How to Offset the Membership Price

Costco is a great place to get great deals on almost anything one could need. Buying in bulk helps reduce trips that are needed to keep the dorm room full of snacks. Another good thing about Costco is that they have extremely high-quality goods, and are always putting new items on their shelves to help diversify what they offer on a week-by-week basis.

When it comes to warehouse stores like Costco, the key thing to look for is the price per ounce. Costco’s pricing strategy is very helpful to the consumer, as their average profit margin on items is around 2%. Costco’s signature line is called Kirkland Signature, usually, these items are even cheaper than the other items they provide at the stores.  

Live and Breathe Kirkland

Kirkland Signature offers a wide range of everyday products for cheaper than most other products on its warehouse shelves. Costco’s competitor Sam’s Club is also doing the same thing with their private brand of “Member’s Mark”, more and more companies are choosing this route to try and undercut some of the big-name companies. With hundreds of different products under the Kirkland Signature Brand, there is certainly something to find for anything in the pantry.

According to Jim Sinegal, Costco’s co-founder and CEO at the time of a CNN interview in 2019 stated, “We found that there was a resurgence of private-label product, and that was driven an awful lot by the fact that the prices of brand-name products were growing so rapidly.” This is how the company is able to sell its products at a much lower price than even the other companies’ products in their store.

How to get the Most out of Costco

A key to shopping on a budget as a college student is knowing when and what to buy when you go shopping. In a huge warehouse, like Costco, it can be difficult to get in and get out of the store without draining your pockets. This is why it is important to know some important details about Costco and how they price items and what to look for.

There are very subtle tells in Costco that you should be looking for when going on their Costco grocery trip. Here is a quick list of what to look for when going on a Costco adventure:

-       When the Costco tag ends in .97

o   If the price tag at Costco ends in .97 it typically means that there is an amazing discount on the product. Usually, these products are marked down for “Manager Specials” and won’t last for long.

-       When the Costco tag ends in .49, .79, or .89

o   When the price tag ends in any of these odd prices this can be a sign that Costco is getting a special deal straight from the Manufacturer according to Consumer Reports.

-       Don’t get distracted while shopping

o   According to Business Insider: Costco moves items on a frequent basis and touts the “treasure hunt” of finding the items.

o   Business Insider also states that the employees place the store’s biggest bargains in the “center court” of the store. Skip the big expensive displays and get to the middle of the store to find the best deals.

Now that you have all the facts about Costco and are ready to head into the huge warehouse, here is a quick list of some of the best items at Costco for college students.

1) Kirkland Signature Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets $12.49

These are the perfect snack for any occasion. With the 55 oz. jar of pretzels these tasty snacks are sure to last you a while! This is perfect for the dorm room because the jar itself doesn’t take up too much space and it’s such an easy snack to just grab and go. Look at the Price, .49!

2) Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks, Boneless, Skinless $24.99

All though this is a little on the pricy side when it comes to college food, these are too good to pass up putting on this list. These microwaveable chicken pieces are the perfect dinner on a late night. This 4-pound bag should last you a few uses, if you have space in your freezer these are perfect.

3)  Kirkland Signature Microwave Popcorn $16.79

Of course, no college food list would be credible without microwave popcorn. A staple of any college food haul, it is necessary to have popcorn in your room at all times. The perfect snack for movies and late-night Netflix binges. This box comes with 44 bags of microwaveable popcorn, with authentic movie theater flavor. Price!

4)  Clif Bar, Chocolate Chip $14.79

Yes, these famous bars are also sold at Costco. A perfect grab-and-go for breakfast before your dreaded 8 am class. In general Clif Bars are usually expensive, anytime you can get them at Costco they are a must-buy. Price!

5) Starbucks Pike Place Medium Roast K-Cup $44.99

If you are like me and can’t function without caffeine in your body, coffee is a necessity. K-Cups are the easiest and quickest way to get your day started. Costco sells these Starbucks K-Cups for $44.99 with 72 cups in the box. If you don’t have a Keurig coffee maker, there are many other ground coffee options at Costco.

6)  Sandwich Bros Chicken Melt Flatbread Pocket Sandwiches $13.89

Another frozen snack that is really tasty. 15 chicken melts individually wrapped so you can have as many as your heart desires. Whether you eat them as a quick snack between classes, or you have a couple for dinner these mini sandwiches are amazing! Price!

7) Frito Lay Classic Mix $23.39

Ah, the classics. 54 bags of your favorite chips, for a really good price. This huge box of goodies is a must-have in your room. There are tons of other options at Costco with other mixes of chips if you are feeling more adventurous than usual.

8) Kirkland Signature Chicken Street Tacos, Price Varies

This taco kit is a must-buy, for around $15 this kit can serve around 4 people and boy are these good. With everything you could want to put on a taco, Kirkland Signature really outdid itself with this. Perfect for football Sundays or nights spent with friends, this super simple taco kit is amazing.

9) Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken, Price Varies

This is the staple of Costco, raved about across the internet, Kirkland Signature’s rotisserie chicken. Averaging around $5, this super easy dinner is perfect for college life. Simple and quick to put together, you need to try this chicken.