Gotta say I hate Costco and everything it represents - cheap stuff at cheap prices sourced from other countries where people are exploited. We have the Dutch version of Costco here in Thailand, called Makro, and it's a place I go as a last resort. My preference? Buy direct from growers, farmers, markets and ,local business. Support creators and people with ethical business values.
A no spend year for 2022? Now THAT I like!! Have you checked out The Minimalist community on Hive yet? Some very cool people there trying to follow that ideal too... you might find yourself supported and inspired. 😊
Unfortunately, I’ve tried minimalism and I hated it. I need a backup and backup backup to feel secure (long story I don’t want to get into here). Having too little makes me panic buy. (Funnily enough, I’ve also been told I haven’t stocked up enough.) I’m actually the opposite of minimalist. But I want to not buy anything new (in those categories, obviously food and stuff I’ll buy new), and also try to use up or toss old items. I have a real issue with tossing clothing when I can upcycle, for example. Except the sewing machine never quite gets turned on. I have so many half-pinned projects it’s not funny.
It’s hard to buy local near a big city. “Local” produce delivery services actually truck it in from 2 states away, go figure. Costco actually uses mostly ethical suppliers, or at least they use the best of a bad lot. End of the day, I trust them to pick what’s good for me.