5 Things I Always Buy at Costco

I wouldn't dream of buying these items anyplace else.

As someone who shops at Costco on a regular basis, I can say with confidence that doing so saves me a lot of money in the course of feeding my family. I can also admit that Costco doesn't always have the cheapest prices in town. In fact, I generally make a point to buy cereal at my local supermarket, not Costco, because it's often less expensive to do so (and because you can often score some boxes on sale).

But there are certain items I make a point to purchase at Costco because the prices are just too low to pass up. Here are five of them.

1. Milk

Having a bunch of young kids at home means we go through a lot of milk. That's why I buy several gallons a week from Costco. I find that a gallon there is at least $1 cheaper than what my supermarket charges. Plus, Costco's milk must be magical, because it often has a sell-by date three weeks out. At my local supermarket, I can barely get a week's worth of freshness guaranteed.

2. Produce

Although my children are fairly picky eaters, they happen to be really good about eating fruits and vegetables. And since we go through those items in bulk, it pays to scoop them up at Costco. Going that route generally saves me at least $30 a week -- sometimes more. Plus, I often find that Costco's fruit somehow manages to hold up better than the items my nearby grocery store sells.

3. Cheese

I'm the sort of person you might call cheese-obsessed. Not only do I like a wide variety of cheeses, but I like some of the higher-end kinds. Thankfully, Costco sells a host of delicious gourmet cheeses at a reasonable price point. And I've found that the quality is comparable to that of the artisanal cheese shop in town.

4. Deli meat

Turkey sandwiches make for an easy school lunch, and as a busy mom who's perpetually frazzled in the morning, that's a good thing. Buying turkey and other lunch meats at Costco easily saves me $5 to $10 weekly.

5. Birthday cakes

Recently, my kids and I attended a birthday party where the family had a cake custom-made that was large enough to feed a good 25 people. But when I found out they'd paid $120 for it, I nearly gasped out loud. Whenever my kids are having a birthday party, I buy a massive Costco sheet cake. For around $20, those cakes are large enough to feed several dozen hungry guests and still leave you with some leftovers. Plus, Costco won't charge to customize your cake, which is a nice perk.

I'm grateful for my Costco staples

Like many of my fellow parents, these days, I'm racking up a higher credit card tab than ever in the course of feeding my family. And so I'm thankful to have the option to load up on these items at Costco -- and spend quite a bit less in the process.