I've had a Costco membership for years. I am with you on how they treat their employees especially compared to Wal-Mart and even Target. But, in terms of what you'd be able to shop for there. They do have a lot of organic, but whether it would be worth it from a food perspective would be something that you just have to determine. You definitely can go in as a guest with someone who has a membership.

I always get my gas there as I have the Costco branded American Express. It's always the cheapest gas in the area and with using the AmEx card with it, I get another 3% off (gets applied to the dollar back at the end of the year). I have an executive membership, and the $ back program basically pays for my membership fee every year which is nice.

Costco insurance is good as are their vacation planning services. They have great photo store and pharmacy, and lots of household items. I've bought a lot of children's clothes there for the grands. Also, a great tire and battery department that is significantly cheaper.

I also always buy things like laundry detergent, soaps, toothpastes, TP, paper towels, dog food, etc., there in bulk. I wait until they send out a coupon on them and stock up.

Obviously, I love the place both for socio/political reasons and for what they carry.

Oh yes, I have the Costco American express and although it isn't the best cash back credit card I have, you do get 3% back on travel and restaurants and maybe another category. I've switched to another Amex as my primary credit card but up until this year, I've been getting hundreds of dollars back every year by charging what I could on the Costco Amex. Amex is also the only CC that Costco allows.

Oh, that's good to know! They only allow American express? Well, that probably negates it right there. DH will not want to have to get a new CC and we never carry cash. (easier to keep track of finances without cash).

at my costco here, they only allow american express CREDIT CARDS but you can also pay with cash, check or debit card and it doesnt matter what kind of debit card....i use mine from wells fargo and it's a visa branded debit card and there's no issue

i love costco and would write more but i'm running out the door now

Yeah, you can use your bank debit card as a debit card (not as a credit card though). No Visa, Discover or Mastercard.

My Costco has the following items that you might like. I find that the savings on these items is significant over Whole Foods or another grocery store:

1. Organic fresh fruit (berries, apples, oranges, etc.)
2. Organic fresh vegetables (Kale, spinach, sometimes other veggies)
3. Organic milk
4. Organic eggs
5. Naked juices
6. A variety of protein bars
7. Nuts
8. They probably have organic frozen fruits and veggie but I don't use those
9. A huge variety of cheese
10. Amy's organics frozen meals
11. Paper products

My Costco has offered to me to refund the difference between my Executive Card and a regular card if I don't realize the savings with the cost differential ( you get 2% cash back or something like that). So maybe ask about that.

Also, my Costco will allow you to shop one time to try it out (you must pay cash/check). Maybe try it out.

Finally, their pharmacy, photo and optical departments are pretty good.

I LOVE my Costco membership! I don't know that I would be able to afford to eat clean without it. You don't necessarily get the same variety you'd get in a grocery store but I don't waste any food.

Years ago my mother saw her butcher buying his meat from Costco...we've been getting our meats from Costco ever since. The meat and fish you can freeze. I also buy butternut squash, broccoli, string beans, bell peppers, raspberries, strawberries and cucumbers from Costco every week. They've got a pretty nice selection of cheeses too!

Well, I'm very much more interested now. My husband and I have been talking about getting a membership forever. I'm glad to hear so many good things about Costco vs Sam's Club simply because I dislike Walmart, though it's become a "necessary" evil for us with non-food items. I'd LOVE to be able to NEVER shop at Walmart ever again!

We are wanting, very much, to start the transition to 100% (well, realistically let's say 90%) whole foods. I think something like Costco could make that transition a little easier on the pocketbook.

We buy most of our food at Costco and I eat unprocessed/whole foods. You have to really COMMIT to get through a bulk amount of whatever you buy before it goes bad so you need to be OK with eating the same thing several days per week if not every day (depending on how many family members eat that way). We don't go for all the processed/packaged stuff even though that's what Costco is better known for - there are tons of whole foods available too.

Also, we find that about once per year a "big ticket" item like eyeglasses comes up and being able to buy it a Costco over other retailers basically pays for our membership. So even if the food wasn't cheaper (which it is) we would still have a membership because of those non-food opportunities.

I'm also pro-Costco for pretty much all the reasons people have said, both the quality of the food and other items, and the corporate practices. But I do have one exception of eyeglasses that a couple of people have mentioned. My eye doctor (MD, not optometrist so he's not making or selling glasses so this isn't about wanting me to buy from him) is adamant about not getting glasses there, he says the quality is not acceptable.

Produce and meat are both great. They also have very good prices on powdered spices and other cooking and baking ingredients.

I love Costco too for all the reasons mentioned here.

April Snow - I didn't know that about their prescription eye glasses. I have been getting my glasses there for years and I'll have to ask my eye doctor about that the next time I go. I also get my contact lenses there, which I know are fine because it's the same manufacturer that my eye doctor would give me.

I agree that between the prescriptions and the other whole foods that I can get there (and the baby clothes!) that the membership pays for itself. I've also gotten good deals on luggage, wines, air filters, all the paper stuff, and soaps/detergents.

I like their Kirkland brand. Most times the quality is much better than grocery store generic.

Bulk wine!? SOLD!

That made me literally LOL!!! So funny!

The nearest Costco to me is about 35 miles away so not really convenient to just run out for a couple of things. But you ladies could all be spokeswomen for them, you are making me want to go sign up there tomorrow! I guess the 70 miles roundtrip could be subsidized by the gas savings at the Costco pump!

Please report back on this, I am curious to see what your eye doctor says! I should add that my eyes are *really* bad and perhaps my doctor doesn't even tell all of his patients the same thing, just those with the really high prescriptions.

I agree the contacts are fine, I've even ordered those online (in the past, when I could still wear them) because they are the same no matter where you get them and a place like Costco can buy in bulk and pass on that savings.