Frugal Grocery Swaps Costco Shoppers Can Use To Save Over Time
You may buy the same household staples at Walmart, Target or the grocery store as part of your routine. But if you already shop at Costco, some of those items may cost less at the warehouse.
The difference often comes down to the unit price. When you compare the cost per unit, Costco can be the better buy on items you already use regularly.
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Additionally, the lower cost doesn’t mean a downgrade in quality. Costco's Kirkland Signature products are known to be on par with the quality of name brands, according to Tasting Table. Here are frugal swaps that can save Costco shoppers some money.
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Kirkland Signature Premium Paper Towels
Price: $23.99
Bounty loyalists should consider switching to Kirkland Signature premium paper towels. In a Today article featuring a test of six different paper towel brands, the Kirkland brand was recognized as the “most absorbent” paper towel That quality matters if your household goes through paper towels quickly due to heavy spills and other messes that require absorbent cleanup. You may be able to use fewer sheets per mess and save money over name brands.
To compare, 12 double rolls of Bounty paper towels (82 sheets per roll) cost $22.46 at Walmart, which is about 2 cents per full sheet. Kirkland Signature paper towels offer 12 create-a-size rolls (160 sheets per roll) for $23.99 or about 1 cent per sheet. That’s 95% more paper towels for only $1.53 more.
Kirkland Signature Flex-Tech Trash Bags
Price: $22.49
Kirkland Signature Flex-Tech 13-gallon trash bags come in a 200-count box for $22.49, which amounts to about 11 cents per bag. The drawstring trash bags are tear-resistant and feature flexible strength, expandable capacity and leak-protection side seams.
To compare, a 120-count box of Glad ForceFlex 13-gallon trash bags at Walmart costs $20.58, which comes out to around 30 cents per bag. Costco’s product can save frugal shoppers 42% per bag, making it a smart swap for a necessary item.
Kirkland Signature Olive Oil
Price: $22.49
Kirkland Signature olive oil comes in a 3-liter bottle for $22.49, which equals about 22 cents per ounce. To compare, Walmart’s Great Value Classic Olive Oil costs $29.97 for 101 fluid ounces or about 30 cents per ounce. That means Costco shoppers can save about 25% per ounce by choosing Kirkland, which can add up if olive oil is a regular part of their cooking routine.
Kirkland Signature Ultra-Clean Liquid Laundry Detergent
Price: $21.49
Kirkland Signature Ultra-Clean liquid laundry detergent made Consumer Reports’ top five list of laundry detergents, ranking “best value” over various Tide formulas. The 194-fluid-ounce jug offers enough liquid for 146 loads at a frugal 15 cents per load.
Walmart’s largest Original Tide laundry detergent is 158 fluid ounces for $24.94, with enough detergent to wash 126 loads. That’s around 20 cents per load. Per jug, Kirkland gives you 20 more loads for $3.45 less while cutting the cost by about a nickel per wash.
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Editor’s note: Prices and availability are subject to change.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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