The first Cherokee County Costco is scheduled to open on Thursday, August 9th at 8AM, and it is starting to feel a little like Black Friday for those of us in the Woodstock area. Personally, I have been out of the wholesale club scene for quite a while now, so I thought I’d brush up on exactly what the benefits are of a membership, as well as what to avoid. That, and it makes me look like I’ve done my due diligence to my husband, who, rightfully so, questioned why we would need to join the club since the number of mouths in our household is on the decrease.
There are plenty of articles on what to buy and what to skip at Costco, as well as “hacks”….some of them blatantly obvious, such as sharing a membership card or taking advantage of the $1.50 hot dog and soda combo, but some of the tips were helpful. Here’s the best we found:
Gift Cards: The gift card section often includes other items, like 2 for 1 movie passes, and occasionally the gift cards are discounted too.
Ink Cartridges: Printer ink can be refilled for $7.49, according to report from CBS News.
Buy Kirkland Brand: The Kirkland brand strives to be as good if not better than name brand, so if you can handle your bottle of wine having “Kirkland” on the label, it is worth it.
End Caps are NOT Sale Prices: Opposite of other main stream grocers that feature sale and promotional items on the end caps, Costco’s end caps are for regular price items. Sale items will be found within the aisle.
Some purchases do not require a membership: Prescriptions, the food court, and in some states alcohol can be purchased without having a membership.
Tech Support: Costco offers free tech support on all electronic purchases.
In addition to some of these tips, there are some items that are well worth purchasing at Costco, while some items you are better off getting elsewhere. There is a helpful article on the 20 things you should buy, versus the 20 items to skip at Costco.
Items to grab include: Wine, syrup, honey, almond butter, organic spinach, string cheese, fruit rollups, cat 
litter, vanilla extract, yeast and Nutella.
Items to avoid include: fresh produce, eggs, milk, flour, spices, name-brand cereal, coffee, nuts, baking powder, condiment packs, diapers, canned goods, soda and sheets and towels. These “no” items are primarily due to the fact that they have a short shelf life, and you’ll never use the product up before expiration.
Now, you still have to control yourself. Shoppers like myself fall prey to talking themselves into buying a 10 gallon drum of pretzel rods. But, after doing some research, I am feeling ready to face the wholesale world again and check out Woodstock’s Costco.
If you don’t have a card, you can sign up before as they have a special offer for you according to the Facebook page.
Let us know if you know of any hacks we missed! Follow us on social media for more updates.
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