Can You Really Use Costco in New York City?

We all know these people…the Costco die hard fanatics. Many friends and family members of mine fall into this category.

I humored them for many years and went along with the stories of how great Costco was. But I lived in New York City, and not just NYC but in Manhattan in a small apartment.

To me Costco might as well be a cargo van; I’m sure it has tons of purpose but not for me. Then one fateful day, Joe Guy and I went to Costco on a lark to check it out, and we too were bitten with the love of Costco bug.

It’s true if you live in a small space and don’t have a huge family, many products may not be applicable to your lifestyle, but we wanted to share with you products that we now buy every year from Costco.

They work for our apartment lifestyle; they don’t take up much space. They also provide great quality at a low price. The money we save is well-worth the trip. So here’s our list of Costco must-buys even for New Yorkers:

1. Contacts: The amount of money we save on contacts annually more then pays for the membership card (and that’s at the executive membership level)
2. Over the counter medications: Generic Claritin (AllerClear), Melatonin, cough drops, etc… The costs are dramatically cheaper. We don’t have regular prescription drugs currently, but the prices for these are also very good.
3. Rotisserie Chicken: The famous giant rotisserie chickens at Costco are the things of grocery legend…but unlike a unicorn these things are real! So juicy and delicious. We get these almost every week and use them for a number of recipes (click here to see meal planning)
4. Clothes, socks, etc.: This is hit or miss depending on what they have in the store. Online selection is definitely more limited. But if the style and sizes suit you, you won’t find it cheaper.
5. Sparkling Water: We go through a LOT of sparkling water, so for us this makes sense. For others perhaps not.
6. Cleaning supplies: You can get cleaning supplies for a year at Costco — a good all-purpose cleaner, dishwasher detergent, hand soap and more.
7. Baby products: Diapers, formula, baby wipes. If you’re a new parent, you know you that buying these products takes up a big chunk of the budget. Thanks to Coscto, the pain was dramatically less. Every baby and parent is different. For our child, we had great success with these products — never had a leak through diaper, the formula was great and Neve preferred the Kirkland brand to the other learning brands.
8. Desserts: If you need a birthday cake, this is the place! Especially a large sheet (or half sheet) cake. You can’t beat the price at less than $20, and they have some limited customization that can be done. They’re also delicious! 
9. Party platters: Fruit, veggie, cheese & meat trays.  If you’re hosting a little shindig, save yourself the hassle of creating these yourself. You won’t do it cheaper or better. 
10. Batteries: They’re a lifesaver for making sure you have a battery replacement on hand for your remote, child’s toy or fire alarm. You can store these slim packs easily in a closet or cabinet.
11. Linens: We heard about this but became true believers when we finally bought our first set of sheets and towels from Costco. They are luxurious and amazingly affordable.

Another great thing about Costco is their return policy. They will provide a refund no questions asked on most items with some reasonable exceptions. 

As a rule of thumb, if Costco has it, you won’t find it cheaper elsewhere. They don’t have a large selection of brands, but what they do have is good quality. If possible, we check Costco first before buying else where. 

Please tell us what you love from Costco or other stores that make your life easier.