Last week I shared some of my favorite tips to save money (easily!) and I wanted to continue by sharing a similar post this week. My husband and I have had a Costco membership for 2 years, and it is one of our favorite places to shop. Costco seriously has EVERYTHING. If you’ve ever been in one you know what I mean! Aisles and aisles of things you definitely need – or seriously want.
It can seem like shopping at Costco is overkill for 2 people — but it really is budget-friendly and a way to get healthy food at great prices. I’ll admit that it does require some advance prep and thought, but I wanted to share my tips and tricks so it’s as easy as possible!
What We Buy
Meat
- Costco sells large packages of both normal and Organic Chicken – but they are packaged with 2 chicken breasts per pack. This is ideal for 2 people! I pull the packages apart (They are pre-cut to divide up into individual packs) and freeze them all. I will take out one pack to thaw in the fridge when we need it.
- We are big Salmon lovers and I have yet to find cheaper, high-quality fish. The fresh Salmon is great if you need to feed a lot of people, or you could cut it up and freeze it on your own. We usually stick with the freezer bags of Salmon – they are individually frozen and are perfect when thawed and baked for ~18 minutes at 350!
- The packages (more like platters?) of ground beef might look huge and intimidating, but they are a great deal. We buy the leanest beef possible and break it up into 1 pound chunks when we get home. I then wrap each 1-pound piece in plastic wrap and put a bunch of them into a heavy duty freezer bag. I can take one package and thaw when needed.
Vegetables
- We are trying to eat more veggies, so if I see broccoli or brussell sprouts I will grab them! I include a vegetable in every meal possible to make sure we eat it before it spoils. If we can’t eat it in time I will freeze the veggies and steam them with meals. I also always grab a bag of Avocados – I love them on toast, in salads, or in sandwiches and my husband loves to make guacamole!
Fruit
- I have yet to find cheaper blueberries! They were even cheaper than Aldi and are much higher quality. I also love their clementines.
Dairy
- We buy the large containers of Organic Greek yogurt. It’s perfect for smoothies, snacks, or breakfast. You can’t find anything cheaper – trust me!
- I make sure to grab one block of cheese – I avoid the large bags of shredded cheese because shredded cheese has additives to make it not clumpy. If I buy a block we can slice or shred it as needed (Make sure you have a cheese grater!). I also grab fresh mozzarella – it’s my husband’s favorite snack!
Toilet Paper
- TP is Costco’s #1 selling item! Stocking up is always a good idea 🙂
Gas
- Gas at Costco is 10-20 cents cheaper a gallon here! It varies from time to time but it is always a substantial savings over normal gas stations. I always fill up when I’m there, even if I’m not close to empty. Plus the hoses are extra long so you can go to either side of the pump = speedy.
Alcohol
- The wine I like is cheaper here than at Total Wine – aka winning! Beer is also super cheap but you have to buy a massive case (so be prepared to store it!)
Tips & Tricks
Storage
- Invest in good freezer bags! Low quality freezer bags will give your items freezer burn. I use Glad or Hefty for freezing our meat.
Have a list
- Like anywhere, Costco has samples, displays, and things you never know you needed. Make sure you go in with a clear list to avoid getting distracted by all the goodies 🙂
Avoid Saturdays!
- Saturday mornings are a nightmare at Costco. Trust me – you are better off going ANY other time. Weeknights are super quiet and you won’t have to fend off crowds. One of our friends always have a Friday night Costco trip!
There are lots of other things we buy at Costco, but anything that’s shelf-stable just requires enough storage. (i.e. Cereal) The items above are the ones that might look excessive, but you really can make it work for 2 people. I hope this is a helpful post – and let me know if you like these type of posts and would like to see more of them!
