Things I am not going to buy - Day 31: Anything in Costco that is NOT on my list when I walk in

Costco is one of those places where customers should be given some training before being allowed to visit.  Something about being able to buy things in bulk seems to turn us into hunter/gatherers and make us feel that we need to stock up our cupboards in case of Armageddon.  Never mind the fact that we only use one tin of tomatoes a year - you can buy them in crates of 24 and you'll never run out!!  Start doing this too often and you won't be able to get through your front door for boxes of food and household items. 

A number of my previous blogs refer to the "Curse of Costco" -

• bath products
• tinned tomatoes
• deodourant

One of the biggest selling points for Costco as far as I am concerned (in addition to the fact that the car parking spaces are huge and designed for American cars),  isn't the fact that I can buy in bulk, and nor is it the fact that things work out cheaper (because they don't always).  For me, it is the fresh meat and produce - I think it is the fact that it is American, but the meat is always of a very high standard.  You have to have some freezer space, and be prepared to split it, wrap it and freeze it when you get home, but the quality far exceeds anything you can buy in the supermarkets.  The fresh fruit and veg is also lovely, but you do have to ensure you have plans to use it up or freeze it. 

All Costcos are identical in layout (apparently).  If I went to a Costco in Seattle, for example, it would be exactly the same as the one that I go to in Milton Keynes.  How cool!  Of course I wouldn't go to a Costco in the US in case the urge to stock up came over me, which might cost me a lot in excess baggage charges...hey hum!


Anyway, back to the point!  When I walk through the door at Costco, any memory of the stocks of tomatoes, deodourant, bath products, cleaning products, and anything else that is crammed into every inch of cupboard and freezer space, goes out of my head.  The hunter/gatherer urge comes over me and off I go, filling my trolley with bulk packs of everything from toilet tissue to tea bags.  Quite often the price isn't much of a saving on the normal supermarket, so there is absolutely no reason to buy in bulk as it is very unlikely that I am going to be unable to get to a supermarket in the next twelve months!

And don't mention the appliances/gadgets/clothes/books sections!  Well, as I have mentioned them, it is amazing how long you can spend looking around them and how it is so easy to come home with a new rice cooker, handbag, TV, or pretty much anything!  You can also get your eyes tested and get new glasses, get your photos processed, buy an engagement ring and get new tyres on your car! 

I must either learn to stick to what is on my list or consider cancelling my Costco membership!