Costco superfan declares love: prices, Kirkland, cheap gas, cruises

The price-performance ratio is really good. And everything is there, so you don't have to go to lots of different shops.

My parents have always gone to Costco since I was young. I have been a Costco member since September 2014. Even before that, I always went there, maybe with a friend who was a member or with my parents.

Since joining, I have had the Executive membership. It is currently 120 Canadian dollars ($87), but will soon go up to 130 ($95). You get 2% cash back. That is worth it for me.

It's about doing good business

I go to Costco about once a week. I usually go to the closest store and I'm pretty efficient. I usually spend about half an hour to three quarters of an hour in the store. I check what's on sale beforehand and make a list. I'm not an impulse buyer or a shopper. I know what I want.

Costco is my favorite for most things. Mostly I just buy groceries. But I also go to a few other grocery stores because I have a small family and everything at Costco is bulk and I don't want to buy anything that will go to waste.

For most things, even electronics or household goods, I definitely look at Costco first. But I also look elsewhere, maybe you can find a better deal there. For me, a good deal is the most important thing, but in general, Costco is pretty solid. It's hard to beat.

Costco sells mid-range products, so it's not junk or stuff that breaks. It's a good balance between quality and price.

I buy a mix of Kirkland and name brand products. If Kirkland is a little less expensive, I'll probably buy it. That would probably be a standard. But it's a mix because Kirkland doesn't make everything – there's just a selection of things that it makes.

The Kirkland brand is just as good. I always bought their diapers for my son. I was almost never disappointed.

I really like store-baked cookies and desserts, but I try to limit myself because they contain a lot of sugar. I usually only buy them when they are on sale, which is not that often.

Costco has many good policies

Costco actually seems to treat its employees much better than anywhere else and its employees often stay for many years.

Costco has a good return policy – basically no questions asked. It's almost too good because I think some people abuse it. I try not to use it because I actually feel a weird sense of loyalty. I usually only try it when I really feel like, “Yeah, that didn't work out.” For example, I bought a massager and the charging port broke. I returned it, no problem.

Another really good thing about Costco is their price reduction policy. It can be something as small as a carton of eggs. The employees never give you a hard time about it. You feel like, despite the huge corporation, they support the company or are loyal in some way.

Gasoline prices are at their lowest practically everywhere. And then you kill another bird with one stone. You fill up the tank, buy your groceries and that's it.

I've used Costco for hockey sticks, rental cars, and even a cruise

And then there's the treasure hunt aspect. For example, I bought a couple of water guns for myself and my four-year-old son. I had no intention of buying them, but they were a good deal.

If Costco has hockey sticks in stock, I'll probably get one because they're much cheaper than regular sporting goods stores. And the quality is definitely as good as I need it to be.

I buy car accessories from time to time. Things like an air compressor, polish, wax and a car vacuum cleaner which is super handy to have around the house.

My mother got hearing aids. At another store, they cost 6,000 Canadian dollars ($4,375). At Costco, there were very similar hearing aids that cost about 3,000 Canadian dollars ($2,187). The staff said that if she lost one, Costco had a policy to replace it. The hearing aid exam was free, but there is a fee for the optician.

I booked a Princess Cruise Line cruise for my mom through Costco. The same product was a few hundred dollars cheaper than her travel agent. And Costco also gave her a credit card for a few hundred dollars.

I have also rented cars through Costco. They compare car rental companies and you can see which one is cheaper. Plus, it's cheaper than going direct.

I also purchased tickets to a local dinner theater at Costco, as well as ski lift tickets to mountain resorts near Calgary.

The food court is good for the price

I eat at the food court about once a month. I usually go to Costco alone, but if my family comes, we might eat together.

The menu isn't that great. I definitely wouldn't eat there every time.

But it's good if you want something quick, easy and inexpensive. There's nothing on the menu that I avoid.

It's not a great pizza, but for the price and what you get, it's good.

Other people probably don't like Costco as much as I do

Most of my friends and family are Costco members. The only ones who aren't don't have a Costco nearby. Pretty much everyone I know is a member. They probably don't enjoy it as much as I do.

Are you a Costco superfan? Email this reporter at [email protected].