15 REASONS WHY COSTCO IS THE BEST

15 REASONS WHY COSTCO IS THE BEST

1. The prices.
Prior to September 15, 1983, buying items in bulk made you look like either a criminal suspect or an obsessive hoarder. Really, who needs a 3-dozen carton of eggs and a 12-pack of muffins? Unless you want to become a muffin, you re Kate Gosselin or are a member of the Duggar clan, that is. Flash-forward to today and you d be crazy not to buy these items in bulk. The price per unit is an absolute steal and you re left with extra cash to knock a few items off your holiday gift list. Try this suggestion from Frugal 101: If you have kids and need to save on school supplies, get a group of parents together, have everyone chip in a few dollars and then divvy up a large pack of markers, pens, paper, and any other supplies the teacher requires. For the holidays, take a look at Costco s impressive selection of DVDs. My greatest find was The Seinfeld Complete Series DVD Collection for just under $100. Yes, I said under $100. Of course, skepticism ensued and I questioned whether half the DVD pockets were empty. The only thing ridiculous about this illustration is that I doubted Costco for a millisecond. The DVDs were in impeccable condition, there were no missing disks and they even included bonus features. For once, I actually purchased a gift that my boyfriend liked.

2. Feeling like a VIP.
Upon entering Costco, shoppers must pull out their membership cards for the store clerk to view. If you re a rookie, you likely belong to the Gold Star club. If you re a Costco veteran, can t seem to go a weekend without a trip to the warehouse or simply refuse to shop anywhere else, you likely own an Executive Membership and enjoy an annual 2% reward on your Costco purchases. If you re fortunate enough to have an Executive Membership card in your wallet, congratulations, you ve made it to the top. Admit it, you feel kind of cool flashing your black and gold card to gain access into the building. Just try to remember that you re not a CIA agent.

3. Return policy.
Did your printer break? Is your new Ninja Ultra Kitchen System not chopping properly? All you have to do is return it pretty much whenever you want. If you re busy binge watching all of Homeland and can t fathom leaving the couch this weekend, just take it back in a couple of years. You ll still get all of your money back.

4. Organic options.
Whole Foods and specialty nutrition shops are great, but they ll cost you your next few paychecks, and some. Solution: weave in and out of Costco s food aisles to see what new organic and eco-friendly products are in store. A few of my all time favorites are the Earthly Choice Organic Quinoa, Carrington Farms 100% Organic Coconut Oil and Kirkland Signature Environmentally Friendly Laundry Detergent in natural lavender scent. If you want to take it to the next level, knock yourself out with the Kirkland Signature Eco Friendly Liquid Dish Soap. Not satisfied with how this soap cuts grease? See number three. If you re not into store brand products, Costco now carries hair and body wash by Jessica Alba s all natural product line, The Honest Company.

5. Costco Carries What?!
This holiday season, surprise your child with a Metropolis Play System for just $18,999.99. If you can t live in the city, simply bring the city to your back yard with this outdoor playground that comes luxuriously furnished with a sky loft and extra wide monkey bars. While you re at it, treat yourself to an Almost Heaven Deluxe Sauna that comes shaped like a wine barrel. A bit unnecessary? Maybe. But if you could, you probably would, right?

6. Costco gas.
If you didn t already know, Costco s gas prices are typically between $0.10 and $0.20 cheaper than the nearest gas station. Costco might not have the fun squeegee stations but it s a small price to pay for great savings.