Your Costco must-haves

We're off to Costco on Friday... we've been before but it's been quite a while. We're looking to stock up on loads of stuff that will save us money long term (chopped tomatoes, peanut butter, chicken and beef, etc).

What do you consider really good value there on top of the American goodies we all look for?! 

(btw, I think there's a similar thread here somewhere but I couldn't find it!)

Laundry soap, conditioner, and fairy dish washing soap!

Skippy crunchy peanut butter, walnuts, Jack Daniels bbq sauce, ketchup, French's mustard, mozzarella cheese and real tortilla chips (when they have them) but don't forget the Pace salsa to go with them.

Other things we buy...

Bin bags (the box lasts us about 4 to 6 months)
Persil laundry soap (lasts us 6 weeks to 2 months)
Foil aluminium (don't know how long it will last but it has been over 6 months already)
Toilet tissue (lasts us 6 weeks or so)
Paper towels (same)

If you notice a theme here...we go to Costco every other mont or so when we are out of toilet paper and paper towels. The thing is to not buy the stuff you don't need but just want. Although I do love my 800 count Egyptian cotton sheets and duvet cover.

- Soy sauce (so much cheaper to buy a giant jug of Kikkoman!)
- Coffee
- Bacon (really good in multipacks so you can freeze & defrost one at a time!)
- Pet food (depends on what you usually buy...for us, Costco wasn't cheaper, but might be for other brands/types)
- Laundry detergent on special.

I personally don't think the washing up liquid or some other things people have listed are CHEAPER than buying a normal amount at, say, Tesco.  I always try and do the math, since sometimes the VAT price makes it more expensive.

Sponges, they hav AWESOME sponges
Hersheys syrup and chocolates (not me, but they have them)
CHAOS!!!

dont know if it's good value or not, but my Costco must-have is white albacore tuna!

We stock up about 3-4 times a year and get a Streetcar, so for us it's all about heavy, bulky things we don't want to carry on our local shopping runs (also thankfully infrequent thanks to veg box delivery!).

Our Costco staples:

paper towels
bin bags (the big rolls are FANTASTIC - really strong and easy to tie)
cases of tinned tomatoes and corn
beer (my fiance gets several cases of nice bottles that last him ages)
multipacks of halloumi
dried mushrooms (unbelievably cheaper than at the supermarket!!)
kitty litter (our cat loves the stuff in the bright green tubs)
cat food (I can't remember the exact name, but the Costco's own brand is identical to Hill's Science Plan and a fraction of the cost)
Bulk maple syrup (we refill the little bottle and just keep that in the fridge)

We stock up on all our cleaning supplies, including dishwasher detergent, detergent, fabric softener and sheets.

I'm beyond pumped because a Costco is finally opening in Cardiff this week!!! 
DH has been making snide comments all week about how pitiful I am to get so excited over a stupid store opening.  He's just teasing, but I keep talking about it anyway.

I'm having serious cravings for certain American sweets and blaming them on pregnancy.  Does anyone know if they sell the tubs of red vines there like Costco does in the States?  I would so love real red licorice--not the waxy twizzlers that taste of nothing, but red vines-type licorice. What other American sweets are there (besides Hersheys, which I don't eat)?  Do they sell petrol like they do in the States?

I'm licking my lips at the thought of corn dogs dipped in French's mustard--already have the mustard, but mmm corndogs that I don't have to make from scratch . . .

I'm beyond pumped because a Costco is finally opening in Cardiff this week!!! 
DH has been making snide comments all week about how pitiful I am to get so excited over a stupid store opening.  He's just teasing, but I keep talking about it anyway.

I'm having serious cravings for certain American sweets and blaming them on pregnancy.  Does anyone know if they sell the tubs of red vines there like Costco does in the States?  I would so love real red licorice--not the waxy twizzlers that taste of nothing, but red vines-type licorice. What other American sweets are there (besides Hersheys, which I don't eat)?  Do they sell petrol like they do in the States?

I'm licking my lips at the thought of corn dogs dipped in French's mustard--already have the mustard, but mmm corndogs that I don't have to make from scratch . . .

Sorry to let you down, being a pregnant lady and all, but they don't have licorice nor do they carry corndogs. But they do have wonderful kosher style hot dogs. And no, they don't have petrol stations! But enjoy your trip to Costco!

Sorry to let you down, being a pregnant lady and all, but they don't have licorice nor do they carry corndogs. But they do have wonderful kosher style hot dogs. And no, they don't have petrol stations! But enjoy your trip to Costco!

Yes, they do! DH bought me frozen corn dogs last year. We haven't been since so assuming they still carry them, you may be in luck!

I don't know about the red vine stuff. But if you like red licorice, have you tried the Australian stuff Lakeland sells? I don't have time to get a link... we're on our way out the door. But they sell it online and in their shops!

Yes, they do! DH bought me frozen corn dogs last year. We haven't been since so assuming they still carry them, you may be in luck!

I don't know about the red vine stuff. But if you like red licorice, have you tried the Australian stuff Lakeland sells? I don't have time to get a link... we're on our way out the door. But they sell it online and in their shops!

No...I haven't seen them! Oh well, good for the pregnant lady!!!

Giant bags of pine nuts!! That's probably our biggest money saver - we use them in so many dishes and the small bags at the grocery store are ridiculously expensive!!

We're boring Costco shoppers and only get excited about a few things:

Laundry powder
Skippy Peanut butter
Sweet Thai Chilli sauce
Green Giant Sweetcorn

We did buy the funkiest spice rack ever on one trip which I love and they had birkenstocks the last time I went and I totally regret not getting them.

We go for the day out and get nervous about being there because if let lose we would spend a fortune, so we've disciplined ourselves only to buy a few products....yawn!

OOh, they have crocs for kids, I am wearing Costco Birkenstocks right now!!
Thai Chili sauce is usually cheaper at the CHinese Supermarket.

We always buy:
Kirkland Diaper Wipes
Kirkland Paper Towels (big American Style ones)
Frozen Prawns
Diet Coke
Beer
Chaos
Pirates Booty
Pretzels
Scotchbrite Sponges
Clorox Kitchen Cleaner (which they have had recently)
Aluminium Foil (in sheets)
Ziploc Baggies
Kirkland Garbage Bags
Ready-Made meals (great for friends who have just had babies)
Peanut Butter
Their sheet cakes are AWESOME for parties, £11 to feed 50 people!!

I go pretty much every week, so I don't do a big shop ever.