Jan, admit it, that Kool-Aid doesn't taste too bad, does it?
I am really pleased to hear you're growing in your awareness of the good Costco brings to your life. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the choices, and (of course) Costco would love for you to spend every penny you have at their warehouses. But truth be told, sometimes other stores may have better pricing on things. On a day to day basis, however, Costco usually wins - for the things they sell. In my world, Costco is the first stop when I'm on the lookout for some specific thing I know I need. I'll buy from other stores, too, if the same item is cheaper elsewhere. But it's not always just about price. By and large, Costco's version is usually bigger, better, has better features, or in some way is a better value than the same thing sold elsewhere. Many times as part of a Costco pitch, a manufacturer will include an extra item in the package, that doesn't come with it at other stores. This is quite often the case with electronics, where the Costco bundle may have a carrying case, or a memory card, or a better camera lense, or some extra RAM, or something that makes it a better deal. To add that extra item into a purchase elsewhere might end up driving up the cost even more, making the Costco purchase an even better deal. And don't forget that return policy - if you don't like it, change your mind, or outright hate the product, you can return it for a full refund. Other stores just don't do that.
The Costco apple pie is really good, isn't it? And for $9 you can't really go wrong. Yes, it will freeze well. You might try cutting one into individual serving sizes for the two of you, and freezing it into packages that could be used when you want pie for dessert. It's a nice way to stretch it over time, so you're not eating more pie than you want because it is sitting there. (So if a pie cuts into eight slices, make four packages of two slices. Freeze three of the packages, and thaw them whenever you feel like apple pie for dessert.) You can do the same with the Chicken Pot Pie from the Costco deli, too. Same size as the apple pie. Way too much for two people, but baked, cooled, cut, and frozen into portions, it makes a great quick meal later on.
The Costco Pharmacy is one of the better bargains they offer. I receive my regular prescriptions in the mail, but any "on the day" prescriptions I get I have sent to Costco for pickup later. The only caveat to that is sometimes Costco may not have odd medicines in stock, or it may take time for them to get insurance authorization for things. I try and wait a day to make sure things are ready for pickup before waiting to get it right then and there.
I agree about Vitamin D. Mine was also low last year, (no surprise, living in the Pacific Northwest.) My doctor wanted me to take 10,000iu a day for awhile, to bring things up. Hard to do without taking several Vitamin D pills, which is hard for me. I opted for liquid Vitamin D drops from GNC. It comes in 4000iu per drop. So I take three drops one day, and two drops the next, which averages out to 10000 per day. (Sounds odd, but I just sprinkle them on the back of my hand, then lick it off, and it's done. It's tasteless, so goes easy. Weird method, but works.) My Vitamin D numbers have improved greatly.
Not quite 5 months of being a Costco shopper has done what I never would have believed was even possible after being married to him for 41 years.
I'm very proud of Jim. He's proving by example exactly what Costco wants a happy member to look and act like. Not every shopping trip has to be a cart full. Sometimes you just need a few items. I do that all the time, and I'm in Costco several days a week. My latest find is frozen fish sticks, a big bag currently on sale for $7.99. We tend to eat a lot of fish, and like varieties we can do easily. I got a bag to try out, we liked them quite a bit. I went back and got three more bags, currently in the freezer. So we're set for having fish and chips for quite awhile. (Have we talked about the magic of an Air Fryer? Frozen fish sticks and frozen french fries come out perfectly, and they're done in a fraction of the time of trying to do them in the oven. Bonus - you don't heat up the kitchen by using the stove.)
This reminds me, I need to go to Costco today. My car needs gas, and it's the cheapest prices in town. You know you get a rebate on gas, too, right?
Dave