Paper Straws at Costco Food Court

I’ve heard about paper straws on news media, but this was the first time seeing them in person. As I was dressing my hot dog, I heard people talking about the paper straws. They were basically saying “Oh, paper straws”

The straw was narrower than the normal plastic straws that I am used to. I would prefer wider straws, but that’s an American gripe (one of the reasons why some people hate Americans). Paper straws are just fine. I enjoyed my hot dog.

After my hot dog lunch, I filled my soda cup with water and came back to work. I drank that water rest of the day using the same paper straw. The straw held up nicely.

Update (January 14, 2020): After reading some of the comments, I paid close attention to the straws on my next few visits to Costco food court. And I can tell you with no hesitation that I absolutely enjoy using these paper straws at Costco. Again, maybe it’s because I was poor all my life. Maybe I am just not sensitive to taste and smell. Whatever the reason may be, I am happy with these paper straws at Costco food court. But it is also important to hear from people who don’t like these straws. Because maybe I am the minority in this opinion poll.

What? Laundry Detergents Expire?

It came to me as a great shock that laundry detergents lose effectiveness sooner than I thought.

This subject wouldn’t matter if you have a full-size family. But it’s a different story if you live alone. In my case, a large jug of fabric softer can easily last 3 years or longer. So, I did some more research and learned that many products will lose effectiveness sooner than I imagined. Below, I listed some of the products and how long they are good for.

  • Laundry detergent (6-12 months).
  • Dishwasher detergent (6-12 months).
  • Liquid dish soap (12-18 months).
  • Bleach (6-12 months)
  • liquid fabric softener (6-12 months)
  • Lysol (2 years)
  • Hydrogen Peroxide (30 days – 6 months)
  • Disinfectant wipes (1-2 years depends on products)
  • Window Cleaner (2 years)
  • Furniture polish (about 2 years)
  • Shampoo/Conditioner (12 – 18 months)
  • Body lotion (1 – 3 years)

FYI: Chemicals in dried powder form would last longer compared to its liquid counterparts.

I was clueless. How come nobody told me this? I felt so stupid… all these years… I thought these products lasted 5 – 10 years easily,

Maybe a lot of single men out-there didn’t have this information as well. So, here it is. If you live alone, buy your liquid chemicals in small units.

Costco Shopping – October 3, 2019

Coupon saved $17.00 – mostly on wiper blades.

Michelin wiper blades are super cheap at Costco, especially when there is an instant rebate like now. If you don’t need them now, just buy a pair and keep them in your trunk. The sale ends on October 27, 2019.

Three days later, at a garage sale, I bought 2 wiper blades for $2. The irony…

I am still not sure if Occuvite works for me. It’s supposed to keep my eyes healthy.

Costco Shopping – September 17, 2019

I cannot get enough of Vietnamese Pho instant noodles. It’s so good and different from what I’m used to. I know they are bad for me (high sodium, empty calories, untimely death, etc..), but they are so good. Also, each serving unit is smaller than most instant noodles, so I eat less sodium and fewer calories. I bought 2 boxes while they were still on sale.

The season is changing. I see more pumpkins than watermelons in stores now. This year, I only had one super-fantastic watermelon. I would really like to enjoy some good watermelons before the season ends. I walked into Costco warehouse focused – and found less than 10 watermelons huddling at the bottom of a large bin.

I cannot imagine female shoppers going for watermelons in the bins like that. Because you have to REALLY bend over in order to get to the watermelons. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone files a lawsuit over putting watermelons at a ground level like that. It’s not only physically challenging to pick up a watermelon, but it prevents most female shoppers from getting the watermelons. It puts the women shoppers in an embarrassing position.

Anyway, I found one watermelon for me. It didn’t look very good, but it was the best of what was left. This watermelon was somewhat enjoyable. It was about 8 1/2 out of 10 on a yummy scale.