Extreme Saving Tips for Sample Eating at Costco

Ok, I debated whether or not to publish this post or not. As you'll see, it's a bit over-the-line (at least for some people -- or maybe many?). After all, there should be a limit to what we're willing to do to save money, right?

Anyway, I've detailed my friend's method for getting a free weekly lunch at Costco. Well now, here are a couple ways to maximize your snacking opportunities there to save even more:

• Befriend the servers -- If you're at Costco a lot and are a friendly sort, you'll soon get to know the servers pretty well. And they are quite willing to let friends and acquaintances take an extra sample or two. My friend speaks Spanish and at least one of the servers at his Costco is a native Spanish speaker. He converses with her in her native tongue and she feeds him lots of samples (just hope she doesn't draw the "imported olives" or "tofu candy" sample for the day!)

• Use the group to your advantage -- If you're in a group, everyone can have more of what they want if others in your group don't like what's being offered. For instance, let's say I don't like olives (which I don't) and yet someone in my group does. He gets a sample for himself and I pick one up for me too. But instead of eating mine, I give it to him. He then reciprocates when we get to a sample he doesn't like but I do.

So there you have a couple tips for getting the most samples you can. Over the line? Or is all fair in love and shopping?

Comments

Here are some more extreme savings tips:

When traveling on business, take home the extra soaps, the box of facial tissues, pens, etc. The maid will keep refreshing these each day, so you can sometimes get a nice load of items if you have a long business trip.

When eating out, get all the free condiment, sugar, salt and other packets you can find.

When using the public washrooms, take toliet paper and stuff your pockets full (to use at home).

Just like costco, it is all free, right????

[Colin]

Also makes for a nice, inexpensive first date.

wow. must be a slow savings day?

[Craig]

It's all fair. I have not done this at Costco, but at the mall near me the Chinese restaurant hands out samples. I have circled around the food court more than once in my time to get the samples.

[pat]

That is kind of pathetic.

[Kathleen Couch]

Well.... runaways, and the homeless can use this too.

[Jonathan H]

Or you could spend a whole $1.99 at their snack bar, get a pretty good, very large slice of pizza and not act like a hobo.

[Mary M]

Grazing @the sample stations is definitely over the line. Give someone else a chance. Spend a $1.50 for a hot dog if you're that hungry - comes with a drink and everything.

[Jim]

"Also makes for a nice, inexpensive first date."

LOL

Yeah if you want it to be the Last date.

[Mark]

They always give extra to my cute 3-year-old, but he usually won't eat it if he hasn't had it a million times before, so extra for me!

[p]

I've got a couple more ideas. Take a kid with and let them to grab as much as they can, as many times as they can, as long as they pass some off to you. No one will stop a kid, right? And you won't have to feel bad because it's the kid doing it.

Also... try the same at church. Does your church give communion? If not find one that does. Take friends with you who don't take communion and you can get their share. Then admit to bending the rules and say you need extra communion to make up for it. Then admit you were bending the rules again to get extra communion and ask for another... repeat until satisfied.

[Bill]

My ideas:

Go to the mint dish at the counter in restaurants and just empty it into your pocket. If you work at a big office building, just stroll around and find the candy on peoples desk and stroll and eat. If they are not at their desk you can make multiple trips. Slouch down and go trick or treating on Halloween. Look for meetings that serve food (at work) and either raid the food or follow the leftovers and grab those. Find places that put out donughts or assorted goodies and raid those places (bank-lollipops, dry cleaner - hard candy, hockey rink - donughts etc.)Find a wedding, bar mitzvah or first communion and sneak in towards the end for some good food. Wait near the dumpster of a restaurant for good food being chucked. Never let roadkill go to waste by bringing it home and cooking it...if it is very flat or oldish you can just use it to enhance a soup. If you see a McD's bag looking new in the middle of the road it probably has fresh food that was left on the roof of a car when the buyer got in the car and it fell off. Gum is available on the underside of most benches and you can add back the sugar, by getting one at the local cafe or dunkin donuts. Most of the stuff you find at the seashore is edible (some people pay lots of money for it). A good old fashioned loogie probably has some nutritional value......

[Mark]

Any marketing campaign (coupons, free samples, rebates) is open to use or abuse. It's up to companies to design campaigns that generate the sales they need, without excessive cost. For example - mail-in rebates require effort to redeem. The percentage of people that actually follow up and redeem their rebates is miniscule. The campaign is designed to only offer the discount to those who care enough to follow up.

Personally, I think samples are in the same area. Sure - some people will "abuse" the system. But it takes some effort to get a free meal. Most people would rather choose what they have to eat, maybe even sit down to enjoy a meal, socialize with their family over a meal, than cruise the aisles looking for free samples.

All depends how far you want to take your frugality. Perhaps people with such a strong urge to save money are missing out on some quality of life.

In my case, frugality extends to getting the best deals on what I want to do, not significantly changing what I do. I will use coupons and rebates diligently, but only to buy what I want/need anyway. Does living my life cost me more because of that? Of course! Am I OK with that - so far yes.

End of philosophy lesson!

[Ann]

I've taken my kids around lunch time before and only had to give them a half-sandwich when we got home, but most samples aren't even something I would try. If nothing else, the samples keep them from whining at me while I shop.

[Christy]

If someone is that broke and desperate for food... they should perhaps reconsider the $50 costco membership. I'm sure you could get a whole jar of olives for just a couple of bucks.

Bill - gross! lol!

[thomas]

I hear dumpster diving behind Costco and grocery stores can be lucrative too...

new blog - freefoodfindings.com ??

I worked at a grocery store during high school and college. We would throw out a ton of food every day. Mostly out-dated bread and bakery goods.

People knew that we did this and would hide around the corner, waiting for us to come out and dump the food. As soon as we went it, they would converge on the dumpster.

As there was concern about someone getting sick from this, we had to discourage people from doing this. As such, we would throw everything out a one time a day. After the food was loaded in the dumpster, we would then pour bleach on top of the pile.

[Griffin]

Jeez people, lighten up!

My GF and I take the samples that appeal to us and we usually find something new and interesting with each trip to Costco. We never buy frozen wings because the taste is usually pretty lame or they have a stupid sauce on them. Costco had a wing-sample stand and my GF took a wing and loved it - and I did too! (99.9% of the time I HATE wings).

If we go shopping at around lunchtime, we'll usually go around and get the samples that look good to us. That's the reason they offer them! It isn't a "free lunch" usually, more in the "free appetizer" category. You guys are acting like we're taking advantage of costco or something. :-/

[FX]

Or just maybe you could get a job and not have to be such a cheap embarrassing fool. Just a thought to consider in the future.

[Mike Hunt]

Haha, you cheap b*stard! Good on ya.

[Leila]

Are these suggestions for Real?

[Sharon Smith]

I like the apppetizers at Costco 's and yes, if I like, I do g back for seconds. Enjoy ;)