Costco Finds

If you are lucky enough to have a Costco or Sam's Club nearby, I highly recommend taking advantage of the savings here. Although there is a yearly membership fee, I have found this more than pays for itself when you have a family to feed. Of course, being wise about your purchases will save you the most money.

With so many great finds on bulk items, you definitely have to go into Costco with a 'healthy' mindset. For example, do you really need or are you going to use 10 gallons of maple syrup? It may seem like a real bargain at $3.99, but it will likely go bad before it's used or, worse, if it is all consumed you have just wreaked havoc on your body.

I will admit that is a great price on maple syrup, but the consequences of consuming all that sugar in our bodies is not worth it to me. I have, however, found many healthy treasures hidden in the Costco aisles...

• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus - Delish and very cheap
• Kirkland Baby wipes - Every bit as good as Huggies, only cheaper
• Huge Bags of Nuts - Almonds, Pine nuts, Walnuts, etc.
• Cheese, Cheese, Cheese - Goat, Sheep, Tillamook... So many varieties for very little cost
• Vegetables - Not organic but fresh and way cheaper than grocery store
• 5 lb. bags of frozen ORGANIC veggies - A big steal for under $5
• Rotisserie Chickens from Deli - Huge and juicy for $5.99
• WinTree Enviro-Friendly Laundry Soap - Better than Tide and cheaper too
• Earth First Toilet paper and paper towels - Recycled and a great price
• Olive Oil - This stuff is the best... so many uses and unbelievably cheap!
• Naked Juices (64 oz. - $5.99) - I definitely recommend the Green Machine!
• Minced Garlic - Great quality and inexpensive (We go through this rather quickly.)
• Organic, Natural Peanut Butter - Twin Pack, No Sugar/Preservatives/Junk
• Organic, Natural Breads - Some are even gluten-free... yummy!
• Others swear by the $1.50 Hot Dog + soda combo at the front of the store... Ick, I'll pass on that one. ;)

Being a Costco member also entitles you to other perks such as monthly coupon books, travel discounts, savings on home improvement/appliances and even car tires! Costco also has a fabulous return policy and a smörgåsbord of delicious samples for customers to try.