I went to Costco today, and it was a little overwhelming. I was so very grateful for The Challenge. There was so much stuff, and so much unnecessary stuff, it kind of stunned me. Huge cans of nuts, and sweets, and tasty gooey fatty rich stuff. There was some granola at $8.69 for a bag the same size as my homemade batch. Even if I bought a handful of dried cranberries and pecans, mine would cost less than $2. Bread at a "deal" for $2.50 a loaf! A lot of items I wouldn’t have bought regardless, but on other items, I was glad to be able to say, "No, not on The Challenge."
It reminded me of when I’m invited out, and I don’t really want to go, and I say “I can’t stay up that late”, which is true, but I’m glad I have the excuse, I’m not upset about it. Declining a purchase due to The Challenge isn’t a burden, it’s freeing.
I also saw a large number of...large people. I’m overweight, I’m not trying to ding anyone, it was just that the excess was a tonic for my system, and made me less interested in the foods.
I think I might actually do a price book. I’ve been a Huge Amy D fan, fanatic, for years, and I don’t have one. (Usually just levels in my head: tuna never more then 50 cents a can, pasta 50 cents a pound, canned veggies 3/$1). But there were some items, a very few, that were better prices, and I’d like to be able to track that. I was able to get good cheddar for $1.85, where I’ve been fighting to get $2.25 cheese elsewhere, and in fact I got grated real cheddar for $1.78 a pound.
So in this place of mighty mounds of massive muchness, I bought: cheese, tortillas, spinach, carrots, and eggs.
My Guy used the new tortilla molds, and I ate a very pretty, very tasty tortilla shell bowl filled with beans and spinach, with some cheese and non-fat sour cream and salsa. The shell was great, and it’s baked so it’s low fat. And it really was pretty; not something I usually notice about my food, but pleasant.
No, Thank You.
June 14th, 2006 at 02:08 am
June 14th, 2006 at 04:12 am 1150258323
I too am always amazed at the crap people have in their carts! I have several cashiers mention that my cart is so much healthier than most others. One time I went in just for milk and came out just with milk. Not only did the cashier call it out to the other cashiers, but the reciept checker was in shock. I think it takes a lot of discipline to not impulse buy there. But having a price book really helps you know whether it is worth buying or not.
June 14th, 2006 at 06:34 am 1150266879
June 14th, 2006 at 01:54 pm 1150293274
But...........as soon as I stopped going to Costco, my grocery bills went WAY down. No comparison charts of how much everything cost, but the budgeted amount for food for the month was hundreds of dollars less, right away. Was enough of a lesson for me to never go back.
The housemate person here, does shop at Costco now.........gets her prescriptions there, as well as gas, so it is easy to pick up a couple cheaper items I guess. I think I'll stick to my No Shopping Rule & leave all of that to her!
June 15th, 2006 at 08:54 pm 1150404891