Pickles by Brian Crane for December 07, 2023

Is their freezer big enough?

At $4.99 a chicken, that’s over 40 chickens.

This is one where we can completely relate. Go for a couple items and come back with two or three boxes.

$5 for the chicken (Costco actually sells them at a loss) and $198 for everything else. To be fair, you get a lot of “everything else” for that price; as a comedian once said, you go to Safeway if you want to eat some cheese, you go to Costco if you want to build something out off cheese.

My wife and mother-in-law are Costcoholics.

Costco is great if you can spare the joining fee, which I can’t!

So my wife and I never go to Costco!

We’ve never joined either Costco or BJ’s for that reason. We’d go there for a couple of things and come home with dozens more. While we might save on each item, we’d spend more than we’re doing now at the supermarkets. Everyone we know that belongs to these “wholesale clubs” says the same thing. No, thank you. We’ll pass.

But Earl, everything was on sale!

She bought the rotisserie.

That is a big rotisserie chicken. Are you sure it’s not a turkey?

Looks like you got a lot of work to do, Earl!

It can happen and without even straining a mental muscle.

We buy about 3-4 items every few months to stock up. Usually consumable paper products. Most of the other packages of whatever contain way too much for us.

Of rotisserie chicken, or other stuff?

So the big complaint about Costco seems to be that the prices and offerings are too good.

It’s those darn side dishes, like a 5-gallon tub of baked beans or a 25-pound bag of potato salad.

Thanks to inflation, it’s no longer the $100 Store

If I go to Costco by myself, I get exactly what I came for, except when something is out of stock.

I can’t afford all the money I save at costco! Our rule is , have a list and we each pick one item not on the list. Usually works.

The Costco optical department is the greatest.

They also had joggers marked down to $5 each this week. I grabbed a couple of pair.

By the time I was done, it was $204.

Go GET ’em boy…….

Be a gentleman, Earl, go out and bring them in.

My mom said her war-time food budget was twenty bucks and she managed to build up a small savings by scrimping a bit.

Is Costco getting fee advertising here? Or does Brian Crane have some kind of deal with them. LOL

That’s what it costs to buy 2 bags of groceries at whole foods.

I have a mechanic friend who gives me his estimate in how big his Costco trip will be.

Sam’s club.

We have the issue throwing away so much, I like oranges but not a bag big enough to feed a small school.

The line for the chicken is always REALLY long. Brad doesn’t need a chicken that bad.We go mostly for water. (no lectures about bottles of water, please. The water here is horrible and I won’t drink it OR put it in the water dish for the cats. We recycle everything we can)Brad runs in and out. If I went in with him, we would leave with boxes like Opal.

One box contains the rotisserie and the other contains a chickens. Opal’s going into business. What a fascinating retirement hobby!

My comment about Costco is that they apparently allow the employee of the week to re-arrange the store, except the rotisserie chicken which is always at the far back end of the store

Should always take the van to that place. It’s their perfect marketing strategy … seek and ye shall find.

I think there is a rule that you must spend at least $200 before they let you out.

She is thrifty……..

Of course there is…..LOL

That about covers it!

You have to buy the chicken to offset the cost of the $20 toilet paper.

It’s very similar to going to Target. When checking out they’ll ask “Did you find everything you were looking for?” Heck, I didn’t come in looking for any of the stuff I’m buying.

Probably still spinning on a spit.

“Well…. one thing led to another….”

…and the semi will be coming by with the pallets

True, true. Shopping lists don’t work at Costco.

The checkout folks often ask, "Did you find everything all right? I usually answer, "Yes, indeed…plus about 250%!)

The chicken is a great deal and delicious. I can’t even buy a raw chicken cheaper. Also the hot dog and drink at the snack bar is a great deal for a $1.50. Be sure to ask for the fresh chopped onions.

Simple solution to over shopping at Costco – don’t take a cart & carry that 200°F chicken to the checkout in your hand. Did that. Once.

Opal: “But, I saved $100 !” Earl: But you cost me $2l3.00"…. do the math, Opal. LOL

I was in Montreal a few years ago and went to Walmart to pick up a rotissire chicken. They were quite a bit more expensive than in the US. BTW, If you’re ever there you’ll find that the stores between 5 and 6, including Walmart.

hahahah! so true!!

Could be Earl’s furnace filters in one of those boxes. Good ones aren’t cheap.

In buy a 12 pack of canned tuna for the cats. This works better than a giant can made more for restaurants.