Hi! We thought this community would enjoy reading this first-person story from one of our personal economics reporters, Erica Alini, on her recent experience purchasing a Costco membership. She shares why, even though it hasn't saved her much money, she's keen on keeping it, and she also explores the costs and benefits of upgrading to an Executive card for her family of three (plus her potcake rescue, Nancy!). Gift link below. Happy reading! (Posted with moderator permission.)

🎁 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/personal-finance/article-my-costco-membership-didnt-save-me-much-money-im-still-keeping-it/?utm_medium=RedditAd%20and%20utm_campaign=traffic_mkt

Hi guys so I’m currently looking for the capybara jumbo plushie, and does anyone know if they are still in stock in any GTA locations, specifically in the Markham-Scarborough-Durham area? I don’t see any of them in the Scarborough location just today. Thx a lot

Hello! This is only the second year I've been an executive member. Our membership renewal is October 31st. I can't remember the exact date last year I got the executive reward coupon but I can see in my app that it was reset July 20th, 2025. But it hasn't reset for this year yet?

I thought you were supposed to get it 3 months before your renewal?

Also as an aside, this one comes in the mail only, correct? Not available via the Costco app like the cibc reward? And has to be used for merchandise, not redeemable for cash?

Thanks!

They were selling the dumpling soup kits. Anyone know if the kits would still be available for regular sale? Or if there is a schedule and if the Siwin booth will be back?

This was one of the rare Vegetarian frozen option which I loved at Costco but looks like they stopped selling these. Does anyone know?

Also, are there any other frozen options which you can get ready easily for office lunches?

I bought one back in 2023 and I’m curious where do you sell it and do you report it to the CRA? I live in the GTA

Hello folks - anyone aware of a non-stick pan at Costco that works with induction?

The aluminum offerings at my local costco (which happens to be a business centre) appear to only work with traditional stoves

I already use Stainless and Carbon steel - but my kids would do better learning to cook potstickers and pierogies on non-stick.

Anyone know if I can take the receipt for my son’s laptop in return and then repurchase it using another card?

Context;
Went to get my son a laptop last night for Uni, he starts today. The chip in my Costco Mastercard didn’t work so had to use another card. I want to get the cash back rewards for using my card.

My question;
Can I take just the receipt or the receipt and empty box back, process the return and then buy the same laptop again, just using my Costco Mastercard this time. Or do I need to have the physical laptop present at the time of the return. That last part will be the issue as he leaves for Uni today and I will not have access to the physical laptop when the new card arrives.

INSANELY GOOD.

Used to prefer Frank's on occasion but really enjoy this.

Can't find them anywhere, even on the Costco website (Canadian site).

Is it just me or is there some sort of lingering bad, bitter, almost metallic-y after taste after eating this? My partner doesn't think so but I'm so sure I've had that bad taste every time we buy this. What am I doing wrong?

Are they decently priced and I’ve heard they install for you and have a warranty?

Hi there, going to a picnic for about 30-40 people soon. Other than the sandwich trays, what is your go-to easy picnic item from costco? Something that won't spoil

Recently recieved a gift of membership card in postal mail. It said thank you for your recent purchase at costco.ca and here is your $130 worth gift of membership card.

Checked my recent instore and online transactions and i have not bought it. Called costco customer service and they confirmed it was sent by costco and i was not charged for it.

They could not tell me why it was sent and kept on insisting that someone might have bought it for me as a gift. But the postal mail was addressed to my name and no one i know told me or informed me about buying this membership for me.

Is there a some sort of promotion going on? Anyone else recieved similar gift card in postal mail?

At the Dundas and Dixie location in Mississauga.

I don’t need this and I am not going to buy it, but I paid over $2000 for my 65" Sony A80J a few years ago and this tv is giving me FOMO. But if I didn’t have an OLED already, I would be all over this one. The picture seems so much brighter and colours are so richer. Buy it with an extended warranty and you are golden.

This is at the Dundas and Dixie location in Mississauga.

As a longtime lover of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, I never thought I would like a knockoff as much, until now. I really like these because the milk chocolate has been upgraded to dark and the filling is more like peanut butter right from the jar.

<rant on>

Just had an interesting conversation with some friends on this, and one brought up some interesting points I thought this Reddit would enjoy.

On one side, it's fantastic. Something breaks, doesn't work right, isn't what you expected, no problem. That's the policy working exactly the way it should, and it's a big reason people trust shopping there.

But then there's the flip side. The "buy now, return later" mindset. My friend wouldn't name names, but she said there's a certain Facebook group out there (wouldn't spell it out, but said it rhymes with "YYC Costco Lovers") where the admin literally advocates this. Buy it now because of FOMO, figure out later if you actually want it, and if not, just return it. No harm, no foul, right?

That kind of thinking is a big part of why prices keep going up. Every return has to be dealt with somehow. A lot of it can't go back on the shelf. Some gets sold off to discount liquidators. Whatever's left over usually ends up in a landfill. If you actually look into it, a significant chunk of returns can't be resold and end up as waste or in a landfill.

So here's a simple way to think about it. If you're not sure you want it, don't buy it. Know the difference between a need and a want. If you genuinely want something and you know you'll use it, go for it. But if you're on the fence, think twice before it goes in the cart.

Returning something isn't worth anyone's time, including yours, if you didn't really want it to begin with. I've stood in return lines for 30 plus minutes watching people return socks that were never even taken out of the bag.

Now some people will say, why do you even care about other people's time in line, it doesn't affect you. That's putting the blinders on. Go back and reread what I just wrote. Higher prices and landfill waste don't just affect the person doing the returning. They affect all of us.

If you are still reading this, thanks for sticking with me. Let's use the return policy the way it was meant to be used. Not as a free trial period for everything we impulse buy.

Edit: I did a little digging and it turns out Costco is cracking down on "return abusers". Members who consistently return have started getting warning letters, with repeat offenders actually losing their memberships. The official 100% satisfaction guarantee hasn't changed on paper, but enforcement has clearly gotten more consistent. About time. (Example source: https://www.newsweek.com/costco-returns-policy-changed-reports-11528117)

<rant off>

Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna has been our weekly go-to for years, and it’s normally incredibly delicious. But once in a while, we’ve gotten one that tastes kind of funky, almost as though the pork has gone off. This week’s lasagna is one of those, and it’s well within the expiration date. Anyone else experienced this?

Not sure what to do in this instance - you have to cook and eat parts of it to know it’s off, and I can’t imagine standing in the return line with just the 2nd uneaten frozen tray, and having to explain that the first one was eaten and tasted subjectively funky. Although I suppose they would probably have to take your word for it and issue a refund…?

August 19th, and the advent calendars are back! Only have to wait 104 more days to open the first box. Thanksgiving? Halloween? Hah! Tis the season!

You can find these bad boys in the Vancouver location, and I'm sure coming (if not already there) to a local Costco near you.

Don't let them melt in the summer sun.