My partner bought a membership recently and we're heading there this arvo to do some shopping. I'm not sure we're likely to save any money over shopping at Coles or Woolies but hopefully there is a bargain or two or some good stuff we can't get elsewhere. Is there anything that you would recommend or anything we should steer clear of? We're a household of 2 humans and a cat.
Lord help me !!
He just uses water….
Maple syrup, the plastic tubs is more convenient than little glass ones. Big roast chickens. Those premium paper towels. And anything in bulk; sometimes it's nice to buy a box of 50 ice creams instead of 10 boxes of five, even if it's the same price.
Custom made coffin, a 4 person hot tub and throw in a couple of car tyres when you check out.
Am I nuts or are the tyres actually really not well priced? Not exactly the same tyres but 4 decent tyres from tyrepower are like $300 cheaper for my car than costco.
Not exactly the same tyres
This is because Costco demand a higher quality product than the name brands usually supply. They do this with lots of brands they sell.
So the same make and model tyres at costco will be somehow of better quality than if it were purchased from someplace like bob jane tmart? I find this hard to believe given they will not be selling as many units as tmart or jax.
Cheese, especially the European stuff.
Can you get Cheshire cheese? I'd be very interested if they sold that as can't find it anywhere these days…
Would need to have a look. However, the cheeses they have varies all the time and from store to store.
They currently have a good Comte and a Prima Donna blend. They do a really good boxed triple cream brie.
Maybe but they do sell excellent Wensleydale and Red Leicester cheese. The UK Coastal Cheddar is superb - strong and bitey, just how it should be.
The mixed tomatos - my Kids love them and can finish a 1kg box in a day.
Also granola , roast chicken, sushi packs (good for lunchbox), fruit trays
I was almost going to get the tomatoes but figured I might not get through them before they went gross. Their fruit and veg are in such huge portions. I got 1.2kg of cucumbers for like $4 though.
Pizza from food court
Muffins from bakery are super good value, 12 for $10
The choc chip cookies and the 'brownie and caramel slice' packs from the bakery are really good too, they freeze well
Skippy peanut butter
Instant noodles that are on offer, anything with a drastic markdown 😊
Biggest pizza slices I have ever seen. Holy shit they're like an entire meal.
Haha Yup I'll usually get one for dinner. 1 slice for me, 2 for my husband and that's it. Then the rest for lunch during the week 😂
I quite like the cheese one, even though it's not getting the value out of it. I would be all over the meat lovers one if it didn't come with BBQ sauce
So just unhealthy crap
Guess that's just what my diet is based on 😂 I'm sure there's healthy deals but I don't notice them
Love the frozen blueberries, sirena tuna, Kirkland toilet paper- big rolls that don't run out as quickly, the merino wool long sleeve t-shirts for winter -I have around 10 of them! Also great for underwear and socks. I was just there today and got 12 mangos for $19.99.
IMHO Tide pods are a bit better than Kirkland.
Their meat is always top quality -:New York cut and Tomahawk steaks are awesome.
Bulgogi is good (I usually chop a capsicum or two and an onion into it when I'm cooking).
Roast chickens always perfect
Mary's Crackers
Box of 20 Shin Ramyun gourmet spicy noodles (I buy when on special at $12)
Gourmet mushroom pack
Clams, when they're in stock - variable.
And if you're having a party their tray of sandwiches and nibblies save you lots of work
Last month I picked up a 1.75L bottle of Jack Daniels for $94.99 which works out at about $54 a litre.
Price is now $114.99, but it comes on special regularly.
Isnt that what dan's regularly sells it for a litre?
Just wait until someone tells you that it's better even than what they sell at Jack Daniels distillery.
Don’t know that I save any money, I don’t think you can beat Ald for that.
However I do like to buy
Large tub of Maggi gravy powder
Dried cherries
Eggs
Trays of muffins
Frozen jalapeño poppers
Pub mix
Pork schnitzel
I also browse through the gift card boxes and ribbons and stationary and just enjoy having a browse.
How did you go, what did you buy ?
The one thing I always buy there is a tub of their bacon egg potato salad. Soooo delicious. Try it out!
They've got unique snacks that I don't really see elsewhere that are interesting to try. Bakery things are nice, and I like their frozen asian selection. I've heard their strawberries are good? (or at least better than colesworth) Maybe I was just hungry, but had a roast chicken from there and it was the best I've had in my life…!!
Their meat is excellent. Briskets, beef and pork ribs, pork belly, rib eye, oyster blade, you name it. Also their frozen blueberries.
Yep, signed up pretty much for pork butt, mince and chicken .. rest is a bonus :)
$30 off brisket today was tempting but my kids are too picky to drop $100 on a cook :)
Mate I was spewing about that brisket discount. I'd just bought a 6kg brisket from elsewhere the day before, for a weekend shindig. Costco's briskets had been a bit limited in supply over the past 6 months - every time I went there, they only had monster 8kg+ briskets but it seems that they have fixed that supply issue now. And yes, their pork butt is excellent.
How much per kg is brisket at costco?
I get the frozen berries and a bottle of the pre mixed Sangria. Frozen berries cool down Sangria in one glass. No need to make up a whole jug.
Afterwards the macerated berries go well with Yoghurt for a dessert.
Aldi are currently selling Sangria for eight bucks a bottle and it's really good.
Costco is $12.99 for 1.5l.
Some items that we buy each visit:
Eggs
White seedless grapes
Qukes cucumber
Sparkling water
Smoked salmon
You are likely to save a little bit from shopping at Coles or Woolies, but you are not likely to save on any products stocked by ALDI. One of the main reasons I did not renew my membership last year. One example, 600g Pistachios (was $9.99 at Aldi then increased to $11.99). At Costco 1.5kg of pistachios are $29.99 (Aldi better value so why buy in bulk?). I have not been to Costco since 2021 though and don't know what the current price is. Also, stuff like Philips wet & dry shavers. In 2020, the discounted costco price was $99.99 for the Aquatouch Series 5000. However, Amazon at the same time had a special for the same shaver for $79.99 free delivery. So, you could have put $20 towards an annual Prime membership rather than pay Costco.
I did enjoy the "browsing" experience at Costco, as it is a large hypermarket. The stuff I did buy were Skechers men's shoes for $50, which retail for $90 at the Skechers shop in Westfield. So, good value there. Meat is also high quality at Costco, but for $90 a kg, it has to be. Yet, Costco did not have a budget meat range. Premium scotch fillet steaks were $5 a piece at ALDI ($22-$27 kg). I was disappointed that Costco did not have an equivalent product in that price range. Now, of course 1 scotch fillet steak at ALDi is $7, but still better value than Woolies or Coles, where you pay for a Rump steak at that price point.
Kirkland margarita premixed
Kirkland washing pods
Caterers heavy duty foil
The more expensive of the 2 pork ribs
Brisket
Rodriguez sausage products
Fresh Pizza
Glass bottle Coca Cola
Box of salad mix
Birthday cake
Tyres
Petrol
Edamame beans frozen in 1.2kg packs. Frozen creampuffs in a big tub.
Buy in bulk and save is bit of a con quite often a single unit of a item at a supermarket on special can be cheaper and with a product you know. Pays to know your prices and special come around on a regular basis. Plus i live in regional Victoria by the time you add your fuel and your time its not worth it.
Though there are people who travel all the to Melbourne to go to costo to save money 2.5 plus hours to get there the time to sho plus 2.5 plus hours to get back plus the fuel doesnt add from a regional point of view.
For us it is things like the electrical goods. They are named brands and, often, cheaper than elsewhere; especially when on special. Also, if you don’t like it, then return it for full refund.
As Costco is only 2kms from where I live and I have to drive past to go to the other stores-I drop in a lot.
If you want to save some money after the initial novelty - they will refund your annual membership. Hit up Aldi on the way home.
Some meat.
Cheese.
Eggs.
Some fresh fish.
TVs.
Diesel.
The chicken burger at the end.
Those Chicken Burgers have absolutely no business being so good.
American Cheese slices like they use at maccas.
Yes yes it's real cheese but it goes great with burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches/toasties.
Nothing in particular. Maybe coconut biscuit snacks and Roti
They used to sell Japanese scallop not anymore
For most perishables at Costco, unless you run a small shop or split food with several families. A lot of the savings is lost when the food goes off.
For just two people or even a small family, Costco is really not much of a saving. And it's designed to make you spend more money buy buying crap you don't need because they have it out in the middle and it looks interesting.
It's not all about savings it's more about particular product not available elsewhere.
it's more about particular product that you don't need and not available elsewhere.
Have to disagree a tad here. You do have to be a bit selective of the perishables but there are a lot of groceries you can buy that are worthwhile. The Ghirardelli brownie mix is good. The frozen food can be eaten a bit at a time. The fresh ravioli pasta works well for two people. the meat, certainly, can be split up and frozen into smaller lots.
There is a lot of variety with foods you don’t get in the regular supermarkets. To me the real worry of waste is things like sauces and dressings in big containers.
Like anything it is about buying selectively and, if you don’t like something, you can take it back for a full refund; even if you have opened it. If you “impulse” buy something you regret you can take it back.
2kg shredded cheese.
Chicken salt
Bakers Flour
Milk
Kids snack, like shapes or peas.
Pretzels
Things I almost always get:
Tip Top bread
Cabanossi (for school lunches)
Cheese
Hot Dogs
Heinz tomato sauce
Vegetable pancakes (these are really delicious)
Pizza dough
Mince and chicken thighs (sometimes I get other meats, like pork belly when cooking for family or when I'm feeling rich but usually it's too exxy).
Bao buns
Heavy duty foil/cling wrap
Other random items when discounted to be cheaper than Colesworth or ones I really like (such as Portuguese tarts)
Mango Lassi
Orange Juice 3L
Probiotic Drinks
Java Chip Iced Coffee
Sandwich/Wrap Platters
Long Life Milk
Cereal (but 1/2 price at Coles/WW is better)
Toilet Paper
American Cheese
Sultanas
Chia Seeds
Coconut Mango Ice Blocks
Some items only when the special is good, like the large bags of dried fruit.
Everything seems to have been covered but a few things I didn't spot that I'd recommend:
Kirkland batteries, which are actually manufactured by Duracell.
Decent quality tyres*, especially when they are doing 3 for the price of 4. I generally buy Michelin Primacy & Pilot Sport tyres and have yet to find them cheaper elsewhere. I believe they parallel import their tyres. Also, Costco offer free puncture repair on tyres they have fitted.
Agreed! Their tyre deals are pretty good. My car uses Michelins which I can never seem to get anywhere (usually several days wait) and Costco don't normally have them in stock either but they are pretty quick to supply and fit, usually.
And you get a free regular rotation. Its like a valet service each time; no need to search for a park…
Three for the price of four doesn't seem good value.
A5 wagyu
Agreed, $300/kg for Japanese A5 wagyu is an absolute steal with most others being around $400/kg. Great for searing off at medium-rare!
I ruined mine, i wanted mine rare but since the meat was so thin i didnt sear it long enough so the outside ended up being a bit raw, almost like boiled meat 😪
I see no one here mentioned Kirklands bin bags. 1 box lasts me for a year or more and they are the strongest bags I have ever used. Top notch quality and not a single tear or broken ties.
Diced Tomato tins
Muffins - 2 massive boxes for $10
Glicks Sweet Challah
Toiletries
Cleaning products
Electronics when on sale
Alcohol
Massive bag of chips
Mango nectar juice
Cranberry and Guava juice
Coconut water
I don't think I can live without visiting costco once a fortnight 😉
I forgot the bin bags!
Love being able to put anything, even skewers, in the bin and never having it leak.
The selection of clothing/fashion labels at Costco is decent..underated.
I feel really guilty about the amount of packaging the Costco stuff comes in. Heaps of hard plastic. Dumplings come in hard tray then plastic cover and box. Just unnecessary
To answer the question, Swiss cheese, bbq chicken, tofu, salmon, smoked salmon, broccoli, tyres (thankfully not too often), puncture repairs, fuel
I do agree with the packaging for the dumplings.
I'm not seeing anything in this thread to justify the membership fee and going to a place that strikes me as being about as pleasurable to visit as DFO.
Agreed. We tried Costco for a few months before refunding our membership. Just seemed silly buying things in such large quantities, paying hundreds upon hundreds up front, only to save a few bucks long term (and that's if the product is actually cheaper). I'm sure the maple syrup is nice, but I really don't mind the Aldi syrup and I don't need to buy it by the litre!
You can actually join Costco overseas and use the membership worldwide. During my holiday I joined in South Korea for 38,500 won which is about $40 or so.
These were my go-to standard shopping items at Costco:
Frozen blueberries - normal or organic*
Maple syrup
Frozen Beyond Burgers*
Pine nuts
I find myself buying less and less at Costco, and every year wonder why I'm spending $60/pa just to have the ability to give them money. Shopping at Costco in Adelaide on a weekend is an absolute no-go. The carpark is always overflowing, massive lines to every checkout, and Costco's food sampling stations create traffic jams that are a constant irritation.
Rule number one of Costco is never go on a weekend (except maybe the Canberra one?)
Hotdog and drink 1.99 pretty solod deal
Im not a hotdog fan but coffee is also like 2 bucks
Petrol, tyres and cheese.
Sometimes good pickings of jeans and clothes.
If you are trying to eat healthy dont shop at Costco
Membership should be half the price.
The pork knuckle they had were delicious and so easy to prepare in an air fryer.
I think they were a limited run because I did not see them get restocked.
Most items that can be found in regular supermarkets, I just purchase them there as it wouldn't be worth it for me to buy in bulk costco and usually when theyre on a good sale at coles/woolies, its cheaper.
We mainly purchase the more costco stocked only items and for the food court.
Some notable items:
Peanut Butter
Honey
Foodcourt pizza
Food court hotdog
Gotzinger sausages
Rice
Cake
Muffins
We are only two people as well, because of this the membership is very pricey, its more a 'special occasion' thing and we really only go once every 2-3 months or so (which makes the membership seem not as worth it sadly) but my parents like some products from there too, so I grab stuff for them as well.
I personally don't think the membership is worth it for 1-2 people only if you think of it from as a regular grocery standing point. You really need to think what you would be buying each year to see if its worth it!
Only go there for the bagels and half the time they're not even available these days. I find it depressing seeing the suburbanites fill their giant trollies with bulk items and junk food. Needless to say for the most part they're not saving $$, they just lack the time/drive/smarts to buy on special at colesworth. Granted some random items can be cheaper but a lot of it is just impulse buy and Ozbargain is bad enough for that lol so I don't need another forum.
Bulk size chocolate <3
Microfiber towels
Jalapenos.
Roast chook for $7.00. They are big, tasty and make excellent lunches for the week.
Definitely their frozen cauliflower gnocchi. Gluten free, low cal, very tasty and easy to prepare. Just pan fry straight from the bag frozen and add whatever sauce you need. I personally like using a bit of butter, sage, sprinkle of salt/pepper and parmigianno reggiano.
Vlasic Kosher Dill Pickles (1.9Kg)
The one pickle to rule them all…
I don't live near a costco but I still have a membership. I only go there when I'm in a mood to smoke meats. Their beef ribs (when they have them) have been consistently good with great marbling.
The seafood is fresh also and I like their oysters so grab a few trays.
Regular (-to-semi-regular) purchases for us below. Basically anything they sell in bulk(-ish) amounts is where you'll find potential savings. Has had me (semi)-jokingly suggest finding somewhere that sells drums of disinfectant etc (as I'm sure at those volumes you'd find it even cheaper; decanting may become an issue but…).
Occasionally have gotten some fruit/vegetables from there (mixed cherry/mini tomatoes; qukes (mini cucumbers); strawberries, raspberries), although the local fruit shop is usually better quality, if sometimes more expensive. (not that we've had issues with Costco quality, although at times their stuff doesn't seem to last as long).
For a family of 2, you will find saving at Aldi, Colesworth and Amazon. If you have a deep freezer, you can bulk buy meat and portion out. Meat is of far superior quality at Costco.
Petrol
Fuel, toilet paper then the cafe at the end. I might buy the giant teddy bear one day.
Or a giant spider during halloween event.
If you are into cars - The lightweight Arcan jack.
Petrol.
Things that come in the bulk containers seem to be good value as opposed to the "multipacks" of things.
Also, cant go past the bagels are hot pizza slices.
For those who said fuel, most likely you don't have a 7/11 Choppa.
Will costco be worthwhile for me?
I do a lot of weight lifting and eat around 4000 calories a day of mince, rice potatoes, eggs etc.
Heard the roast chickens are cheaper too.
The roast chickens are pretty much the only thing worthwhile. The rest of their items are more expensive than elsewhere AND you have to buy in bulk. Although I haven't checked those specific items you listed, this is just based on comparing prices on items that we are buying.
Anyway, chicken is like $6. But more importantly, it's very juicy and tasty. Nothing like the dry chicken at Coles/woolies.
Be careful when buying in bulk though. Studies show that when you buy more you tend to use more.
Great book on this and other things like plate size and having water at the table.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Mindless-Eating-More-Than-Think/dp…
Made a list from what others have recommended
I've never been
Hope it helps someone
Pizza
Baby wipes
Buttermilk pancake mix
Fuel
2kg cheese
Brookfarm granola
Skippy peanut butter
Meat mince
Tray of eggs
Choc coated almonds
Bagels
Brownie caramel slice. Freeze.
Fruit veg eg cucumber mango
Frozen berries
Sparkling water
Bao buns
Honey
Pre-built butter chicken was very decent.
I am in Costco and my shop includes
- the Kirkland toilet paper
- Mutti peeled tomatoes for $17.99 per 12 tins
- Prima Donna Cheese
- Taylor’s Shiraz - $12.99
- Noble One - $25 for 375 mil
- 3l of Milk.
And……
The $2.99 Pizza slice.
Fuel
When I found the same wine cheaper at Costco, I ended up buying a different, potentially better, wine - shelling same ~$25.
Lord help me !!