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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2011 9:01:42 GMT -5
My wife and I had a membership to first Costo (NJ), then BJ;s (upstate NY) and now Sam's Club (Downstate).
We added it up and realise that it would make no sense for us to renew our memberships since we barely (read 1-3 times a year) ever use such membership because we are only 2 people and they there is no need for us to buy bulk.
My wife said : " Yeah, maybe when we have kids and bunch of their friends keep on coming over and emptying our pantries then it would make it worth it to have the membership."
So our membership to Sam's Club will expire in May and we will not renew it. So when does it start paying off to have a membership to a big retailer?
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azphx1972
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Post by azphx1972 on Apr 10, 2011 9:09:51 GMT -5
I like Costco. I probably don't spend enough there to justify the membership cost from a financial perspective, but they have great customer service, carry seasonal products that I sometimes find interesting, and are conveniently located for me. I also buy my tires from them, and it's great to be able to get free tire rotation and flat repair service at any Costco. YMMV.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2011 9:13:38 GMT -5
There are two of us. We bought all four of our tv's from Costco. I've bought at least two sets of tires. I buy gas there every week. This is no reason to belong, but their photo processing is also cheaper with no minimum like some of the drugstores.
I don't know if we really save money, but we have access to some grocery products that we can't find elsewhere at a decent price . . . salmon, for example.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Apr 10, 2011 9:14:40 GMT -5
I do it because I can charge gas with no upcharge for using my credit card. It's ten cents extra per gallon and we fill up 6X a month at an average of 16 gallons at a time. Plus, I buy chicken/fruit/veggies in bulk because I cook a lot. I make up the membership just in gas in 6 months.
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Post by illinicheme on Apr 10, 2011 9:32:52 GMT -5
We like our Costco membership. Most of their bulk sizes are small enough that it still makes sense even though we're also only two people. They carry several brands I like but won't buy at regular grocery store prices (Chobani, Odwalla, etc.) We're in California, so the wine and cheese selection is also great.
We used to buy the majority of our gasoline at Costco, but we recently moved to a different town ~20 miles away, and our new local Costco doesn't have a gas station.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2011 9:36:57 GMT -5
for two people with no kids, I'd say it's not worth it.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Apr 10, 2011 9:47:44 GMT -5
for two people with no kids, I'd say it's not worth it.
I'm single, no kids and only for the discount that I pay in gas alone, it is worth the membership fees. I save roughly $3/week when I fill up, so >$150 on gas alone.
There are a lot of other reasons as well. Meat is cheaper (and IMO, better quality) and it's the only place in town where I can buy lamb reasonably priced. Yesterday, I picked up strip steaks that were $2/lb less than the sale price of the local store - and a lot nicer looking too.
I do have a selection process that I use though and know what's a deal and what's not a deal.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Apr 10, 2011 10:02:58 GMT -5
I have a Costco membership and we've made it worth it. Now that my parents have one again I may drop mine and just take a day trip with them now and then (or order online), as the closest store is 90 minutes away. I would never have a membership to more than one club though, is there really that much difference in what they carry that you'd use two or three different clubs? I don't know, I honestly don't even know where a bj's or sam's club is.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Apr 10, 2011 10:11:48 GMT -5
is there really that much difference in what they carry that you'd use two or three different clubs?
I've got a Sam's membership, TD has Costco. IMO, there is not a huge difference between the 2.
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azphx1972
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Post by azphx1972 on Apr 10, 2011 10:19:27 GMT -5
I've got a Sam's membership, TD has Costco. IMO, there is not a huge difference between the 2. The employees at Costco seem happier and more energetic to me. The Sam's Club employees look more beat down, not bad as Walmart employees but they definitely do not seem content as Costco workers. But this is just my personal observation so take it for what it's worth.
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formerexpat
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Post by formerexpat on Apr 10, 2011 10:20:33 GMT -5
At least in our area, it's not worth it for the gas. I've noticed my car gets less mpg with gasoline from BJs than from other stations so there is no net benefit. I also don't see much more than a few cent difference at BJs and I don't drive enough miles to make it worth it.
Other than that, items can be found much cheaper online than at the big box stores.
They generally get you to find a way to spend more. There's a reason most people can't get out of there under $100 a trip.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Apr 10, 2011 10:21:24 GMT -5
I'm single - and I try to avoid paying for the membership as I only go twice a year. I've impersonated my SIL (saved her a trip as I picked up her stuff and my stuff). I've gone as a guest with a friend - and then helped friend carry in all her stuff (live in an area where garages are not attached to houses) I used Credit Card reward points this year to get a Sam's membership.
I find it useful since I only have to buy some stuff once a year: aluminum foil, toothpaste, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, Ibuprophen, deodarant, q-tips, baking soda, etc... I've got about 20 -30 things on my Sam's List. I hate running out of this stuff and I hate having to run around chasing sales on them. Two trips a year to Sam's (a 30 minute drive) lets me use my local stores (15 minute walk - short drive) for everything else I need. Stores like Target, Walmart, the Mall are all a 25 minute drive away. I've got better things to do with my time than spend more a couple of hours going to Target/Walmart/etc...whenever I run low or to catch a sale. I'd rather spend a couple of hours twice a year and be done with it... Couldn't tell you if my Sam's Club memebership saves me money - but it does save me time and agrevation.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Apr 10, 2011 10:32:57 GMT -5
I agree with Costco employees seeming happier than Sams but also, Costco closes on certain holidays and Sams stays open. DD worked at Sams and they were just a bit better paying than Walmart but the treatment of employees was subpar. I've talked to Costco employees and they are there FOREVER and happy about it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2011 10:41:58 GMT -5
I have a Costco membership and we've made it worth it. Now that my parents have one again I may drop mine and just take a day trip with them now and then (or order online), as the closest store is 90 minutes away. I would never have a membership to more than one club though, is there really that much difference in what they carry that you'd use two or three different clubs? I don't know, I honestly don't even know where a bj's or sam's club is. We lived in NJ so we used Costco (we love Costco and always go with my parents when we go to NJ) When we moved upstate NY they did not have a Costco they had a BJ's or Sam's Club... we went with BJ's We moved again last year and Sam's Club was closer to us so we got that. We did not carry all 3 memberships at the same time.
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on Apr 10, 2011 10:50:53 GMT -5
We ONLY have a Sam's Club near here and they don't have gas, so, really no benefit for a single person. I do enjoy wandering through there a couple times a year, but it's not worth it to me to have a membership. I'll either go with my mom when she's visiting, or print a "one day pass" that's almost always available online.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Apr 10, 2011 11:01:38 GMT -5
I get a BJ's membership through work and I was happy to have it when we bought our tv on Black Friday. In and out in 15 minutes and no crowd was well worth the (discounted) membership. We also tailgate a lot and BF loves the burgers they sell.
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lurkyloo
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Post by lurkyloo on Apr 10, 2011 12:23:25 GMT -5
Our housemate has a membership and actually signed me up as her additional person. I don't want them keeping a copy of my DL on file, though, so I don't have a card myself. We go with her very occasionally, or a few times a year we ask her to pick things up for us. DH likes their individually wrapped frozen chicken; they have reliably excellent prices on eggs and maple syrup and occasionally good prices on paper products. But on the whole, I don't like to go there. I think most of their prices are okay, not great--I can generally do better at the supermarket with loss leaders--and the bargain aspect seems to be generally outweighed by the size you have to buy. Also, impulse shopping is one of my weaknesses; that's not a good thing to supersize!
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dividend
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Post by dividend on Apr 10, 2011 12:26:59 GMT -5
I love my Costco membership! The stuff I buy there is either cheaper than at the grocery stores (most of the fresh produce, if you can use it before it spoils, frozen seafood, almost every kind of nut you can imagine, bagels, tortillas, cheeses, roses, sabra hummus, etc.), or just much more convenient to buy in bulk (toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, foil, Ziploc baggies, dishwasher soap, etc.) I do sometimes make impulse purchases (damn coupons!), but I've never regretted one. A few months ago I bought new Sonicare toothbrushes for DBF and I because I had the coupon with me which made them a decent price, and ours were both 6+ years old. So there's like practical splurges. I have good list discipline most of the time, so that helps. Last time I went in for produce, canned beans, and cashews, and only spent $56.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Apr 10, 2011 12:29:31 GMT -5
I use a lot of chicken and love those big packages.
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TD2K
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Post by TD2K on Apr 10, 2011 12:34:46 GMT -5
So when does it start paying off to have a membership to a big retailer?
I just cancelled my executive membership at Costco as I didn't buy enough to justify the premium over the base membership. They happily refund my money, I have to admit their customer service is excellent.
For me, the major reason I keep my Costco membership is their gas bar. Around here, it's a good 30 cents less than surrounding gas stations and I get a 2% rebate with my Costco Amex. I likely go through at least 600 gallons of gasoline a year so that's nearly $200 just there in savings with another $50 rebated each year based on the 2% rebate they offer. Costco's Amex is also nice. They give 3% back on restaurants, 2% on travel related expenses (I think I have those in the right order) and 1% on everything else. I tend to use my Capital One cash back card for non travel and restaurant purchases as the Capital One gives me 1.25%.
The only problem with their gas bar is that it is a zoo unless you hit it late at night or early in the morning. We get lots of Canadian shoppers at Costco (Mich and I have seen them wheeling out carts with 20 gallons of milk) and they of course use the chance to fill up.
Some of the ARCO stations are close to BP's prices so one could argue I'm not saving as much as I like to think I am but I do think I can easily save enough to at least off-set the membership cost.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Apr 10, 2011 12:49:33 GMT -5
Ok, that makes a lot more sense, especially considering you seem to try to be very careful with your money!
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MN-Investor
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Post by MN-Investor on Apr 10, 2011 12:56:32 GMT -5
We're a married couple with no children and we have both Costco and Sam's Club memberships.
I categorize the membership fees under Entertainment. Even if we don't buy much, we enjoy walking through the stores and getting a hot dog and pop for $1.50.
We would keep the Sam's Club membership just for the brand of cinnamon raisin bread they carry. It's chuck full of raisins and DH loves it. I pack a slice, along with a peach yogurt, in a bag for his mid-morning snack at work.
Several years ago DH needed new luggage for work. We did research and checked over Costco's brand of suitcases. We ended up buying two suitcases for DH and he absolutely loves them. They are very well made. I also like the 1 pound cans of crab meat and their organic salsa.
So we may or may not recoup the membership fees, but it really doesn't matter. The fees easily fit within our budget.
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TD2K
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Post by TD2K on Apr 10, 2011 13:07:39 GMT -5
Good point MN. Costco's hot dogs at $1.50 (includes a drink) are a great value. I have not tried their pizza but my parents swear by them. My parents also swear by the quality of their meat. I buy lamb chops there as they are much cheaper than anything else local but I can get better prices when other stores have sales.
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Post by krashpd on Apr 10, 2011 13:46:35 GMT -5
I think the Costco membership is very worth the cost. First, I don't know if everyone gets the same deal but we upgraded to executive membership and if our discount (2%) is not over the amount of membership, they send us a check for the difference. So basically, the membership is free. We are a family of 4 with two teenagers so buying certain things in bulk is good. If I didn't buy ketchup in bulk I'd never have any in the house. What is with teenagers using so much ketchup on everything anyway. The really big plus is the Costco Amex business card. This to me is the best rewards card available. The non-business one is almost as good. With the business one, I get 4% back on gas, 3% on travel and dining out I believe, and 1% on everything else. We use the cards for Groceries, Gas, and all eating out. I also use it for purchases anywhere they take Amex. My check this year was about $520 which was $100 less then last year. You don't have to spend the check at Costco either. They will cash it and that is what I did then put the money into savings. You can also pay your household bills (utilities, car payments, etc...) on the Amex website and I'm trying to move most of my bill pay to that. I pay off the Amex every month so no interest charges and I believe I can get it to the $700-$800 range next year. That isn't bad since it doesn't cost me anything or really any extra time when I pay bills. Amex also gives a great year-end summary every year that is better then any bank I've used. Finally, the savings for non-bulk food items is very good. Beer is a good price and its still sold in the 24-pack. Bread, Milk, etc isn't really bulk since you are buying 2 instead of 1. Buying one TV will sometimes pay for your yearly Costco membership since they extend the warranty on it for another year. Try getting that at Best Buy for $60 (membership price) on a $2000 TV. The furniture twice a year and Christmas shopping is nice discounts as well. Finally, who doesn't like a hotdog and soda for $1.50.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Apr 10, 2011 13:55:20 GMT -5
My BIL has a business card and I am attached to Sam's Club through that. I save the cost of the membership fee in gas alone. It's 10 cents per gallon less here. Milk is $1 gallon less, so I often buy that there. I also buy things like toilet paper and paper towels that I can store and it saves me money. My membership is definitely worth it.
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TD2K
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Post by TD2K on Apr 10, 2011 15:35:15 GMT -5
and if our discount (2%) is not over the amount of membership, they send us a check for the difference.
Hmm, I know last year I didn't get a check for the difference. I'll have to contact them.
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TD2K
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Post by TD2K on Apr 10, 2011 15:37:06 GMT -5
1. Buying one TV will sometimes pay for your yearly Costco membership since they extend the warranty on it for another year.
Good point, I had forgotten that their Amex card doubles the manufacturer's warranty for up to one year. And their return policies are still some of the best around.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2011 15:40:08 GMT -5
Gas is now 3.97/gallon in my area and our Sam's Club does not have gas, neither does the BJ's.
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Post by krashpd on Apr 10, 2011 15:41:43 GMT -5
1. Buying one TV will sometimes pay for your yearly Costco membership since they extend the warranty on it for another year.Good point, I had forgotten that their Amex card doubles the manufacturer's warranty for up to one year. And their return policies are still some of the best around. Costco doubles the warranty to two years on TVs no matter how you pay.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Apr 10, 2011 15:51:46 GMT -5
I just paid $3.79 at our Costco. Sure glad for the 3% back on gas rebates.
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