Costco: Save over $50 On These 10 Items
10 Things I bought this month on my Costco run and How much I saved on each one
Who doesn’t love a good Costco run?
On the first of every month, I make a Costco run. I like to plan out our meals for the whole month about a week before the month starts. Because I do this, I’m able to save money by going to get things in bulk at Costco. Below are 10 items that I bought this month and saved over $50.00 doing so.
But before you head off to Costco, here are a few tips to follow.
3 Tips Before You Shop
- Make a budget before going
- Know the price of other stores for the items you are getting
- Take a list and STICK to it
I will show you a price comparison of 10 of the items I bought on this trip. And I’ll compare the prices to Walmart and our local Kroger, and I’m comparing exact brands.
But let me tell you a little secret. Not everything at Costco is cheaper. Shocker, I know. Later this month, I will have a post about some top items that ARE NOT cheaper to buy at Costco.
There are a few things that I get every month from Costco, and other things I just get as we run out. For example, trash bags, ketchup, and toilet paper are some things I only get when we run out.
Above, you will see the list I had for this month. But I’m only going to talk about the pantry items in this post. I’ll do a separate post for the meat. Below is a preview of the exact brands I got, and if you keep reading, you will see how much I saved on each one by buying them at Costco.
- Lance Peanut Butter Crackers
- Yoplait Go-Gurt
- LaCroix Sparkling Water
- King’s Hawaiian Rolls
- Kool-Aid Jammers
- Heinz Simply Ketchup
- Nature Valley Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate
- Powerade
- Mateo’s Salsa
- Boom Chicka Popcorn
1. Lance Peanut Butter Crackers
These are a go snack in our house. They are easy for the kids to grab and eat. And even my husband takes them to work every day for an afternoon snack. They come in a 40-pack.
Costco: $6.99
Walmart: $13.48
Kroger: $16.98 (Ouch)
2. Yoplait Go-Gurt
My boys have been on a kick lately eating these. But if you noticed, they were not on my list above. They, however, were on my Walmart list. As I was shopping and came across them at Costco, I decided to do a price comparison on the spot. After checking Walmart’s website, I realized it is cheaper to get them at Costco. So I picked them up and took them off my Walmart order. They come in a box with 32 tubes.
Costco: $7.69 (I got them on sale for $4.49)
Walmart: $9.94
Kroger: $13.96
3. LaCroix Sparkling Water
I love this stuff. It has replaced my soda habit. They usually have 2 different ones to choose from. The Hibiscus flavor in this pack is delicious. You get 24 cans.
Costco: $8.99 (I got them on sale for $6.59)
Walmart: $11.46
Kroger: $13.47
4. King’s Hawaiian Rolls
My kids love these things. But man, they can be pricey. That’s why I love picking these up when I’m in Costco. You get a twin pack. There are 16 rolls in a pack. Now Walmart and Kroger’s party packs only have 24 in them, and they still cost more than Costco. But if you want to get close to the 32-count pack, then you can add an additional 12-pack and have 36 rolls. Which costs you even more.
Costco: $6.59
Walmart: $7.28 (24 rolls) or $11.61 (36 rolls)
Kroger: $7.99 (24 rolls) or $12.48 (36 rolls)
5. Kool-Aid Jammers
One of my boys takes these to school in his lunch. So this 4 pack will last him the entire month. There are 4 boxes for a total of 40 pouches.
Costco: $8.89
Walmart: $9.66
Kroger: $10.98
6. Heinz Simply Ketchup
There are only a few things that I will buy brand specific, and this is one of them. We have always been a Heinz ketchup family. You get 3 44 oz bottles for a total of 132 oz. At Walmart and Kroger, you only get 31 oz bottles for a total of 124 oz. So again, you are getting less but paying more by not getting this at Costco.
Costco: $11.79
Walmart: $19.28
Kroger: $27.96 (YIKES!!)
7. Nature Valley Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate
My husband takes these every day to work as part of his breakfast. He will also grab one on the weekends for a quick snack. They come in a box of 30.
Costco: $15.89 (I got them on sale for $12.39)
Walmart: $19.76
Kroger: $29.97
8. Powerade
I picked up Powerade for my oldest son. Even though they are on my list and I get them, he pays me back for them because even he likes to save money. They come in a 24-pack.
Costco: $13.29
Walmart: $17.34
Kroger: $20.97
9. Mateo’s Salsa
I have to give a shout-out to my niece Madison for introducing me to this salsa. It’s amazing! We use it on tacos, burritos, and chips. You get a 32 oz jar.
Costco: $6.49 (I got it on sale for $4.89)
Walmart: $8.64
Kroger: $8.98
10. Boom Chicka Popcorn
I have to admit, on this one, I broke my own rule and got something that wasn’t on my list. BUT, I only got it because it was on sale, and they didn’t have the rolls that were on my list. So I didn’t spend more money. I actually spent less money. This comes in a 25 oz bag at Costco. But at Walmart, you can only get 21 ounces, and at Kroger, you only get 20 ounces.
Costco: $5.99 (I got it on sale for $3.69)
Walmart: $9.00
Kroger: $9.98
Did you notice a pattern of getting less but paying more at Walmart and Kroger? Now not all things come out this way. So be sure to come back and read about what doesn’t cost less at Costco.
Savings Breakdown:
Here’s how it breaks down. I spent $80 at Costco on these 10 items.
I would have spent $130.17 at Walmart and $165.73 at Kroger.
That comes to a $50.17 savings over Walmart and an $85.73 savings over Kroger.
This trip was totally worth it. While I was there, I also picked up some meat. There will be another post about the savings you can get buying meat at Costco.
Are there any items you would like me to compare for you? I would love to hear below in the comments.
Keepin’ it real,
Magan O.
Love how you compare the items. I love shopping at Sam’s Club and I save a bundle. Buying in bulk really saves.
Thank you. I thought at first that buying in bulk wasn’t really a savings hack. Until I really dove into it. Now I try to do it any chance I get.