Doing The Right Thing: A Beginner’s Guide To Exceptional Costco Shopping

My wife once came home with a look on her face that I couldn’t quite place. She set her Target bags up on our kitchen counter and gave me a sort-of -smirk that I didn’t really understand. 

“What? How much money did you spend this time?” I asked with hesitation, as I had just finished paying bills.

“ONLY $100!” She answered happily, only to become frustrated with my response.

$100 is NOT cheap. I couldn’t understand why she would be celebrating this. What on earth was she so proud of herself for?

She then explained to me that she went in and only purchased the things on her shopping list. Vitamins, new shoes for our daughters, and a gift for a friend.

“I didn’t buy ANYTHING at the dollar section!” she beamed, awaiting my approval - which did not come. It’s not that hard to walk past the dollar section.

But, friends…now I understand.

Just this past weekend, the new Costco opened in Meridian, mere minutes from our home. I have been awaiting it’s grand opening for months now, even upgrading our Costco membership in preparation for the momentous occasion.

So…October 31, Halloween Day…when it came time to go buy the mass amounts of candy I had been procrastinating buying all week…I knew just where I was going.

I walked into the shiny new building…and was immediately overcome. A deal here, a deal there…toilet paper towers I could LIVE IN! I was like a kid in a candy store.

As I walked past the 9-foot-tall $170 teddy bear, my heart jumped with excitement. The 12-pack of electric toothbrushes were…beautiful. New patio furniture…? What a steal! A lifetime supply of string cheese!? Are you kidding me!? I’d eat that in a day!

My heart was racing… and if you could see beyond the mask I was wearing to cover my nose and mouth…you would see a smile bigger than the one I had one my wedding day.

A tear emerged from my eye, and I knew my wife would get on me about touching my dirty hands to my face to wipe it away…so I let it fall.

Costco… is… breathtaking.

As I fixed my gaze upon the Halloween candy, I knew I couldn’t break focus. My goal was in reach, and I had come this far without succumbing to the distractions I faced upon my journey. I was in the home stretch.

I grabbed two enormous bags of candy and knew what I had to do. Make a beeline straight to the checkout, averting my gaze from the pizza, hot dogs and parmesan chicken bakes. I had to do the right thing.

Did you know that Costco’s internal slogan with employees, vendors and partners is just that? “Do the right thing.” That’s the slogan.

And by-golly, I did.

I left Costco with the ONE item I came in for…and I have never been more proud of myself.

I did the right thing.

And when I arrived home, I hugged my wife….and apologized.

And I sincerely thanked her for that ONE AND ONLY TIME IN HER ENTIRE SHOPPING HISTORY…that she did the right thing too.