Costco

Costco is the the 5th largest retailer in the USA and the 7th largest in the world.  It was founded in 1983 in Kirkland, Washington.

There are now Costco locations in the USA, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

Costco sells products in bulk and a low prices.  The retail markup is never more than 15%.  You can definitely get some great deals at Costco but I could never get out of there without spending a minimum of $100.

The $1.50 hot dogs are so good.

The thing about Costco is that if you see something you want then you need to buy it then because if you want to come back for it later you will find that it has sold out.

You have to be a member to shop here.  An individual, one-year membership is $55.

One thing that I miss about living in Europe is not having Costco.  Of course, living in Czech Republic, buying in bulk really wouldn't work here.  It's not like most people have room for 20-roll packages of paper towels.

I've dropped some money in Costco while I've been back.  Lots of clothes, plus bulk purchases of staples such as deodorant, cold medicine, and razor blades.  And to my colleagues at work - Yes, I'm bringing back some jelly beans.

Here's a really interesting video I found out on YouTube about The Costco Craze.

©CNBC