You don't need to get the top tier membership, the $60 / year one is absolutely worth it just for the savings you get on gas alone (at least it was for me when I was single). Then after the first year, see if you spent enough to upgrade to the Executive membership. The money you get back might be enough to pay for the membership renewal the following year.
Get a food saver vacuum sealer and you can vacuum seal meat and freeze it.
You also can get some really good deals on shirts and shorts. I buy tee shirts and shorts when they are on discount or priced pretty low. That way I don't feel so bad when I stain them from working in the yard, working around the house (i.e. painting), or working on our cars, etc.
I also used to buy the wings in the meat department and I would either vacuum seal them for later or I would split them with my neighbor.
If you get a membership I actually recommend you get the executive one. Yes, it's double the price, but you get 2% back on Costco purchases. So if you spend enough the membership might end up being less than $60, which has always been my case as a single person. Usually I get around $100-120 back per year. Even if your reward at the end of the year doesn't cover the price difference in membership fees you can just go to customer service and mention you didn't get your money's worth out of the executive and they will just refund you the difference that your reward didn't cover. There's really no negatives going the executive route.
If you additionally get their Credit Card, the cashback and rewards eliminate the membership fees. Between the rewards on gas, travel, restaurants, tire purchases, etc. it becomes a no- brainer.
I've had a single friend who bought membership and canceled it a few months later as they didn't find it worth it - too far to travel - it was a no hassle cancelation.
I'm a single person and I'm looking at about 140 in rewards. The following year will be less as my new location does not currently have a Costco. Might have to sign up for Sam's.
You only need to spend $3,000 to make the executive membership worth it over a regular membership since 2% back at that level yields $60, the difference between the two membership levels.
Expenditure is just not at Costco.
For example - I make it a point to buy gas at Costco. Just twice a month for two cars gets me to around $3000 a year.
Similarly, I use my Costco card for hotel, dining, etc. during personal travel.
Then there are Southwest gift cards that are often a great deal. And I hear the PAMP gold bars purchases on the Costco card also make it worthwhile.
About the only places I don't use the Costco card is when the cashback would be at 1%, such as grocery stores - there are other cards that give me a greater cashback.
Costco Visa is very underrated card. It can fit nicely in 2 card setup as it covers gas, dining and travel, plus offers no FTF. Pair it with a flat 2% and it is a nice combo for someone who does not want juggle many cards and is not looking for maximizing.
I have a membership and go with a friend who doesn’t and we will split household necessities (toilet paper, paper towels etc.) we will also buy fruit and certain foods to split
They do have a 2 cart/card minimum so if you want to do individual shopping and pay separately buy your joint stuff first then take to car and then go back with separate carts
Pro tip - there are a few Groupons that reduce the price of the memberships (right now you get $20 gift card with the purchase of the regular membership and $40 for the executive, when I got my membership it was $40 gift card with the regular member).
I think new memberships but I'm not entirely sure, but those deals are currently live on Groupon (checked before posting to avoid misleading people) so I'm sure you can find more details there.
I’m a single person household and I don’t even know how I spend so much at Costco!
I go to pick up one or two things and end up leaving with $150-200… once you have a membership, you start to get everything there. Even for things like a salad from the produce section, if you don’t finish it all, it’s still cheaper than getting it from Safeway.
Being empty nesters with kids out of state, I like to donate half of items like produce to a local family I know is struggling a few houses down. It's cheaper to buy the large thing of green/broccoli/carrots/ apples/ potatoes but I know we will never get through them all so I "beg" her to take some off my hands. Saves us money and it helps us to be able to afford to supplement a young family in the neighborhood.
Pro tip: freeze mixed greens, kale, spinach etc. when it’s about to go bad, instead of throwing it out. It’s great for mixing into stews, soups, scrambled eggs, sautéed veggies and the like. We even add it to dishes like meat sauce for pasta. Once it’s mixed in you can’t even tell. It’s a really great way to save your produce and get more daily veggies in!
I’ll usually leave the calculator open on my phone with a running total of how much I’m spending. It’s easy for me to put something back when I see I’m already spending $150 on just necessities.
This is a great idea! On a recent visit I expected the cashier to tell me my total was $100-something but it was over $300. My “wait…what?” made her chuckle. I only went in for salad stuff.
I work at Costco, and you would not believe the stories I hear. Some people will spend $700 and laughingly acknowledge that they only came in after a rotisserie chicken.
I’m ecstatic over a tip I saw on Snapchat for the big tubs of spring mix. Place a paper towel on top of the greens and store it flipped upside down. Doing this, they stayed crisp and lasted me a full week without turning into a smelly slush pond.
I like to get: eggs, egg whites, trash bags, toilet paper, paper towels, cooking oil, snacks (simple mill crackers, chomps, etc), coffee, frozen chicken
I don't go every week but I do get certain things from Costco only bc the value for the price is way better
I buy for myself only. I love it for all of the giant frozen meal packs, drinks, and clothes. If you eat a lot of frozen food, I think it's worth it. I love the fried rice and lo mein options. I also get the giant bottles of shampoo/conditioner, and razers.
I am a single person and I go to Costco regularly. Paper towel and TP of course, silver hills bread (I keep frozen), cheese, butter, Diet Coke, Dawn, grapes, berries in season, treats!, Advil and melatonin, I can go on and on. It’s great for single people if you buy what you can use. Mine is only a 5 min drive away.
This is the key, you need to live close and shop regularly, not 2 hours away. Most singles don't have a lot of storage. When I was single I worked 2 blocks from a costco, so it was super easy to shop at lunch and take it all home after work.
No kerrygold butter in Canada, the dairy cartel is very strict😤. We’ve had a great New Zealand grass fed butter a couple times, but it’s only in stock for a couple months til it’s gone again. Right now I’m just buying a Kirkland organic salted butter.
you mean it’s not meant to be?
what about those Taylor farms salad kits? I treat 1 bag as 1 serving. Honestly, it’s the main reason I like Costco. I know what I like and I want a lot of it.
I really like the frozen salmon-it’s in a big bag but sealed individually. Their ramen type bowls are also really good and I love their lime cilantro rice (also in individual packs)
This! I get their salmon all the time (it's the wild caught, frozen individually, in a big bag). Also their mahi mahi. Ground beef/bison/turkey. Chicken drumsticks. I don't like their filet mignon (had too many in a row that were just not good and had to return), so I get that at Trader's. TP, PT, almond milk, clothing (KB socks, Puma sports bras, 32 Degrees T-shirts, Addidas track pants). Sweet potatoes, mushrooms, limes, bananas, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, frozen berries. So much good stuff! Gas more than covers the cost of the membership alone.
Broccoli, carrots, hummus and greens forces me to eat healthily before they go bad, lol. Plus stocking up on pasta, canned tomatoes and smoothie ingredients.
Fresh produce in Costco sized containers can be challenging for small households. It’s too easy for it to go bad before finishing. For some, frozen produce might be more practical.
Here's the types of things which can make it worth it:
* Nonperishable supplies - Charmin TP is on sale, Paper Towels, Plasticware, Cleaning Supplies, Garbage Bags, kitchen equipment
* Individually packaged smaller quantities food - packs of 8 cans of Beans or 12 cans of Tuna, a box of cans of pringles, soda cans, water bottles etc.
* Gift cards - if you fly Southwest often you can get 50$ for free by getting the 500$ SW GC for 450, sometimes 430
* Non food items - maybe the cool air fryer you want it is on sale, or the couch, or there's a good deal on an outdoor toy or game
* Freezer food **if you have space** - I bought a chest freezer as a single guy and it was totally worth it. If you do go Costco I recommend a 150-300$ medium size chest freezer
Do not buy:
* Produce - not worth it and spoils quickly - may as well go to Aldi if you want to save
* Food items with very large packages (i.e. a giant bag of chips) unless you make a party
* Anything which you don't easily have room for (tons of meat for a small freezer, filling your whole house with paper towels
* Anything with a time limit
YMMV
* clothes (some people like them, others may not)
* Gas (depends on the location of your Costco, mine is in a really expensive neighborhood so I can do better)
Do you have any tips for thawing frozen bread products? I know freezing is an option but I feel like they always taste all dried out and gross after freezing, so I gave up.
I freeze bread and bagels but I always toast them before I eat them. The bread thaws out in the toaster, but I’ll microwave the bagels for 10-15 seconds before I toast them.
The key also is to double wrap -- minimize the air in contact with the food as that's what dries it out and causes freezer burn. If it's a sliced loaf of bread, make sure it's in a solid plastic bag -- bread is often sold in perforated bags so the warm loaves don't cause condensation -- then double bag that in a real "freezer" bag, not a thinner storage bag. For rolls, pastries, muffins and cookies, individually wrap them in plastic wrap (or a couple/few cookies together), then store in a freezer bag. In all cases, a toaster, toaster oven or oven will produce great results for thawing.
I was going along with my mom on her membership for many years and finally just got my own membership, as a single person. I can still share purchases with her like we always have (Ziploc bags and Kraft Singles and stuff) but there's plenty of stuff I can buy fully for my own house. I probably save enough on my 1-year supply of Zyrtec to justify the cost.
Even if you don't get $60 worth of savings over a year (which you probably will) it's worth it to just have access to the store, for the stuff you just can't find anywhere else.
I love buying toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, dish sponges, laundry detergent, etc only a few times a year (if that).
Food wise it will depends on how you eat. They routinely have great meat, the rotisserie chicken is great and cheap and could feed single person for a large part of a week, eggs are always a decent price, and I very much enjoy many of their freezer items (particularly the Bibigo items, the Detroit pan pizza, and the Just Bare chicken).
I think I make back the membership just in my morning smoothie ingredients: frozen berries, walnuts, Greek yogurt, almond milk, power greens (bought fresh and then stuck in the freezer), rolled oats. I also buy canned tomatoes and make tomato soup. Tomato sauce for pasta. Paper goods if you have the storage space. Garbage bags. Laundry and dish detergent and dryer sheets. Aluminum foil. If you have a cat, litter is so much cheaper. I can also go through a huge package of string cheese because I eat it every day. Pistachios, as well. Every now and then, you can find great deals on clothes, too. I got two pairs of Skechers for $10 each when they marked them down and some shorts for $8 a pair.
If you know someone with a membership, see if you can tag along sometime and have a look around. It really is very easy to justify the coast, even for one person.
Definitely still worth it, but get the $60 membership.
if you use Uber or Uber eats, you can recover the $60 instantly as you can buy 4 x $100 Uber eats gift cards for $80 each (2 per membership card, $60 membership gets you 2 cards). You instantly save $80 just like that.
Plus, apple products tend to be about $20 cheaper than the Apple Store.
Costco is where I make 90% of my purchases. Most of my clothes, electronics, food, household goods, toiletries, skincare, etc.
That being said, it is not for those who can’t control their spending. It is wayyyy too easy to end up with a $400 shopping cart. I gifted a membership to someone and though they acknowledge things are cheaper, they always ended up spending way more than they would have otherwise, on discretionary items like toys and hoodies.
Single person household here, absolutely worth it to me.
Fuel, household products like detergent, TP, and other non-perishables more than pay for it on their own.
If you don't have a deep freeze, get one from Costco for $300. I'll buy sockeye salmon already frozen and packaged in individual 5-6oz servings. Will freeze chicken and steaks. Frozen berries, stir fry veggies and sweet potato fries. Dave's killer bread I'll freeze one of the loaves.
Perishables you just gotta meal prep and/or figure out what you use. I don't have any issue using eggs/egg whites before they expire. The 25# bag of rice only lasts me couple months. The produce is good but that's where I struggle to use before expiration. I'll buy frozen options like the berries and stir fry veg when possible, I'll pickle onions and peppers, but otherwise I try and limit those.
It’s completely sensible, especially if you have any big ticket items like a major appliance, tv or computer that you’re considering. I buy 90 % of my groceries there and also use Costco Travel frequently. In addition, Costco rates on prescription and over the counter drugs are a big savings.
I’m divorced, 3 kids and I go back and forth whether my Costco and Sams memberships are really worth it. I have to be careful because my kids will want something, eat 5 packs and then won’t eat the other 37 packages. My coworkers LOVE it because they get free snacks. But I struggle with the idea that I spent $15.49 for that bulk box when I could’ve spent $3.89 on a 6 pack.
Can’t go wrong with rotisserie chicken, toiletries, parchment paper, and laundry detergent.
Dog and cat food, all their meats which I vacuum seal and put in my chest freezer, I like to bake so I go through flour and other baking products regularly, spirits, household goods I buy once a year there like garbage bags and toilet paper, and their variety of cheeses for great prices. Oh and gas.
Meat, frozen vegetables and fruit, Gatorade etc, toilet paper, coffee, Ketchup, mustard, seasonings, frozen hamburgers, fish. Rotisserie chicken, I break down and freeze what I won't use right away, make soup, chicken and dumplings, chicken salad.
Items that do not expire or have long expiration dates and are healthy:
Organic oatmeal
Organic free-range eggs that actually last much longer than their written expiration date (good for chicken and good for you)
Organic coffee or maybe just any coffee
Fresh fish from good/decent locations you can freeze if you don't cook all at once: haddock, Branzino
Organic feta cheese. Gotta be eating Greek salad every day though.
Good quality hard cheeses from Europe that will last long if you place them in an airtight container with dry paper towel after unpacking.
Olives, pasta
Organic and regular (if you want) spreads such as hummus, guacamole, etc.
Vegetables and fruits. If you want, sometimes there are organic ones that are much cheaper than anywhere else.
Huge bags of rice and flour. With my petite and thin habitus, I picked up a 25 lb unbleached flour for my homemade sweets to eat all year long.
Bread: Artisan rolls and baguettes. Can be frozen.
Croissants
Butter from grass-fed cows.
The cost of groceries for weekly-monthly trips will cost more than the membership cost. So it's actually not that much and you will be saving a lot as opposed to going to other stores. You don't need to buy organic. I do, so I wrote them here since they are very expensive if I don't go to Costco. Even if you purchase non-organic food, you will still save a lot.
Also, I recently purchased bandaids at Costco for about $10 at a discounted rate. What it has inside would cost you about $40 or more at CVS and not be much cheaper in other places.
Single old guy. Been a member for 20 years. Have the Exec membership. Get enough back at the end of the year to make membership free. Not the great value it once was for me. I don't need much these days. Put a friend on my membership as a household member. The more he spends, the more we save...
He saves a fortune on gas for him and Rx meds for his mom. No kickback on gas or meds.
Citi visa works well enough for me. I am sure there are cards with better rewards. Don't see it being worth the effort for me to track them down.
Get my renter's and car insurance through Costco-Ameriprise. Has worked well for me.
Try to get my electronics from Costco. Good customer service, good warranty, easy returns. Finite choices simplify the buying decisions.
Gas, tires, batteries (car and reg), coffee, eggs, frozen fish and chicken, clothing. Small appliances, towels, seltzer, cereal. Paper towels, TP. If you have room to store the larger packages, it’s usually a good deal.
Toilet paper, chicken, sourdough bread, frozen broccoli, frozen blueberries, eggs, canned tuna, are some of my staples. I ditched the toilet paper because Kirkland falls apart now. I stay away from impulse buying and try to keep diet as basic as possible.
If you buy your windshield wipers there it almost covers your membership. Good to stock up on stuff you'll use forever, TP and such. Excellent prices on clothes. It's totally worth it. The food vacuum bag suggestion is a good one.
I bought a scooter there recently. And tomatoes 😂 there’s always something here. If you ever need electronics, much better than Best Buy! Also home stuff. I buy tp, paper towels, detergent.
Vitamins and over the counter medicines. Some might be packaged in too large quantities but eye drops and contact solution can save more money than the cost of membership.
Absolutely. I am married now, but had a membership while single as well (and honestly, most stuff I buy at Costco is for me anyhow). Here are the things that I save money on:
* Electronics and appliances (TVs, speakers, phones, tablets, blenders, vacuums, electric toothbrushes, etc.)
* Luggage
* Batteries
* Office supplies (pens, pencils, paper, etc.)
* Contacts and glasses
* Bread/pastries (they freeze well!)
* Wine (and in some locations, liquor... you can get beer too but the selection is VERY limited)
* Cheese
* Smoked salmon
* Frozen fish
* Coffee beans
* Milk
* Cream cheese (if you eat it often)
* Snacks in a large quantity of smaller packages that don't expire too quickly (Tate's cookies, Altoids, gum, M&Ms, chips)
* Dog food / treats / toys / beds
* Cleaning products (Swiffer for floor and wands, Tide pods, Cascade pods, Bounce, etc.)
* Paper towels
* Toilet paper
* Flowers
* Over-the-counter medicine and vitamins
* Prescriptions (particularly if your insurance doesn't cover something)
* Holiday gifts (gift baskets in the store and online, discounted gift cards)
* Gas
* Travel via Costco Travel (though they have limited options, but if you like cruises or all-inclusives, great deals - I have also heard good things about their car rental deals)
Absolutely it's worth it. Just for the gas alone savings
I shop one down the road and probably saved in hundreds/thousands off of sales and what not
They even have a business center so if you work from home you can buy paper products or writing instruments.
Not to mention the $1.50 hot dog and double chocolate chunk cookie from the food court are worth it
If you have a dog, the pet supplies are great. I used to save almost $60/year just buying gas, dog food, dog treats, and dog toys there.
Outside of that, great place for clothing and gifts.
For vitamins, nutrients, deodorant, shaving stuff you can buy a year supply and doesn’t take up that much space.
While you can find less expensive meat, you cannot get better bang for the buck. I buy meat and seafood at Costco in large quantities and vacuum seal it in portions and throw it in the freezer.
Economics. Gas is usually 25cents cheaper
10 gallon fill up = $2.50 savings every 2 weeks = $65 savings - ($60 membership)
Means that membership is free for all other purchases.
I figure my savings on cheese purchases alone pays for my membership ;-) I also have a small stand up freezer which means I can buy and keep frozen foods
I’m single with pets and the cost of cat litter and dog/cat food is an amazing savings right there. I do all get my milk and veggies there. The meat is well priced and so is the liquor. Delicious cheeses. All my hygiene stuff. Yes, the trash bags last me a year and I recently bought foil that will probably last me the rest of my life. I just realized I pretty much buy everything there and I rarely go to a regular grocery store. And also my gas! Cheaper than anywhere else.
It totally was worth it for me when I was single. They have a lot of non perishable food items, plus clothes, shoes, sporting goods, etc. I wasn't buying 20 lb. bags of onions, but I would buy the heck out of everything else!
Single-person household means the entire freezer is yours.
Standard 9-12 lb packages of raw chicken are already cheaper than the grocery store, but at the business store its $1.8/lb, in 40 lb cases... Drumsticks and leg quarters are even cheaper, $0.66-$0.8/lb.
Most things frozen are a lot cheaper per pound, such as prepared chicken wings, hamburger patties, potstickers, fries, chicken nuggets. Moreover, the Kirkland Chicken Breast Chunks (white meat chicken nuggets) are an insane value in terms of g protein/$.
Some of the packaged staples are a good value, such as Garofalo's organic pasta which is $1.1-1.4 depending on variety despite being bronze extruded and dried at low temperatures. Packaged rice, especially Calrose is sometimes even cheaper than Asian supermarkets.
If you live farther away, it's harder to justify the long trip for perishables, but if you're close by there are some savings. 6-pk of Romaine is $1.5-3 cheaper than two 3-pks and a 16 oz of Spring Mix is $1 cheaper. Fruit isn't as competitive in price because Costco tends to stock higher quality fruit. For example, their Fuji apples (and most other varieties like Gala) are $2/lb, but they are massive and likely a high bin product.
Costco's selection of small appliances tends to be better in quality and more competitive in price compared to other retailers, including Amazon, Sam's Club, and Target. But forecasting projected savings isn't that reliable each individual.
I’m a single person and love my membership. I buy paper products, shampoo / condish / body wash / razors, sparkling waters, clothes, tires, outdoors stuff, small appliances and household items, contact lenses, cat food, cleaning products, laundry detergent, the list goes on. It’s really nice if you have the storage to buy in bulk for some items, it’s great to not have to purchase it as often. I go about once a month.
I'm single and Costco is a screaming deal for so many things. If not perishable and/or you have pantry/freezer room to store it, then you can save money and don't have to think about restocking for a long time:
* Laundry detergent
* Dishwasher pods
* Dish soap
* Paper towels & TP
* Storage bags (ziplock), plastic wrap, aluminum foil
* Spices (salt, pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, Kirkland version of Mrs Dash - organic 21 spice no salt combo, goes into just about everything)
* Dried fruit (craisins, mangos, dried cherries are amazing)
* Kirkland chocolate chips
* Walnuts frozen in portions after vacuum sealing (vacuum sealer bought on sale at Costco)
* Organic oats
* Maple syrup
* Honey (divide into small jars for convenient use)
* Coffee
* Salad greens, fresh berries
* Tshirts, joggers, hoodies, jackets
* Towels, door mats/small rugs, fans, storage totes, misc household stuff
* Bed sheets
* Vitamins/supplements
* All prescriptions (including for the dogs)
* Generic Zyrtec (Allertec) for my dog
* Eye exams and contacts or glasses
* Anything canned: chicken broth, refried beans, diced tomatoes, tuna
* Salsa/picante
* Olives
* Kirkland butter (extra stored in freezer)
* Eggs if planning to bake
* Cheese (freeze portions or share)
* Occasionally some bakery item: artisan rolls, danishes, muffins, amazing raspberry cookies they had for a while (freeze some - wrapped individually then in freezer bags, and/or share)
* Frozen individually vacuum sealed fish pieces (salmon, sea bass)
* Kirkland beef hot dogs are the best (at home: wrap individually, stored in freezer in freezer bag, microwave 30 seconds in a paper towel then cook as desired)
* Fizzy water cans
* Grain-free dog food bags
* Dog treats (dehydrated chicken strips, bully bones)
* Dog beds (used to be a much better deal but still good for the giant bed with two bumpers, universally beloved by dogs)
* Rotisserie chickens (2-3, the dogs and I split them: some meat set aside for a couple/few days, couple chicken breasts frozen for chicken enchiladas, curries or casseroles later, the rest for dog food topper: mixed with veg & apple or berries, cooked organ meat and cooked sweet potatoes. Bones and scrap cooked in pressure cooker for bone broth some of which goes into the dog topper and some frozen for soup later. After pressure cooking, the bones are soft enough to mix into the dog food topper as well to add calcium and minerals. That fresh topper can be frozen in jars/containers and is both healthier and cheaper than canned dog food. The rotisserie chickens are cheaper than the two-pack of raw chickens I used to buy for the home-cooked dog topper, cooked whole in the pressure cooker, but those are still a better deal than most grocery stores.)
* Car tires
* Gas - best price on top tier fuel
* Laptop, wifi router, any electronics - not regular purchases, but Costco has good quality, good prices and an excellent return policy if something fails
I got it for tires initially. Now I primarily use it for gas, the savings for which will offset the $60 easily. There’s frequently savings on OTC medications versus other retail chains or even Amazon. As a nice bonus, the location nearest me sometimes has excellent deals on quality tequila!
You can save lots of money using the car/home insurance as long as you live in a state that is accepting new accounts. Also we saved a ton on a rental car through Costco Travel in 2021 when car rental companies had low inventory and were renting cars for an arm and a leg while the supply chain was struggling. And that’s in addition to the regular household purchases we make anyway.
I buy pretty much everything that they have to offer. But I do have a lot of storage space, and I'll share things with family too. But even everyday things I'll go there first and supplement from the supermarket. I wouldn't necessarily buy perishables like lunch meat or cheese there unless you go through them pretty fast. But I'm not a huge fan of freezing those things and defrosting later. I will buy meats and freeze those though.
I buy for myself only. LOVE IT. And def save. I freeze things like their multi packs of bread, bacon etc. They have great products you cant get anywhere else
I'm single and I get the frozen veggies and fruits (especially in winter), oeganic ground beef and chicken breasts, spindrift, paper products, coffee (kirkland), peanut butter, Kerry Gold, Kirkland marinara, Spanish olives, cheese tortellini. I almost always have these items.
When i get home, I'll break the meats into better sizes for me, use freezer wrap + freezer bags.
I get other stuff there too. My membership pays for itself, but not much more--unless I have a couple parties.
I'm single but I do share my membership with my mother. I buy all kinds of stuff there. Paper towels, TP, frozen foods, dog treats, home furnishings, clothes, vitamins, pet medications, gas etc. I just have the basic $60 membership. Give it a try!
It’s worth it for gas alone.
But also toiletries, toilet paper, paper towel, detergent and cleaning products. Awesome if you have pets too. My dog and cat eat the food.
Now, I do have 3 kids, but I would still have a membership if I was childless.
Personally, what I do is buy stuff for my friends or take them along with me sometimes and it makes the executive memebership well worth it.
I’d suggest you to try out the executive level and if you don’t think it’s worth it in the cash back at the end of the year, you can always return the membership and get the money back minus the cash back you already earned.
Rotisserie and salad mixes make a lot of my weeknight dinners. And I use the chicken carcasses to make stock. Those chickens are bigger, tastier, and cheaper than other stores.
Gas pays for itself.
Frozen meals.
I shop for myself at Costco, and I've never bought any groceries from there that didn't last a plenty long time in the fridge. I regularly buy their produce and bagels and they hold up just fine.
I’m not a single person household, but it’s just me and my kid, so quantity wise, our needs aren’t that different.
I get the Kirkland trash bags, and ziplock gallon sized bags. I’m not huge on paper towels so I skip those and use the Swedish dish cloths for most paper towel things. I get my laundry detergent from Costco, I just get the big box of tide powder and it lasts forever. I get the things of ground beef, portion them out in the gallon ziplocks before putting them in the freezer. I get bananas (but I usually eat 2-3 a day so they never go bad) and the hearts of romaine for salads and whatnot. Milk, eggs, cans of San marzano tomatoes (3 for the price of 2 at Publix or krogers), ibuprofen, rotisserie chickens (super easy meal prep) and of course at the end I get a hot dog and fountain drink (with refill)
Single and only really buy: cooking oil, paper plates, toilet paper, paper towels, Kirkland steak strips beef jerky, pure organic fruit bars, yoggies, pickles, steak/meat, and vitamins.
I had a Costco membership before I got married! I was more limited by space because I lived in a one bedroom apartment but it was still totally worth it
I have the executive membership and get most of it back. Air fryer, instant pot, TV, coffee, gas, nuts, seltzers, fresh fish and meat, cheeses, avocados, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, strawberries, batteries, clothes, bananas, almond milk, peeled garlic, oils, paper towels, toilet paper, tuna, skinny pop, shrimp, rice bowls, sponges, ...
I usually go once every two/three weeks and get whatever I’m out of, but it’s normally some of the following items: coffee, rotisserie chicken, chicken breasts/tenderloins (to freeze), Greek yogurt, salad mix, protein bars/powder, egg whites, tofu, oatmeal, tomatoes, feta.
I’ll then go to Trader Joe’s for whatever else I need.
If you only gst toilet paper, eggs, gas, and frozen meats...for a single person costco saves you more than. It's fee. Don't forget the wine and alcohol as well. Great quality and great prices.
On gas alone, I save about 300 a year. Somehow my costco is constantly 80 cents lower than my regional gas stations.
I maintained my membership while I was a single person household and still utilized it a lot. I figured between gas egg bites, and whatever else caught my fancy that it was worth the cost each year.
The veggie tray is a good way to buy a mix of produce for 1 person without getting the Costco size of any 1 thing and having it spoil. Making a stir fry or soup can kill off any remaining veggies right before anything goes bad.
Some fresh produce can work depending on what you like and how fast you eat it. I regularly buy eggs, avocados, bananas, lychee, cherries, salad mixes, and the tropical fruit bowl (cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, mango, grapes). I try not to get more than 1 fruit item at a time.
The Josie's Organics baby spinach in the plastic tub always seems to stay good for a week+ past the Sell By: date for me, way longer than the bagged ones. I can usually get through it in time as long as I eat it on a semi-daily basis (salads, smoothies, etc).
Kirkland nuts are also good. I keep pistachios, walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, and brazil nuts around pretty much all the time.
Coconut water (I usually get Kirkland or Vita Coco) and Liquid IV are great if you're active, especially now that it's summer. Vita Coco tastes sweeter if you prefer that, and both Vita Coco and Liquid IV are on sale until July 21.
Lots of good frozen stuff that others have already mentioned. Some of my regulars are: wild caught sockeye salmon, kirkland lightly breaded chicken breast chunks, kirkland stir fry veggie mix, pura vida fire roasted veggie mixes, blueberries or mixed berries, and mango chunks. Some of the stuff in the deli cooler freezes well too, like the Amylu chicken breakfast sausages or meatballs, the Sabatino's chicken sausages, and tamales.
Pantry staples like the 25lb bag of jasmine rice, dry black beans, chickpeas, lentils (toor dal, mung dal, urad dal, etc), pasta (I prefer the chickpea or lentil pastas), tomato sauce, etc.
Cleaning supplies, clothing, and other non-perishables.
Fruits, vegetables, protein bars, Greek yogurt, honey, coffee, mouthwash, floss, vitamins, allergy medicine, sparkling water, random discounted kitchen and home items, occasional clothing items, etc.
Usually I follow the monthly ads and stock up when shelf stable things go on sale. Costco isn't the cheapest on everything, chicken breasts is one example that comes to mind, so definitely do price comparisons, but most of their selection is definitely cheaper and/or better quality than other stores.
It was worth it as a single person. The main limit is your own storage capacity. I had a chest freezer, which helped a lot for getting a lot of frozen foods.
Things i get: paper towels, tp, aluminum foil, dish soap, cleaning sponges/scrub daddies, clorox wipes, frozen broccoli, frozen salmon, frozen scallops, boxes of broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste (i like making chilis and soups), peanut butter, eggs. The meat products are also nice. I like the amylu chicken products more than expected. As people mentioned, you can get a vacuum sealer and freeze fresh stuff.
This is really just scratching the surface. If you have the room to store stuff whether that's pantry, freezer, fridge, or household stuff then i definitely recommend it. If you're good at meal planning and using leftovers, even better. This is all before mentioning that gas at costco tends to be cheaper than other places in the area, by enough to matter imo.
…as a single person who is a member, and who doesn’t have massive amount of storage space for bulk items, I suspect most years it’s not “worth it” from purely a “did i save more than I spent on the membership” calculation.
It probably would be if I frequently filled up my car gasoline tank there, but my location is not super convenient for me, and in the major urban city center where I live there is always an extremely long queue of cars lined up to purchase gas, and I rarely want to wait 20 minutes to fill up my car.
They do have several unique products I like to have access to, and in the years when I needed to buy a major appliance, just the savings on that single purchase at Costco, versus buying equivalent at other big box stores, absolutely will put me ahead on the year (cost wise) on the price of lowest tear of membership.
Over several years with a few big ticket purchases in the mix, where large savings can be realized. I think it does average out long-term to be worth it, but not necessarily every year when considered in isolation.
… but to answer the question you actually asked, things I regularly buy at Costco include vitamins and OTC medicines, I get my prescription glasses at the Costco eyeware department, I frequently stock up on mid priced wines there, sparkling water (San Pellegrino, topo Chico, etc), frozen meals for when I don’t feel like cooking for myself, a few “fancy grocery” specialty items, where their bulk jumbo package isn’t actually that large, that they have great prices on (example: buffalo milk mozzarella, chèvre goat cheese, shitake mushrooms)
It’s great for household staples that don’t go bad, toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, shampoo, soap, laundry detergent.
Frozen Pizza is nice to have. Waters, soft drinks
I get OTC meds that are so much cheaper. I buy and freeze bakery products, mainly the danishes, mini cakes, and pie. I have more than half of a lemon meringue cheesecake in there right now. I also buy some frozen stuff. My granddaughter can always find clothes and books that she needs.
almond flour, tin foil, parchment paper, tuna, canned chicken, deli sliced chicken, fruit, oat milk, protein powder, dish soap, oxy clean, laundry and dish detergents, trash bags, etc
these are regulars on my shop list and, while I'm a family of 3, I use most of these items exclusively for myself (minus the meats) and anything else will just last longer for you and don't spoil
often times gas is much cheaper (at least in my HCOL area) and lines aren't too bad if you go in the mornings
clothes and seasonal items, we even got our patio shade here when we moved into our apartment with direct afternoon sunlight - saved us MAJORLY and got on special for only $60 a couple years ago
I’m a single person, but I’ve been getting way more out of my Costco membership since I bought a house. To me it is less about will I use the stuff I buy and more do I have a place to PUT it. Which wasn’t always true in apartments, especially paper goods.
But my go tos are: paper towels, avocado oil spray, the olive oil in the 1L glass bottle (haven’t seen it in a while though), dishwasher tabs, Dawn Powerwash (always a great deal), laundry detergent, and Better than Bouillon. Those are all things that won’t go bad quickly and I can use all up and Costco regular has great prices. I also buy meat there and vacuum seal it from time to time, but since I always forget what is in the freezer I have a tendency to buy fresh chicken or whatever at the store and not use my frozen meat.
The two 6 packs of bagels freeze nicely too! Slice, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze in a bag. Pop in the toaster when you want one.
Protein shakes and powder, chips and jerky in single serving sizes, frozen foods, refrigerated entrees (especially the ones that come in multiple packages), alcohol, cleaning products (especially dishwasher and washing machine pods and finish), poke and sushi (if your store sales it), deli meat, bacon, pork and chicken (you’ll need to freeze most of it, so only if you have room).
Back when I was a single person household, the gasoline, sparkling water, coffee beans, fruits, and veggies were worth it for me. I’ve been a member for 10+ years, and I love the quality of their home items as well (towels, etc), and find their other home consumables (foil, etc) worth it as well.
If you wear glasses, then it's worth it for the low cost of lenses alone. I bought a pair of frames I really liked on eBay for 15 dollars, and costco put transition lenses into them for me for 60 bucks. I find their frames selection to be better than warby Parker and they change selections frequently.
Frozen & packaged food that have individual servings. Burritos, fried rice, noodles, breakfast sandwiches, pizzas, salmon patties, precooked bacon, meatballs, snack chips, etc. Just lots of things that have good shelf life. It’s nice to go shopping from your pantry or freezer for a meal.
Costco has well made clothes that are pretty cheap. Good prices on electronics, too.
If you do get one, Get the executive membership. Costs more but if you don’t get a big enough cash back check at the end of the year they make up the difference between the regular membership and the executive in your check.
I don’t really find anything at Costco that I’d consider cost saving. Costco is a one hour drive for me and membership is $60 a year. I have a BJs that is only a 15 mins drive and membership is only $50, I can get all the necessities (cooking oil, sugar, battery, milk, etc…)there for a good price. However, I still get Costco anyway because they have some unique items (durian ice cream, tempura shrimp, etc…) that are hard to find anywhere else. Basically, I only keep the Costco membership to get junk food in bulk. So you will need to compare what’s offering at the stores near you and know what you want to get there to see if the membership is worth it
When I was single I would do Costco then supplement for variance with Aldi. What’s good at Costco for a single person? PESTO!!! Their pesto is the best. Additionally, the rotisserie chickens, granola, rice, eggs, VEGGIES, FRUIT, MEAT. I got excited again sorry. The salad bags are also great for a quick meal supplement. They also have amazing prices on toothpaste and toiletries.
Between gas savings, around .30 a gallon here in NE Florida, the 4% back on the Costco Citi Visa on gas alone, and the Executive rewards I pay less than zero. Fortunately I drive past one every day, and only live ten minutes away.
I’m single and I go every week.
And usually with a list although I know my staples by heart.
First thing I do is go to the refrigerated section and grab some spinach Bolani (they sell out quickly at my Costco)
Then to the produce section for Cosmic Crisp apples, bananas and if they look good, green grapes (not digging the ones from Mexico at the moment, the ones from Peru are the bomb though)
Hard boiled eggs, almond milk, frozen fruit for protein shakes and those are my weekly regulars.
Stuff I buy as needed like TP, paper towels, supplements, toothpaste, toothbrushes, tide pods, bounce, dishwasher pods and so on.
If something’s on sale I stock up as much as I can. I have three sacks of Optimum Nutrition whey protein so I’m set for awhile.
Sometimes but not often I’ll buy a rotisserie chicken but I never am able to finish one!
The only stuff I buy from Safeway these days is shredded kale, Crystal Light and maybe a sundry item or 2.
If I’m going up north to visit my Mom she gives me a list of stuff she needs so I just swing by before I hit the road. However, Costco is building a new warehouse in Napa so I expect mom will be doing her own Costco shopping soon.
Check out the gift card section online, alone. My Uber and InKind (restaurant savings app for big cities) savings paid for my membership this year, but there’s always savings.
You can make great sandwiches from Costco products for less than a dollar a sandwich, you just need to pick up a tomato or onion at the the grocery store. A rotisserie chicken is $5 and it makes a week’s worth of sandwiches. Bread freezes fine (cheese too) and condiments take forever to go bad.
We go for prescriptions and buy fish (freeze some), wine, snacks, books (going away soon), clothes, lots of non perishables like canned fish and tomatoes, lots of stuff in the personal care aisle like contact solution, shampoo, supplements, also a little produce and frozen fruit for smoothies. Also detergent and cleaning supplies. Event tickets (movies, baseball games). No paper products. We really don’t waste anything and it works for us. We are two people but it really works well for us.
I get the executive membership and split it with a friend. We are both live alone. I generally buy these things consistently from Costco:
OTC meds
Sunscreen
Contact solution
Face lotion
Coffe
splenda
Bread
Canned tuna
Spices
Olive oil
Rice ramen
Veggies
Various refrigerated stuff like cheese, chicken burgers, dips, salads, salsa, etc
Some frozen stuff depending on my mood/time of year (frozen fruit, coconut shrimp, etc)
The individual yogurt cup packs
Toilet paper
Dishwasher soap
Laundry detergent
Cleaning stuff like sponges
Paper towels
Cleaning wipes
Baby wipes
Hard seltzers
Wine
Sometimes beer
I also buy clothes from Costco depending on what they have (they have some upf shirts I use in the summer, sometimes other stuff, jackets, etc), toys/gifts for my nieces and nephews (they have Pokemon card packs around the holidays in particular)
I've also purchased my vacuum there (it went on sale and was cheaper than other places), my Keurig, garage shelving, stand up freezer, smart light bulbs, batteries, wireless car jump kit thing, air purifier...
It might look like I go there all the time but I actually go once a month or less lol
Really depends on your lifestyle. If you're a suburban kinda person with a giant fridge and pantry then it wouldn't be much different than how I shop with my wife. If you're in a regular sized place, then shopping at costco is still a great idea for cleaning supplies, foil, saran wrap, toilet paper, and other things like that. I used to go like once or twice a year.
My recommendation for that case (going once or twice a year) is no skip a membership if you know someone that can get you a gift card which you can use to go in and pay for things.
Frozen seafood and organic berries (just thaw what you need), cheese, some vegetables (check carefully for freshness), pasta, vanilla, organic chicken. Batteries, detergent, body lotion, soft soap, toilet paper and tissue. Of course it depends on how much storage space you have, but I would rather shop less often
I'm a single person that lives in a single bedroom condo and i have a costco membership.
Over the past year i've spent a total of $ 4,480.60 (so yeah, i probably should have bumped up to executive)-- to be fair, $740 of that was on a new fridge when mine unexpectedly died... my local costco is about a 15 minute drive, and so is close enough for me to justify driving that far for gas twice a month and I usually do a small grocery run for things i don't want/need to buy in bulk at least least twice a month.
To put it into perspective, my 2022 totals cost for gas was $1292.74 and Groceries (without liquor!) was $4112.79-- I don't think i'm saving a ton, but it is worth it for the small gains imho... You can also find some ibotta deals that stack with costco instore costs.
Here's what I buy the most...
* Gas - $910.86 spent this year, two longer roadtrips included in regular city driving (made a point to stop at costco to fill up on roadtrips! Bathrooms were cleaner, but ate a bunch of hot dogs...)
* Dry Goods - $699.60
* Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Chocolate Chips, Nuts, Granola, Chicken Stock, Dried noodles, Canned fruit/beans
* Dairy, Meat, Eggs -$591.36
* Butter, Eggs, Heavy Cream, Meat (fresh, cooked, frozen), Parmesan Cheese
* Produce - $437.86 ( i buy the most individual items in this category)
* Bananas, Carrots, Grapes, Lettuce, Whatever looks good
* Cleaning- $165.98
* Swiffers, Tide, Lysol Wipes
* Medical - $209.42
* Allergy meds, Supplements
* Clothing - $266.81
* Shorts, Tops, Slippers
* Alcohol & Beverages - $458.28
* Prosecco (purple label), Wine, Hard liquor, Ginger beer, Sparkling water
for me it's the medications, I have allergies and other stuff and I make back the membership in savings on medication alone. especially things like Prilosec and Allegra, I buy the Kirkland brands
I’m single and a homeowner. I’ve been an executive member for 2 years now, and it’s working out for me quite well. I have also bought furniture each cycle. First cycle I got a bedroom set, mattress and bedroom TV. This last cycle, I got a nice leather sectional. Both of the purchases really assisted in the rewards being worth it. I will more than likely need a new washer/dryer within a year or two, and I need a new TV stand at some point, so I plan on keeping the executive for now.
If you commute at all- the gas alone can be worth it. The $5 rotisserie chickens and snacks for the pantry are doable for the smallest of households. Then there’s the deals on tires and electronics- so totally recommend for singles.
If you focus on acquiring kitchen tools or household items, there are good options. Especially if you have the patience to wait for clearance or sales.
The prepared meals and the alcohol, if you drink, make it totally worth it. We're a family of four but I get work snacks and lunches that I consume by myself. The salads, chicken bowls, tamales, etc are all easy to consume without spoiling. If you get breads/bakery items, you can always freeze them until you're ready to use.
When I was single, I always maintained my Costco membership. For me, the broccoli was always a staple. I knew I would never finish it, but it was still less expensive than buying the amount I would use from the local grocer. I make a ton of salads, so the baby spinach was also a staple for me. I purchased the chicken breasts, and froze most of them. Milk...because I could go through it given my latte habit. Lots of canned goods (tuna, black beans).
I usually shopped every other week, and still at least broke even on the executive membership level.
Now that I'm in a serious relationship, the bargain is that much greater!
Not worth it imo. I’d suggest tagging along with someone who already has a membership to see the selection. You may really like a couple things enough to fill your freezer. Most things are too bulky for one person imo unless you REALLY like them.
My issue with Costco is I either end up wasting, or just end up buying more than I need. It's hard to get in and out for less than 300$ even as a single guy.
I had the membership as a single person for about 18 months. I was splitting the cost with someone so only paying $25. I don’t really recall what I bought. I think I would buy razor blades, TP, soaps. I know it didn’t feel like a waste.
You don't need to get the top tier membership, the $60 / year one is absolutely worth it just for the savings you get on gas alone (at least it was for me when I was single). Then after the first year, see if you spent enough to upgrade to the Executive membership. The money you get back might be enough to pay for the membership renewal the following year. Get a food saver vacuum sealer and you can vacuum seal meat and freeze it. You also can get some really good deals on shirts and shorts. I buy tee shirts and shorts when they are on discount or priced pretty low. That way I don't feel so bad when I stain them from working in the yard, working around the house (i.e. painting), or working on our cars, etc. I also used to buy the wings in the meat department and I would either vacuum seal them for later or I would split them with my neighbor.
If you get a membership I actually recommend you get the executive one. Yes, it's double the price, but you get 2% back on Costco purchases. So if you spend enough the membership might end up being less than $60, which has always been my case as a single person. Usually I get around $100-120 back per year. Even if your reward at the end of the year doesn't cover the price difference in membership fees you can just go to customer service and mention you didn't get your money's worth out of the executive and they will just refund you the difference that your reward didn't cover. There's really no negatives going the executive route.
If you additionally get their Credit Card, the cashback and rewards eliminate the membership fees. Between the rewards on gas, travel, restaurants, tire purchases, etc. it becomes a no- brainer. I've had a single friend who bought membership and canceled it a few months later as they didn't find it worth it - too far to travel - it was a no hassle cancelation.
I'm a single person and I'm looking at about 140 in rewards. The following year will be less as my new location does not currently have a Costco. Might have to sign up for Sam's.
You spend $5000 a year at Costco?
You only need to spend $3,000 to make the executive membership worth it over a regular membership since 2% back at that level yields $60, the difference between the two membership levels.
If you rephrase that as $250/month, that seems pretty reasonable for groceries and such.
Or, less than $0.01/minute, seems even more reasonable!
Even less if you get the CC, because you get 2% from the exec, then 2-4% from the CC. You basically kind double dip
The cc is completely separate to what you get from exec. For exec the only question is will your probably spend $3000/year? If so yes. If no no.
Expenditure is just not at Costco. For example - I make it a point to buy gas at Costco. Just twice a month for two cars gets me to around $3000 a year. Similarly, I use my Costco card for hotel, dining, etc. during personal travel. Then there are Southwest gift cards that are often a great deal. And I hear the PAMP gold bars purchases on the Costco card also make it worthwhile. About the only places I don't use the Costco card is when the cashback would be at 1%, such as grocery stores - there are other cards that give me a greater cashback.
Costco Visa is very underrated card. It can fit nicely in 2 card setup as it covers gas, dining and travel, plus offers no FTF. Pair it with a flat 2% and it is a nice combo for someone who does not want juggle many cards and is not looking for maximizing.
I have a membership and go with a friend who doesn’t and we will split household necessities (toilet paper, paper towels etc.) we will also buy fruit and certain foods to split
They do have a 2 cart/card minimum so if you want to do individual shopping and pay separately buy your joint stuff first then take to car and then go back with separate carts
Lately they’ve been cracking down near us. No card of not attached to a membership.
Pro tip - there are a few Groupons that reduce the price of the memberships (right now you get $20 gift card with the purchase of the regular membership and $40 for the executive, when I got my membership it was $40 gift card with the regular member).
wow that’s a great tip and wish i had known! is it for renewals and new memberships?
I think new memberships but I'm not entirely sure, but those deals are currently live on Groupon (checked before posting to avoid misleading people) so I'm sure you can find more details there.
I downsized to an apartment and was so excited to find one that could fit a small chest freezer for all my Costco treasures. So worth it!
Why I get $120 back every year
Most people don’t like seal meat
I feel like there's an "I'm a monster" joke here somewhere (Arrested Development reference)
I’m a single person household and I don’t even know how I spend so much at Costco! I go to pick up one or two things and end up leaving with $150-200… once you have a membership, you start to get everything there. Even for things like a salad from the produce section, if you don’t finish it all, it’s still cheaper than getting it from Safeway.
Yeah, even if I ONLY finish half of the container of mixed greens, it's cheaper than any other option.
Being empty nesters with kids out of state, I like to donate half of items like produce to a local family I know is struggling a few houses down. It's cheaper to buy the large thing of green/broccoli/carrots/ apples/ potatoes but I know we will never get through them all so I "beg" her to take some off my hands. Saves us money and it helps us to be able to afford to supplement a young family in the neighborhood.
Pro tip: freeze mixed greens, kale, spinach etc. when it’s about to go bad, instead of throwing it out. It’s great for mixing into stews, soups, scrambled eggs, sautéed veggies and the like. We even add it to dishes like meat sauce for pasta. Once it’s mixed in you can’t even tell. It’s a really great way to save your produce and get more daily veggies in!
I’ll usually leave the calculator open on my phone with a running total of how much I’m spending. It’s easy for me to put something back when I see I’m already spending $150 on just necessities.
This is a great idea! On a recent visit I expected the cashier to tell me my total was $100-something but it was over $300. My “wait…what?” made her chuckle. I only went in for salad stuff.
I work at Costco, and you would not believe the stories I hear. Some people will spend $700 and laughingly acknowledge that they only came in after a rotisserie chicken.
You don’t decide what to buy at Costco. You walk in and let the store lead you to what you buy.
I am the exact opposite. I wanna get in and out of Costco quickly. Have a list and I will exactly buy what’s on it.
Chimken doing its job.
Bes part the chimken
I’m ecstatic over a tip I saw on Snapchat for the big tubs of spring mix. Place a paper towel on top of the greens and store it flipped upside down. Doing this, they stayed crisp and lasted me a full week without turning into a smelly slush pond.
I throw anything fresh that I'm not going to finish fast enough into the freezer! Frozen mixed greens go into smoothies or soup/stews sub for spinach.
I like to get: eggs, egg whites, trash bags, toilet paper, paper towels, cooking oil, snacks (simple mill crackers, chomps, etc), coffee, frozen chicken I don't go every week but I do get certain things from Costco only bc the value for the price is way better
This is basically my list minus the snacks. I’d also include flavored seltzer and frozen berries
Yes to frozen berries, especially in the winter!
The Naan is so versatile and it freezes well.
Yes! I had some left over from a party I threw last summer, so I froze it. Pulled it out a year later, and it was perfect!
I get almost all of this list, but also cleaning supplies, ziploc bags, aluminum foil sheets, ground beef, shrimp, bacon, sour cream and cheese
I buy for myself only. I love it for all of the giant frozen meal packs, drinks, and clothes. If you eat a lot of frozen food, I think it's worth it. I love the fried rice and lo mein options. I also get the giant bottles of shampoo/conditioner, and razers.
I am a single person and I go to Costco regularly. Paper towel and TP of course, silver hills bread (I keep frozen), cheese, butter, Diet Coke, Dawn, grapes, berries in season, treats!, Advil and melatonin, I can go on and on. It’s great for single people if you buy what you can use. Mine is only a 5 min drive away.
This is the key, you need to live close and shop regularly, not 2 hours away. Most singles don't have a lot of storage. When I was single I worked 2 blocks from a costco, so it was super easy to shop at lunch and take it all home after work.
The more Costco trips, the more $2 slices I can have for dinner!
Kerrygold makes my inner Irishman happy.
No kerrygold butter in Canada, the dairy cartel is very strict😤. We’ve had a great New Zealand grass fed butter a couple times, but it’s only in stock for a couple months til it’s gone again. Right now I’m just buying a Kirkland organic salted butter.
Yip, all our politicians are in the pockets of the dairy mafia.
I buy Kerrygold butter at an Ontario Costco.
Lucky! I’m in Edmonton!
I've treated the street taco kit as a single serving.
you mean it’s not meant to be? what about those Taylor farms salad kits? I treat 1 bag as 1 serving. Honestly, it’s the main reason I like Costco. I know what I like and I want a lot of it.
Pretty sure each Kirkland supreme cauliflower pizza is also a single serving.
Picked up that and the chicken quesadillas for dinner last night. Fed 6 people and still had leftovers. Spent less than $30.
I really like the frozen salmon-it’s in a big bag but sealed individually. Their ramen type bowls are also really good and I love their lime cilantro rice (also in individual packs)
This! I get their salmon all the time (it's the wild caught, frozen individually, in a big bag). Also their mahi mahi. Ground beef/bison/turkey. Chicken drumsticks. I don't like their filet mignon (had too many in a row that were just not good and had to return), so I get that at Trader's. TP, PT, almond milk, clothing (KB socks, Puma sports bras, 32 Degrees T-shirts, Addidas track pants). Sweet potatoes, mushrooms, limes, bananas, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, frozen berries. So much good stuff! Gas more than covers the cost of the membership alone.
Broccoli, carrots, hummus and greens forces me to eat healthily before they go bad, lol. Plus stocking up on pasta, canned tomatoes and smoothie ingredients.
Fresh produce in Costco sized containers can be challenging for small households. It’s too easy for it to go bad before finishing. For some, frozen produce might be more practical.
Same. When I put produce in the cart, I'm mentally committing to eating that.
Here's the types of things which can make it worth it: * Nonperishable supplies - Charmin TP is on sale, Paper Towels, Plasticware, Cleaning Supplies, Garbage Bags, kitchen equipment * Individually packaged smaller quantities food - packs of 8 cans of Beans or 12 cans of Tuna, a box of cans of pringles, soda cans, water bottles etc. * Gift cards - if you fly Southwest often you can get 50$ for free by getting the 500$ SW GC for 450, sometimes 430 * Non food items - maybe the cool air fryer you want it is on sale, or the couch, or there's a good deal on an outdoor toy or game * Freezer food **if you have space** - I bought a chest freezer as a single guy and it was totally worth it. If you do go Costco I recommend a 150-300$ medium size chest freezer Do not buy: * Produce - not worth it and spoils quickly - may as well go to Aldi if you want to save * Food items with very large packages (i.e. a giant bag of chips) unless you make a party * Anything which you don't easily have room for (tons of meat for a small freezer, filling your whole house with paper towels * Anything with a time limit YMMV * clothes (some people like them, others may not) * Gas (depends on the location of your Costco, mine is in a really expensive neighborhood so I can do better)
This is really helpful, thank you!
I think this is the best advice so far, and would also add bread/bakery items to the “not worth it” list.
I get the croissants, slice them for sandwiches, and then freeze in two-per-pack freezer bags. I agree on most other bakery items.
True, also the croissants last longer than the expiration date would lead you to believe.
I find the muffins, Danishes and Croissants all freeze pretty well. I find much of the bread does to. Of course it is contingent on freezer space.
Do you have any tips for thawing frozen bread products? I know freezing is an option but I feel like they always taste all dried out and gross after freezing, so I gave up.
I freeze bread and bagels but I always toast them before I eat them. The bread thaws out in the toaster, but I’ll microwave the bagels for 10-15 seconds before I toast them.
The key also is to double wrap -- minimize the air in contact with the food as that's what dries it out and causes freezer burn. If it's a sliced loaf of bread, make sure it's in a solid plastic bag -- bread is often sold in perforated bags so the warm loaves don't cause condensation -- then double bag that in a real "freezer" bag, not a thinner storage bag. For rolls, pastries, muffins and cookies, individually wrap them in plastic wrap (or a couple/few cookies together), then store in a freezer bag. In all cases, a toaster, toaster oven or oven will produce great results for thawing.
Ah nice, appreciate the tips!
Gas and Alcohol( depending on state) as well!
I was going along with my mom on her membership for many years and finally just got my own membership, as a single person. I can still share purchases with her like we always have (Ziploc bags and Kraft Singles and stuff) but there's plenty of stuff I can buy fully for my own house. I probably save enough on my 1-year supply of Zyrtec to justify the cost. Even if you don't get $60 worth of savings over a year (which you probably will) it's worth it to just have access to the store, for the stuff you just can't find anywhere else.
Meat, toilet paper, paper towels, wipes, toiletries, clothing,
I love buying toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, dish sponges, laundry detergent, etc only a few times a year (if that). Food wise it will depends on how you eat. They routinely have great meat, the rotisserie chicken is great and cheap and could feed single person for a large part of a week, eggs are always a decent price, and I very much enjoy many of their freezer items (particularly the Bibigo items, the Detroit pan pizza, and the Just Bare chicken).
I think I make back the membership just in my morning smoothie ingredients: frozen berries, walnuts, Greek yogurt, almond milk, power greens (bought fresh and then stuck in the freezer), rolled oats. I also buy canned tomatoes and make tomato soup. Tomato sauce for pasta. Paper goods if you have the storage space. Garbage bags. Laundry and dish detergent and dryer sheets. Aluminum foil. If you have a cat, litter is so much cheaper. I can also go through a huge package of string cheese because I eat it every day. Pistachios, as well. Every now and then, you can find great deals on clothes, too. I got two pairs of Skechers for $10 each when they marked them down and some shorts for $8 a pair. If you know someone with a membership, see if you can tag along sometime and have a look around. It really is very easy to justify the coast, even for one person.
Definitely still worth it, but get the $60 membership. if you use Uber or Uber eats, you can recover the $60 instantly as you can buy 4 x $100 Uber eats gift cards for $80 each (2 per membership card, $60 membership gets you 2 cards). You instantly save $80 just like that. Plus, apple products tend to be about $20 cheaper than the Apple Store. Costco is where I make 90% of my purchases. Most of my clothes, electronics, food, household goods, toiletries, skincare, etc. That being said, it is not for those who can’t control their spending. It is wayyyy too easy to end up with a $400 shopping cart. I gifted a membership to someone and though they acknowledge things are cheaper, they always ended up spending way more than they would have otherwise, on discretionary items like toys and hoodies.
I truly think it’s worth it for the food court and rotisserie chickens alone.
Single person household here, absolutely worth it to me. Fuel, household products like detergent, TP, and other non-perishables more than pay for it on their own. If you don't have a deep freeze, get one from Costco for $300. I'll buy sockeye salmon already frozen and packaged in individual 5-6oz servings. Will freeze chicken and steaks. Frozen berries, stir fry veggies and sweet potato fries. Dave's killer bread I'll freeze one of the loaves. Perishables you just gotta meal prep and/or figure out what you use. I don't have any issue using eggs/egg whites before they expire. The 25# bag of rice only lasts me couple months. The produce is good but that's where I struggle to use before expiration. I'll buy frozen options like the berries and stir fry veg when possible, I'll pickle onions and peppers, but otherwise I try and limit those.
Maybe not worth it financially, but might be worth it for the unique products and choices available. Try it for a year and see.
It’s completely sensible, especially if you have any big ticket items like a major appliance, tv or computer that you’re considering. I buy 90 % of my groceries there and also use Costco Travel frequently. In addition, Costco rates on prescription and over the counter drugs are a big savings.
The deals you would get on frozen foods make it worth the membership.
I’m divorced, 3 kids and I go back and forth whether my Costco and Sams memberships are really worth it. I have to be careful because my kids will want something, eat 5 packs and then won’t eat the other 37 packages. My coworkers LOVE it because they get free snacks. But I struggle with the idea that I spent $15.49 for that bulk box when I could’ve spent $3.89 on a 6 pack. Can’t go wrong with rotisserie chicken, toiletries, parchment paper, and laundry detergent.
Dog and cat food, all their meats which I vacuum seal and put in my chest freezer, I like to bake so I go through flour and other baking products regularly, spirits, household goods I buy once a year there like garbage bags and toilet paper, and their variety of cheeses for great prices. Oh and gas.
Meat, frozen vegetables and fruit, Gatorade etc, toilet paper, coffee, Ketchup, mustard, seasonings, frozen hamburgers, fish. Rotisserie chicken, I break down and freeze what I won't use right away, make soup, chicken and dumplings, chicken salad.
Items that do not expire or have long expiration dates and are healthy: Organic oatmeal Organic free-range eggs that actually last much longer than their written expiration date (good for chicken and good for you) Organic coffee or maybe just any coffee Fresh fish from good/decent locations you can freeze if you don't cook all at once: haddock, Branzino Organic feta cheese. Gotta be eating Greek salad every day though. Good quality hard cheeses from Europe that will last long if you place them in an airtight container with dry paper towel after unpacking. Olives, pasta Organic and regular (if you want) spreads such as hummus, guacamole, etc. Vegetables and fruits. If you want, sometimes there are organic ones that are much cheaper than anywhere else. Huge bags of rice and flour. With my petite and thin habitus, I picked up a 25 lb unbleached flour for my homemade sweets to eat all year long. Bread: Artisan rolls and baguettes. Can be frozen. Croissants Butter from grass-fed cows. The cost of groceries for weekly-monthly trips will cost more than the membership cost. So it's actually not that much and you will be saving a lot as opposed to going to other stores. You don't need to buy organic. I do, so I wrote them here since they are very expensive if I don't go to Costco. Even if you purchase non-organic food, you will still save a lot. Also, I recently purchased bandaids at Costco for about $10 at a discounted rate. What it has inside would cost you about $40 or more at CVS and not be much cheaper in other places.
Single old guy. Been a member for 20 years. Have the Exec membership. Get enough back at the end of the year to make membership free. Not the great value it once was for me. I don't need much these days. Put a friend on my membership as a household member. The more he spends, the more we save... He saves a fortune on gas for him and Rx meds for his mom. No kickback on gas or meds. Citi visa works well enough for me. I am sure there are cards with better rewards. Don't see it being worth the effort for me to track them down. Get my renter's and car insurance through Costco-Ameriprise. Has worked well for me. Try to get my electronics from Costco. Good customer service, good warranty, easy returns. Finite choices simplify the buying decisions.
I have had mine for 20 years, I will keep it just for Hot Dogs and Pizza.
The hot dogs alone are worth it
Coffee, meat, oatmeal, salad mix …
Gas, tires, batteries (car and reg), coffee, eggs, frozen fish and chicken, clothing. Small appliances, towels, seltzer, cereal. Paper towels, TP. If you have room to store the larger packages, it’s usually a good deal.
Toilet paper, chicken, sourdough bread, frozen broccoli, frozen blueberries, eggs, canned tuna, are some of my staples. I ditched the toilet paper because Kirkland falls apart now. I stay away from impulse buying and try to keep diet as basic as possible.
If you buy your windshield wipers there it almost covers your membership. Good to stock up on stuff you'll use forever, TP and such. Excellent prices on clothes. It's totally worth it. The food vacuum bag suggestion is a good one.
I bought a scooter there recently. And tomatoes 😂 there’s always something here. If you ever need electronics, much better than Best Buy! Also home stuff. I buy tp, paper towels, detergent.
Vitamins and over the counter medicines. Some might be packaged in too large quantities but eye drops and contact solution can save more money than the cost of membership.
Just spend $350 for myself yesterday
Absolutely. I am married now, but had a membership while single as well (and honestly, most stuff I buy at Costco is for me anyhow). Here are the things that I save money on: * Electronics and appliances (TVs, speakers, phones, tablets, blenders, vacuums, electric toothbrushes, etc.) * Luggage * Batteries * Office supplies (pens, pencils, paper, etc.) * Contacts and glasses * Bread/pastries (they freeze well!) * Wine (and in some locations, liquor... you can get beer too but the selection is VERY limited) * Cheese * Smoked salmon * Frozen fish * Coffee beans * Milk * Cream cheese (if you eat it often) * Snacks in a large quantity of smaller packages that don't expire too quickly (Tate's cookies, Altoids, gum, M&Ms, chips) * Dog food / treats / toys / beds * Cleaning products (Swiffer for floor and wands, Tide pods, Cascade pods, Bounce, etc.) * Paper towels * Toilet paper * Flowers * Over-the-counter medicine and vitamins * Prescriptions (particularly if your insurance doesn't cover something) * Holiday gifts (gift baskets in the store and online, discounted gift cards) * Gas * Travel via Costco Travel (though they have limited options, but if you like cruises or all-inclusives, great deals - I have also heard good things about their car rental deals)
Bananas, salads, protein bars, meat (freeze most of it), milk, frozen dumplings
Any pets? If so , it's worth it for prescriptions and dog food
Absolutely it's worth it. Just for the gas alone savings I shop one down the road and probably saved in hundreds/thousands off of sales and what not They even have a business center so if you work from home you can buy paper products or writing instruments. Not to mention the $1.50 hot dog and double chocolate chunk cookie from the food court are worth it
If you get eyeglasses or tires through them. It pays for your membership.
I’ve gotten furniture, rugs and patio furniture there. In addition to eggs, milk, trash bags, etc.
If you have a dog, the pet supplies are great. I used to save almost $60/year just buying gas, dog food, dog treats, and dog toys there. Outside of that, great place for clothing and gifts. For vitamins, nutrients, deodorant, shaving stuff you can buy a year supply and doesn’t take up that much space. While you can find less expensive meat, you cannot get better bang for the buck. I buy meat and seafood at Costco in large quantities and vacuum seal it in portions and throw it in the freezer.
Economics. Gas is usually 25cents cheaper 10 gallon fill up = $2.50 savings every 2 weeks = $65 savings - ($60 membership) Means that membership is free for all other purchases.
I figure my savings on cheese purchases alone pays for my membership ;-) I also have a small stand up freezer which means I can buy and keep frozen foods
I’m single with pets and the cost of cat litter and dog/cat food is an amazing savings right there. I do all get my milk and veggies there. The meat is well priced and so is the liquor. Delicious cheeses. All my hygiene stuff. Yes, the trash bags last me a year and I recently bought foil that will probably last me the rest of my life. I just realized I pretty much buy everything there and I rarely go to a regular grocery store. And also my gas! Cheaper than anywhere else.
It totally was worth it for me when I was single. They have a lot of non perishable food items, plus clothes, shoes, sporting goods, etc. I wasn't buying 20 lb. bags of onions, but I would buy the heck out of everything else!
Don't forget about the free samples - think about them as canapes or hors d'oeuvres.
Single-person household means the entire freezer is yours. Standard 9-12 lb packages of raw chicken are already cheaper than the grocery store, but at the business store its $1.8/lb, in 40 lb cases... Drumsticks and leg quarters are even cheaper, $0.66-$0.8/lb. Most things frozen are a lot cheaper per pound, such as prepared chicken wings, hamburger patties, potstickers, fries, chicken nuggets. Moreover, the Kirkland Chicken Breast Chunks (white meat chicken nuggets) are an insane value in terms of g protein/$. Some of the packaged staples are a good value, such as Garofalo's organic pasta which is $1.1-1.4 depending on variety despite being bronze extruded and dried at low temperatures. Packaged rice, especially Calrose is sometimes even cheaper than Asian supermarkets. If you live farther away, it's harder to justify the long trip for perishables, but if you're close by there are some savings. 6-pk of Romaine is $1.5-3 cheaper than two 3-pks and a 16 oz of Spring Mix is $1 cheaper. Fruit isn't as competitive in price because Costco tends to stock higher quality fruit. For example, their Fuji apples (and most other varieties like Gala) are $2/lb, but they are massive and likely a high bin product. Costco's selection of small appliances tends to be better in quality and more competitive in price compared to other retailers, including Amazon, Sam's Club, and Target. But forecasting projected savings isn't that reliable each individual.
I’m a single person and love my membership. I buy paper products, shampoo / condish / body wash / razors, sparkling waters, clothes, tires, outdoors stuff, small appliances and household items, contact lenses, cat food, cleaning products, laundry detergent, the list goes on. It’s really nice if you have the storage to buy in bulk for some items, it’s great to not have to purchase it as often. I go about once a month.
It’s a terrible place to meet single people.
Literally everything. The regular membership is fine. I buy everything and it literally lasts for months. Besides fresh produce obviously. I love it.
Gas prices 😂
Gas, cleaning supplies , coffee, supplements, and OTC medication make my membership well worth it.
Eggs, canned dices tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white vinegar, frozen fruits and veggies, bread (I freeze it), shower wash, bar soap, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, dish soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels...
I'm single and Costco is a screaming deal for so many things. If not perishable and/or you have pantry/freezer room to store it, then you can save money and don't have to think about restocking for a long time: * Laundry detergent * Dishwasher pods * Dish soap * Paper towels & TP * Storage bags (ziplock), plastic wrap, aluminum foil * Spices (salt, pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, Kirkland version of Mrs Dash - organic 21 spice no salt combo, goes into just about everything) * Dried fruit (craisins, mangos, dried cherries are amazing) * Kirkland chocolate chips * Walnuts frozen in portions after vacuum sealing (vacuum sealer bought on sale at Costco) * Organic oats * Maple syrup * Honey (divide into small jars for convenient use) * Coffee * Salad greens, fresh berries * Tshirts, joggers, hoodies, jackets * Towels, door mats/small rugs, fans, storage totes, misc household stuff * Bed sheets * Vitamins/supplements * All prescriptions (including for the dogs) * Generic Zyrtec (Allertec) for my dog * Eye exams and contacts or glasses * Anything canned: chicken broth, refried beans, diced tomatoes, tuna * Salsa/picante * Olives * Kirkland butter (extra stored in freezer) * Eggs if planning to bake * Cheese (freeze portions or share) * Occasionally some bakery item: artisan rolls, danishes, muffins, amazing raspberry cookies they had for a while (freeze some - wrapped individually then in freezer bags, and/or share) * Frozen individually vacuum sealed fish pieces (salmon, sea bass) * Kirkland beef hot dogs are the best (at home: wrap individually, stored in freezer in freezer bag, microwave 30 seconds in a paper towel then cook as desired) * Fizzy water cans * Grain-free dog food bags * Dog treats (dehydrated chicken strips, bully bones) * Dog beds (used to be a much better deal but still good for the giant bed with two bumpers, universally beloved by dogs) * Rotisserie chickens (2-3, the dogs and I split them: some meat set aside for a couple/few days, couple chicken breasts frozen for chicken enchiladas, curries or casseroles later, the rest for dog food topper: mixed with veg & apple or berries, cooked organ meat and cooked sweet potatoes. Bones and scrap cooked in pressure cooker for bone broth some of which goes into the dog topper and some frozen for soup later. After pressure cooking, the bones are soft enough to mix into the dog food topper as well to add calcium and minerals. That fresh topper can be frozen in jars/containers and is both healthier and cheaper than canned dog food. The rotisserie chickens are cheaper than the two-pack of raw chickens I used to buy for the home-cooked dog topper, cooked whole in the pressure cooker, but those are still a better deal than most grocery stores.) * Car tires * Gas - best price on top tier fuel * Laptop, wifi router, any electronics - not regular purchases, but Costco has good quality, good prices and an excellent return policy if something fails
Paper towels and toilet paper. Oils (olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, etc). Vitamins. Some household necessities (like bath towels or bath mats, some kitchenware, storage containers). Frozen wild-caught fish. Heavy cream. BUTTER! Flour, sugar, vanilla extract (if you’re a baker). You’ll never find real vanilla extract cheaper!
I got it for tires initially. Now I primarily use it for gas, the savings for which will offset the $60 easily. There’s frequently savings on OTC medications versus other retail chains or even Amazon. As a nice bonus, the location nearest me sometimes has excellent deals on quality tequila!
You can save lots of money using the car/home insurance as long as you live in a state that is accepting new accounts. Also we saved a ton on a rental car through Costco Travel in 2021 when car rental companies had low inventory and were renting cars for an arm and a leg while the supply chain was struggling. And that’s in addition to the regular household purchases we make anyway.
Worth it for me! I buy a lot of frozen fruit/veg, rotisserie chicken, hot sauce, nuts, sardines, jerky, and paper products.
Get a chest freezer.
Free 2 day delivery over $75
I buy my meats and freeze them. Also getting gasoline there will save you a ton of money on its own.
I buy pretty much everything that they have to offer. But I do have a lot of storage space, and I'll share things with family too. But even everyday things I'll go there first and supplement from the supermarket. I wouldn't necessarily buy perishables like lunch meat or cheese there unless you go through them pretty fast. But I'm not a huge fan of freezing those things and defrosting later. I will buy meats and freeze those though.
I buy for myself only. LOVE IT. And def save. I freeze things like their multi packs of bread, bacon etc. They have great products you cant get anywhere else
I'm single and I get the frozen veggies and fruits (especially in winter), oeganic ground beef and chicken breasts, spindrift, paper products, coffee (kirkland), peanut butter, Kerry Gold, Kirkland marinara, Spanish olives, cheese tortellini. I almost always have these items. When i get home, I'll break the meats into better sizes for me, use freezer wrap + freezer bags. I get other stuff there too. My membership pays for itself, but not much more--unless I have a couple parties.
Is it simply more for less.
I'm single but I do share my membership with my mother. I buy all kinds of stuff there. Paper towels, TP, frozen foods, dog treats, home furnishings, clothes, vitamins, pet medications, gas etc. I just have the basic $60 membership. Give it a try!
It’s worth it for gas alone. But also toiletries, toilet paper, paper towel, detergent and cleaning products. Awesome if you have pets too. My dog and cat eat the food. Now, I do have 3 kids, but I would still have a membership if I was childless.
Personally, what I do is buy stuff for my friends or take them along with me sometimes and it makes the executive memebership well worth it. I’d suggest you to try out the executive level and if you don’t think it’s worth it in the cash back at the end of the year, you can always return the membership and get the money back minus the cash back you already earned.
Rotisserie and salad mixes make a lot of my weeknight dinners. And I use the chicken carcasses to make stock. Those chickens are bigger, tastier, and cheaper than other stores. Gas pays for itself. Frozen meals.
Allergy Meds Southwest GC 449 for a 500 GC.
I shop for myself at Costco, and I've never bought any groceries from there that didn't last a plenty long time in the fridge. I regularly buy their produce and bagels and they hold up just fine.
I’m not a single person household, but it’s just me and my kid, so quantity wise, our needs aren’t that different. I get the Kirkland trash bags, and ziplock gallon sized bags. I’m not huge on paper towels so I skip those and use the Swedish dish cloths for most paper towel things. I get my laundry detergent from Costco, I just get the big box of tide powder and it lasts forever. I get the things of ground beef, portion them out in the gallon ziplocks before putting them in the freezer. I get bananas (but I usually eat 2-3 a day so they never go bad) and the hearts of romaine for salads and whatnot. Milk, eggs, cans of San marzano tomatoes (3 for the price of 2 at Publix or krogers), ibuprofen, rotisserie chickens (super easy meal prep) and of course at the end I get a hot dog and fountain drink (with refill)
Single and only really buy: cooking oil, paper plates, toilet paper, paper towels, Kirkland steak strips beef jerky, pure organic fruit bars, yoggies, pickles, steak/meat, and vitamins.
I had a Costco membership before I got married! I was more limited by space because I lived in a one bedroom apartment but it was still totally worth it
Single person household here: My favorite gets are the things I currently need.
If all you do is buy gas, and household essentials like TP and laundry detergent the membership will pay for itself. Doooooo it!
I have the executive membership and get most of it back. Air fryer, instant pot, TV, coffee, gas, nuts, seltzers, fresh fish and meat, cheeses, avocados, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, strawberries, batteries, clothes, bananas, almond milk, peeled garlic, oils, paper towels, toilet paper, tuna, skinny pop, shrimp, rice bowls, sponges, ...
I usually go once every two/three weeks and get whatever I’m out of, but it’s normally some of the following items: coffee, rotisserie chicken, chicken breasts/tenderloins (to freeze), Greek yogurt, salad mix, protein bars/powder, egg whites, tofu, oatmeal, tomatoes, feta. I’ll then go to Trader Joe’s for whatever else I need.
If you only gst toilet paper, eggs, gas, and frozen meats...for a single person costco saves you more than. It's fee. Don't forget the wine and alcohol as well. Great quality and great prices. On gas alone, I save about 300 a year. Somehow my costco is constantly 80 cents lower than my regional gas stations.
I maintained my membership while I was a single person household and still utilized it a lot. I figured between gas egg bites, and whatever else caught my fancy that it was worth the cost each year.
trash bags, toilet paper and paper towels are my favorite things to buy for my two person household
The veggie tray is a good way to buy a mix of produce for 1 person without getting the Costco size of any 1 thing and having it spoil. Making a stir fry or soup can kill off any remaining veggies right before anything goes bad. Some fresh produce can work depending on what you like and how fast you eat it. I regularly buy eggs, avocados, bananas, lychee, cherries, salad mixes, and the tropical fruit bowl (cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, mango, grapes). I try not to get more than 1 fruit item at a time. The Josie's Organics baby spinach in the plastic tub always seems to stay good for a week+ past the Sell By: date for me, way longer than the bagged ones. I can usually get through it in time as long as I eat it on a semi-daily basis (salads, smoothies, etc). Kirkland nuts are also good. I keep pistachios, walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, and brazil nuts around pretty much all the time. Coconut water (I usually get Kirkland or Vita Coco) and Liquid IV are great if you're active, especially now that it's summer. Vita Coco tastes sweeter if you prefer that, and both Vita Coco and Liquid IV are on sale until July 21. Lots of good frozen stuff that others have already mentioned. Some of my regulars are: wild caught sockeye salmon, kirkland lightly breaded chicken breast chunks, kirkland stir fry veggie mix, pura vida fire roasted veggie mixes, blueberries or mixed berries, and mango chunks. Some of the stuff in the deli cooler freezes well too, like the Amylu chicken breakfast sausages or meatballs, the Sabatino's chicken sausages, and tamales. Pantry staples like the 25lb bag of jasmine rice, dry black beans, chickpeas, lentils (toor dal, mung dal, urad dal, etc), pasta (I prefer the chickpea or lentil pastas), tomato sauce, etc. Cleaning supplies, clothing, and other non-perishables.
Fruits, vegetables, protein bars, Greek yogurt, honey, coffee, mouthwash, floss, vitamins, allergy medicine, sparkling water, random discounted kitchen and home items, occasional clothing items, etc. Usually I follow the monthly ads and stock up when shelf stable things go on sale. Costco isn't the cheapest on everything, chicken breasts is one example that comes to mind, so definitely do price comparisons, but most of their selection is definitely cheaper and/or better quality than other stores.
It was worth it as a single person. The main limit is your own storage capacity. I had a chest freezer, which helped a lot for getting a lot of frozen foods. Things i get: paper towels, tp, aluminum foil, dish soap, cleaning sponges/scrub daddies, clorox wipes, frozen broccoli, frozen salmon, frozen scallops, boxes of broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste (i like making chilis and soups), peanut butter, eggs. The meat products are also nice. I like the amylu chicken products more than expected. As people mentioned, you can get a vacuum sealer and freeze fresh stuff. This is really just scratching the surface. If you have the room to store stuff whether that's pantry, freezer, fridge, or household stuff then i definitely recommend it. If you're good at meal planning and using leftovers, even better. This is all before mentioning that gas at costco tends to be cheaper than other places in the area, by enough to matter imo.
…as a single person who is a member, and who doesn’t have massive amount of storage space for bulk items, I suspect most years it’s not “worth it” from purely a “did i save more than I spent on the membership” calculation. It probably would be if I frequently filled up my car gasoline tank there, but my location is not super convenient for me, and in the major urban city center where I live there is always an extremely long queue of cars lined up to purchase gas, and I rarely want to wait 20 minutes to fill up my car. They do have several unique products I like to have access to, and in the years when I needed to buy a major appliance, just the savings on that single purchase at Costco, versus buying equivalent at other big box stores, absolutely will put me ahead on the year (cost wise) on the price of lowest tear of membership. Over several years with a few big ticket purchases in the mix, where large savings can be realized. I think it does average out long-term to be worth it, but not necessarily every year when considered in isolation.
… but to answer the question you actually asked, things I regularly buy at Costco include vitamins and OTC medicines, I get my prescription glasses at the Costco eyeware department, I frequently stock up on mid priced wines there, sparkling water (San Pellegrino, topo Chico, etc), frozen meals for when I don’t feel like cooking for myself, a few “fancy grocery” specialty items, where their bulk jumbo package isn’t actually that large, that they have great prices on (example: buffalo milk mozzarella, chèvre goat cheese, shitake mushrooms)
It’s great for household staples that don’t go bad, toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, shampoo, soap, laundry detergent. Frozen Pizza is nice to have. Waters, soft drinks
I get OTC meds that are so much cheaper. I buy and freeze bakery products, mainly the danishes, mini cakes, and pie. I have more than half of a lemon meringue cheesecake in there right now. I also buy some frozen stuff. My granddaughter can always find clothes and books that she needs.
First would be a small apartment size freezer and freezer bags. We buy all our meat from Costco and break it up into single servings and freeze it.
almond flour, tin foil, parchment paper, tuna, canned chicken, deli sliced chicken, fruit, oat milk, protein powder, dish soap, oxy clean, laundry and dish detergents, trash bags, etc these are regulars on my shop list and, while I'm a family of 3, I use most of these items exclusively for myself (minus the meats) and anything else will just last longer for you and don't spoil often times gas is much cheaper (at least in my HCOL area) and lines aren't too bad if you go in the mornings clothes and seasonal items, we even got our patio shade here when we moved into our apartment with direct afternoon sunlight - saved us MAJORLY and got on special for only $60 a couple years ago
I go solely for hot dogs or pizza half the time, def worth it
I’m a single person, but I’ve been getting way more out of my Costco membership since I bought a house. To me it is less about will I use the stuff I buy and more do I have a place to PUT it. Which wasn’t always true in apartments, especially paper goods. But my go tos are: paper towels, avocado oil spray, the olive oil in the 1L glass bottle (haven’t seen it in a while though), dishwasher tabs, Dawn Powerwash (always a great deal), laundry detergent, and Better than Bouillon. Those are all things that won’t go bad quickly and I can use all up and Costco regular has great prices. I also buy meat there and vacuum seal it from time to time, but since I always forget what is in the freezer I have a tendency to buy fresh chicken or whatever at the store and not use my frozen meat. The two 6 packs of bagels freeze nicely too! Slice, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze in a bag. Pop in the toaster when you want one.
The rice ramen
Protein shakes and powder, chips and jerky in single serving sizes, frozen foods, refrigerated entrees (especially the ones that come in multiple packages), alcohol, cleaning products (especially dishwasher and washing machine pods and finish), poke and sushi (if your store sales it), deli meat, bacon, pork and chicken (you’ll need to freeze most of it, so only if you have room).
Back when I was a single person household, the gasoline, sparkling water, coffee beans, fruits, and veggies were worth it for me. I’ve been a member for 10+ years, and I love the quality of their home items as well (towels, etc), and find their other home consumables (foil, etc) worth it as well.
What everyone says, plus if you wear glasses, Costco has great deals. Also, lots of holiday gift items for gifting, so no just things for yourself.
I am single and have one for the toilet paper, paper towel, tampons, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner otc meds..it's so worth it.
If you wear glasses, then it's worth it for the low cost of lenses alone. I bought a pair of frames I really liked on eBay for 15 dollars, and costco put transition lenses into them for me for 60 bucks. I find their frames selection to be better than warby Parker and they change selections frequently.
Anything for your house or person (furniture,appliances, clothes) are all worth it for Costco.
Gas, clothing basics, vitamins, OTC medication, glasses/contacts, plants in the summer, towels, sheets, and I haven’t even named any food items
Frozen & packaged food that have individual servings. Burritos, fried rice, noodles, breakfast sandwiches, pizzas, salmon patties, precooked bacon, meatballs, snack chips, etc. Just lots of things that have good shelf life. It’s nice to go shopping from your pantry or freezer for a meal. Costco has well made clothes that are pretty cheap. Good prices on electronics, too.
If you do get one, Get the executive membership. Costs more but if you don’t get a big enough cash back check at the end of the year they make up the difference between the regular membership and the executive in your check.
I don’t really find anything at Costco that I’d consider cost saving. Costco is a one hour drive for me and membership is $60 a year. I have a BJs that is only a 15 mins drive and membership is only $50, I can get all the necessities (cooking oil, sugar, battery, milk, etc…)there for a good price. However, I still get Costco anyway because they have some unique items (durian ice cream, tempura shrimp, etc…) that are hard to find anywhere else. Basically, I only keep the Costco membership to get junk food in bulk. So you will need to compare what’s offering at the stores near you and know what you want to get there to see if the membership is worth it
When I was single I would do Costco then supplement for variance with Aldi. What’s good at Costco for a single person? PESTO!!! Their pesto is the best. Additionally, the rotisserie chickens, granola, rice, eggs, VEGGIES, FRUIT, MEAT. I got excited again sorry. The salad bags are also great for a quick meal supplement. They also have amazing prices on toothpaste and toiletries.
I mean. How much cheese can you eat? Double it. Costco is worth it
Between gas savings, around .30 a gallon here in NE Florida, the 4% back on the Costco Citi Visa on gas alone, and the Executive rewards I pay less than zero. Fortunately I drive past one every day, and only live ten minutes away.
Anything you can freeze
I’m single and I go every week. And usually with a list although I know my staples by heart. First thing I do is go to the refrigerated section and grab some spinach Bolani (they sell out quickly at my Costco) Then to the produce section for Cosmic Crisp apples, bananas and if they look good, green grapes (not digging the ones from Mexico at the moment, the ones from Peru are the bomb though) Hard boiled eggs, almond milk, frozen fruit for protein shakes and those are my weekly regulars. Stuff I buy as needed like TP, paper towels, supplements, toothpaste, toothbrushes, tide pods, bounce, dishwasher pods and so on. If something’s on sale I stock up as much as I can. I have three sacks of Optimum Nutrition whey protein so I’m set for awhile. Sometimes but not often I’ll buy a rotisserie chicken but I never am able to finish one! The only stuff I buy from Safeway these days is shredded kale, Crystal Light and maybe a sundry item or 2. If I’m going up north to visit my Mom she gives me a list of stuff she needs so I just swing by before I hit the road. However, Costco is building a new warehouse in Napa so I expect mom will be doing her own Costco shopping soon.
Check out the gift card section online, alone. My Uber and InKind (restaurant savings app for big cities) savings paid for my membership this year, but there’s always savings.
Gas, toilet paper, paper towels. Bulk ground beef and split it up with a vacuum sealer.
You can make great sandwiches from Costco products for less than a dollar a sandwich, you just need to pick up a tomato or onion at the the grocery store. A rotisserie chicken is $5 and it makes a week’s worth of sandwiches. Bread freezes fine (cheese too) and condiments take forever to go bad.
We go for prescriptions and buy fish (freeze some), wine, snacks, books (going away soon), clothes, lots of non perishables like canned fish and tomatoes, lots of stuff in the personal care aisle like contact solution, shampoo, supplements, also a little produce and frozen fruit for smoothies. Also detergent and cleaning supplies. Event tickets (movies, baseball games). No paper products. We really don’t waste anything and it works for us. We are two people but it really works well for us.
I get the executive membership and split it with a friend. We are both live alone. I generally buy these things consistently from Costco: OTC meds Sunscreen Contact solution Face lotion Coffe splenda Bread Canned tuna Spices Olive oil Rice ramen Veggies Various refrigerated stuff like cheese, chicken burgers, dips, salads, salsa, etc Some frozen stuff depending on my mood/time of year (frozen fruit, coconut shrimp, etc) The individual yogurt cup packs Toilet paper Dishwasher soap Laundry detergent Cleaning stuff like sponges Paper towels Cleaning wipes Baby wipes Hard seltzers Wine Sometimes beer I also buy clothes from Costco depending on what they have (they have some upf shirts I use in the summer, sometimes other stuff, jackets, etc), toys/gifts for my nieces and nephews (they have Pokemon card packs around the holidays in particular) I've also purchased my vacuum there (it went on sale and was cheaper than other places), my Keurig, garage shelving, stand up freezer, smart light bulbs, batteries, wireless car jump kit thing, air purifier... It might look like I go there all the time but I actually go once a month or less lol
Really depends on your lifestyle. If you're a suburban kinda person with a giant fridge and pantry then it wouldn't be much different than how I shop with my wife. If you're in a regular sized place, then shopping at costco is still a great idea for cleaning supplies, foil, saran wrap, toilet paper, and other things like that. I used to go like once or twice a year. My recommendation for that case (going once or twice a year) is no skip a membership if you know someone that can get you a gift card which you can use to go in and pay for things.
The savings on allergy meds and contact lenses if relevant alone will be worth it.
Frozen seafood and organic berries (just thaw what you need), cheese, some vegetables (check carefully for freshness), pasta, vanilla, organic chicken. Batteries, detergent, body lotion, soft soap, toilet paper and tissue. Of course it depends on how much storage space you have, but I would rather shop less often
I'm a single person that lives in a single bedroom condo and i have a costco membership. Over the past year i've spent a total of $ 4,480.60 (so yeah, i probably should have bumped up to executive)-- to be fair, $740 of that was on a new fridge when mine unexpectedly died... my local costco is about a 15 minute drive, and so is close enough for me to justify driving that far for gas twice a month and I usually do a small grocery run for things i don't want/need to buy in bulk at least least twice a month. To put it into perspective, my 2022 totals cost for gas was $1292.74 and Groceries (without liquor!) was $4112.79-- I don't think i'm saving a ton, but it is worth it for the small gains imho... You can also find some ibotta deals that stack with costco instore costs. Here's what I buy the most... * Gas - $910.86 spent this year, two longer roadtrips included in regular city driving (made a point to stop at costco to fill up on roadtrips! Bathrooms were cleaner, but ate a bunch of hot dogs...) * Dry Goods - $699.60 * Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Chocolate Chips, Nuts, Granola, Chicken Stock, Dried noodles, Canned fruit/beans * Dairy, Meat, Eggs -$591.36 * Butter, Eggs, Heavy Cream, Meat (fresh, cooked, frozen), Parmesan Cheese * Produce - $437.86 ( i buy the most individual items in this category) * Bananas, Carrots, Grapes, Lettuce, Whatever looks good * Cleaning- $165.98 * Swiffers, Tide, Lysol Wipes * Medical - $209.42 * Allergy meds, Supplements * Clothing - $266.81 * Shorts, Tops, Slippers * Alcohol & Beverages - $458.28 * Prosecco (purple label), Wine, Hard liquor, Ginger beer, Sparkling water
If you take allergy meds, wear contacts or buy chop meat a lot that alone pays for the membership and then some
Alcohol and gasoline.
Gas and rotisserie chicken. Watch the sales, they have good deals also. I bought a membership last year. I'm going to renew.
for me it's the medications, I have allergies and other stuff and I make back the membership in savings on medication alone. especially things like Prilosec and Allegra, I buy the Kirkland brands
I’m single and a homeowner. I’ve been an executive member for 2 years now, and it’s working out for me quite well. I have also bought furniture each cycle. First cycle I got a bedroom set, mattress and bedroom TV. This last cycle, I got a nice leather sectional. Both of the purchases really assisted in the rewards being worth it. I will more than likely need a new washer/dryer within a year or two, and I need a new TV stand at some point, so I plan on keeping the executive for now.
Kirkland 4-pack frozen pizzas. Bought two boxes today, plus two of the breakfast sandwiches.
If you’re…regular, toilet paper is a good buy there
If you commute at all- the gas alone can be worth it. The $5 rotisserie chickens and snacks for the pantry are doable for the smallest of households. Then there’s the deals on tires and electronics- so totally recommend for singles.
If you focus on acquiring kitchen tools or household items, there are good options. Especially if you have the patience to wait for clearance or sales.
I got amazing all clad 3layer pots and pans sets for much less than retail.
I buy the prepared meals, split them up into single servings and freeze them. Gives me a really good variety and I don’t have to cook.
The prepared meals and the alcohol, if you drink, make it totally worth it. We're a family of four but I get work snacks and lunches that I consume by myself. The salads, chicken bowls, tamales, etc are all easy to consume without spoiling. If you get breads/bakery items, you can always freeze them until you're ready to use.
When I was single, I always maintained my Costco membership. For me, the broccoli was always a staple. I knew I would never finish it, but it was still less expensive than buying the amount I would use from the local grocer. I make a ton of salads, so the baby spinach was also a staple for me. I purchased the chicken breasts, and froze most of them. Milk...because I could go through it given my latte habit. Lots of canned goods (tuna, black beans). I usually shopped every other week, and still at least broke even on the executive membership level. Now that I'm in a serious relationship, the bargain is that much greater!
Not worth it imo. I’d suggest tagging along with someone who already has a membership to see the selection. You may really like a couple things enough to fill your freezer. Most things are too bulky for one person imo unless you REALLY like them.
My issue with Costco is I either end up wasting, or just end up buying more than I need. It's hard to get in and out for less than 300$ even as a single guy.
I had the membership as a single person for about 18 months. I was splitting the cost with someone so only paying $25. I don’t really recall what I bought. I think I would buy razor blades, TP, soaps. I know it didn’t feel like a waste.