7 Costco Items Frugal Financial Planners Buy Every Single Month Without Fail
Costco isn’t just a go-to store for bulk buys and free samples. It’s also a great way to save money when the circumstances are right.
MoneyLion spoke with money-conscious financial experts to learn what they buy every month to cut costs. In many cases, the items are cheaper than what you will find at the grocery store and are multipurpose.
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Read on to learn what frugal money experts recommend buying at Costco – you never know, you might discover a new-to-you fun way to save.
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1. Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken
Most people know Costco's iconic $4.99 rotisserie chicken. Cameron Botes, founder and tax advisor at BizBud, said his household buys four monthly.
“I remove the meat from the bones and use it as a meatball substitute for pastas, pizza toppings and even put it on fried rice,” he said. His family even uses the bones to create stock for soups.
2. Bread
Melanie Musson, personal finance expert at Quote.com, said bread is her go-to at the warehouse club.
“A pack three times bigger than a single at the grocery store costs the same,” she said. “If we don’t use it all right away, we make bread pudding or baked French toast."
3. Egg Whites
Do you enjoy eggs but want to protect your health? Egg whites contain much of an egg's protein, according to Healthline. Reyna Gobel, MPH and founder of WalletsandWaistlines.com buys them for that reason.
“Egg whites are such a versatile protein,” she said, listing egg whites as one of her must-buys every month.
4. Ardent Mills Harvest Hotel & Restaurant All-Purpose Flour
Buying a 25-pound bag of flour may seem like overkill for some, but for Botes, the Ardent Mills Harvest Hotel & Restaurant All-Purpose Flour is in his cart every month.
“The value that you get is amazing. They are priced the same as the ten-pound bags at other stores," Botes said. His family uses it for bread, homemade pasta and pizza dough, so they fly through a bag.
5. Pancake Mix
Pancakes work for breakfast or for a fun dinner. Musson lists pancake mix as a regular Costco purchase because it’s a weekly meal in her home.
“We have pancakes once a week, and the big bag goes quickly and is so much cheaper than small boxes of the same mix at the grocery store,” said Musson.
6. Kirkland’s Extra Fancy Salted Mixed Nuts
Caitlin Agnew-Francis, commercial sales manager at Desky, notes that Kirkland's Extra Fancy Salted Mixed Nuts is something she buys every month at Costco.
“I use this as a snack when I'm watching a movie, or put it in a salad, or when making cookies,” she said.
Afraid it’s just a mix of peanuts and filler? Not so.
“It contains cashews, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts and macadamia nuts! You're getting high-quality nuts,” Agnew-Francis added.
7. Chicken Breasts
Beef prices continue to spike, with increases expected to reach up to 10% in 2026, per the USDA. Chicken is a more affordable protein you can find in plenty at Costco.
“My favorite items to buy at Costco are frozen chicken breasts… The six-pound bag of frozen chicken is inexpensive and lasts a couple of weeks,” said Gobel.
You can shop at Costco frugally with the right mindset. Just plan your purchases to avoid food waste.
Editor’s note: Prices and availability are subject to change.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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