10 Tips For Bulk Buying At Costco To Lower Your Grocery Bill

Costco is well known for its bulk items: from snacks, drinks and groceries, to cookware items and everything in between. With food prices increasing, and so many new products to discover, it can be easy to get carried away and go over budget. But not to worry, we’ve got you covered: here are tips for bulk buying at Costco that could help lower your grocery bill.

Make a grocery list

Making a grocery list can help you stay on budget. List out all the grocery items and essentials that you need for the week, that way you can stay focused on those items. Visiting Costco without an organized list means you’re more likely to overspend and buy products you don’t need.

Frozen vegetables in a bowl including frozen carrots, broccoli and cauliflower

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Bulk buy frozen foods

Costco has a great frozen food section with a ton of bulk options to choose from. From breakfast waffles for the whole family to appetizers and dinners, the options are endless. Frozen fruits and veggies are usually cheaper than fresh at grocery stores, and Costco is no exception. Plus, you’re avoiding food waste since it takes a much longer time for frozen fruits and vegetables to go bad.

Prep and buy bulk foods

On a related note, take a little bit of time to prep and freeze bulk foods and groceries that you’re not going to use right away. For example, Costco’s variety of meats, fish, produce, bakery items like croissants and breads and even cheese can be kept in the freezer and be easily pulled out when you need them. This makes sure that your food stays fresh, and gives you fewer trips to the store, saving you some money.

Shop Costco brand products

Costco has lots of deals on their own Kirkland products. With about 350 Kirkland products available, you can save up to 20 per cent off on any given product. With these savings, you won’t miss brand name products that will hurt your wallet.

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Shop pre-made Costco meals

Pre-made or ready-made meals can save you a lot of time if you’re in a pinch during the week. Costco offers plenty of tasty meals like their ever-popular rotisserie chicken, salads, fully cooked chicken wrap or taco building kits, ravioli, salmon with basil pesto butter and so much more.

Stock up on cooking essentials

Seasonings like herbs, spices, olive oil, vegetable oil, and baking essentials like flour, sugar and butter are cheaper at Costco. You’ll always have a supply, plus when stored correctly they won’t go bad, saving you on your next grocery bill.

Shop after the holidays

Many deals take place after major holidays like the Christmas season. You can find sales on a vast selection of items including some grocery items like turkey or other holiday staples that will surely save you some money on your next bill.

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Split with a friend

Split some bulk items with a friend. Depending on the size and quantity of the item, you might not need to stock up on eggs, meat or even non-food items like tissues or paper towels. You could save up to half of your overall grocery bill with your Costco-loving buddy.

Understand Costco’s price tags

Did you know there’s actually a reason behind some of Costco’s pricing? If there is an asterisk in the upper right-hand corner of the tag, the item will most likely not be restocked when it sells out. If an item ends in .99 — like something that is $5.99 — this means that the item is full-price. However, if the item’s price ends in .79 or .49, this means that the product manufacturer is offering a special promo. When it ends in .97 this is a sign that the item is on clearance. This helps when it comes to bulk buying, so make sure to look out for the price tags.

Shop online

Shopping online by visiting Costco’s website can make it easier to find deals and other sales if you can’t make it to the store. Plus, there are also some deals and offers exclusively online.

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10 Tips for Bulk Buying at Costco to Lower Your Grocery Bill