Costco, shopping, money, & single living - from a man's perspective
Greetings from Southern California, USA.

ilovecostco.com is a place for Costco Shoppers or anyone who enjoys shopping. You don't have to be a Costco member to join this website. I would like to share stories on single living in general (from a man's point of view). Join and share your story.

Costco is for everyone - Even if you live alone, Costco will help you elevate your life-style so you can enjoy more with same money.

About John: 805 resident, male, straight, Costco member, lives alone, busy, tired, bored. (about me)

Why?: b/c if I don't share my life with anyone, my place will be a pigsty

Wow, be happy for me.
In January, I put 20% of my entire take home pay in to Savings account. I'm not sure if I can repeat that next month.

I'm going to keep trying.
But it was not easy.

Update - February 8, 2010

I think it was a mistake that I put away 20% of my take home pay last month.  February looks very tight.  I cannot save any money this month.

It's becoming clear that I cannot become rich by doing what I do right now.  I need to keep working on my personal projects.  I need to make something happen.

Life is still very fun... very entertaining every day.
It's just not easy.

* 4th Costco Shopping this year, 1st time this month.

There is no picture of my Costco shopping as I only bought one bag of carrots for under $5.00. 

Cost Plus World Market

I hate to bring up this subject, but this is a major development in my life.  So, here we go.

I've been shopping at Cost Plus World Market lately.

Costco doesn't carry everything I need, especially for my low calorie diet. So, I have to shop somewhere else for these items.

Products that Costco does not carry

Product description (What Costco doesn't have).

• Low acid coffee. ($8.95)
• Flavored coffee
• Wasa crispbread.  Low Calories, 0 fat calorie, high fiber. ($2.99 each)
• Low calorie (low fat) soup mix ($3.99 each)

I enjoy these products in the picture.  I wish Costco would carry these items or something similar.  But, I understand that Costco cannot carry everything in the world.

Wasa crispbread ($2.99/pack) is my new best friend.  It has low calories and it's good for you.  They have 0 fat calories.  I grab a few of these at work when I feel hungry.

I've been doing good with my diet and exercise.  I feel good and I enjoy my life-style

Coupon book is out.
I have absolutely nothing to buy from this coupon book. :)

I see some stuff I want to buy, but I am going to stick to my new year's resolution and put money in my savings account.

* 3rd Costco Shopping this year, 3rd time this month.

I believe I'm doing good with saving mone.  I didn't spend money for fun today. Even with gas, I spent less than $70.00

I bought some more Costco tote bags, because my friends and family keep taking them.  :)

* 3rd Costco Shopping this year, 3rd time this month.

I have a family gathering coming up tomorrow, so I bought some treats for my nephews.  Then I picked up some items for myself (shirt, egg, v3, carrots, tuna).

While I was at it, I took my car in for tire maintenance.
Remember my tires?  they are now 1 yr old.  Maintenance was free.

I spent $122 today.  From that, $70 was for my nephews.

* 2nd Costco Shopping this year, 2nd time this month.

I dropped by at Costco today for a hotdog.  Also I went to buy some items I absolutely needed.

Costco is having a sale on about a dozen or so vitamins.  A lot of vitamins have instant rebate of $2.00 and up.  I saved $5.50 on these two vitamins. So check your vitamin supply and stock it up.  Most vitamins are good for 2 years.

*Saving Money: I did good today with Costco shopping.

* 1st Costco Shopping this year, 1st time this month.

I am being very careful not to buy things I don't  need.

I saved $25.75 with coupons

I spent well over 1 hour looking at everything.  I looked at some shirts and exercise pants, but I decided not to buy them.

I never get tired of Costco shopping - I had so much fun.

I bought pork chops - so what am I suppose to do with them?

*Saving Money: I should have saved $9.49 by NOT buying Pepsi. I should cut down my soda intake to 2 cans a week max. I will take soda as special treat during the weekend or when I have an unusual craving for it.

$9.49 is 11% of my total bill $87.18 today.   I could have spent $77.69 instead.

I love this drying rack.  I wanted to buy this for several months.  I was happy that I found them at Costco. It was $21.99 after $8.00 off at checkout. 

*Saving Money: If used wisely, this rack will pay for itself in less than 1 year.  Then I will be saving money afterwards.

This is it, the first coupon book of the year.

Happy new year everyone

What are your new year resolutions?

My 2010 will be all about saving money.

I think I spent too much money on everything last year.

In 2010, I will tell stories about how much money I put into savings account.

I will not tell you the Dollar amount.  But I will talk about how much % from the paycheck I saved.

In 2009, I put in about 5% of my take home pay to savings account.  I spend more than 50% of all my paycheck on bare essential living expenses.

This will be difficult - But it has to be done. 
Home ownership is what I am after. It may take 5-10 years to buy a house, but it will only happen if I start saving money at some point.

###

My basic rule goes like this

• Don't get sick, drive careful.
• Keep working on personal projects.
• No major purchases for 1 year.
  • No guitar, no camera, no LCD TV, no furniture
• Never withdraw from savings account.
• Spend less than $40.00/m on clothing
• Spend less than $20.00/m on snack
• Re-use everything.

Exceptions

• Build one computer from scratch.
• Buy 60 pairs of socks (my next personal project)

This is one of my Christmas gifts.
I don't think I will ever wear this sweater.
I will make sure to photograph myself is this, so I will email to her.

Even thought I will never wear this, I will take this sweater over gift card or cash. This is a beautiful reminder that somebody is thinking about me.

It's a beautiful time of the year.

Merry Christmas everyone.

I got my gift - from me to me.

It's a Gibson Les Paul Studio.

My next guitar will be a Fender.  But, it will be 10 years later. 

* 43rd Costco Shopping this year, 3rd time this month.

I really enjoyed today's Costco shopping.

I am really busy this month. I am going to skip Christmas season.

I didn't have anything on my shopping list, but I went to Costco to relax and look at Christmas stuff. I wanted some treat for Christmas (I'll be home alone). Oh how much I enjoy Costco shopping.

I bought: Red Bull, hot wings, lamb shank, some fancy cheese, wines (gift),and eggs.

Below basket was $103.xx and I spent $23.70 on gas. ($127 total)

* Of course, I wore my Santa hat to Costco. I am trying to make the most out of my busy schedule.

Remember "The Ugly Truth" - the movie I hated without watching it?
I HATED that movie. I never gave it a fair chance.

This is the movie I love, without watching it.  I like it a lot.

 It's Complicated

* 42st Costco Shopping this year, 2nd time this month.

I wore my Santa's hat to Costco.

I should become a spokesperson for Calvin Klein. I bought one more Calvin Klein shirt.  In 2 months, I bought 4 pairs of CK jeans, 3 CK shirts, and 2 belts.  I really need to save money.  But this shirt was only $12.97.  I have to be stupid not to buy it at that price.  I look adorable in it

I saved $7.00 with the coupons.

Cuisinart's coffee grinder claims that it will make my coffee taste better.  I don't see how a machine will grind coffee such way that it will improve my coffee taste. Anyway, I have to give it a try.  I drink coffee every day and I've been using my $7.00 grinder for last 7 years.

81st - 86th packages of the year.

Trying to catch up with online shopping stuff.

2 packages are not shown (personal stuff )

Yes, I smoke cigars - but I smoke rarely, about 2-3 cigars a year.

I will be wearing Santa's hat every day until Christmas, where-ever I go.  Wearing Santa hat really brightens up the spirit.  You should try it. It's amazing how people talk to me and smile at me.  It's a good feeling.

Last time when I went to Costco, I saw people with coupon book that I didn't have.

So, I went home and looked at a pile of paper on top of my desk... and I found the coupon book along with a jury summon.

I only see 2 items to buy at Costco (M&M, Facial Towelettes). But this gives me a plenty of reason to go back to Costco before Sunday (20th).

Sol Price (January 23, 1916 – December 14, 2009) was the founder of FedMart and Price Club (since merged into Costco). He is considered a pioneer of the "warehouse store" retail model. He was a 1934 graduate of San Diego State University, and in 1938 earned a law degree from the University of Southern California Law School. Price was admitted to the California Bar in November 1938.

Price Club was merged into Costco in 1993.

I couldn't find the cause of his death.

* 41st Costco Shopping this year, 1st time this month. 

I am tired and busy.  But I was bored, so I went to Costco.

I had nothing on my shopping list, but I thought I would find something.

Basically, everything I bought today is something I didn't "have to" buy.

I bought really fancy Christmas cards.  I don't know what I will do with 60 gift tags.

Crackers and Olives were totally for fun.  I am very likely to stay home alone for Christmas.  So, that was my excuse to buy some snacks.

Then I saw the box of Carr's crackers.  They had pictures of crackers with cheese and stuff on them.  They looked so cute, so I thought I do that also.

This is what I had for dinner.  I used some leftover ham from Thanksgiving as well. Onion was too strong, but it was good.

Ah~ single living...

* 40th Costco Shopping this year, 3rd time this month.

Hm... my plan was to go to Costco less than 3 times a month so I would save some money.

I went to Costco for some staple items.

I never liked Calvin Klein. I never liked name brand cloths.  But I've been buying a lot of Calvin Klein stuff lately, mainly because Costco sells them cheap. 

What can I say, designer cloths make people look better.  They have better cut & fit.  I blame Costco for spoiling me.  I'm just a small guy with not much will power.

Anyway, I had to buy those Calvin Klein belts. They were only $25.00 a pair.