Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas or how to buy a flat iron

Wishing all the Costco fans out there a Merry Christmas!

Speaking of Christmas, here's a gift idea for the woman in your life. I recently noticed a new item on costco.com, the Chi 1" ceramic flat iron, a professional styling iron!

This is probably one of the best flat irons out there. It's not just a flat iron, but can also curl hair. If you do a search on youtube, there are tons of videos showing how people use the flat iron to curl. I got one for my wife last year for her birthday and she loves it. The $74.99 price is very competitive. So if your woman is itching for a new iron, either to straighten or curl hair, check this one out!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Best Stock for 2009?

You guessed it. Costco.

Best time to jump in the market is now. COST is trading at around $54/share. We bought our shares a while ago at $67, but we're in it long term. Go buy some stock!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

eBay Watch: Kirkland brand diapers

I know I've mentioned diapers before, but seeing this auction on ebay sparked another thought.

There are tons of diaper brands out there, and everyone has their opinion on which is the best. We've tried Pampers, Huggies, Walgreens generic, but have yet to try the Kirkland brand. We haven't bought diapers in months b/c of gifts, stocking up on diaper deals beforehand, etc. I would like to "sample" the Kirkland, but don't want to commit to buying the whole box of 200+ diapers. There was a sample a month back for the new Kirkland Supreme diapers, which we sent away for, but if you want a bit more of an extended trial, might be worth it to check eBay and see if someone is selling a smaller batch of the brand that you want. That way you can try a certain brand w/o committing to a large box. This probably only works for Kirkland brand or other club store generics.

Nothing completely novel, just a thought for you parents out there.

Monday, December 8, 2008

25% off at Walmart if you use your AMEX

Yes, I know, this is not a Costco-related post. But smart shoppers who are Costco fans are generally Walmart shoppers as well. There are a lot of opinions about Walmart and its employment practices, impact of stores on other retailers, etc, but one cannot beat their prices on most goods. So if you're anti-Walmart, ignore this, otherwise take advantage of this deal!

It's a deal that's been around a while, if you troll the forums of slickdeals, fatwallet, or other deal sites. If you enroll your AMEX in this Walmart promotion and spend at least $40 in 2 separate transactions at Walmart, you will get a $20 statement credit within a few days in your AMEX account. In other words, spend $80 at Walmart for only $60, a 25% savings.

If you're like us, and can't think of $80 worth of goods to buy, buy 2 gift cards of $40/each and spend it as you need it! You can enroll multiple AMEX cards in this promo, and get the $20 credit. I bought two $40 gift cards on Sat, and the $20 credit posted today!

Skeptical? Read the fatwallet posts for testimonials of others who have received this credit. The fine print does mention that it's not valid for gift card purchases, but it does work, and there's no way that AMEX will know that your $40 purchase was for a gift card.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Life hits...

Apologize for the light posting. Things have been a bit busy at work. I have been to Costco at least 3 times this week though mostly for a quick trip to pickup some cash cards.

Update on the cash cards: live.com cashback for eBay is over for now.. It was at 30% for a few days last week during Thanksgiving, went back down to 25% on Mon, then 20%, then 15% as of yesterday. Let's hope it comes back to 30%! It was a great deal for me, both buying and selling on eBay.

What new things have you noticed at your local Costco?!?!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Pie rush at Costco!

Costco has pumpkin pies down to a science
-1 million pies in a week?!?!?! On our visit to Costco this crazy day-before-Thanksgiving, we did see a whole lot of apple pies being pushed out the door too.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Costco vs. Sam's vs. BJ's

From TheStreet.com,
Did you know, on average, consumers visit Costco 2.8 times/month, compared with 2.37 times/month for Sam's and 2.1 visits/month for BJ's.

Additionally, shoppers spend $92.82 each time they visit Costco, 55% more than Sam's, 59% more than Walmart, and 70% more than BJ's.

What does this say? It tells me that Costco shoppers are more loyal to Costco, and they spend more there than shoppers at other comparable club stores. Just an interesting tidbit for you Costco fans!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW DSLR camera bag now at Costco!

In today's Costco treasure hunt, I saw that they are now carrying the Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW camera bag (item #224765) for $67.99!! I have this bag for myself and love it! It carries my D80, 50mm f1.8 lens, 18-200 VR lens, sb-600 flash, extra battery, charger, and all my accessories.

They don't yet have it on costco.com, but here's a link to amazon, so that you can see it. It's listed for $89.95 on amazon, and a quick search reveals a lowest price of $68.99 at rei.com.

The only con I can think of for this bag is that it can be a bit bulky. It's designed such that you can keep it on your back as a sling, and be able to swing it around to access what you need, but it can be a bit cumbersome. With a DSLR, lenses, flash, I don't know if you can avoid cumbersomeness anyway.

If you're in the market for a DSLR camera bag, check this out on your next trip to Costco!

Winner of the $10 Costco cash card...

is Sharon Yim! Used random.org to generate a random integer between 1-9 (total # of entries) and on the 9th iteration, it came up with #5 which corresponded with Sharon's comment on the original post!

Congrats to Sharon, and keep checking back for future promotions!!!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

A store that thinks like a customer?!?! Brilliant!

"I try to approach the visits from the standpoint of a customer. Does the building have the right goods out? Is it well-stocked and clean and safe? Nothing is a bigger turnoff than poor housekeeping, most particularly in a place where you have food. Also, when you have a sloppy building, I can guarantee you're going to have high shrinkage [pilfering and shoplifting]."
-Jim Sinegal, Costco CEO

Finally. A retailer that thinks like a customer. That's why we all love Costco. They know what the consumer wants and models everything around that. Good article that gives you a glimpse into the vision & mindset of Costco's leader.

I counted 8 entries (including the two on my facebook notes feed) for the $10 Costco cash card promo. Drawing will be conducted sometime this weekend via unbiased, independent means and winner will be posted on Monday!!!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Last day for the $10 Costco cash card!

leave a comment on this or the previous post on what your favorite item to buy at Costco and why! Winner will be randomly drawn and will win a $10 Costco cash card!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Costco Fans Promotion! Win a $10 Costco cash card!

I mentioned this earlier, but I wanted this blog to be more interactive with readers, so that all of you can provide your suggestions too!

So...in the spirit of Web 2.0, I wanted to pose the simple question:

What's your favorite item at Costco and why? It could be the item you buy the most, or the splurge item that you don't necessarily need, but love, or the most useful item you've bought, or the best deal you've taken advantage of, etc.

Leave a comment in this thread, and in 1 week, I will randomly choose a number using random.org, and the comment # that corresponds to that random # will win a $10 Costco cash card mailed to the address of your choosing!!! Comment must be left on this thread, not on facebook, or any other site.

A few rules:
  1. One entry per person regardless of number of comments.
  2. If you are related to me, you are not eligible.

    **If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Free Kirkland brand diaper sample!

Apparently Costco is introducing a new Kirkland brand Supreme diaper. It's in the upcoming November coupon book, and they are also offering a sample from their website. Go get a sample now!

It is interesting though, that the sample is promised between 4-6 weeks, but the coupon is valid 11/17-12/7. Hopefully one would get the sample before committing to a big box of diapers. BTW, the coupon is for $5 off. Guessing the price of a box is around $30.

**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Nikon D90 at Costco

On one of my multi-weekly trips to Costco recently, I noticed that they're selling the Nikon D90 DSLR these days. I also saw that it's on sale for a $100 off with 2 excellent lenses in the bundle. I originally got the D80 bundle back in December 2006 when they had it; I think they've had the D40 at some time as well. One of the many features of the D90 is the fact that it's one of the few DSLRs out there that records video.

Ken Rockwell reviews it on his website, and also explains the megapixel myth. Basically the number of megapixels will not make a difference to the regular amateur photographer. Read his review if you're considering the D90.

My take? It's always been a great idea to combine multiple technologies/features into one device, but it often results in mediocre performance. Heard of the phrase, "jack of all trades, master of none?" That's how I feel about most multi-function devices outside of fax/copy/scan machines. If you want a good camera, get a good camera. If you want a good video camera, get a good video camera and expect it to be something different from your good camera. FYI, we have the D80 with a 18-200 VR and 50mm (1.8) lenses, and the Canon HV30 HD video camera.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Sign of the ultimate Costco Fan & gift card update

I'm seriously thinking of buying >this.

Tally of gift cards: Three $500 gift cards, two $200 gift cards sold at a profit of ~$10/gift card. One $500 gift card purchased at a 17% discount, one $100 gift card purchased at a 9% discount. IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND SHOP AT COSTCO, YOU HAVE TO GET IN ON THIS DEAL. I WILL HELP YOU SAVE 15% ON YOUR COSTCO PURCHASES.

**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Starbucks gift cards Costco's best seller?

Might the new Starbucks gift cards (Five $20 cards for $79.95) be the best seller at Costco, overtaking the mighty Kirkland brand bath tissue?

It does make for a great gift if you have a Starbucker to give a gift to.

**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Update on buying gift cards on eBay

Last week I wrote about using live.com's cashback promotion to purchase Buy-It-Now items on eBay. A primary target for this are Costco cash cards, b/c most people can burn through a $500 value card in a few months. The fact that you are saving $70-80 and are actually paying ~$420 is a major bonus. The only catch is you have to wait 60 days for the cashback.

Anyways, I've now sold 2 $500 Costco cash cards, 1 $200 Costco cash cards and probably have made about $10-$15/transaction for a total profit of $30-$40. This includes subtracting eBay fees, paypal fees, shipping fee (a stamp) and adding in the fact that I'm using my Costco AMEX to buy the gift card, thereby getting the 1% cashback on the card, and adding to my 2% for executive membership (see details in this post).

On the buy side, I've purchased a
$100 Bed Bath gift card (paid $110, $27.50 cashback, $82.50 final price)
$100 Costco card (paid $130, $39 cashback, $91 final)
$50 Lettuce Entertain card (paid $45, $11.25 cashback, $33.75 final)
$100 Ruth Chris card (paid $91, $22.75 cashback, $68.25 final).

Take advantage of this while you can! If you want, you can try it by buying one of my Costco cash cards. Someone you can trust to deliver a card, and we both benefit!

**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Costco allows reviews on its website

Did you know that Costco now allows customer reviews on items on its website? Similar to Amazon and other retail websites, you can now post a review of a Costco item.

I find other user reviews very helpful when comparison shopping. I really like amazon, b/c they usually have a good solid number of reviews over a longer period of time. You have to take everything with a grain of salt; there can also be "fake" reviews posted by people who want to promote a certain product. But suffice it to say, if an item has 100+ reviews and 90% of them are positive, it's probably a good product. That's the power of the online community.

Since Costco has just started, the reviews probably won't be as useful, but feel free to go and add your opinion of products that you like! We're in the market for a stroller, so I surfed around and found a review of this >Go-Go Babyz Urban Advantage stroller. Go check out this new feature!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Wines at Costco

I'm a big fan of Kirkland brand, but ever wonder about the quality of Costco's own wines? This columnist from the Statesman's Journal in Oregon did. Don't know if he's a wine expert, but since I know nothing, I'll take his opinion over mine...

the highlights, you can also click through:

Let's start with that bubbly, the Kirkland Signature, Brut Champagne, $22. This is real, upper-case Champagne. At that low-end price point, though, do you have the right to expect Bollinger or Veuve Clicquot? No, but, this is pretty darned good stuff.

It's fairly rich, with wonderful yeasty, baked-apple-pie aromas. The creamy texture, with frothy, tiny bubbles, enliven the apple flavors. Very good. And just think: You can buy at least two of these for the price of a typical Champagne.

The Kirkland Signature, 2007 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, $10, is the one wine of this bunch that is produced by an actual winery. And it is classic New Zealand sauvignon blanc, with zippy grapefruit and peach aromas. The tart flavors of mango and peach, and big notes of grapefruit, make for a wonderful wine.

The Kirkland Signature, 2007 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, $14, is predictably very California-like, and that's good or bad, depending and how Oregonized you are.

It begins with aromas of violets, earth and a note that I get so often in California pinot, of resin. The flavors are herbal, with notes of raisin and bing cherry. It's a pretty hefty wine, for pinot, weighing in at 14 percent alcohol. Not much in the way of acidity. But that's coming from someone who was weaned on Oregon pinot noir. I suspect if you like California pinot, you'll enjoy this.

So let's get it on with the Kirkland Signature 2005 Margaux, $18. The skinny on this Bordeaux region is that the wines tend to be more elegant, more aromatic than some of the neighboring big boys.

And that's exactly what I found, beginning with the fabulous floral, cedar and black-currant aromas. It's fairly light, more delicate than one might normally expect of Bordeaux. It has good chewy tannins, and earthy flavors of blackberry and currant. Excellent with a side of beef.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

All Hail Costco

Reasons you already knew about Costco, but reiterated by one of my favorite personal finance sites, Motley Fool. Some highlights from the article...

  • CEO Jim Sinegal earns a mere $350,000 per year, with a bonus of as much as $200,000 (and possibly some stock). He aims to earn no more than three or four times what his highest-paid store managers earn. "Having an individual who is making 100 or 200 or 300 times more than the average person working on the floor is wrong," Sinegal has said.
  • Costco pays its employees relatively lavishly. Workers reportedly start at $10 or more per hour, considerably more than elsewhere, where minimum wage is the usual starting point. According to a 2008 SmartMoney article, average pay topped $18 an hour, fully 68% more than employees earned at Wal-Mart's (NYSE: WMT) Sam's Club, and more than BJ's Wholesale (NYSE: BJ) employees earn, too. Roughly 85% of Costco's employees had health insurance last year (at fairly cheap rates), versus only about half at Wal-Mart and Target (NYSE: TGT). All this leads to low turnover, saving the company money on recruiting and training new employees, and helping Sinegal argue that it's simply a rational business practice.
  • It's a rule at the company that no item can be marked up more than 15%. You'll find markups much higher elsewhere (though you'll usually be unaware of it) -- supermarkets mark up items by about 25%, on average, and department stores like Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN), Dillard’s (NYSE: DDS), or Macy's (NYSE: M) can tack on 50% or more.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Buying Costco gift cards on eBay for a discount

I'm constantly looking on eBay for certain gift cards to get a discount in essence at the store. We've received 10-20% by buying gift cards for Marshalls, Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, etc. Some stores go pretty close to face value, while others get a bigger discount b/c they may be more obscure or not as popular. For example, Walmart and Target gift cards almost always go for 98-99% of what they are worth since almost anyone/everyone can get something of use at those stores. For others like say Club Monaco, you may be able to get 25-30% off b/c they're aren't as many Club Monaco stores and/or it doesn't fit everyone's style.

Anyways, Costco gift cards fit the 98-99% of face value, since most people can get something there. In fact, some gift cards go for more than the face value sometimes, b/c non-members can use the gift card to buy something at Costco even though they are not members.

There is a cashback program at live.com. It's been well documented at Fatwallet, and other deal sites, where one can get 25-30% off of a Buy-it-now eBay auction. So what's been popping up on eBay are gift card auctions with a Buy-it-now price of something higher than what the gift card is worth.

For example:
$500 Costco gift card listed at $570 Buy-It-Now
Buyer pays $570, but with 25% cashback (on $570), only pays $427.50 for the $500 gift card
Seller gets $570, pays approximately $54 in eBay and Paypal fees, profits $16 on the sale.

I've bought 2 gift cards now using this method, a $100 Costco gift card for $91 after 30% cashback, and a $100 Bed Bath and Beyond gift card for $75 after 25% cashback. The cashback is not payable for 60 days, but I have received confirmation that it's there. I've also put up an auction of my own on eBay selling a $500 Costco gift card, just to give it a try.

So go out there, check things out, and save some $$$!!! You can even buy my Costco gift card and get your cashback/discount that way! I'll show you how to do it, if you want. Just drop me a line.

Monday, October 20, 2008

The Journey: A Humidifier Story

So we've been in the market for a humidifier for our little one's room. We originally had one of those simple, cute, frog ones, this one. But saw a Honeywell one (similar to >this) at Costco for $50. Me being the techy snob, saw the UV germicidal technology that reduces 99% of bacteria and germs justified that for only $16 more, we could get a much better machine. So wifey returned the froggy to BRU, and we got the Honeywell.

It seemed to work well enough, but after a few days, the mist started smelling. I took a look at the filter and saw mold! From reading humidifier reviews, I knew mold was an issue, especially with an appliance that is constantly churning water. But after 3 days of use? I was not willing to clean the thing every 3-4 days. Plus with the filter, that's one more thing to have to keep buying. It's like printer cartridges. Manufacturers are willing to give away printers, b/c they know you will always have to buy more print cartridges, where they make more $$.

We decided to return the Honeywell but couldn't find the receipt! No worries, Costco's no-questions-asked return policy took it back w/o a problem. Then on our tri-weekly treasure hunt around Costco, we found >this beauty! It was double the price of the Honeywell ($100), but it looked awesome! I did some more research online, checked to see if we could get something decent at Bed Bath with the 20% coupon, but in the end, decided to spring for the Germ Guardian.

Thus ends our quest to find the perfect humidifier.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Costco getting creative to save costs

An excellent article on how Costco is combating the rising costs in this economy...

Have a great weekend!!!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Costco news around the web 10/7/08

Controversial Costco store proposal - sounds like a Walmart story

Costco effect - interesting

Tiles at Costco - in case you're ever in the market

Self-checkout lanes at Costco - coming soon to yours?

Thursday, October 2, 2008

New coupons valid 10/9-10/26

Ripped from FW...



Costco Coupon Book 10/9-10/26/08
$2 off Kirkland Signature Roll Towels
$3.50 off Kleenex Ultra Soft Facial Tissue Uprights
$2.50 off Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
$2.50 Off Tide Power or Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent
$300 Off Toshiba 40" 1080p 120Hz LCD
$3.50 Off Bertolli Complete Skillet Meals
$3.50 Off Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste and/or Rinse
$2 Off Pantene Shampoo and/or Conditioner
$80 Off Vizio 37" 1080p LCD HDTV
$199.99 after $40 Off Garmin Nuvi 205w Portable GPS
$4 Off M&M Variety Pack
$4 Off Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn
$3 Off Nature Valley Granola Bars
$4 Off Kirkland Signature Jelly Belly Jelly Beans
$549 after $100 Off Novaform Purcomfort Deluxe Queen Memory Foam Mattress
$2 Off M&M's
$2.50 Off Progresso Soup Variety Pack
$2.50 Off SunnyD Sport Cap
$2 Off Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels
Up to $100 Off per window on Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
$2 Off Triple Chex Cereal
$1.50 Off Cascade Advanced Power and/or Cascade Advanced Gel
$2 Off Nabisco Ritz Crackers and/or Wheat Thins
$2.50 Off Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese
$749.99 after $100 Off Toshiba A305 15.4" W Intel Core 2 Duo T5800 4GB DDR2 320GB HDD
$2.50 Off Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats and/or Frosted Flakes
UP TO $2 Off Your choice of any two: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew or Brisk $2 Off 36 pk or $1.50 off 24 pk

UP TO $3 OFF Cascade Complete Action Pacs 85ct or $2.50 Off Cascade Action Pacs 90 ct
$3 OFF Dixie 10" Paper Plates
$16.99 after $4.50 Off Splox Multi-Purpose Ream-Less Paper 8.5x11" 2500 ct
$1.50 Off Bounce Dryer Sheets
$3 Off Clorox 2 2x
BOGO Jerky Treats for Dogs
$1.50 Off Dawn Advanced Power Dishwashing Liquid
$1999 after $400 off Marseille 6 pc bedroom collection
$2.50 Off Gain Detergent
$3.50 Off OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover
$2 Off Vanity Fair Luncheon Napkins or Dinner Napkins
$2 Off Clorox Disinfecting Toilet Bowl Cleaner With Bleach and/or Automatic Bowl Cleaner Tabs

$489.99 after $80 Off Viewsone PJ551D DLP XGA Projector
$3 Off Woolite Ultra ProCare and/or Spray n Wash
$3.50 Off Masterpiece Plats and/or Reflections Cutlery
$2.50 Off Ling Ling Chicken Potstickers
$2.75 off Les Plats Du Chef All Natural French Onion Soup
$999 after $200 Off Lorex 15" LCD 4 Channel Triplex DVR
$3 Off Q-Tips Cotton Swabs
$8 Off Huggies Diapers and Huggies Natural Refreshing Baby Wipes
$2.50 Off Always Ultra Regular or Ultra Thin Overnights or Super Maxi
$2 Off Irish Spring Bar Soap
$579 after $100 Off ZT Reliant Desktop Intel Q6700 4GB DDR2 500GB HDD
$4 Off Nexxus Therappe Shampoo
$7 Off Nexxus Humectress Conditioner
$3 Off Glide Deep Clean Floss
$4 Off Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health Toothbrushes
$599 After $2.50 Off New York Bonded Leather Chairs 2-Pack
$2.50 Off Colgate Total Toothpaste
$5 Off Vaseline Intensive Rescue Lotion
$4 Off Esssenza Reed Diffusers
$5 Off Olay Regenerist and/or Total Effect
s$179.99 After $20 Off Commercial Stainless Steel & Black Patio Heater
$7 Off Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Cream
$4 Off Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion
$2 Off Dove Shampoo and/or Conditioner
$4 Off Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons
$199 after $50 Off Kodak Easyshare 10" Digital Picture Frame W1020
$9 Off Mobil 1 10W30 Synthetic Motor Oil and/or 5W30 Synthetic Motor Oil
$5 Off Any First Alert Fire Safety Product
$100 Off Cellular Phones
$249.99 After $30 Off Kodak EasyShare Z1015 IS 10MP
$50 Off Sony 5.1 Channel 5DVD/CD Home Theatre System
$100 Off Acer 15.4" Widescreen Notebook Computer
$100 Off HP DV7-1133CL 17" Widescreen Notebook Computer
$2499.99 after $700 off Verona 4'x8' Slate Pool Table with Dining Conversion Top
$30 Off Panasonic Lumix FS5 Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoon
$40 Off Samsung 22" LCD HDTV
$50 Off Magellan Maestro 5310 5" Portable GPS Auto Navigation
$399 after $105 in savings Brother MFC-9440CN Network Color Laser All-in-One
$5 Off Snapware MODs Food Storage
$40 Off Hoover Self Propelled WindTunnel Vacuum
UP TO $35 Off Buy FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System and/or 6 pk replacement rolls get $30 off sealing system and/or $5 off bags

$2299 after $500 off Preston 4 Piece Fabric Living Room Collection
$30 Off Maxtor OneTouch 4 750GB External Hard Drive
$25 Off Oral-B Professional Care 8950 Rechargable Dual Handle Toothbrush
$4 Off Design Optics Reading Glasses
$5 Off Warner Bros Classic Cartoons DVD Assortment
$1699.99 After $400 Off Cappuccino Modular Office Wall
$3 Off Airborne Original
$15 Off Nicorette 2 or 4 mg, and/or Nicorette Mint 2 or 4 mg, and/or Cinnamon 2 or 4 mg, White Ice 2 or 4 mg, NicoDerm 21,14 or 7 mg, and/or Commit 2 mg or 4 mg.

$3 Off Vicks NyQuil Original or Cherry or NyQuil LiquiCaps or DayQuil LiquiCaps or ThermaCare Back Heat Wraps or Thermacare Neck Arm Heat Wraps or Metamucil Capsule or Sugar Free or Smooth Texture Orange

$200 Off Panasonic 50" 1080p Plasma HDTV
$3 Off Nature Made Folic Acide, Vitamin D, Odorless Garlic, Organic Flaxseed Oil, Vitamin C Liquid Softgels, Multi-Complete Liquid Softgels

$2 Off L'il Critters Gummy Vites, Calcium Bears Omega-3 Gummy Fish
$2.50 Off Kirkland Signture Sugar Free Children's Chewable Multivitamin, Enteric Coated Fish Oil Daily Multivitamin Pack and/or Vitamin C.

$3499 after $600 Off Vineyard 8-Piece Dining Collection

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

eBay Watch: Costco reusable shopping bag


From what I can remember, they were giving these bags away for signing up for the Costco AMEX credit card.
Someone put this up on eBay and sold it for $4.99 + $5 shipping, further cementing the fact that one can sell almost anything on eBay.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Starbucks & Godiva gift cards at Costco

Another great feature at Costco are discounted gift cards, either to local retailers, or national chains. We've used the $100 value for Asha salons for $79.99 numerous times, and know a few people who've taken advantage of the McCormick & Schmick gift certificates.

New news on the discount gift card front (from October's Costco Connection magazine) is that Costco will soon be offering five $20 Starbucks cards for $79.99, and two $25 Godiva cards for $39.99. So if you are a Starbucker, here's your chance to save some $$ on your habit!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

eBay Watch: Kirkland brand jeans


This caught my eye. I've always seen the Kirkland brand jeans, never bought them though. Interesting to see what sort of resale value they have.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Costco news around the web

Washington couple caught stealing $800 worth of merchandise - they had a 3-yr old with them!

Herman Miller chairs, now at Costco - this could be a huge deal for HM, with Costco's distribution reach and consumer reputation.

Huffington Post on Costco and the federal bailout - good analogy.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Costco tires

IMO, I've gotten tires at both tirerack.com and at Costco. The thing that separates Costco from other warehouse clubs, and frankly most all other retail stores is their service. Customer service is excellent in almost every situation, and is no different with tires.

There are a number of benefits with getting tires at Costco:
  • They use nitrogen instead of air which better stabilizes inflation pressure in tires, leading to improved fuel economy, slower loss of pressure over time, less moisture in tires.
  • One price for everything, none of this extra cost for disposal, road hazard, etc.
  • Lifetime services of rotation, balancing, flat repairs, all included in your initial purchase!
  • The few drawbacks are there's usually a long wait, they only service tires, no other services.
  • Wait, if you can, for the coupon passports, they usually will have savings for tires.

Some more credibility from fatwalleters.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

eBay Watch: "Costco" brand playpen and more coupons!



I'm pretty sure this auction for a "Costco" brand playpen is a typo. What do you think?











I've been seeing a ton of coupon auctions, for individual laptop deals, to this. What intrigued me about this one was that it was already bid up to $1.20 (0.60 shipping) with more than 2 days left. I don't know what Strivectin is, but for some apparently it's worth more than I know.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

eBay Watch: Costco coupons


FYI, that old Costco membership card, sold as a collectible, didn't sell.


The new September Costco coupons have come out, and as a result, many have shown up on eBay.


It's an interesting phenomenon, auctioning off the coupons. I thought about selling certain big-ticket item coupons, but it seems like most of the auctions are for complete, unused coupon books. The main reason I can think of for buying these online are if you aren't a Costco member and you want to use these coupons? Or if you share membership somehow, and want to get your own coupon book? Any other thoughts?

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

ebay Watch: Old Costco membership card

Periodically, I'll scour eBay for any interesting Costco-related merchandise up for sale.
Found this today. An old Costco membership card, selling as a collectible! Go figure. You can sell anything on ebay. Try.


Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Top 10 Kirkland Signature Items

"Generic brand or name brand?" That's the question everyone always asks. There are certain things, like pharmaceuticals, where generic is the same thing as name brand b/c of FDA regulations. With food and other consumer packaged goods though, it varies. You will get different answers on different products. Having worked for a food company for the past 5 years, I can tell you that yes, it does vary, based on the product. There is some cheese powder that we make for "generic" brand of mac & cheese that is better quality than our (K)raft blue-box mac & cheese. Marketing at my company, and most CPG companies, are tasked to build the brand, so that consumers will pay more for the name more than anything.


That being said, I'm a believer in Kirkland brand products at Costco, and firmly believe the quality is the same, if not better, than their name brand counterparts. Here's a list of my favorite Kirkland items:

10. Batteries - 48 AA batteries for $9.99, compare to the Duracell, 36 for $12.89.
9. Vitarain - Like Vitamin Water, but not the price? Try the 4 flavors of Vitarain, 24 20oz bottles for $11.99.
8. 13 gal kitchen drawstring bags - very strong bags, haven't had one break yet. 200 ct box for $14.79.
7. Boneless, skinless chicken breast (co-branded w/Tyson) - 6.5 lb frozen bag for $15.99, each chicken is individually wrapped, reduces freezer burn!
6. Chocolate chunk cookies - best cookies ever. 36 oz ~24 cookies for $6.49
5. Organic Instant Oatmeal - 45 packets of five flavors (Apples & Cinnamon, Oats & Flax, Regular, Mixed Berry, Maple Syrup) - my daily breakfast, much higher quality than Quaker. 45 packets for $8.99
4. Baby wipes - Box of 704 total wipes for $15.49. We also have used Huggies brand wipes, and I would argue that Kirkland wipes are better.
3. Laundry detergent - We use the free & clear detergent and it's great! 170 fl.oz or 110 loads for $12.79. It's great if you have any allergies b/c it has no perfumes or dyes, and it's also a nice substitute for baby laundry, instead of buying Dreft!
2. Rotisserie chicken - A quick, easy, yummy dinner choice that will last you a few meals. Price has gone up to $6.49, but still a great deal. Beats Boston Market anyday.
1. Toilet Paper - I'm not a fan of Charmin, it's crumbly, for lack of a better word (TMI?) Kirkland brand wipes smooth and is much more affordable at 36 rolls/425 sheets per roll for $16.99. #1 bestseller at Costco.

Feel free to add some of your favorites!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Membership has its privileges: how to make the most of your membership

Let's do a quick primer on how to maximize your membership and cash-back at Costco:

There are 3 types of membership at Costco:

Executive ($100/yr) - The highest level of membership, Executive Members receive an annual 2% reward on most Costco purchases. This can, in essence, pay for your membership. This year we got ~$75 for our reward, which brings our membership fee down to $25, which you will get back with all of the savings. If you spent $5000 or more in a year at Costco (don't laugh, it's entirely possible), the 2% reward would fully pay for your membership. There are some other benefits for executive members, primarily with the services that Costco provides, i.e. mortgages, check printing, loans, etc. You can have one additional card per household.

Business ($50/yr) - This is for licensed businesses, non-profit organizations, government agencies, farmers, and ranchers (random). Additional business membership cards are $40/each.

Gold Star ($50/yr) - For individuals who don't qualify as a business, this includes one additional card per household. Basically this gets you in the door.


Costco TrueEarnings AMEX card - This card is co-branded with Costco & American Express. A simple, unlimited cash-back card, this will give back:
  • 3% for gas purchases

  • 3% for restaurant purchases

  • 2% for travel-related purchases

  • 1% for everything else, including Costco purchases
There is no annual fee for this card if you have Costco membership and serves as both your credit card AND your membership card. I just flash my wallet with my Costco AMEX when walking in the door.


IMO: combine the above executive membership with the Costco TrueEarnings AMEX card to maximize your cash back. Costco only takes AMEX for credit card payment (cash, check, debit), and you're really double-dipping when you have both executive membership and the Costco AMEX. It will pay for your membership and then some. A few years back, we got about $550 cash-back from our AMEX usage. So it can be a very nice bonus. We use it exclusively for any fast food, restaurant, airfare, rental cars, priceline, and of course Costco purchases, and the cash-back adds up.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Unadvertised savings at Costco

We all know about the 2-week coupon deals that come monthly or bi-monthly. We also know about the Passport to Savings, a summer's worth of coupons specified by week.

However, you will often find items that have an instant manufacturer's rebate or instant savings that is unadvertised. There's not really a place online where these are tracked that I know of. I think Costco does this intentionally to get foot traffic and people through the doors.

One deal that we found a few weeks ago was the Kirkland Signature Fish Oil Omega 3 Concentrate - 400 softgels (#926628), originally priced at $8.99, but with an instant savings of $2, it was $6.99. These are the "fishy" smelling pills, not the more expensive enteric-coated ones. But $6.99 for 400 softgels is a steal!

Another deal mined from Baby Cheapskate, Enfamil Lipil (powder) formula - 38oz can for $28 (regular price $32). Should be on sale for that price through August 28.

Another baby/vitamin-related note: Our doctor recommended supplementing our daughter with Enfamil brand Tri-Vi-Sol, a vitamin supplement for breastfed infants. There are 3 essential vitamins: A, C D. Breast milk is by far the best food for infants, but it apparently lacks recommended amounts of vitamin D. If you were to walk into your local drugstore, it would probably run $9.89 for the 1.67 fl. oz bottle. Walmart probably carries it for less, but it wasn't in stock at 2 Walmarts that we went to. Costco, of all places, has it for $8.59, which is the lowest I've seen. It's in the pharmacy section, on the counter at our Costco. There is probably a corresponding generic drug, but I haven't looked for it.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

A vacation must

is visiting the local Costco! We've made a point to try and visit the local Costco wherever we vacation. We've neglected to take pictures at every single one, but here are a few where we did!

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On our honeymoon, we stayed overnight in Miami after our cruise. Had to make a quick visit to Costco Miami Lakes!

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The mother ship. Costco in Issaquah, WA, the original Costco. We also drove around the corporate HQ nearby, in hopes of finding a visitor center of sorts. No dice, and I was too chicken to walk into the lobby.

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Our little monkey's first trip to Costco!

Other Costco's not pictured:
N. Phoenix, AZ
Sunnyvale, CA
Burbank, CA
Bloomingdale, IL
Glenview, IL
Mt. Prospect, IL
Naperville, IL
Niles, IL
Oak Brook, IL
Kansas City, MO
Livonia, MI

Costco fans unite!

I've toyed with this idea of starting a Costco fans blog for a while. Everytime we travel, I insist on visiting the local Costco and taking a picture. I don't quite know what content will be featured here; coupon deals, new product introductions, reviews are anticipated.

We'll see where this goes, but cheers to Costco, our favorite retail store!