My $546 Costco Haul: $4 Puffer Vest Clearance

I walked into Costco with one thing on my shopping list: Fogo de Chão gift cards.

I had relatives coming to visit and planned to take them out to dinner. Buying discounted gift cards before we went seemed like an easy way to save money.

That part went according to plan. The rest of the shopping trip? A $4 puffer vest, snacks I couldn’t stop thinking about and a few everyday essentials found their way into my cart.

My total came to $546.27, including $319.96 in gift cards. Here are 13 things I bought and the stories behind them.

1. Fogo de Chão Gift Cards

The gift cards were the reason for this Costco run. I bought four $100 Fogo de Chão gift cards for $79.99 each.

That gave me $400 to spend at the restaurant for $319.96, a savings of $80.04, or about 20 percent. When you’re treating visiting family to dinner, that makes a difference.

I never eat at Fogo de Chão without using gift cards I bought at Costco. Once you’re used to getting that discount, paying full price feels like throwing money away.

2. A 32 Degrees Puffer Vest for $4

I had to stop when I saw this 32 Degrees women’s puffer vest on clearance for four dollars.

There was just one problem: it was too big for me.

I bought it anyway. Apparently, “I’ll find someone it fits” was all the convincing I needed. I couldn’t say no to a $4 puffer vest, even though it definitely wasn’t on my shopping list.

3. Mooncakes for My Mom

My mom loves mooncakes, so I picked up a package for $13.99.

There were very few left when I shopped. Since they’re seasonal, I didn’t want to pass them up and risk having to wait until the following year.

4. Loacker Wafers I Couldn’t Stop Thinking About

I tried a sample of these Loacker wafers on a previous Costco trip, and they were delicious.

At the time, I resisted buying a bag because I knew I’d probably end up eating them all. But after I left, I kept thinking about how good they were.

On this trip, they were on sale for $8.49 per package after a $3.90 discount. I went from buying none on the previous visit to buying three packages this time.

So much for resisting temptation.

5. Go Raw Pumpkin Seeds

These Go Raw Organic sprouted Pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite snacks, so I picked up a bag while they were discounted.

I paid $6.99 after $4 off the regular $10.99 price. Unlike some of the impulse purchases in my cart, this was a snack I already knew I liked. Plus it’s healthy.

6. 3M Titanium Scissors

I didn’t go to Costco looking for scissors, but I noticed this three pack of 3M titanium scissors on sale for $6.99 after $3 off.

That worked out to about $2.33 per pair.

My old scissors were pretty beat up, so I figured it was time to replace them. The sale gave me the little push I needed to put them in the cart.

7.Lactaid Milk

I picked up a bottle of 2% Lactaid milk for $5.59.

I use it in my coffee every day, so this was a straightforward refrigerator restock. Not everything in this haul was an impulse purchase!

8. Two Cases of Vintage Seltzer

If you’ve watched my other Costco hauls, you know Vintage Seltzer regularly ends up in my cart.

I drink it every day. Over the years, I realized that a big part of what I enjoyed about Coke was the carbonation. Plain seltzer gives me that same fizzy satisfaction, so it has become my everyday alternative to soda.

I bought two cases at $9.69 each.

9. Green Grapes

I picked up a tub of green grapes for $6.99 because I figured we could use more fruit at home.

The grapes I buy at Costco have consistently been good quality. They’re usually crunchy and taste good, which keeps me coming back for more.

I like that grapes tend to keep well in the refrigerator. There’s less pressure to finish them immediately, which helps when I’m buying fruit for the family.

10. Trunature Lutein With Zeaxanthin

I also bought a few supplements for my dad, starting with two bottles of trunature Lutein with Zeaxanthin.

They were $15.99 each after four dollars $4 off the regular $19.99 price. The two bottles came to $31.98.

11. Magnesium L-Threonate

Next were two bottles of magnesium L-threonate for my dad.

These were $26.99 each after a $7 discount from $33.99. I paid $53.98 for the two bottles, saving $14 on this purchase.

12. Magnesium Glycinate

I also picked up one bottle of magnesium glycinate for $16.99.

That rounded out the supplements I was buying for my dad on this trip.

13. Dove Pink Bar Soap

My kids are body wash people, but I’m still a bar soap person.

I was almost out, so I picked up the Dove pink bar soap for $18.49. This was another everyday restock rather than an impulse purchase.

By checkout, my trip for gift cards had become a $546.27 Costco haul. At least the biggest purchase was planned. The puffer vest that doesn’t fit me? That one is harder to explain.

Come shopping with me on YouTube

Here’s my latest Costco haul, including what I bought, what I’d buy again and the new items I spotted. Subscribe to the Suburbs 101 YouTube channel.