Monday, April 29, 2013

Because there's no such thing as going into Costco to buy one thing

My first mistake before hitting the Oshawa Costco was asking my husband to join me. My second mistake was listening to him when he said, "We should get a cart."

I went in for salmon. Salmon! $17 quickly became $186. Ergh... I know for a fact that psychologically Costco is set up to be a consumer game of want versus need. It's impulse shopping on a grandiose scale for those with grandiose disposable income, which many Costco members don't have, but think they do.

I swore I'd never become a member but my husband wanted cheap gas and my mother kept enticing me with comments about their meat and fish, so I caved. But of the five times I have gone into the place, I have been unable to leave with only the item I intended to buy and each time I was with my husband. It's totally his fault.

And before you ask what does this post have to do about commuting, it has absolutely nothing to do with commuting, but you can take a bus to Costco. 

6 comments:

  1. AprilApril 29, 2013 at 10:15 AM

    Is it really worth it to stand in those Costco lineups for $17? I won't wait for gas there either. My time is worth more than what I save.

    Stop taking your husband with you. Tell him you are going to buy tampons. Or yeast infection medications. Anything so he doesn't want to come.

    ReplyDelete
  2. C.J. SmithApril 29, 2013 at 10:17 AM

    But I really like their salmon! And the price! I haven't really experienced the crazy line-ups I hear about. We may have just been lucky.

    My husband buys feminine hygiene products when asked, that doesn't faze him.

    I do need to leave him behind.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SquigglesApril 29, 2013 at 11:06 AM

    I went on Thursday for 5 things. The written list was 5 items, I managed to only get 3 of those items and about 50 dollars worth of other crap. I do have a system: go with a parent (who has the membership) with a limited amount of money in my pocket. That way, we combine orders and I know I only have x number of dollars to spend.

    That place is evil. Like Walmart. You never exit with one thing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. C.J. SmithApril 29, 2013 at 11:10 AM

    If we had a decent fish market in the Bomanville, Courtice, Oshawa area, I wouldn't go into Costco at all. But we don't.

    There used to be a place on Simcoe in Oshawa, south of Gibb, called Newfie Seafood. I was a regular until the owner retired. The grocery stores are pricey as hell. Costco fish is well priced and of great quality.

    ReplyDelete
  5. BickyApril 30, 2013 at 7:53 PM

    There's also the theory that you never get out of Costco for less than $100.

    I shop with a list and can pretty much stick to it. You need to shop with me.

    ReplyDelete
  6. calvinhcMay 8, 2013 at 8:09 AM

    That reminds me: I have to get to Costco as they're having a special on a 4-pack of pianos! ;-)

    Seriously, I refuse to pay for the privilege (membership) of shopping anywhere.

    ReplyDelete

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