I Dont Think Costco/**'s Type Price Clubs are Worth It...

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JHZR2

JHZR2

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OK, I said it... I dont think these places are worth it with the $40+ you have to pay per year membership... especially since I cant use my 5% cash back at supermarkets credit card.

...maybe if I can split a membership with another family or something... is that allowed? Does anyone do it? Does your price club take credit cards?

I can go to Shop Rite and get boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.99 on most weeks... would I really do that much better at a price club?

I can gt some bulk stuff at the local supermarket for decent prices, is it THAT much less at the price club?

I dont think Id want to buy **'s gasoline when I can go to the wawa and get gas for almost the same price.

I have a second refrigerator/freezer (they gave it to us when we bought our house). We have nothing in it... Im tempted to sell it, its a large side by side...

But if I can do a LOT better by signing up and shopping at the various price clubs, then please convince me, and I might give it a shot.

How much do you think a frigidaire large size side by side is worth? Works fine, but the water and ice part of it is unknown... Where would one easily sell such an item if they wanted to?

Thanks!

JMH

P.S. I love how bejay's price club name gets editied out from my post
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[ June 06, 2006, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: JHZR2 ]
 
Costco takes AMEX. You can get an AMEX card with a rebate feature.

Chopped meat is about $2.25 a lb, Milk about $2.50 a gallon, a head of Romaine lettuce about 60 cents.

You can put anyone you want on the card as a "spouse". I "married" my brother about 14 years ago.

The key to getting your money's worth is usage. If you don't plan on using it, don't join.

Of course, don't buy things you don't need because you belong.
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quote:
I "married" my brother about 14 years ago.
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I'm not a member of one of those clubs because I similarly can't justify the savings, especially when I include the hassle of waiting in their monster checkout lines... for the amount of products I would actually buy.

If I need something there, I can usually find somebody at work who is a member. But that is very rare.
 
I'm a Sam's Club member under my father's business.
Best example:
4 BFG A/T KOs from Discount Tire installed = $627
4 BFG A/T KOs from Sam's Club = $501

Advantages.. $126 savings (which pays for the 40 membership) and if I travel anywhere in the country, there's bound to be a Sam's Club... unlike Discount Tire, which isn't in Louisiana, which is where I spend 11 out of 12 months of the year.

Milk is cheap... gas is cheap...parties are much cheaper! Yes, you may spend 1 buck in 20 party cups, but I bought 250 party cups for 7.50. Huge Lays Potato Chips bags, mix and match (like Tostitos..) 2 for 4 bucks... or On the Border brand salsa, huge jar, 2.75. Birthday cakes with free candles, 9 bucks for quarter sheet... i can go on and on...

The lines aren't a hassle anymore... if you're waiting in line, they scan everything and when you get up to to pay, they scan your card and all you do is pay.
 
In my circumstances it's probably not worth it. For starters, there is not one closer than 20 miles or so-it's in a direction we normally don't go so it's a 40 miles dedicated round trip.

As far as meat goes, we purchase 3/4 a cow and a full pig from a locker once a year. Averages out to about $2.50/pound for the beef (that includes the steaks) and around $2.00/pound for the pork. If you have a decent locker in your area it's well worth it to look into it.

Since it's just my wife and I there are a lot of things it makes no sense to purchase in bulk. Most of it would go to waste unless it can be frozen or stored.
 
I've found that we buy a ton more than we need when we go to those places because everything is in a big box...and we end up eating more because 'it's there'. I stay away now.
 
Costco is well known for having great prescription drug prices. They sell 15-40 oil at good prices, as well as those blue shop towels on a roll.

And on a more serious note, if you need five gallons of pork rinds, malted milk balls or Cheez-Its, their prices can't be beat..
 
Just the gas prices alone, make Costco worth the price. There is one 3 miles away. Gas is alway 25 to 30 cents cheaper, sometimes more. I paid $3.259 when the next lowest station was $3.569. I've been using their gas for 6 years and no problems. Inside the store there are good quality products at great prices. There return policy is beyond belief. A consumer group in Boston rated Costco the best of all retail stores rated. We are a family of 2 adults plus we are helping our daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters. It takes about 6 weeks to break even on the membership, this year less than 5. An example you might understand is a case of Delo 15w-40 6/gal jugs for $39.65. A local oil distributer buy it there when he runs low. I bought a YardMan lawn mower for $170 (other places $240). About 6 months later I hit a pipe and tore off the blade. I asked them were I should go to get it fixed. They told me to bring it back, and of all things, gave me the full price back. I felt embarassed, but took it as a store credit. I was told by the manager that they want happy customers. They have a happy customer. You just have to learn how to shop smart, freeze stuff, sometimes and vacuum seal stuff, and share with others. Believe me it's worth the effort.
 
Not worth it for me. Only spent $100/month on food and 1hr every other week on shopping. Usually I can find better deal on discount between the major store chain, or local Ranch 99.
 
quote:
I can go to Shop Rite and get boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.99 on most weeks
Click to expand...
dude, it's 99 cents a pound here... price clubs/costcos arent worth it when you have food for less, foods co, winco and every other massive food wharehouse blocks from eachother.
 
I think it just depends on what you buy. As a smart consumer in the grocery with a 5% rebate card you can come out better without a membership to anywhere.
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I'm with Dominic. Shop at Shaws (Albertson's owned) and chase their wacky sales.

Hamburger goes on sale at $1.49 but buns are full price. Stick it in the freezer.

Next week, it's bread that's cheap. They seem to rotate through a sale schedule so by keeping an extra freezer I coast through the lean times.

Sams didn't do it for me, too walmarty in their stuff. B.J.s is okay and sometimes I'll get a "no surcharge" test coupon and lay down a couple bills on olive oil, pure vanilla extract, etc.

Motor Oil is still a random closeout buy: The clubs don't have anything I'd want. Coastal, eww.
 
I just hitch a ride with parents (Costco members) and usually get things there at a huge discount. Deoterant/Antipersperant is like $7 for 4-5 sticks whereas it is $4 for one stick at Wally World. You can't beat the shampoo/soap prices. Laundry Detergent is also tons cheaper at Costco. I also get my Chevron w/ Techron there as a box of 4 is almost the same price of one elsewhere.

But yeah, if my parents didn't have a Costco card - I'd probably never go there. Nothing beats the free food though (Food samplers).
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Although the last 2 times I went there wern't any.
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Man, you guys are paying WAY TOO much for beef. Get a 3 or 4 cubic foot deep freezer and buy 1/2 a cow. Have it butchered the way you want and then freeze it. Beef on the hoof this way is about .90 to 1.00 a pound and you'll usually get a half weighing in around 600 to 700 pounds. Processing will run you about 130 to 150 depending on your cuts and fat trim. My cost....about 1.45 a pound for everything....t-bones, ribeyes, sirlions, chuck steaks, about 135 pounds of hamburger and roasts. Sure, you got to pay upfront, but when you go to the supermarket look at their meat prices....5 to 8 bucks a pound for steaks.....ouch. Plus, you know what kind of meat your getting. Now, this won't be prime grade, but will be at least choice grade. The stuff you get at the supermarket is probably select, at best.
 
quote:
I "married" my brother about 14 years ago. from GM
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This trick to get your brother an "free" membership while our country is debating same sex marriages is extremely offensive to me and my wife/sister.
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I had let my Sam's club membership expire. It never made sense to pay money to spend money on merely bigger packages of stuff also available at Wmart, Target or Kmart. The last time I was there and was using Valvoline at the time I checked the price on a case of 12 quarts. It was no cheaper than anywhere else.
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