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It comes down to what you buy but generally speaking, I don't think it's worth it if you're buying food. Maybe worth it if you host parties every once in awhile but if you were to buy utilities (using coupons), it'd be worth it but drug stores often have better deals.
You have to like bulk shopping, I'm not a big fan of supersize packaging, but still have a Costco membership. I don't go that often even though I live within a few miles, I almost hate Costco, it is always a zoo in there and lines take forever to check out. We go about once a month and get a flatbed cart to pile our things on, my husband likes to go and eat all the samples and look around.
I think you can get sucked into buying more of what you don't need with the larger sizes , you buy extra junk when your hungery and think the samples taste good.
I know that I could quickly get my membership's worth if I were to pump gas from them but I prefer to pay my gas entirely in cash and I heard that you need to pay by credit card with costco gas. What are some must buy at Costco?
Both Costco and Sam's club won't pay out if you're past the acquisition stage of your life now not needing big items or need to buy in bulk. Careful planning and shrewd shopping will save more money than either store.
It is well-worth it for the 2 of us. We just made a run to Costco for $500 of winter food. We're ready for the big blizzard so let it snow let it snow.
A lot is things we would never be able to afford or can't get in our tiny town:bags of almonds & walnuts, veggie burgers, Dave's killer bread, organic quinoa, black & brown rice, maple syrup, Orville's popcorn, french roast coffee beans, organic cereals, grape juice, olive oil, cases of rice milk, whole grain tortillas, parmisan cheese, frozen blueberries, cases of whole tomatoes & black beans.
For fresh produce they have cheap portabello mushrooms, bananas, red peppers, organic mixed lettuce greens, huge bags of baby kale.
Detergent & paper towels. Floss. Vitamins. Electric toothbrush heads. And yes... toilet paper!
I know that I could quickly get my membership's worth if I were to pump gas from them but I prefer to pay my gas entirely in cash and I heard that you need to pay by credit card with costco gas. What are some must buy at Costco?
Why do you only like to pay cash for gas? You can use your bank card at the pump - it's the same as cash.
Having said that, I don't buy gas at Costco because it's crappy ethanol and makes my engine ping. I buy ethanol free at a chain here called Tesoro's.
We have only 2 persons most of the time at my house but we still feel we're saving at Costco plus they have items there that we can't find anywhere else.
I give it a big "ehh". I got the Costco AMEX card which gives me great cash back rewards (more than the cost of the membership) that I have to take to Costco to cash in or use. Sometimes I buy things with it and the other times I just take cash. I know there are deals there like prescription drugs and eyeglasses and tires but I never think to go there just for fun or to look around. I hate shopping. I keep it because I always think I'm going to use it and it's not costing me anything.
I have NEVER found anything at Costco that I could not get at other local retailers at a cheaper price with the exception of gasoline. However, gasoline is cheaper at Sam's Club where I have a business membership.
Friends told me the pharmacy was the cheapest around ... it ended up costing me $40 MORE per month.
They told me coffee was cheaper. However, it was cheaper to have it shipped to me through either the producer's website OR through Amazon.
The local independent grocers in the area sell better meats and they are willing to cut the meats the way I want them cut. And the local grocers buy from LOCAL sources as opposed to trucking everything in from the West Coast. I am 10 miles from the Wisconsin border. I want my cheese from Wisconsin supporting the local cooperatives as opposed to Cabot and Tillamook.
the pharmacy is pretty cheap and you dont need a membership to use it
legally they have to sell to anyone
i dont go to any of these places that sell bulk anymore. im impulsive and the damage i would do when i went to bj's or costco far outweighed the savings.
i wouldnt just come home with a box of something , i would come home with a case of it.
while we used everything i would buy eventully the fact is i would have never even bought much of it in those kinds of quantities either if i didnt go.
i dont like un-wrapped things open for long times too. huge jars of peanut butter, kethup etc are all things i rather buy fresh every so ofton instead of having a jar open for months.
overall i do better doing our grocery shopping on the internet from fresh direct and having it delivered at 7am on a sunday.
we have to waste no time at all out of our precious weekends to shop and the savings is amazing since im not running up and down the aisles buying the crap i usually do.
There's no Costco near me..it's Sam's Club.
I belonged to it a few years ago and let it lapse.
Went there yesterday and walked around pricing some items and decided to renew.
I go 3-4 times a year to stock up.
I don't buy the restaurant size items but I do buy the multi packaged items.
A case of Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup would save me $2.00
A 2-pack box of Cheerio's would save me $3.00
Laundry detergent would save me $4.00
Those are the ones I remember. In the past I was able to save enough to cover the membership and still come out ahead. I'll give this a year and if I can come out ahead (cover my membership and still save) then I'll continue.
If you're not sure if it's worth it, walk the aisles and see what they have and how it's packaged.
See how much you'd save, if any and then decide whether or not the membership is worth it.
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