If you really want to find out the lowest prices for the items you buy regularly, then it is absolutely worth it to make a one-time price book of say, 20 basic staples, and compare prices at various places where you live. For me, this gave me a inherent sense of how much any given item should cost and therefore allowed me to figure out when something was a great deal or not. It also allows me to figure out when to purchase things, based on their price. So now, for example, I know not to buy butter unless it's less than or equal to $2/lb. or b/s chicken breasts for $1.99/lb. or less.
Until I took the time to make a price list, I bought a lot more items at Costco than I do now. For example, after comparing prices, I now know that in my area, b/s chicken breasts, ground beef, spaghetti sauce and pasta, peanut butter, jam, and milk (we don't buy organic) can all be found cheaper at a local grocery store. Produce is cheaper (and I'm not forced to buy overly large quantities) at the Farmer's market.
FYI: most grocery stores offer specials on basic staples in a 6-wk. cycle, so if you buy during a sale and stock up enough to last you through until the next sale, you can often save more than buying at Costco.
With all that said, I still have and use my Costco membership. They do still have great prices on certain staple items, like yeast, bulk flour, sugar, baking soda and vinegar (which I use for cleaning), oils, speciality cheeses, etc. And if you like brand-name products, organics, and convenience foods, they have a plentiful and inexpensive selection.
Since I started really whittling down our grocery budget, though, I have cut WAY down or completely eliminated brand names, organics, and convenience foods, so therefore Costco isn't as helpful to our regular grocery shopping as it once was. But eliminating those kinds of products has significantly decreased our spending, fwiw. Little things like buying oats in bulk instead of instant oatmeal packets and making up our own "instant" oatmeal in sandwich baggies have saved us $$$.
Finally, there are still some items at Costco that I buy for the convenience of bulk shopping, even though they aren't the lowest price anywhere. As with another poster, though, sometimes time and convenience outweigh savings, especially if the price difference isn't all that great. I buy TP there for this reason.
I also love Costco's book/DVD section and a lot of their clothes. But here is where only shopping there every couple of months works well for our family, because those are financial pitfalls for me and two categories I always tend to overspend in. Only going in there infrequently keeps my spending in check.
Finally, I have several gfs who shop at Costco 2-3x a week and use it for almost everything. Cost comparisons aside, it would drive me batty to stand in line behind people with huge carts just to get 3-4 items. There is no express lane at any of our Costcos (and there really should be!) The parking lot tends to be very crowded, too. And both of the Costcos nearest my house are around 5 miles away, compared to my local grocery store (< 1 mile) or Farmer's market (< .5 mile.) For these reasons, I really wouldn't enjoy using Costco for my primary grocery store.
Guin
Until I took the time to make a price list, I bought a lot more items at Costco than I do now. For example, after comparing prices, I now know that in my area, b/s chicken breasts, ground beef, spaghetti sauce and pasta, peanut butter, jam, and milk (we don't buy organic) can all be found cheaper at a local grocery store. Produce is cheaper (and I'm not forced to buy overly large quantities) at the Farmer's market.
FYI: most grocery stores offer specials on basic staples in a 6-wk. cycle, so if you buy during a sale and stock up enough to last you through until the next sale, you can often save more than buying at Costco.
With all that said, I still have and use my Costco membership. They do still have great prices on certain staple items, like yeast, bulk flour, sugar, baking soda and vinegar (which I use for cleaning), oils, speciality cheeses, etc. And if you like brand-name products, organics, and convenience foods, they have a plentiful and inexpensive selection.
Since I started really whittling down our grocery budget, though, I have cut WAY down or completely eliminated brand names, organics, and convenience foods, so therefore Costco isn't as helpful to our regular grocery shopping as it once was. But eliminating those kinds of products has significantly decreased our spending, fwiw. Little things like buying oats in bulk instead of instant oatmeal packets and making up our own "instant" oatmeal in sandwich baggies have saved us $$$.
Finally, there are still some items at Costco that I buy for the convenience of bulk shopping, even though they aren't the lowest price anywhere. As with another poster, though, sometimes time and convenience outweigh savings, especially if the price difference isn't all that great. I buy TP there for this reason.
I also love Costco's book/DVD section and a lot of their clothes. But here is where only shopping there every couple of months works well for our family, because those are financial pitfalls for me and two categories I always tend to overspend in. Only going in there infrequently keeps my spending in check.
Finally, I have several gfs who shop at Costco 2-3x a week and use it for almost everything. Cost comparisons aside, it would drive me batty to stand in line behind people with huge carts just to get 3-4 items. There is no express lane at any of our Costcos (and there really should be!) The parking lot tends to be very crowded, too. And both of the Costcos nearest my house are around 5 miles away, compared to my local grocery store (< 1 mile) or Farmer's market (< .5 mile.) For these reasons, I really wouldn't enjoy using Costco for my primary grocery store.
Guin
Tomorrow night's dinner and we'll freeze the remaining dinner amount for next week.)
