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warehouse store membership ? (Read 281 times)

TJoseph


    I am not sure about Sam's Club, but you don't have to pack the groceries yourself at Costco.  However, they don't have bags.  They put the groceries in boxes.  I was just at Costco yesterday and the lines were minimal; there was just one person in front of me.  Even though there were a lot of people in the store, they had a lot of checkout lines also.  The lines are worse around Christmas.

      I bought a 4 lb. bag of Quinoa at Costco for $7.50.  Same brand at Raley's today was $3.49 for 8 oz.  When I'm at Costco, these are the type of deals I look for when I'm there.  Love Costco.

        We save as much as a year's membership just in milk in two months.

         

        But, you do have to be careful, because some of the stuff is NOT cheaper, and that's how they make their money (well, one of the ways).  You're there, you think everything is cheaper, but it's not true across the board.

         

        As always, you have to be an informed shopper.

        Jeff

        xor


          We save as much as a year's membership just in milk in two months.

           

          But, you do have to be careful, because some of the stuff is NOT cheaper, and that's how they make their money (well, one of the ways).  You're there, you think everything is cheaper, but it's not true across the board.

           

          As always, you have to be an informed shopper.

           

          What are some examples?

           

          This is a sincere, honest question from a person pondering joining... don't read it as a coded version of "I disagree".

           

          Zelanie


            I think I priced out Costco's pasta sauce and maybe their dry pasta as more expensive than our local grocery store when I first joined, as one example.  I'm sure there are other ones, but that's the one I remember.

             

            We hardly go anymore and I wonder if it's worth it to keep the membership.  But it can definitely be worth it when have a bigger-ticket item to buy (say a TV or a monitor).  We also get camping and some yard items.

             

            As far as day to day stuff, it's really nice to not have to worry about running out of stuff like garbage bags and Ziplocks, and we'll use them eventually.  When my daughter was younger and drank juice boxes, we got them there.  Plus they have Coke that's sweetened with sugar instead of corn syrup.  Nowadays we just don't buy any soda, though.  As a teacher, when I do need stuff for my class (snacks, pencils, etc.), it makes sense to get them there.

             

            But as far as day to day groceries, as a family of three, we just don't need that sort of quantity of anything.

            Christirei


              My husband worked at Sam's Club through college, so of course, when we got married we had our Sam's Club membership too! But a few years ago we made the switch to Costco (gasp!) and I absolutely love it! Don't know about Sam's since I have been there in years, but Costco is super great about carrying "natural" or organic products. They have a huge tub of organic baby spinach for about four dollars, plus they carry organic carrots and sometimes apples. They also carry organic butter and eggs, and they are great about carrying brands in their chips that aren't just Lays Potato Chips. They have organic tortilla chips, they always have some type of sweet potato chip, and they carry Angie's popcorn which is non GMO corn. Since we only buy organic products Costco's organic selection has saved us so much money. And we typically will eat two dozen eggs in a week and a pound of spinach and the like. We are a family of five though.


              I look my best blurry!

                Just got a $138 refund miss check from Costco which is more than my membership.  I get great deals on salmon, NuGo bars, Muscle Milk Light, fruit, veggies, cleaning products, paper products, flowers and nuts.  That's the majority of what I buy there.  I really should utilize it more.  Definitely worth it for me.


                Revenge of the Nerd

                  I work for a company that is a Costco supplier.  They keep prices low by dealing in volume.  On more than one occasion they stopped purchasing - and selling - our product because their price wasn't met.

                   

                  As a family of four with two teens, we are regular Costco shoppers.  Our grocery bill would skyrocket otherwise.  It helps to have the extra refrigerator and shelving in the garage.  Staples include TP, paper towels, coffee, tuna and olive oil.  They offer decent selections of bread and produce as well.  The pharmacy is convenient, and Costco gasoline is the least expensive in town...if you don't mind waiting in line.

                  One of these days is none of these days.

                  ~ H.G. Bohn

                  TJoseph


                    You should still shop the big ticket items.  I recently bought a multifunction color laser printer/copier/scanner.  I priced it at Costco, but Amazon.com was significantly cheaper and they delivered it to my front door.


                    A Saucy Wench

                       

                      What are some examples?

                       

                      This is a sincere, honest question from a person pondering joining... don't read it as a coded version of "I disagree".

                       

                      I dont know Sams club but Costco is not always the cheapest because they dont deal in the low end stuff.  So you can find things like pasta cheaper at Winco because costco's is fancier pasta.  Some of the items you can buy from the bulk bins at Winco are the same price as costco (although rarely cheaper).  On the other hand I wouldnt touch Winco meat or most of its produce and costco is pretty good for both of those.   And somethings arent necessarily cheaper but they are usually better quality - like off season fruit.

                       

                      Alcohol is definitely a bargain, especially in PNW.  The Oregon costcos almost always have a couple varieties of Deschutes for $24 a 24 pack.  etc.

                       

                      I would say the most frustrating thing about costco is they rearrange the store often and they are hit and miss for whether they will have certain items all the time ( like my printer ink...they are way cheaper--when they have it).  Because of where they are located for me I would like to make them last on my shopping trip but it really works out better to make them first because inevitably they will be out of something basic.  Like carrots.

                      I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                       

                      "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

                      Jill_B


                      I fly.

                        I think that Costco is by far the best of the warehouse clubs... I should not admit this, but there was a point in time when I was a member at Costco, Sam's and BJs at the same time...

                         

                        Costco has consistently had the highest quality and customer service of the three.  We had an issue with a TV we ordered online - they shipped the wrong size and didn't catch their mistake until the guy was walking it to my front door - I literally answered the phone while my doorbell was ringing.  They told me to reject the shipment and they would DRIVE the correct size from the warehouse (it was an online only special).  I was also called by the VP in charge of online sales and given his personal cell phone number if there were any problems.  I didn't have time to complain they dealt with the problem so quickly.  Not what I expected from a big company, but Costco has always seemed  to be a pretty good company.

                        Bring it on.

                        kcam


                          Yeah, I'm pretty much a fan of Costco's customer service - never failed to satisfy us if there was any problem.  We arranged our last vacation using their travel services and got I think the best price available and there WAS a slight snafu that they bent over backwards to correct for us.  Costco rearranges their stores so often so that you have to figure it all out again by wandering by stuff you'd never have seen if they hadn't shuffled things around.  ChaChing for them!

                          mab411


                          Proboscis Colossus

                            I've always heard that.  Wish there was a Costco nearby.

                            "God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people


                            A Saucy Wench

                              The customer service at costco is ridiculously good.  I tried a roomba when they first came out and decided after several months that it was far more trouble than it was worth. There was nothing WRONG with it, I just didnt like it.   They took it back, full refund.  I actually will spend a bit more for the same item at Costco vs. elsewhere if it is something that I am not 100% sure on.

                               

                              Tires are cheap there too, and not for crappy tires, you can order good ones.

                              I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                               

                              "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7


                              Ultra Cowboy

                                Anya, at Costco they will ask if you would like boxes.  That means your smaller stuff will get put in whatever empty boxes they have handy.

                                 

                                Some folks who do a once a month shopping trip will just put a cooler on a flat top cart for cold/frozen food.

                                 

                                My Monthly bill used to be $285 when I shopped solo.  With my wife along the average trip now costs $320.

                                 

                                Don't go without a list...

                                WYBMADIITY

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