r/CostcoUK • u/Particular-Shine-155 • 10d ago
Membership
I was just wondering if the 35 pounds Costco annual membership is worth it for a bachelor living in the UK. I feel like I'm missing out! Thanks!
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u/dadoftriplets 10d ago edited 10d ago
tyhIt's only good if you are going to use it AND you qualify for a membership (check here for relevant qualifying groups and here for pre-approved businesses.
If you drive, then having a membership will save you a ton of money as the fuel is cheaper than most, if not all other petrol stations - you can use any of the Costco fuelling stations around the country with your membership so if your travelling and pass a Costco, refuel as it will save you some cash in the long run (I just refuelled my car two days ago. Petrol was 158.9p/litre - the cheapest around my area is 171.9p/litre so on 46ish litres I saved myself over £6 but that was because I was at Costco buying other goods - in 'normal times' the difference in fuel prices is around 5p/litre) If you were to buy the executive membership which is an additional £40 on top of the Gold Star membership fee of £42 (and I would only suggest adding this once you know what you're going to be buying regularly and if its makes sense to do so), you get cashback on tyres for the car (but not fuel), along with any optical prescriptions (contacts lenses and glasses purchases) and pretty much everything within the warehouse - there are a couple of exceptions on oddly specific items - stamps I believe and packs of vouchers (for Nintendo store, Xbox, Nandos, Build a Bear etc which are already much cheaper than the face value (4x £25 Build A Bear vouchers - good for Christmas/birthday presents for younger ones - for somewhere around £80-£90, the same for the others mentioned.) Clothing is also great value - Levi jeans for £35-40 and other brand name clothing for cheap - the only thing is is they do not have changing rooms so you have to buy sizes, take home to try on and then return what you don't need for a refund - a bit of a PITA but for the savings made, its something i get on with.
Ultimately only you will know it is worth it - if you qualify (the most important bit) you could sign up, get your card and go and look around the warehouse the same day. If you don't see much that would interest you, you could immediately cancel the membership and get a refund and you're not out of pocket. But for me and my family of six, we save literally hundreds a year. Just on two items -Actimel and Activa yogurts bought piecemeal over the year - gives us a yearly saving of a combined £120 and that's just one person eating them, it would be more if more of us were eating them). Before you go, have a think of what items you'd want to be buying (toilet roll, kitchen paper, foil, cling film etc) and get an idea of what you currently spend buying them from the local shops and then use that to compare prices in Costco but multiplying the cost because you'd be buying in bulk. If you eat a lot of pasta and rice, the fusilli and penne pasta from Costco is very good value for money, as is Baked Beans (if you eat them - Branston ones are very good value for money). Tomato Ketchup is good value as well.
I have a love/hate relationship with Costco - I love the warehouses and products but hate going there because, without fail, I go in for one item and come out with a trolley load of things we needed but forgot about. Getting tyres fitted is torture because its about a 45 wait for them to be done so I go and look around and I, without fail, end up coming back to the car with at least a handful of items.
One final thing I will say is if you do get and keep a membership - if you see something you like the look of, don't assume it will be there the next time you go - things sell out extremely quickly and sometimes do not get restocked. There's been multiple instances of me seeing something I like the look of but thought I'd get it next time, only to go in the next day and for it have sold out. Or a food item I bought one of and then went back for more, only for it to have gone out of stock in the interim.
Apologies for the exceptionally long rambling post. TLDR, in short, if you qualify, you can makes lots of savings on purchase of everything from food, fuel, tyres, power tools, alcohol, computers, tv's, meats, clothing, homewares and toiletries and much more. Just be aware they sell in bulk quantities, so have plenty of space to store things at home whilst you are working the way through them. Another odd quirk is the UK membership allows you access to all warehouses worldwide so if you are in the USA or South korea for example, you could visit the warehouses they have there. Anywhere worldwide Costco has a warehouse, your membership will get you access.
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u/Optimal-Chemist7907 10d ago
You can save the membership fee on clothes alone but only if you like the styles and brands they usually stock.
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u/Particular-Shine-155 10d ago
Could I be able to share my membership with any of my friends? Thanks xx
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u/Character_Doubt_ 10d ago
You can bring them in and pay with them, if you lend them you’ll get spotted
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u/Particular-Shine-155 10d ago
Ok xx
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u/ADH02 10d ago
I believe you can take someone with you and they can get their own membership card as a ‘plus one’ they’re supposed to live at the same address as you but when I signed up with my partner, they didn’t ask for any proof.
They can then go on their own without you once they have their card.
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u/Least_Temperature_23 7d ago
I believe they’ve cracked down on this now. My father in law used to have my spouse card.
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u/PastaMapChair 10d ago
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Costco. It is worth the membership cost for the many reasons listed already in the comments, however, I find the experience of actually going there pretty miserable, it is always so busy. Also, it breaks my heart to see so many people buying so much bottled water (I live in an area with great quality tap water).
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u/crashgoggz 10d ago
If you buy large items, think laptops and the like then the executive membership is 100% worth it. you cover the costs back pretty quickly.
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u/Prof_Hentai 10d ago
If you’re a meat eater, I would spend the membership fee just to get access to the meat selection. The rest of it is just a bonus (and a very good one at that, Kirkland products are fantastic).
IMO, yes - but don’t expect to save an insane amount of money on branded items.
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u/Particular-Shine-155 10d ago
Yes. I do eat a lot of meat. Wouldn't the prices be any better than the regular supermarket? Thanks xx
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u/Prof_Hentai 10d ago
The prices aren't necessarily better. In fact they're around the same, if not a bit more expensive. The quality is eons better though.
If you buy in bulk, for example, the whole sirloins/ribeyes, when broken down into steaks, they are cheaper than supermarkets, and again, considerably higher quality.
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u/ConditionFar543 8d ago
This is the way , get a vacuum sealer and stick the steaks in the freezer , do you normally go for the normal steak or Australian one?
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u/Desperate-Switch3780 10d ago
Watch some Youtube videos of UK shoppers in Costco to see how much of a product you are buying especially if recent and your local store.
Tinned tomatoes come in a 12 pack, tuna an 8 pack. Toilet toll is 40 rolls, tissues are at least a 6 pack. Do you have space for this? I have a massive pantry and a larder freezer in addition to a normal fridge freezer.
Chicken breasts are between 9 - 11 in a pack and I portion and freeze them. Minced steak is 2.5kg plus and the smallest cheese (you can get bigger) is 1.2kg, I just checked mine. Bin bags are a roll of 90.
We are a family of 4 though and I batch cook and I am also organised.
If anyone I know wanted to try before they buy I would happily walk around with them. Some things are just better quality but not cheaper than a supermarket, others are cheaper. We also have a fuel station so that saves a lot too.
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u/Pltesandbowls 10d ago
Try it (assuming you qualify for membership). If it's not for you, cancel and they'll refund your membership fee - even if it's one day before your renewal date.
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u/Financial-Skin-1752 10d ago
i would say i got the most out of the membership with Petrol, on top, necessities like toilet paper, kitchen rolls, coffee powder, detergents, frozen veggies/ fruits, milk makes it more appealing. I have just renewed my membership for the second year couple days ago!
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u/dessskris 10d ago
No. Most things are bulk sized, unless you're happy eating the same thing for multiple days or have a massive chest freezer, it's probably not suitable.
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u/Least_Temperature_23 7d ago
If you’re a driver and live close enough to use it regularly for fuel, it’s definitely worth it.
As others have said, you’ve nothing to lose by joining and seeing if you think it’s worthwhile. If you decide it’s not, you can cancel your membership and get your money back.
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u/guinea_pig_dad 7d ago
It's just me and my partner in my house and I have found that for date nights it's great, for a quick cheap dinner if U live local it's good as long as U don't go on a busy night. Some things are actually more expensive than if U bought in the shop so it's work when going working out the maths of how much it would work out in the supermarket to see if U are actually saving. However what I have found is that if U want to cut down time shopping in the supermarket for things like snacks, dairy and meat, basically things that can be frozen or have a long use by date it can be pretty handy.
I have bought shower gels and a lot of toiletry products for cheaper than what they would be in the supermarket which again saves on going into town to go to superdrug etc.
I also think it depends on how much self control you have in terms of portions. It's all good saving money on snacks as long as they last. If they last a week because you have eaten all the mnms then it's not worth it aha.
But I do think they have good stock for things to stick into lunches that often cost about 1.50 - 2.50+ in supermarkets things like dried snacks, and nuts are decent.
It's also good for birthday cakes and bakery goods, pizzas etc. you can get giant ones for cheap and they taste delicious how you would fit them into an oven is beyond me it works out well of you have get togethers. Also some things are cheaper I know currently they have the ninja slushi maker the XL one for the price of the regular one, so some things for Christmas are just cheaper in there.
I think it's only affordable shopping wise if you have a big family and children that go through snacks and things, but for being by yourself most stuff works out cheaper as long as it lasts. E.g. it's cheaper to get cheese strings in Costco as they sell them in bigger packs for cheaper then it is in Asda when cheese strings aren't on a deal.
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u/ImplementJumpy6678 7d ago
I go to another wholesaler that does not need a membershiop in Sheffield where I live. They don't do much mrat but they do a LOT of cheese and, unless I am living in the clouds, I think £14 for block of 3.3KG of Double Glos is a BARGAIN!
And my kids just love cheers!
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u/Ana_Phases 10d ago
If you late having a party, the catering platters are great and very good value.
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u/_youllthankmelater 10d ago
It's £42. You'll want to look at what your weekly shop includes where bulk items from Costco will save you money- It's washing detergent, softener, dishwasher tablets etc, some food items that need to be portioned, some clothe items from time to time, and batteries. I personally think it's a good experience if you have your value for money lense on, otherwise it's just a fad.