I have lots of these tricks up my sleeve, but I often forget to share them here with you. Here are a couple of my favorite tips that will save you a pretty penny even while shopping at Costco!
Have you ever purchased the individually packaged Dole Fruit Cups? Ya I thought so, me too. That was before I started buying this 10lb can of S&W Pear Halves at Costco. Just strain the juice out of the can (save some if you like), dice them if you choose to and then stick them in little tupperware containers for quick snacks. Or my preference is to divide the pears into mason jars and refrigerate them (pictured above). They don’t last long in our house, but if it seems like more than your family would eat you can freeze them too!
Wondering how much you’ll save? Costco sells the same brand of Pear Halves in an 8 can package (15oz per can) for $9.69. Let’s do the math… The 8 can package packs a total of 120oz for $9.69 vs the 106oz bulk can for $4.59, it’s pretty obvious isn’t it? You’re paying twice as much for a few extra cans that you’re going to recycle and some cardboard packaging.
Let’s not even begin with the 4 oz portioned Dole Fruit Cups for a $0.50 each. Or shall we? Ok let’s do… for the same quantity of pears in fruit cups you’d be paying a whopping $15.00! Ouch. Convenience isn’t worth an extra $10 in my book, especially when it takes me all of 5-10 minutes tops to prepare these pears for eating.
Moving on… I don’t know if you use canned diced tomatoes often at all, but we use them in a lot of recipes – chili, spaghetti, veggie soup, pasta, etc. Recently I started buying this 10lb can from Costco – no we don’t use THAT much all at once. Instead what I do is re-package it into 14oz can portions using a simple sandwich size ziploc bag. If you don’t think you’ll use it in them all next 2-4 weeks then I’d suggest using a freezer bag, otherwise you’ll be just fine with a regular ziploc bag.
Wondering how much you’ll actually save? Well a regular can of store bought or name brand S&W Diced Tomatoes is 14 oz and sells anywhere from $0.80 – $1.00 per can. For the same quantity as the 102 oz can at Costco you’d have to buy 7.28 cans (let’s just round down to 7 cans). Let’s also go conservative here and say they’re on sale or you’re buying the store brand fro $0.80 per can. That’s still $5.60 vs. the $2.69 price at Costco – over 50% savings!
Do you think you’ll test this savings method on your next Costco shopping trip?
Here are a few other Costco posts that you might find helpful…
Lyndi Anderson March 7, 2013 at 3:19 pm
Thank you for the comparisons! We’re regular Costco shoppers and I will definitely be buying more #10 cans and splitting them up – our grocery bill has been a little out of control because of the “convenience” foods
Julia March 8, 2013 at 4:16 pm
Trust me I can relate!
Cathy March 9, 2013 at 3:37 am
Do you use a funnel to refill the bottles? Doesn’t it make a huge mess? And, what brand is sold in cans? I’ve bought tomato sauce, and even canned veggies, in the #10 can, but haven’t tried the catsup (I didn’t even know that it came in that size can).
Carrie March 9, 2013 at 12:52 pm
Cathy, I don’t remember what brand they have, but it is a major brand. I try to guesstimate dividing up the 10# can into what would fit into my ketchup bottle, (usually about 3 refills) then put that into gallon size freezer bags & freeze them flat. Yes I use a funnel, it is a little slow going – you just have to be patient! I usually thaw the frozen gallon bag, snip off a corner and ask my husband to hold the funnel in the ketchup bottle. A real $$ saver!
Cathy March 12, 2013 at 11:32 am
Thanks for the info. I have done that with mustard, as well. Like the idea of a frozen plastic bag, too.
Eva May 7, 2013 at 10:34 am
As an old school caffeteria and resturant worker, we used to have one of the large ketchup cans, turned into a special filler can, this was done by squeezing the side of the can into a spout shape, narrow enough to pour into the small ketchup bottles we had, no funnel needed, no helper and easy enough for a teen ager to do. The high school used teens from the school to sub as workers and paid them in food! I filled many a bottle with that method. same for salt and pepper, and sugar.
Yeah you have a large can to store, but its sure handy to have for other stuff, I have used it when canning as I make chilli sauce and use the old bottles I have from the store bought stuff! works a heck of a lot better than a funnel.
Ronni March 7, 2013 at 8:02 pm
I just started buy toilet paper at Costco again….for some reason Costco toilet paper just lasts longer in my house! I have 3 girls and we can go through 1 roll a day of the name brand paper (yes….I keep track). So at that rate it goes pretty quick. I recently bought the Costco brand ($14.99) and it lasted just over 2 months! Now that’s deal! I would usually use my drugstore rewards to buy toilet paper….but I think I will keep going to Costco and save my rewards for other things.
Kelly March 9, 2013 at 9:36 am
Ronni – This idea isn’t for everyone but with 2 daughters and me, we also go through toilet paper! I used their old flannel receiving blankets and sewed together two layers roughly the size of a mini-pad and have stacks of them on the back of the toilet to use for liquid waste only. I put a special container next to the toilet to collect them for the laundry. Not only does it save on toilet paper, but no crumby bits left behind on young wipers. You just have to stress not to flush them! This is not my original idea, got it from somewhere.
Carrie March 8, 2013 at 9:56 am
Buying ketchup in the big 10# cans is also a huge savings! I just divide it up in gallon size freezer bags (according to the size bottle I have in the fridge), freeze & when I’m out of ketchup — refill my bottle!
Julia March 8, 2013 at 4:16 pm
Hmmmmm, good one! Thanks Carrie!
Anonymous March 9, 2013 at 3:34 am
Do you use a funnel to refill the bottles? Doesn’t it make a huge mess? And, what brand is sold in cans?
Cathy March 9, 2013 at 3:38 am
Do you use a funnel to refill the bottles? Doesn’t it make a huge mess? And, what brand is sold in cans? I’ve bought tomato sauce, and even canned veggies, in the #10 can, but haven’t tried the catsup (I didn’t even know that it came in that size can).
dee March 8, 2013 at 10:26 am
Hi Julia – do you freeze them when you portion them out if you aren’t able to use them right away? Also, is there a good place to buy mason jars? thanks!
Julia March 8, 2013 at 4:17 pm
I think you’re asking about the pears – I haven’t tried freezing those. I do freeze the tomatoes though. As far as mason jars, I was able to stock up a while ago during a clearance sale at Lowes. If I didn’t have those though I’d buy them at thrift stores, I see them all the time for around $0.50 each. Then you can just buy new lids and seals, they’re pretty cheap.
Kelly March 8, 2013 at 7:37 pm
Julia – Have you seen the plastic reusable lids for the ball/mason jars? They have them pretty cheap at Walmart and then there is no rust to deal with and they are washable and reusable. I use them for EVERYTHING! Also, we buy the sliced olives in the giant can at Costco. I think it’s $3.49 ($0.99 for a tiny can at the grocery store) I store part in a jar in the fridge for salads, homemade pizza, etc and freeze the rest in ziplocs.
Julia March 8, 2013 at 7:50 pm
I haven’t seen those, I’ll look next time. Thanks! I also LOVE your olives idea, I hadn’t noticed those before!
mary March 9, 2013 at 2:33 pm
um…. why bother refrigerating your ball jars when you can just reseal them for shelf storage??
Julia March 9, 2013 at 2:36 pm
good point, but seriously we’ll eat these this week and they like them cold
Meeka March 9, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Our family used to love buying cans like these in bulk. Until I began reading about how BPA is used in many/most canned goods in the US. Now we strive to only eat canned products if we can verify the manufacturers don’t use BPA. (Some stores, like Trader Joe’s, will provide you with lists of which cans do/don’t upon request via email.) this has made shopping harder, and sometimes more expensive, but I believe this is something ever consumer needs to be aware if so they can make conscious decisions for their families.
Anonymous March 12, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Meeks, I try too but now that Safeway no longer carries and brands in anything other then cabs it is hard! I used to buy the brand sold interracial packs but they stopped carrying them. Good tip for Trader Joe’s we shop there pretty often now especially now that I know their store brand has no GMO products in it! The tomato thing has been one that I haven’t found a good solution too…