5 Reasons Costco Is Amazing for Busy Parents

Busy parents, I get you. Although I just began the busyness of parenting six months ago with our infant daughter, I already feel I have a great deal more to do. Between days of cleaning bottles to nights of changing diapers and helping her find her pacifier, I definitely don't have as much time for myself, barely enough to even get the groceries each week.

Thankfully, we have a Costco within a fifteen-minute drive, and it's been amazing for our lives (and personal finances). Not only do we save money, but we're also saving time. While I know it's not for every busy parent out there, here are five ways Costco might help you add some time back into your schedule.

1. Buy your staples in bulk

Busy parents don't have time to shop at the grocery store every week, let alone multiple times for certain goods they consume quickly. This is where Costco really comes in handy. Because Costco sells most goods in bulk, parents can stock up on necessities, helping them cut down on trips to other stores.

For my family, we typically visit Costco once a month, and we buy enough diapers, baby wipes, toilet paper, paper towels, olive oil, eggs, bread (which we freeze), cat food, seltzer, and other non-perishable goods to last as much time. Because we stock up on these essentials, we hardly make surprise trips to other stores, reserving those visits for items we can't buy at Costco, like frozen dinners from Trader Joe's. It also helps that we have a storage closet in our apartment, because, otherwise, we'd be navigating around towers of diaper boxes.

2. Pre-made meals

Costco sells prepared meals, like macaroni, rotisserie chicken, Caesar salads, and chicken noodle soup, at super low prices. These are perfect for busy parents on a budget. Not only do you get to skip meal prep altogether but you'll also spend less than if you had ordered takeout or picked up fast food. Just be mindful of the expiration dates, as these meals typically expire within a few days of purchasing them.

3. One-stop shopping

Costco sells pretty much everything. It's one of the only stores where you can shop for groceries, clothes, new appliances, and electronics, while also having your tires replaced and getting your dog's medication. You can also find several home services through Costco, like gutter cleaning, custom cabinetry, and even solar panel installation.

This near-comprehensive list combined with Costco's low prices makes it easy for busy parents to decide where they'll purchase certain services, as they can get most things done at Costco for a great price.

4. The food court

Costco's food court is perfect for the family who just managed to squeeze in some time to take a trip to the grocery store. Plus the prices are unbeatable. With its $1.50 hot dog and soda combo and $1.99 pizza slices, you can easily feed your family for $10 to $30. Of course, cheap prices attract crowds, which is why it's best to plan ahead if you want to buy lunch at the food court. For example, my spouse typically orders at the food court while I check out with our groceries, so that, by the time I've checked out, she already has our lunch.

5. You can order online

You don't even have to go to Costco in person to take advantage of its deals. You can order groceries through Instacart or through Costco.com. To be sure, Costco has a small surcharge for items ordered online. But if you're in a time crunch, paying a little extra to have your goods delivered might be worth the money.

All in all, Costco can save you time by helping you stock up on groceries, thus cutting down the trips to other stores. It can also save you money, especially if you're an Executive member ($120 per year), as you're earning 2% cash back on all your purchases. Give a Costco membership a try and see if it can add some hours back into your busy week.