December 2nd

There is no blessing in Costco. It's really just a place for consumers ( that's you and me) to spend way too much money. Most of us are not equipped to really buy for more than one week and given the temptation of supersized packaging, bulk pricing and "wholesale" prices on non-essential and typically once in a while items - we all fail. At least I do. Does anyone still remember that this was the store geared towards small business like convenience stores and restaurants to let them buy inventory?

I can remember hearing other "moms" complaining about how a trip to Costco was at least $200 if not $400 trip. Gasp! When I first started to go to Costco - it might have still been called PriceCo - and to get a membership there were some conditions. I think now it's a free for all. Almost everything was cheaper in bulk than the grocery store. You just had to think about where you were going to put it all or freeze it all. Afterall who in their right mind would buy 24 cans of Campbell's soup in one go? Even if you were at the grocery sale and it was on sale for cheap - would you really buy 24 cans? Being single and living on a budget, it was a great place to pick up cheap books, frozen entrees and junk food. At some point, Costco stopped being cheap for everything...I can remember my mom telling me to watch the prices - especially on food - as not all of it was really cheaper...and so trips to Costco as a couple became a fun filled shopping spree on buying non-essentials. We would hit every aisle, pass the time, check it all out - and we would come out with books, clothing, underwear, camping gear, mugs...everything but food. Now, it's still the "goods" that are cheap, the food and beverage, I'm not too sure...but as a mom with a little girl who still naps, time is limited...so somethings I buy in bulk simply for the reason that I don't have to 1) come to Costco for a couple of months 2) I don't have to buy that item for many many months, 3) we don't run out of it when we need it most. So, trips to Costco have indeed turned into eek $200 plus trips. It's essentials like toilet paper, shampoo, soap, parmesan cheese, the occasional magazine, batteries. Costco is now C for convenience. How times have changed - it's amazing how Costco has - as have our needs too.

Today's trip to Costco...

reason: pick up online photos...$17.00
total bill: additional $140.00. Boy it sure is hard to resist amazing christmas deals...the kids section is really cut throat. Very cute and inexpensive Thomas the Train bench/toy chest there. If I'd bought a single toy for Courtney - I would have hit the $200 mark. It's scary how it all adds up.
next time you are at Costco: look for the lady with a *full* cart and wonder...how much is that total? then start removing things from your own cart.

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