Theres one near the Supermarket, what do I need to’ (i.e. is it ‘worth’ it????). It always seems like one of those places thats not open to the likes of you and me/public?

I think anyone can join but there is a membership fee.

IMO its worth borrowing someones card if you have a party to buy for etc but you wouldn’t want to do your weekly shop there.

Some good deals on electricals as well apparently.

I still have a large bottle of Fairy Liquid on my shelf left over from the great pre-wedding Costco visit of ’95.

Haven’t been back. I need some more shelves first.

anyone can join

Not entirely true but the membership criteria are so lax that it might as well be, e.g. you seem to be able to join if you’re a member of the AA so try telling them you’re a member of Singletrack Forum – that may work.

Whether it’s worth it depends on you; lots of electrical and clothing bargains etc but it mainly it sells household goods in large quantities or packs so you need (a) space to store stuff and (b) a sufficient appetite to eat things before they go off. Before we joined we went and had a look round the store and I was hooked as soon as I saw the boats for sale; Mrs R was enticed by the cheap catfood.

I’m not a Costco member, although keep meaning to join up. Can’t remember what the annual membership is for personal use, but it wasn’t a lot last time I bothered to look (and then never followed up by joining. again).

Have been a few times with a mate who shops there a lot. Always seems to be a lot of good deals on electrical items. There always seemed to be a whole load of random stuff they’d got hold of too, and sold on a “when it’s gone it’s gone basis”, so if you drop in regularly you may come across stuff you need at a good price buy may never see on sale again.

For most other things, you’re saving money by buying in bulk.

Work colleague also found them cheapest for getting new tyres fitted to his car. I didn’t realise they did tyres, but apparently whichever branch he uses does.

Cheese, good for cheese, if you like cheese.

We borrow our neighbours card once a year, just before xmas, bulk buy cat food, household cleaning stuff, xmas tat for pressies, stock up on cheese, loads of good deals on cheese, if you like cheese, you will love the deals they do 😉

Did I mention the cheese……

We’re members. As Rio says, if you have storage space for the bulk-buy bargains then it is a great place. Ideal for stuff that doesn’t go off (bog roll, massive bottles of fabric softener etc).

Ours also seems to do very decent quality meat that is considerably more “butcher” than “supermarket”.

Good for wine, bulk food and home stuff (the cakes are amazing) and a really odd selection of bargains.

Otherwise, Amazon(*other websites are available) can be cheaper.

We went to look for a smallish flat screen tv. It was cheaper in Costco than any other shop we’d been in but was still £50 cheaper on Amazon.

My dad stocks up at Christmas. I get massive tubs of chocolate coated raisins and bombay mix.

Binners can I get condoms there? I get through an epic amount with my customers

Good meat. Beer specials are more expensive than normal price.

Oh yeah, and they are great for cheese.

We’re members and certainly get our moneys worth from them!

Cheapest place around to buy Nappies + baby wipes (you get through quite a lot, even with only one child still in them!)
As others have said, cheese and meat is great quality and value.

Cakes are really good if you are having a party.

Tools etc are often good value for money but its pot-luck what they have in stock.

Zacs future…….

If a little out of date food doesn’t bother you, try these guys…

http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/

I was a little suspicious at first but a great service.

I bought 200 creme eggs (I know), an outer of kaffir lime and chili stir fry sauce (12 packets) and an outer of red curry paste (12 packets) and it cost me £21.77 delivered – £20 for creme eggs, £1.76 for stir fry sauce and 1p (yes 1p) for the red curry paste.

All been tried and I am still standing.

I’ve got a Makro card through work – similar concept – echo what they all said up there. Be aware that the prices are GENERALLY cheaper than a supermarket, there are times when specific supermarket promotions (BOGOFF’s etc) will still beat the cash+carry’s, so it’s worth shopping around.

The meat is very good quality and excellent value, though you end up buying much larger quantities. Beer’s better value than Tesco, even when they have a deal on.

I’m a member and go every 3 months or so, i load my van full of stuff. As said bog roll, fabric conditioner, bin bags are ace.

I love to buy catering style stuff, tins of tuna the size of a small planet ❗

Also when you go you never know what they’ll have in stock, as a lot of stuff is seasonal, it’s random.

Also great party food, huge pizzas and sandwiches on trays.

No stunning bargains, but never far off the money. Generally good quality stuff, especially the food. Good returns policy for electrical stuff etc. Easy to spend too much on shiny things……

No stunning bargains

Not entirely true as there are sometimes some cracking deals – but overall there’s def a saving to be made. Meat and cheese are particularly good and wine can sometimes be proper cheap too if there’s a special on.
if you can join as a trade member it’s much better as you can go int the morning when it’s quieter and you get free coffee and muffins.

For electricals they’re brilliant as they give you a 5 year warranty as standard and their returns policy is second to none – they actually gave me my money back for a plasma that went pop last month even though the warranty had run out nearly two years before (they ‘only’ did a 3 year warranty when I bought it).
On top of this there’s a 90 day returns policy so you can buy that massive TV that the wife thinks is too big and if you begrudgingly agree with her after 89 days you can take it back and get all you money back no questions asked….. brilliant.

Apart from the paying bit I always enjoy a Costco trip 🙂

Just watch out for your first few visits when you end up buying almost everything you see!

Use to be a member, some stuff is cheap but you need to buy bulk. It took me 3 years to get through one of the dishwasher tablet deals they had. I let my membership go a couple of years ago as was Ok but not really worth it. The electrical goods are rarely cheaper than elsewhere but again they may do a silly offer.

Their meat comes from Scotch Beef who M&S use and some butchers so yes their steak is pretty good.

Ah yes, forgot about the meat. You need a big freezer as well.

You need a big freezer as well.

This. We buy big packs of chicken and mince then split them into multiple bags of the amount we’d normally use for a meal.

Remember when you were about 4 and went to the supermarket with mum, and everything seemed MASSIVE?

Like that, but you’re a grown up…

The electrical goods are rarely cheaper than elsewhere

I’m not sure you can include TV’s in this statement as I’ve found them to be as cheap as anyone else but with the added warranty/returns bonus.

Are they any good for cheese?

I’m not sure you can include TV’s in this statement as I’ve found them to be as cheap as anyone else but with the added warranty/returns bonus.

Not cheaper then, yes I forgot about the 5 year warranty but John Lewis do that and often Richer Sounds. Worth watching their flyers for bargains though.

Meat is good , even more so when on passport offer. And no visit is complete without pizza slice or two,chicken bake, and hotdawg, washed down with loads of diet coke, got to think of the waistline

Do they do cheese?

Yeah they do your run of the meal cheese you can buy in any supermarket so yes it’s ok but no not as good as proper independent cheese shop. Oh and it’s about the size of a cartwheel so you best like it.

Apparently, they do cheese.

But I never saw any when we used to go as I was too busy eating cheese.

I forgot about the 5 year warranty but John Lewis do that and often Richer Sounds.

I think RS charge for the 5 year warranty – anyhoo I’d MUCH rather deal with Costco if there was a return to be made.

..try telling them you’re a member of Singletrack Forum – that may work…

LOL! Thing is, it probably would.

The thing people seemed to have missed is that on Saturdays, they tend to embellish the CostCo experience with free food sampling trolleys/people dotted around the store. This combined stroll / free food combo is great for a Saturday morning hangover.

Edit: Warning, sometimes includes wine & spirits.

Oh, and massive tubs of Haribo for £3.

handy if you or mrs can go with a ccouple of mates with similar wants, so buy and split the large packs

NHS staff can join (so can a few others)

I think RS charge for the 5 year warranty – anyhoo I’d MUCH rather deal with Costco if there was a return to be made.

They do but do offers where they chuck it in. Have heard Costco never quibble but I’ve never had to take anything back.

I bought 200 creme eggs (I know)

Did you do that on purpose or was it a typo? 🙂 My dad has started to do his grocery shopping online recently. The first delivery included 168 fishcakes and 60 kilos of birdseed. Luckily the fishcakes are quite nice, but he’s going to take a little more time to review the order next time.

To make this slightly bike related, they’re about to start selling the Mekk Poggio 2 carbon road bike for £803…