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I Saved $164 on These 5 Products by Buying Them at Costco Instead of the Grocery Store

Woman in grocery store parking lot examining receipt.

Image source: Getty Images

I’m probably not the typical Costco member. I share my home with three cats, and no other humans. I don’t have a ton of fridge and freezer space (and don’t want to absorb the credit card hit of buying a new appliance right now), so I can’t store bulk perishable food, like produce, meat, and frozen foods.

And I detest crowds, so my recent first trip to Costco was planned out like a triage mission. I deliberately visited on a weekday morning and arrived at opening time, so I could have as stress-free a shopping experience as possible. As it turned out, though, I had a great time — and I saved myself quite a bit of money by buying certain items at Costco instead of my local grocery store.

Let’s take a closer look at five of them.

1. Cotton swabs

Is there any more useful invention than the humble cotton swab? This is one product I refuse to buy generic — I will always spring for the extra cost for Q-Tips, because in my experience, the generic versions don’t have enough cotton on their ends to make them worthwhile.

I paid $9.49 for a three-pack of Q-Tips at Costco — the box came with 1,750 swabs, for a per-swab price of $0.005. At my local grocery store, I’d pay double per swab for Q-Tips — $0.01 each.

2. Vanilla extract

I love to bake from scratch, so I probably go through more vanilla extract than the average person. Plus, I just bought a house with an amazing kitchen, so I’m looking forward to churning out many baked goods over the long cold winter months.

I paid $9.99 for a whopping 16 fluid ounces of vanilla extract, for $0.62 per ounce. If I buy vanilla at the grocery store, I get it in much smaller quantities and for a much higher price. My grocery store has McCormick vanilla extract for $26.99 for a measly four ounces — $6.75 per ounce. Oof.

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3. Canned tuna

My cats are a fan of this next purchase — if they hear the can opener, they come running. And if you like to maintain a stocked pantry like I do, canned tuna is an item worth keeping on hand at all times.

I bought an eight-pack of Bumble Bee albacore tuna in water for $16.79 at Costco, or $2.10 per can. At my grocery store, a single can is selling for $2.79.

4. Sweetener packets

If you use artificial sweetener in your tea or coffee, the chances are good you have a preferred brand. My pick is Splenda, which comes in cheerful yellow packets — I always have some in my purse, in case a given coffee shop doesn’t stock it.

I was thrilled to buy a giant box of 1,000 Splenda packets at Costco for just $18.69 — or just under $0.02 apiece. At my grocery store, I’d pay $5.79 for 100 packets, or a cost of almost $0.06 each.

5. Toilet paper

One of the reasons I finally joined Costco was because I now have more storage space for bulk buys as a new homeowner. I now have a basement that is mostly empty, along with closets on both floors of my home. I visited Costco without a set shopping list in mind, other than toilet paper and perhaps some type of baked goods.

I paid $19.99 for 30 rolls of Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue, for a cost of $0.66 per roll. I always buy my grocery store’s brand of toilet paper, and I can get 12 rolls of that for $12.49, or $1.04 per roll.

How did the savings shake out?

I had to know a dollar figure for how much I saved by buying all these items at Costco instead of my grocery store. Here’s a unit price breakdown:

Item Unit Price at Costco Unit Price at Grocery Store Unit Cost Difference
Q-Tips $0.005 per swab $0.01 per swab $0.005
Vanilla extract $0.62 per ounce $6.75 per ounce $6.13
Canned tuna $2.10 per can $2.79 per can $0.69
Artificial sweetener $0.02 per packet $0.06 per packet $0.04
Toilet paper $0.66 per roll $1.04 per roll $0.38
Data source: Costco, Price Chopper, author’s calculations.

To buy these items in bulk quantities at Costco, I spent $74.95. If I wanted to buy the same quantities of them at my grocery store, I would spend $239.02. That’s a savings of $164.07.

But by buying these items in bulk at Costco, I not only saved myself $164. I also saved myself time running to the grocery store. Granted, my closest Costco store is an hour away, meaning I can’t just pop in whenever the urge strikes me. But I know I’ll be able to maximize my Costco membership by buying items like the ones above on my infrequent trips to the warehouse.

Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)

We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco.

Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.

Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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