Saving money on household expenses is one of my greatest passions. We can’t lower our mortgage or car payment, but I can control what we pay for groceries and other household needs. I’ve pretty well mastered the art of getting the best deals at the grocery store by using coupons when items are at their rock bottom price. Additionally, I only buy things that are on sale and plan my menu around what I have to work with. But there are a few things that rarely go on sale or that don’t usually have coupons – milk, meat and produce. I’ve seen the price of those items creep up over the past year, and I’ve been searching for ways to save on these essentials.
My husband recently surprised me with a Costco membership. I was excited to see what kind of deals I could get at a large warehouse store! We’ve made a couple trips since joining, and I thought I’d share with you the 5 things I’m enjoying from Costco right now. There are still many things I can get much cheaper at the grocery store, but I’ve found good deals on those non-coupon items.
1. Chicken
I picked up a huge package of chicken legs for $.99/lb. That’s the lowest price you’ll see chicken legs or thighs at the grocery store, but the thing I like about this is the packaging. I can take it home and put it right into the freezer with NO prep. There are six individual pouches containing five legs. They also have thighs priced at $.99/lb and boneless chicken breasts for $1.99/lb. That’s a great price! I’ve been pleased with the quality of the meat so far.
2. Ground Turkey
I love to use ground turkey instead of ground beef whenever I can – in tacos, chili, pasta dishes and meatballs. I have a hard time finding it on sale at my grocery store, so you know I grabbed this freezer-ready load of ground turkey for $2.49/lb! It also came in 4 individual packages with a little over 1 1/2 pounds in each of them. And if it matters to you, it’s name brand!
3. Milk
A gallon of milk often costs over $4 at the grocery store. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw gallons of milk for $2.95 at Costco!
4. Salad Mix
I love these big boxes of salad mix. My husband likes to have salad at least once a day, and this is the cheapest route for us with all factors considered. I paid $4.49 for a pound of organic spring mix! A box of this salad lasts over a week in the fridge once opened, and can stay in the fridge unopened for two weeks.
5. Specialty Bread
I grabbed a package that contained two loaves of Pepperidge Farm low fat Cinnamon Raisin bread for $5. I put one loaf in the freezer for later, and set the other loaf out for quick breakfasts this week. It’s delicious! Of course this is not the cheapest bread you can ever buy, but it is a great deal for a name brand convenience breakfast.
Do you shop at Costco (or Sams Club)? I’m still a newbie and I’d love to hear what you purchase there!
Come Home For Comfort 
I love Costco!!! Have you seen their sweet kale salad mix? (It comes in a bag instead of a tub) It also keeps really well in the fridge (hardier greens), and has lots of super foods in it, but all shaved/sliced up so my picky kids don’t notice 😉 They profess to hate kale and brussel sprouts and I just smile 🙂
I used to buy the same fresh ground turkey as you, but then I found the turkey burgers over in the freezer case. It’s $2.75/lb, but Extra Lean instead of Lean. (4lb/$11) They are just 1/3 pound slices of ground turkey with a pinch of salt added, no fillers/etc.–I only occassionally use it for burgers, I mostly use it like you, as a healthy ground beef substitute. I like the frozen burger form because I can pull out as many slices as I need at one go and they defrost so quickly 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks for the tips on the affordable meat. I haven’t ever paid much attention to that section. I miss Costco and only have a Sam’s Club in our area. My favorite, affordable items to pick up are: kitty litter, produce, milk, pita pockets, frozen chicken breasts, granola bars, tortilla strips and cereal. I need to take a day to stroll around to see if there are other great deals I’m missing out on 🙂 Whitney
LikeLike
I’ll have to check out the kitty litter! Thanks for the tip. =)
LikeLike
At one time, we had a Sam’s Club membership, but is it really economically sound for just two people. The items usually come in bulk sizes, and with limited freezer space, I wonder if it would be worth the initial fee for joining?
LikeLike
That’s a good question. I don’t think it would be worth it for two people who eat as little as you do. =) Unless you wanted to get ice cream in bulk. =)
We go through 2-3 gallons of milk a week, so the savings in milk alone is worth it to me!
LikeLike
We have enjoyed a Sam’s Club membership for years. About every 4-5 months we’ll shop and stock up on cleaning supplies and all paper products. It’s so convenient not to have to purchase these items each week at the grocery and it ends up being cheaper that way. Sometimes we split fruit, meat and their expense with Nana and Papa or Stephen since they come in large servings. However, a new Costco just opened up
down the road and we’ll compare it to Sam’s before renewing our expired membership. Happy Savings!
LikeLike
I agree, it’s nice that it’s convenient and also affordable. Thanks for stopping by the blog today! =)
LikeLike
I only have Sam’s, but I would love a Costco! I always buy my pure vanilla extract, salad mixes, tortillas & pita chips there. I sometimes buy my paper towels, toilet paper & trash bags there. I always search for clearance items, too. At Sam’s club, when it’s marked down as low as it’s going to be, the price ends in a 1. I know that Costco has something similar to that, if I can find a link to it, I’ll post it for you!
LikeLike
Here’s a link to one: http://lenrapoport.hubpages.com/hub/Secret-Codes-Will-Save-You-Money-At-Costco
LikeLike
Wow! Thanks for the info!
LikeLike
We have a SAMs Club membership. I usually get things that are none perishable and canned goods. I forget to take a cooler with me for meat and cold items. We have to go to Indy or Dayton for ours.
LikeLike
You wouldn’t need a cooler today, that’s for sure! =)
LikeLike
My SIL has a membership at Sam’s and it’s worth it. I bake ALOT, so I go through a ton of flour and vanilla. You can that super cheap there! By the way….not sure if you noticed. FSU WON THE BCS!! GO NOLES!!
LikeLike
Good to know (about the baking supplies, that is)! 🙂
And yeah I think I saw that somewhere…was it twitter? oh and on facebook. and maybe instagram. haha. Congrats on your team winning! 🙂
LikeLike