential pressure of canning and can shatter or lose their seal and make you sick. It can turn out fine a hundred times, but you only have to get botulism poisoning once... ☠️
Lol you and my granny are quite alike in this way. I always do things like this because of her.
I think that it’s worthy of you have a big family, cause those same quantities at regular supermarkets add up quick. Besides, the benefits of the executive membership and the credit card help a lot. It’s just a matter of knowing how to administer your money wisely
Thank you, he didn't mention the perks of the executive membership card and buying gas there too. My husband and I buy all of our staples there and our membership pays itself and we get a lot of cashback from our card just for purchasing gas there.
@@jesystar We are a family of 5 (3 kids still at home) and with the executive membership it really does work out!
@@shady1212 I mean I bet, if it works for us and it's only my husband and I... can't imagine a big family and I'm happy it works out for you all, it's like you outsmarted the system in a way 🤣
I too am an executive and it helps out my family so much with our essential! For the non essentials we would go to the regular grocery stores to avoid getting big bulks from Costco
I live alone and concluded long ago that a membership isn't worth it.
With a Costco right next to my work. I use their food court to save me a ton when I get lunch
If you keep an eye out you can get insane deals on display model items. The computers, recliners, and foosball tables, all have to be sold, even the ones on display in the store. Because they’ve been sat out and ‘used’ costco usually gives you an up to 50% discount. I got a lenovo legion pro 5 (retail $1,600) for $750 and change. Same goes for a lot of our outdoor furniture and our foosball table!
I’m shocked he didn’t mention the savings at the Costco gas pumps. That alone is worth the membership in savings
Possibly Mat Pat's Costco lacks a gas station. Many do lack this.
@Rosza Jo What state? In my state you need a membership…
@Rosza Jo not in CA. It's the first thing they check
Yes!!
Seriously! My parents have a Costco membership literally just for this reason. They hardly ever go into the store. They also had one for a few years when I was growing up and we lived in a different place but it didn’t last long, I think in large part because there wasn’t a gas station and we weren’t going there enough.
My husband and I crunched the costco math while I was pregnant. (6 years ago) At least at that time, if you bought nothing but diapers and formula from Costco, you'd more than pay for your membership in savings in like a month and a half. You can also *only* buy items that can be long term stored- canned goods, non-food items like toothpaste, vitamins, paper products, etc. And meat... The meat is cheaper in bulk. You can get a 10lb thing of ground beef for sometimes as much as 50% what that same meat would cost at another grocery store. Just break it up into 1lb portions once you get home.
Yes! Diaper and wipes savings is huge. Now that my toddler is drinking cows milk, getting costco's 2-pack for milk is a great saver too
Me and my wife go and buy cleaning supplies there. Laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, and other drinks to pack with our lunches.
The membership cost covers itself by the time we hit august, and not only that, costco México has a credit card that also gives money back. It has a fee of 15 usd per year, that baby returns 350 usd every year, so for me, not only is costco free, but it pays me for buying stuff that I need.
In one of my business classes I did a report on Costco's financial statements. I determined that their sale of goods about exactly covered all their operating expenses and the membership fees was almost exactly equal to their net profit. Thus, they sell everything about at cost and their cut is that membership fee. Also when comparing them to Walmart, Costco treats it's employees far better and is not proven to reduce the wages and wellbeing of the surrounding community.
Our Costco opened during the massive labor shortage and people refusing to make an unlivable wage. Guess who had no problem hiring tons of employees; Costco. Says a lot!
Honestly, working for Costco has been amazing. Great benefits, amazing pay, lots of room for promotion/goals, and great coworkers. Can't recommend it enough
@@decaydance2010 Best part? It's not even a bias statement, that is a pure FACT
Had a membership for 18 years. We always went with a list, and never shopped off the list. We also price compared, and only bought items that would not use. We went once a month, and made sure to come with an empty gas tank. It was totally worth it. We never bought crap we didn't need.
Why did you end your membership?
@@MayaO.Because they realized they were only buying items they would not use
i wanna try to enter costco without a membership
@@dark-ghost5455 You can, a lot of them only check your card at checkout and there are services you can use without having a membership. Also, in many cases the restaurant has a separate entrance that anyone can use.
Prove it
those hot dogs were my go to for lunches when i worked at an office near a costco.
That picture on the membership card, priceless LOL
I have a Sam's club membership, which is basically the same thing, and my wife and I have done the math, and we do save over $200 per year. Toilet paper, tissues, parchment paper, toiletries, coffee, granola bars, 50lb bags of rice, cleaning supplies, etc. We even saved when our cookware needed to be replaced. We got a 15 piece, professional cookset (nine pots and pans, and 6 lids, 3 of which have strainer holes) that can go from stovetop to oven (meaning no plastic anywhere, including the lids), and we paid $130 for it. At Walmart, Meijer, and other places, there were 12 piece cookware sets that were over $200. The pots and pans were smaller than the set we got, they all had plastic (unless you got a 7 or 9 piece set for over $250, but again, size matters too in this case), none of the lids could go in the oven, even if the pots/pans could, and some of the pieces in comparably numbered sets weren't pots and pans, but utensils. I'll get the utensils I want, not your gimmicky cheap ones, thanks. You have to do an analysis of what all you are, or are not going to use on a regular basis, and whether or not you're actually saving money on those things. Milk, half & half, bread, and several other things that spoil, usually are cheaper somewhere else like Meijer or Aldi. For us, the sheer amount of things we use on a regular basis that can be bought for much less in bulk made it worth it for us to get the plus membership. If we spend $2,750 or more a year on things (or $229.17 per month), which we do, we end up with enough cash back that it is actually cheaper to pay for the premium membership than the regular one, which also gets us free shipping. Free shipping means we save gas money as well. So all in all, you really can save on your overall budget by getting one of these memberships, you just have to know first if it's going to save you anything, you have to go in disciplined, and you have to go into the store with a plan if you're going in person.
One important thing that you did not address is the big difference between how Costco treats their employees and how Walmart treats their employees. Costco is well known for giving a living wage with good benefits. While Walmart does their best to pay everyone as low as possible with minimal benefits. This means a lot to me in terms of where I spend my money.
I started working at Walmart last month I'm Ohio I'm making 16 an hour online shopping it's the easiest job I've ever had and the most pay I have ever received so I'm curious how much does Costco pay new employees?
@@bryankidd3966 my location started at 20$ with full healthcare and their other benefits
As someone who worked for both, you are correct
@@bryankidd3966 >Meanwhile, Walmart is being outed for illegal child labor across North America. It doesn't help that Walmart is the poster child of underpaid service work.
@I that's horrible I did the same thing a couple of the days I've been here and we can wear coats but I mostly pick so I'm inside most of the time guess every Walmart is different
Heck yes! Glad to know I'm killing on the coffee savings!
My mother relies on Costco to feed her 4 dogs. Kirkland kibble and canned food is about $65. Getting the equivalent amount at another store will cost probably around $100 if it is a good price.
If you buy what you need it saves you money but if you buy everything you see then it doesn’t save you money
Yeah, if you can ignore the low prices on unnecessary products and buy what you'd buy anyway at other stores it's worth it.
It's worth it just to be able to get essentials like diapers and paper towels
Dude lightbulbs at costco 1.29 for a pack of 9 6.89 at walmart. Nah i think your costco screwing you
Tx fot tldr
I fill my tank with diesel every time I go, the saving I make over the year covers the membership. Everything else is a bonus.
Hands down the best part of the Costco membership is their Gas prices! I fill up every 2 weeks and save about 6-7$ each time. It way pays for the membership compared to any other place.
save even more by ditching premium gas cars for el cheapo 87 octane gas sipping Yota Corollas at 34 mpg or prius at 50 mpg.
You understand they put the minimum additives required in their fuel to keep the fuel stable and your engine clean? 87 octane vs 91 octane is just how much you can compress the air fuel mixture before the fuel detonates. Even though turbocharged vehicles accept 87… you should use 91 since they compress your mixture more… it’s forced induction. You also get further additives in the premium gas… except at Costco, Sam’s Club, and Walmart. That extra money you’re “saving” you’re spending in a new motor or vehicle sooner.
Use the gas your car needs. Period. Read the owners manual.
@@nickvoss7435 Why is the minimum not enough? If it's not enough, it's not actually the minimum, right?
@@nickvoss7435 Source?
you forgot the savings on gasoline! also I always get a dividend check each year that more than covers the cost of my membership! lololol
You have to pick and choose. Specific items are priced very well and others are a ripoff. You don't need organic grapes for $9 a pound, but enough TP to last several months for $20 is amazing. Plus their gas stations save you at least a dollar per fillup.
Costco also has a great return policy
Nice channel
Bro I swear to god I saw someone bring back an opened box of those mini chips and they got a refund.
nice yes yeah
We get a check for 120 every year from them so that’s our plan
Gas too
It ends up being economical for my family because of disability, oddly. Because it's changed what we shop for so much, we generally only buy things that either won't waste or definitely get used. Then we hit up a good, non-membership grocery-usually on a seperate day-for the few gaps in availability or what would've otherwise been wasted between shopping. Also, while not being strictly benevolent or anything, Costco pays it's employees WAY better than a Walmart, and most other grocery stores if I'm being honest.
This is exactly what me and my family do! We never waste anything we get at Costco and it makes the most sense to get those things there if you eat it the most.
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If the Costco cafeteria was also a healthy place to eat, I would probably never cook again.
My dad use to take me out on the weekends. We would basically have a free lunch with all the samples from Sam’s club & walk out on to our next destination, usually the matinee movie. Cheap father-daughter date for us to enjoy 😊💕
I live in Alaska and the savings from shopping at Costco are enormous up here. Turns out, Costco averages out the cost of shipping across all of its stores so places like Alaska and Hawaii that have high shipping costs added to the price of everything we buy make out HUGE at Costco. At one point I had a household of 7 and shopping at Costco LITERALLY saved me thousands per year over any other option available. Plus, with the executive membership, I get back considerably more than my membership fee. Even this year, with only myself and my daughter left in the house, still got back nearly $200.
Yep, family of four, make back the membership fee on groceries, save on gas, cat litter, household stuff, its great!
Is it worth the trip in gas money if I'm not in Anchorage, though? My family keeps trying to convince me go to Costco, but I'd rather shop at 3 Bears than drive the 4 hours to Anchorage, honestly, unless I'm actually saving enough for it to be worth it
@@demonkitty6998 3 Bears made a deal with Costco of some kind. I haven't ever shopped there so I don't know the details specifically but they have some kind of partnership so I expect it's probably not going to be worth a 4 hour drive.
It all depends on what you need, an average costco trip for me is over $700, in the rebate check alone I get nearly $2000 a year...
If I don't bring back at least 1-2 checked totes of Costco when I go to Juneau, I fail my wife. SE AK life.....