Is Membership Worth It

[Lukka'sma]

We are thinking of getting a membership to either Costco or Sam's Club. Never been in either of them. Anyone here belong to these clubs? Do you find that you actually use the store or opt for something closer most of the time? Only two of us here at home and I am wondering if this is mainly for large families?

[breeze]

I'm a member of costco, if you like buying in bulk, i have two boys and a husband they are aways eating, soooo i buy in bulk,

[TeriM]

I love Costco . It's just me and hubby here but I still find it very useful. We have a freezer so that helps and also a fair bit of storage for other bulk items. Some of the bulk stuff is crazy but I don't find most sizes that bad.

[jiorji]

I was going to suggest that you go take a look around before you get a membership but you CAN'T !! they won't let you go in unless you have a card with them!

and at Costco I think you're only allowed to pay with American Express or cash or debit.
My parents have a membership there and they seem to enjoy it.

[SARAH]

Been at the costco store twice in 4 months. Last time they didn't even have what we were looking for. Also, the line-up at the cash ...

[trippincherri]

Well I live way up where there's no cheap shopping to be heard of, and buying meat for the week nearly breaks your budget, so we have a membership with Costco.
The closest Costco to us is 2 hrs away and we try to get there at least 4 times a year, we take a cooler with us and fill it with meat lol.
Plus Costco has everything you can think of.
I buy all my printer ink,batteries,paper, some clothes, gardening supplies, and pretty much whatever else looks good there.
It is a great place to shop if you want to stock up on essentials, and in the end it does save you a whole whack of cash.

[erykah1310]

I had a costco membership and used it twice... I liked it in there, but im not a fan of buying in bulk... They do have alot of great stuff in there, and reasonable prices, but really the amount of times i go there, i wouldn t get another membership, i just go in with my cousin and go in on her membership.

[Prin]

Jiorji, you can get in without a card. Your mom/husband has a membership card and s/he's already inside.

I love costco, but it's not a place to go if you are super ultra tight on money. The consumerism in there is absolutely disgusting. People buy SO much stuff there, frivolous stuff they really don't need and drop $2000 easily on one cartful...

Anyway, milk, eggs, bread, meat are all cheaper there... Toilet paper and kleenex too... You'd have to buy 20 bags of milk, 10 cartons of eggs, and probably about 20lbs of chicken to make your membership worthwhile.

[brandynva]

Also, a lot of times we found that buying in bulk is not cheaper than buying regular at the grocery store. A lot of times it was actually more! I would suggest going in and window shopping. The other thing to ask, usually they will give you a one day "guest pass" where you can buy stuff and shop around once to try it out.

[chico2]

Hubby and I are Costco addicts,but you have to be careful with what you think is a bargain.
Meat is definetly cheaper,any meat!!
I also buy choclate bars in bulkeaster-cream eggs are out
and cheese,lots of cheese etc,etc...sometimes also clothes,cat-litter,pots and pans,small appliances.
We go about every 2-3 weeks and always spend more than we intended:love:

[Prin]

Cream eggs? Ohhhh I'm in trouble now!

[joeysmama]

I have a Costco membership and I buy meat maybe every month or every other month. It's a pretty good buy and when I come home I divide it into smaller packages and pop it in the freezer. The meat is a lower price than the grocery store and because I have so many dinners in the freezer it saves me money because I don't have to run into the store as often.

But you have to be careful what you buy and not give in to the impulse buys in the center of the store. The holiday decorations and that sort of thing.

I bought some low carb wraps in Costco and got 12 for the same price I normally pay for 4 in the health food store. And I bought two huge planters fr my front porch for about a third what they would have cost at the nursery--but I was looking to buy planters. If you buy something you wouldn't normally have bought then you aren't really saving money in my opinion. Like coupons. I only use coupons for products I would buy anyway--otherwise I'm spending not saving.

I think it's handy. I'm glad I have it. You just have to be careful of the impulse buys.

[trippincherri]

Awww but I live for the impulse buys!!!
Costco IS bad for all the neat things they have displayed for the changing seasons and holidays.
I know I always buy more than intended hee hee, so really I am not saving a penny. Because what I save in groceries I spend on other things that I think I NEED to have oh well.
But it is fun when you get home and have all kinds of new stuff, especially for the dogs since they always have awesome pet supplies at Costco!!

[Joey.E.CockersMommy]

Well I broke down and got a membership today - and spend three times that on groceries I normally would. Cause it was like I have to have this and I have to have this. I noticed some great deals and some that are pretty much the same price as you would pay else where -

...like I got these excercise DVDs from the internet they were three payments of 20$ that exact same DVDs were 22 for all three at cotsco...its fun to go though they have so much stuff.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by SARAH

Been at the costco store twice in 4 months. Last time they didn't even have what we were looking for. Also, the line-up at the cash ...

I usually go on Mondays, after work, less people. I like the fact that you can find almost everything and it's an open area. It feels less crowded.

[Kristin7]

chico2 you are so right about the meat at Costco! Ok, I'm a single person and really have no need to buy in bulk, but the steaks are so much cheaper there! And at least in my area, I know they are supplied by local beef which happens to be really great. Otherwise, I bought my car tires there and like to bring friends. You can bring in a couple visitors at a time and they love it. I do not like having to pay cash though. I would buy a lot more if I didn't have to (why don't they know this???). Most of the products I've bought there I've been impressed with as far as quality. Probably don't take advantage of the place as much as I should be oh well. They do have free samples of food out most days... and coffee.

[erykah1310]

hrmmm maybe if meat is that much of a deal there, I should get another membership for the dogs <--- thinking not rolling eyes

[Gazoo]

Originally Posted by Kristin7

Most of the products I've bought there I've been impressed with as far as quality. .

Quality of their products is the absolute best and the warranty/return policy is unbelievable

[Lukka'sma]

Originally Posted by Kristin7

They do have free samples of food out most days... and coffee.

My hubby sometimes goes with me to the A&P or similar store in the late mornings. He loves all the samples and calls it his brunch.

[chico2]

I forgot to add,that not only is the meat cheaper,but everything is excellent quality.
There is only 2 of us,a pack of pork-loin-chops(probably about 15) as an example are at least 1 inch thick and about $20.
Excellent sirloinstrip steaks,for the bbq,also really thick,boneless chicken-breast...I could go on and on,if for nothing else,I would go there for the meat,quality and price.

Prin,my son and I halved a box of 48 Eastercream eggs($32),24 each,so for $16 I get 24,which is about 60 cents each.
Walmart had them on sale 3 for $2.97..
We bought the special membership,with 2% rebate and we get 2% from AMEX and just got $254 rebate from Costco,it adds up,if you are a regular customer

It used to be,I would try to stay loyal to Canadian-owned stores,but it is not possible anymore,the price-difference is HUGE and like most Canadian(and every country in the world) companies who have everything shipped to China to be made,the bottom line is as is important to us.

[Kristin7]

mmmmm.... getting hungry.... must go to Costco.... ("brunch", I like it!)

[~michelle~]

try finding someone you know with a memebership they can bring in two guest so you can look around to see f it is something you would like to have

[Prin]

Yeah, at this point I think it's more important to buy things made in Canada (or even the US) than to buy from Canadian chains who sell made in China things... JMO...

Oh and I definitely need somebody to go halfzies with me on the creme eggs...

[rainbow]

We've been hearing that a Costco is coming here ever since we moved here in 1998. How much is a membership anyway?

[BEDPhoto]

$20 dog beds that are better than the ones from Petsmart (Stella ends up chewing them up anyways).

Bulk shredded cheese for the bachelor burritos Im always making
Cheap bananas
Never-ending bucket o salad for $5

Great return policy for bigger ticket stuff like my iPod.

oh and my latest Costco find/craze... Dried kiwi.. better than candy!!


I think the membership is US45 a year or somewhere around that.

Some things arent any cheaper (deoderant, frozen chicken breasts, coffee) but theres something to only having to buy toilet paper once a year!

[Prin]

Regular is $45, "Gold" is $50 (gives you an extra card for a person in your home free), and Executive is $100 (gives you 2% back at the end of the year).

[rainbow]

Thanks, Prin.

[Prin]

No problemo.

In my case, the 2% would have paid my membership and then some.. But we used to live right next to a costco, so we went all the time. Now, it's so far away, we only go for the bulk things- tp, kleenex, etc...

[chico2]

We have the $100 one,since we shop there quiet a lot and it already has paid for itself twice,with money left over and I get my ugly picture on my AMEX card

[4thedogs]

If you are lacking in the funds department then Costco may not be for you but if you have the cash you will love it. We go there all the time. We get the regulars that are single items like milk. Sometimes we get the multi packs of stuff but you need to compare prices for these things because they are often the same price at grocery stores when buying single.
I occasionally buy clothes and other products that you need to replenish like ink. At christmas we buy many gifts there and love to look and sometimes buy one time items they get in. Camping supplies are usually a great deal.
Their meat tends to be better quality than you purchase off the shelf of the grocery stores.
We are very close to our costco so it gets included as another one of the stores we frequently go to.