CDC relaxed mask rules considerably. You can now stop wearing the mask inside your Costco warehouse ONLY IF your state government allows. For example, in California, a mask is required.
It’s very simple: if the store says “Mask Required”, then the mask is required
U.S. locations with no state or local mask requirements – revised policy In Costco locations where the state or local jurisdiction does not have a mask mandate, we will allow members and guests who are fully vaccinated to enter Costco without a face mask or face shield. We will not require proof of vaccination, but we ask for members’ responsible and respectful cooperation with this revised policy. Face coverings will still be required in healthcare settings, including Pharmacy, Optical, Hearing Aid. Costco continues to recommend that all members and guests, especially those who are at higher risk, wear a mask or shield.
U.S. locations with state or local mask requirements – no policy change In those Costco locations where the state or local jurisdiction does have a mask mandate, we will follow the state or local regulations and continue to require members and guests to wear a face mask or face shield. Children under the age of 2 are exempt. If a member or guest has a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask, they must wear a face shield.
First, at the Costco food court, customers are not allowed to access the drinks & condiments stations. Instead, a Costco employee was there to hand out the condiments. She handed me containers of catchup and mustard. I asked if there were onion and relish. She said no. Straws were not available as well. But now we have lids with narrow openings, kind of like a baby sippy cup, that we can drink soda without a straw. The new lid worked out pretty well. It’s a brilliant idea to adapt to the new Covid world.
All orders were to-go only. They took away all the tables from the food court. So, you either eat in the car or take the food home.
I’ve been craving Costco hot dogs for a long time. So, today I bought a pack of Costco Dinner Franks and the buns. Now I can enjoy Costco hotdog at home. I made two hot dogs so far. They were excellent. I think it’s a little odd that a pack of Costco Dinner Franks contains 14 wieners when most buns come in 12.
Lastly: The Costco food court now requires a membership card to make a purchase. I also noticed that my food court receipt now shows my membership number. Some warehouses have food courts located outdoor by the parking lot that non-members could purchase food without the membership. Now non-members cannot enjoy Costco food court anymore. I have mixed feelings about this. A lot of poor people used Costco food court without the membership. Yes, the food court is for the members only. But they are poor people. I know how it feels. It makes me want to cry.
Costco hot dog receipt – February 4, 2021 Membership number placed above
Costco hot dog receipt – March 10, 2020 No membership number
This is a saliva test – not a dreading nasal swab. They are priced at $129.99 and $139.99. The $139.99 kit contains Video Observation for travelers (I don’t know exactly what that means).
Available at Costco. Covid-19 test kit by Azova
This requires you to follow instruction.
It sounds like you need to register at Azova.com and complete an assessment. Only after that, you may receive a test kit at your address.
Avoid collecting saliva over the weekend for the shipping delays.
After spitting a large quantity into a tube. Pack up your sample and take it to the UPS store.
Results will be available online in a few days after they receive your package.
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.
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.
At first, I listened to the initial news and media reaction about toilet paper. A few weeks have passed since then. Now I see more in-depth reports.
There are two kinds of toilet papers, ones we use at home and ones we use in public locations such as work. Since people are staying home, there is much more demand for residential toilet paper.
This report (below link) makes sense. I stand corrected about toilet paper.
16th Costco Shopping in 2020 – $29.37 today / $811.81 this year
I was depressed and physically exhausted from dealing with my disaster. I had to get away and relax my soul. So, I went to Costco. There, I saw the same Costco employees working there – some with masks, some without. God bless them.
I went to Costco around 1:10 PM. I stood in line, but the line was short. I only waited about 15 minutes. Toilet paper was out of stock. But I saw some shoppers walking out with toilet papers. This meant toilet papers were in stock about an hour ago. Also, inside the warehouse looked more stocked (fuller). I saw fewer empty shelf spaces. I took that as a positive sign.
I had such a big craving for chocolate cake. I wanted a cake so sweet that it will hurt my gum. I have a craving maybe because I feel sad and demoralized. Maybe my body needs chocolate. Luckily, I found this flat layer of Chocolate cake. The cakes are smaller because people don’t have parties anymore.
Seeing Costco like this felt like meeting a sick family member. But things are getting better.
I am doing good physically and financially. Please take care. I will talk to you soon.
Warehouse looked fuller than 2 weeks ago. Supply is strong.
