Can I survive shopping only at Costco

That's a question I've asked myself a number of times. Over the years, we've always tended to look to Costco for the extras with a few exceptions. We always buy toilet paper there. And, we've become big fans of their meat and believe it's the best quality at the best price anywhere. But there are some products that just come in too big of a quantity to make them practical. Also sometimes, perishables won't last. One of the natural consequences will be simplification. This will force us to make simpler choices. 

In the current difficult economic environment, I've decided we're going to give it a try. We know there will be some things we can't buy there because they don't sell it. But we ought to be able to do pretty well. It may mean that we have to sacrifice on variety because we have to buy a lot more of something than we normally would. So, we may only get apples instead of apples and oranges. We'll also have to be smarter to use up perishables. If we buy too much fruit, we may have to start making smoothies to use it all up. 

Clothing won't be too big a problem for me since I usually wear business casual to work and if you're a careful shopper, you can do pretty well with men's clothing over time.  My wife may find the clothing selection lacking and I'm sure they won't find all her favorite makeup brands. 

My rule is going to be if they don't have it, then we don't really need it. Since we're executive club members, we'll save even more via the annual rebate. This will be an interesting experiment and I'll write about it periodically to keep you posted.

Costco makes Polish, all-beef franks available

Costco began offering a Polish or all-beef dog with a drink for $1.50 more than 20 years ago, and they've never changed the price. It's a quick lunch that probably every Costco shopper has had not just once but many, many times. And the price the charge back then is the same price they charge today. It has become one of the Costco traditions.

Well, now Costco is making both the Polish and the beef dogs available in bulk under its Kirkland label. Now you can enjoy those great dogs at home as well as at the store. Each is available in a 15-pack for $9.99 or about 67 cents each. Look for them in the refrigerator case next to the Hebrew Nationals.