10 Best Buys at Costco for a Family on a Budget

  Like many families, we are a family that is on a budget. I wish I could say it was by choice, but rather by necessity. My husband Justin and I joke (or daydream) what it would be like to just walk into the grocery store and buy whatever we wanted… the possibilities limitless on what we could eat and dream up. Let me just give you a sneak peak into our dream grocery cart; cheese (ALL the fancy, delicious, smoked cheese), cured meats, big fat ribeye steaks, fresh seafood, all the fruits and vegetables we could squeeze in (fresh produce is a budget killer), all the fancy wine and craft beer, fresh herbs… and the list goes on and on.   The reality is, we are on a tight budget but want to feed our family in the healthiest way we can. Some of my favorite places to shop here in Kansas City include Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Hen House ( a local grocery store) and Costco. I made one of the best decisions ever a few years ago and added my Dad to our Costco membership. He wanted to just check it out and see what all the hype was about, and it really worked out in our favor. He spends a little more than we do (A LOT more), so we have the Executive Membership ($110 annually) but as you spend, you earn cash back. Between our family and my dad, we spend enough throughout the year that it pays for the annual membership fee. Like I said, best decision ever!     Now to the good stuff! When I go to Costco, I still have those dream items that I wish I could purchase ALL the time but unfortunately don’t fit into our budget. I like to think of it this way, I am thankful for everything that I am able to buy for my family. I am thankful my husband works so I can stay home with our little girl, and that when I swipe that VISA card buying what we truly need, I know it will say APPROVED. To keep that VISA card happy, I have a go-to list to keep us on track.   #1 CHICKEN   Whether you’re buying the prepackaged chicken (most prices per pound range from $0.99-$1.29 per pound depending on the cut, or if it’s organic), the amazing Costco rotisserie chicken for $4.99, or the frozen bag of chicken in the freezer section… you definitely get a lot of bang for you buck when it comes to feeding your family. I usually buy the prepackaged chicken thighs at $0.99 a pound (comes in a pack of 6) and those make us 6 meals with even some leftover for sandwich wraps for lunch. I love how Costco packages their chicken, it makes it so easy to just pop it into the freezer and use what you need. We usually make chicken about twice a week so this will usually last us a month. I also occasionally buy their roatisserie chicken. At $4.99 (here in Kansas City), it beats every grocery store price I’ve come across and it’s soooo good! We sometimes just cut it up and eat it as is with a couple sides, or I’ll clean it off the bones and toss it into a pasta, or we’ll slice it up and use it for sandwiches for the week.   #2 DAIRY PRODUCTS (Milk, Eggs, Butter & Cheese)   Now, I know that some of these prices might vary by location, but I am going to just show you some of the prices we have for the Kansas City area to just give you an idea of how awesome of a deal this is. Milk, butter, eggs, and cheese are priced really well at Costco. If you love to bake, you probably go through butter like it’s out of style… and butter isn’t cheap. Thank you Costco for making my butter addiction affordable. Now, let me tell you about eggs — you can buy five dozen eggs for under $8.00. In our family, we go through A LOT of eggs. Usually eat them for breakfast every morning, the dogs usually get an egg too, and I sometimes make quiche or frittatas for dinner… so lots and lots of eggs. Now, for the second love of my life next to butter and chocolate, cheese! Costco sells really good cheese, and at a fraction of the cost of what it’s selling for at my local grocery store. It’s cheaper to buy it in the giant block and just shred and cut off chunks as you use it. Last but not least, milk. Whole milk to be exact. They have an amazing deal on their store brand Kirkland gallon sized milk, and also have good deals on Organic milk also (more expensive, but cheaper than what you pay per single container at the grocery store). If you have a baby, baby’s drink A LOT of milk.     #3 FROZEN VEGETABLES   I absolutely love the Kirkland stir fry vegetables. Now, I am someone who always believed that fresh was better, and in some cases it is. But after doing some research on my own, frozen vegetables can actually be more nutrient dense because they are frozen at their prime whereas fresh vegetables that sit on a shelf at the store start to break down rather quickly. I’m going to spare you with all the fancy vocabulary and terms they use to describe what happens to fresh vegetables as they sit, but frozen is a perfectly healthy alternative and it helps stretch that dollar even further.  We use this Kirkland stir fry for a variety of different meals.   #4  FRESH / FROZEN FISH   Costco really does have a great deal on some fresh fish. Like most fresh fish that you buy in the Midwest, it might be previously frozen or it’s farmed and not freshwater. Well, we’re landlocked here in Kansas City and I try to squeeze fish into our diet at least once a week. Costco also has a really great deal on frozen fish. The Kirkland brand bags actually individually wrap each fillet inside the package so they are free of freezer burn and are really easy to thaw out.   #5 CHIPS, CRACKERS AND DRIED FRUIT   I try not to buy too many chips and crackers, and when I do, I try to buy them baked. I have found some healthier alternatives at Costco, like Moon Cheese, that’s high in protein (just cheese) so you are actually snacking on something nutritional that will fill your belly. But let’s me real, babies love goldfish and veggie straws (at least Edie girl does). We also love dried fruit, and Costco sells giant bags of a variety of fruit for a low price.   #6 COFFEE   Just give me ALL the coffee. As I am typing this, I am thinking a cup sounds really nice right now. The Kirkland brand, which is of course really well priced for a giant bag, is actually roasted by Starbucks. I usually buy whatever is on sale (Costco runs coupons every week), and have had the pleasure of trying a variety of different beans from all over the world, and roasted locally in my city thanks to whatever is on sale when we run out.     #7 TOILET PAPER, PAPER TOWELS AND LAUNDRY SOAP   Aside from the difficulty we have storing two million rolls of toilet paper when we shop at Costco (sarcasm), it saves us a ton of money. They sell all the major brands, just in bulk at a much lower price. And you can save even more buying the store brand. If there is ever a zombie apocalypse, we have enough toilet paper to survive (thanks Costco).     #8 OILS AND SYRUPS   As a family, and my husband will correct me in saying this (it’s really ALL me), we go through a lot of maple syrup. At the grocery store, it’s insanely expensive but at Costco it’s actually affordable. Olive oil is also a great deal and you get enough to last a LONG time. These two things are higher on my list because there are cheaper alternatives (regular syrup and other oils to cook with), but these are something our family really enjoy and Costco makes them afforable for us to buy.     #9 VITAMINS AND OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICINE   Vitamins and medicine can get costly, and Costco offers a variety to choose from at afforable prices. If you’re a mom and are reading this blog, they have a great deal on prenatal vitamins.     #10 BOOZE   Now this is last on my list, because it is not a necessity but sometimes necessary for a parents’ sanity. Total joke, kind of. Costco has amazing prices on wine and liquor. Their store brand Kirkland is rumored to be the same stuff as the name brand liquor, just bottled with a different label and cheaper because they buy the surplus. This is not something we buy a lot of anymore, because food is a priority. I can tell you from experience that the Kirkland Vodka, Gin, and wine are all REALLY good. I will also tell you  I am a person that will not drink something if it isn’t good (not worth the calories in my opinion).     Oh, and to make your shopping trip complete — a cup of froyo and a hotdog for $3.00! Edie loves to go to Costco because she knows we grab a cup a frozen yogurt and a hot dog to share (we sometimes mix it up with a slice of pizza). Their food court is amazing and so well priced. It varies from location to location and probably regionally, but it is always a reliable fast bite to eat on any budget.   Have a Costco membership? Thinking about getting one now? Go for it! I will say there have been a few products that we have bought that we didn’t like at all. Costco does stand behind their Kirkland brand and if you are unsatisified for any reason, they do return items (even if opened and used) for a full refund. Great company!   What are your favorite things to buy at Costco? I would love to try some new things out if you have any suggestions! Please leave a comment below and share the love with other readers.   Happy shopping ya’ll!