22nd Costco Shopping in 2020 – $103.19 today / $1,598.75 this year
Just like my last two visits, I arrived at Costco early today. I was prepared to stand in line to get in. Again, there was no line, and I was allowed in at 9:20 AM. I quickly headed to the cleaning supply aisle, but Clorox Wipes and hand sanitizers were nowhere to be found.
When the pandemic lockdown started, I ate an insane amount of comfort food. I ate 2 chocolate cakes in 3 months, and that was only the beginning. I ate a lot and gained solid 6 pounds. Now I’m finally back to my normal diet.
I don’t expect Costco cherries to be as good as those I find at the farmer’s market. But they were pretty good. I think will buy it again. Pineapple is always good. I just wait until it’s ready.
I’ve been having amazing luck with watermelons this year. Every single watermelon, so far, was crispy and delicious. I hope this one is super fantastic.
The ribbons are back at Costco with a hint of Christmas. Although none of the ribbons had a holiday design, I thought some ribbons were made for Christmas.
21st Costco Shopping in 2020 – $192.52 today / $1,495.56 this year
Costco shopping became a chore because of the pandemic that’s only getting worse. Also, I try to shop at as many stores as possible in one trip. So, I took a day off from work and planned my day of grocery shopping. My day started with a 5:30 AM alarm. I hit the road before 6 am. I drank my first sip of water at 10:30 am in my car. With that, I could avoid using a public restroom.
Schedule & list
My day went according to the schedule and list. I enjoy making lists like that. I make a list of everything I do. It helps me to make fewer mistakes and be more productive. And, somehow, the list adds more fun to it. I made an amazing list when I bought my convertible in San Francisco and drove it back home.
Long sleeves and hat are for Sun protection – if I have to wait in line under direct Sunlight
I was allowed into Costco warehouse at 9:20 AM (during the special early hour for customers 60 and older). There were a lot of hand sanitizers available, but Clorox Wipes were nowhere to be found. Also, I didn’t see the first sign of Christmas.
I bought three Costco rotisserie chickens. I will keep two and give one to my friend.
Kirkland Signature Filtered Water Pitcher
I bought a Kirkland Signature Filtered Water Pitcher (#1304047) for my friend. I have a friend who makes less money than I do. During the pandemic, so far, I paid for her groceries, car payments, veterinarian visits, etc.. But she spends a lot more money on drinking water than I do. I don’t think now is a good time to talk to her about personal finance and such… she’s the type that cries easily. So, my plan is to give her that water pitcher along with the chicken. I will pretend I randomly bought those two items because they were cheap. And she will start saving money on drinking water. Everyone’s happy. Thank you, thank you.
The warehouse price for the pitcher was $17.99. It comes with two filters. You can use the Brita filter on this pitcher and vice versa. The online price for this pitcher is $24.99, but with free shipping.
Cherries, pineapple, watermelon
Cherries are pretty tasty (8 1/2 out of 10 on taste scale). Pineapple is a guaranteed yum, because I can tell by just looking at it. In fact, I don’t even have to look at it. I put the pineapple on the kitchen counter and don’t think about it. One day, soon, I will start smelling the pineapple. That’s when it’s ready to eat. Watermelon is the mystery fruit. It’s hard to tell if they are good inside. That’s why I am obsessed. I want to learn how to find good watermelons. I am willing to travel far away to a farm to take a lesson from an expert. If you have an access to a watermelon farm, please let me know.
Coupon saved $14.00
Back home
I came home, took another shower, and started to put away groceries. It started with wiping down everything I bought.
I vacuum packed 2 chickens into 6 bags and made chicken stock with the bones. When I was done with everything it was 4pm. I was SOOOO tired (don’t get old). I took a 3 hour nap and woke up at 8pm.
Now I am ready to stay home for another round. Covid-19 Pandemic changed my life. It is inconvenient. But, it is also fascinating. Can you imagine one day we will tell young people about surviving a global pandemic? We had to put on our masks and stay 6 feet apart. The Olympics was cancelled. People were dying and scientists were racing for cure. Pandemic? What do you young folks know about the Pandemic? I remember it like yesterday, let me tell you…
Anyway, it’s depressing for now. Please be safe. Be very careful. Keep in touch.
20th Costco Shopping in 2020 – $26.80 today / $1,303.04 this year
I gained solid 4 pounds during the pandemic. Last four months, I ate a lot of comfort foods include two whole chocolate cakes. They were SOOO good, by the way.
I am now trying to lose weight and get in better shape. I will try this bottle of CLA and see if it will help me lose weight. I ordered this from Costco.com, with free shipping.
19th Costco Shopping in 2020 – $165.41 today / $1,276.24 this year
I downgraded my membership from Gold Star Executive to Gold Star (regular). I didn’t make enough purchases last year to benefit from having an executive membership. This year, with Pandemic looming, I shop at Costco even less.
Bottom of the basket: Costco chicken and Monster energy drink
I arrived at Costco 30 minutes early, at 9:30 AM. I was going to wait in line for 30 minutes. To my surprise, they opened the warehouse for everyone. Few customers 60 and older showed, the man said. With that, I got in early and could locate Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.
Clorox Disinfecting Wipes (#2189436, 5pk, $14.99): I normally don’t buy these 5 packs of Clorox Wipes at Costco, because I barely use 1 container per year. But, this time, I desperately needed a good supply of Clorox wipes to wipe away the evil virus. And I found them! Oh my God, I found them. Look at the picture below. I crawled on my hands and knees to retrieve the last remaining packages at the bottom corner of the shelf. Some people saw what I was doing, and the remaining wipes were gone in 30 seconds.
Clorox Disinfecting Wipes – gone by 9:45 AM
Chips and Salsa are for 4th of July weekend.
Famous Dave’s Signature Spicy Pickle Chips is a special treat for me. They are so good. The package says spicy, but it’s not spicy at all. It doesn’t even have a hint of spice. Maybe some people find it spicy (?). They are sweet and good.
DENTASTIX Dental Dog Treats are for my friend’s dogs.
Watermelon ($5.99): Continuing from last year, I am still obsessed with finding super-fantastic watermelons.
Peet’s Coffee, Major Dickason’s Blend, (Whole Bean, 2 lbs, #670441): This is my new everyday coffee. I stopped drinking Ruta Maya coffee. I need to save money.
Bottom of the cart: I had a Costco rotisserie chicken and 24 cans of Monster Energy Drinks.
It looks like this month’s coupon book has something for everyone. I shall make time for Costco shopping. I also miss rotisserie chicken.
Featherweight 3i Hair Dryer is back on sale for $74.99. Last three months I’ve been using this hair dryer instead of my usual, $200 professional hairdryer. I still have my professional hairdryer. But they both perform almost the same that I continue to use Featherweight 3i.
18th Costco Shopping in 2020 – $257.03 today / $1,110.83 this year
I am doing OK physically and financially.
I bought crazy amount of comfort food. Maybe this is how eating disorder feels like. I am depressed, and I want to eat a lot of sweets, salty chips, and cured meats.
Because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Costco shopping is no longer fun and relaxing. For today’s Costco shopping, I had to take a half-day off from work.
It’s been 50 days since my last Costco shopping. It’s depressing to get ready, go to Costco, put on the mask, and wait in line. And there is a legitimate possibility that I can contract the virus and die. It’s scary and depressing.
I arrived at Costco at 9:30 AM. The warehouse opened at 10 am for the public. However, customers 60 years or older were allowed in at 9 AM. The line wasn’t too long at 9:30 AM. People who arrived at 10 AM had a long line to deal with. I was inside Costco at 10:12 AM.
There were plenty of toilet papers and meat items today. I always buy toilet paper and meats at sales price. But today I paid full price on toilet paper, New York steak, stew meat, and more. I will not wait for the sale. I will not go to another store to save some money. I will gladly pay full price and mitigate this craziness. I also picked up a lot of comfort food and snacks.
The Afredo sauce looked promising. I can’t wait to try it.
I had a huge craving for a Costco hotdog, so I bought Kirkland Signature hot dog franks. Those are the real deal Costco hot dog franks.
I came home 3 hours later and vacuum pack most of the meat items, including hot dogs and buns. I was completely exhausted that I had to take a nap.
I’ve been using this hair dryer for three days so far. It performs almost as same as my favorite hair dryer that I paid $250.00 a few years ago.
Costco’s everyday price of $99.99 on Featherweight 3i is pretty good. But, now, it’s on sale for $79.99. The sale ends in two weeks on May 17, 2020. It’s OK if you missed the sale. I think $100 is still a good price. Styling iron is also on sale.
I am currently comparing this hair dryer with my $200 professional unit. 3i is lacking some professional touch, but its overall performance is right there with my $200 hairdryer. So, if you want a good hairdryer but $200 is outside of your budget, 3i may be for you.
Just like any other hair dryers, you’ll have to purchase a diffuser separately.
