I am not cut out for Costco

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^forgot to add I also buy canned beans and tomato products there. As well as cereal and granola.

I actually get meats at the grocer usually because I don’t want those in bulk.

DP. I would add canned tuna to the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We love Costco so much my DH got a job there!

🧐🤔😳

[Anonymous]

I'd rather pay extra than go to Costco...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a guest membership to Costco and Sams on my son's account but I don't go to either very often. What throws me is remembering which giant store I'm in and where the few items I do buy at those places are.

I keep lists in my Notes. TJs has a list. Costco has a list. etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a foolish, foolish person. I decided to join Costco, and picked today to go and do it, thinking mid-morning on a weekday while people were at work would be smart. I went to the Gaithersburg location. OMG. It’s like if Gladiator and Squid Game were documentaries. The parking lot must qualify as one of the top 5 most populated cities in the U.S. just getting into the store— across the cross walk and through the entrance— required feats of aggression and a willingness to sacrifice elderly parents, young children, your limbs. Eventually I did make it inside with a cart and did some shopping, only to have my cart “taken” when I turned my head to look at something (or maybe they just took all the stuff in it, as there was an empty cart where my half full one had been when I turned back around).
To sum up: Costco has Kerry Gold butter for a good price, but I can’t imagine how I will ever succeed in buying it.

The weak should fear the strong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg Costco is its own special kind of hell. Save your sanity, drive up to Frederick or literally any other (except maybe Pentagon City).

The DC Costco is great!

Shh, don't tell the suburbanites! All the Costcos they mentioned are hellish because of the physical layout and space, but also because of the people who go there. We don't want them coming to DC. I won't pretend the DC location is an island of tranquility, but I actually enjoy going.

I went there once after it first opened and was astounded how much of the floor space was dedicated to high end liquor (which makes sense since MD and VA locations can’t sell it). I couldn’t find a lot of my regular stuff because of all the liquor. Have they adjusted the balance now?
This is similar to why I don’t go to the College Park Costco — they have huge kosher and halal sections so I feel like I can’t find my regular stuff there.

There is no Costco in College Park. Do you mean Beltsville?

I feel like the PP is thinking of a different Costco. The halal section at beltsville is tiny. A small area in the freezer section and I think that’s it.

[Anonymous]

One and done. Never returned.

I went once while getting new tires a long time ago. We are a small household of 3. It was not for me. I don't need savings THAT badly to go through that jam fest.

[Anonymous]

I love costco! Never had my cart stolen, but I dont normally leave it in a random place and walk away

[Anonymous]

Giving up after one try is like quitting breastfeeding after a couple days. You need to learn the layout, learn where you like to park, and most importantly learn when NOT to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a guest membership to Costco and Sams on my son's account but I don't go to either very often. What throws me is remembering which giant store I'm in and where the few items I do buy at those places are.

I keep lists in my Notes. TJs has a list. Costco has a list. etc.

This exactly. Both stores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg Costco is its own special kind of hell. Save your sanity, drive up to Frederick or literally any other (except maybe Pentagon City).

The DC Costco is great!

Shh, don't tell the suburbanites! All the Costcos they mentioned are hellish because of the physical layout and space, but also because of the people who go there. We don't want them coming to DC. I won't pretend the DC location is an island of tranquility, but I actually enjoy going.

I went there once after it first opened and was astounded how much of the floor space was dedicated to high end liquor (which makes sense since MD and VA locations can’t sell it). I couldn’t find a lot of my regular stuff because of all the liquor. Have they adjusted the balance now?
This is similar to why I don’t go to the College Park Costco — they have huge kosher and halal sections so I feel like I can’t find my regular stuff there.

There is no Costco in College Park. Do you mean Beltsville?

I feel like the PP is thinking of a different Costco. The halal section at beltsville is tiny. A small area in the freezer section and I think that’s it.

Yes, Beltsville, sorry. I have a very broad view of College Park ... basically everything between Greenbelt and Silver Spring. I actually haven't been in a few years so maybe they've downsized the Kosher and Halal sections. It is a pretty small Costco anyway. Used to go there for the gas sometimes or in combo with an Ikea trip (the Ikea is in College Park, right? And that's just up the street from the Costco.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the snow and the semi-holiday week, plus Gaithersburg. Normal weekday at Wheaton is fine.

People don’t work in Gaithersburg?

The Gaithersburg Costco is generally more hellish than the Wheaton Costco.

My experience too. The Gaithersburg one seems to have a lot of East and southeast Asian families who shop together. And by together, I mean grandparents, parents and three kids. It’s hard to maneuver around all of them.

Same behavior, just different ethnicities in Wheaton, DC, and Beltsville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg Costco is its own special kind of hell. Save your sanity, drive up to Frederick or literally any other (except maybe Pentagon City).

The DC Costco is great!

Shh, don't tell the suburbanites! All the Costcos they mentioned are hellish because of the physical layout and space, but also because of the people who go there. We don't want them coming to DC. I won't pretend the DC location is an island of tranquility, but I actually enjoy going.

I went there once after it first opened and was astounded how much of the floor space was dedicated to high end liquor (which makes sense since MD and VA locations can’t sell it). I couldn’t find a lot of my regular stuff because of all the liquor. Have they adjusted the balance now?
This is similar to why I don’t go to the College Park Costco — they have huge kosher and halal sections so I feel like I can’t find my regular stuff there.

There is no Costco in College Park. Do you mean Beltsville?

I feel like the PP is thinking of a different Costco. The halal section at beltsville is tiny. A small area in the freezer section and I think that’s it.

Yes, Beltsville, sorry. I have a very broad view of College Park ... basically everything between Greenbelt and Silver Spring. I actually haven't been in a few years so maybe they've downsized the Kosher and Halal sections. It is a pretty small Costco anyway. Used to go there for the gas sometimes or in combo with an Ikea trip (the Ikea is in College Park, right? And that's just up the street from the Costco.)

They have huge boxes of bone in goat!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg Costco is its own special kind of hell. Save your sanity, drive up to Frederick or literally any other (except maybe Pentagon City).

The DC Costco is great!

Shh, don't tell the suburbanites! All the Costcos they mentioned are hellish because of the physical layout and space, but also because of the people who go there. We don't want them coming to DC. I won't pretend the DC location is an island of tranquility, but I actually enjoy going.

I went there once after it first opened and was astounded how much of the floor space was dedicated to high end liquor (which makes sense since MD and VA locations can’t sell it). I couldn’t find a lot of my regular stuff because of all the liquor. Have they adjusted the balance now?
This is similar to why I don’t go to the College Park Costco — they have huge kosher and halal sections so I feel like I can’t find my regular stuff there.

There is no Costco in College Park. Do you mean Beltsville?

I feel like the PP is thinking of a different Costco. The halal section at beltsville is tiny. A small area in the freezer section and I think that’s it.

Yes, Beltsville, sorry. I have a very broad view of College Park ... basically everything between Greenbelt and Silver Spring. I actually haven't been in a few years so maybe they've downsized the Kosher and Halal sections. It is a pretty small Costco anyway. Used to go there for the gas sometimes or in combo with an Ikea trip (the Ikea is in College Park, right? And that's just up the street from the Costco.)

They have huge boxes of bone in goat!

Fairfax has whole goats in the freezer case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why you'd go for daily groceries unless you had like a 6 person family min business is good bye I heard Sam's Cub is better for business shopping.

Costco has a few items highly worthy of the shopping experience. Google them.

I think their parm cheese is imported from Italy direct. Their wine selection is above average as their linens. They carry interesting seasonal items that are good to look at even if you don't get from them it's fun to shop there in a manner of speaking. Their cinnamon is top shelf as olive oil for cooking. Def toilet paper and cleaning supplies like detergent, Claritin, stuff in bulk to get.

You'd be surprised how good the Kirkland brand measures up to other house brands. I'm not suggesting it's top shelf for everything but as someone who shops at Niemans, I like Costco . You're not going to get unfortunately your flavors for everything you prefer like Goldfish unfortunately is only cheddar. But I hear it's location/state dependent, the CA ones are the bomb!

I'm not sure I'd join specifically for the shopping opportunity there but if you had some disposable income and time, it's not a horrible waste of money to consider.

We have a family of 4 (2 teen girls who don’t eat that much) and I go once a week and buy at least 50% of our food there. My weekly list would look something like:

Milk
Eggs
Various berries
Romaine lettuce
Tomatoes and cucumbers
Bag of sweet peppers
Bananas
Brussels sprouts or asparagus
Replace whatever crunchy snack we might be out of
A prepared meal (like stuffed peppers or steet tacos)
Bread or bagels when we are out
Whatever oil/syrup/other pantry item we may be out of

We go every 2-3 months or two and our list (also 2 teens) is:
Coffee
Sandwich bread
PB
Organic Strawberry Jam
Kerrygold Butter
Berries and/or Cherries
Mini tomatos
Black beans (canned)
Tuna fish (canned)
Canned marzano tomatos
Rao's sauce
That Italian made pasta
Organic ground beef
frozen marinated wild caught salmon
organic bean and rice burritos
Kirkland premium vanilla ice cream
Spinach and cheese ravioli (frozen)
Dried mango slices
Dried fruit bars for snacks
Rx bars
Organic baby spinach
Usually end up getting some sweet treat -- my favorite is the Kirkland chocolate covered almonds but the kids prefer the cookies from the bakery. We can compromise on the enormous ferrer rocher or the bag of Ghiradelli squares.
Laundry detergent
Cascade thingies for dishwasher

Then these we get maybe once a year, or less:
Raisins
Ghiradelli Brownie mix
chocolate chips
Kirkland pesto
paper towels, TP, bleach wipes
pure maple syrup
real vanilla
winter gloves
long underwear
beach towels
Skechers
men's jeans, khakis, athletic track pants and shorts

Their prices on baby clothes and little kid's clothes are really good -- anyone with little kids can just get their wardrobe there cheaply and easily.