Costco, Sams Club, Pay to shop??

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  • semperfi211

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Nov 17, 2008
    3,266
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    Near Lowell
    We are talking about joining Costco. We have a friend that works there and she tells my wife how much the membership fee is worth it. They have items that you don't see elsewhere and better prices than supermarkets. My wife is more sold on this than I am. I kind of have an issue with paying a membership fee for the privilege of shopping in their store. Just wondering how many ingo members are costco or sams members. Is it worth the yearly fee?
     

    WebSnyper

    Maximum Effort
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    56   0   0
    Jul 3, 2010
    15,417
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    127.0.0.1
    Costco member. I use their rewards credit card for my costco purchases since I didn't have a Visa before that and you have to use either a visa, cash or a debit card there. The rewards card, plus some of the other great items they have (and the do run sales each month, plus have seasonal items, etc) have made it very worthwhile for me. They have a good meat selection, we buy our paper products there, as well as laundry and cleaning items and some other regular items. After a while you get an idea of the frequency that some of the items you like are on sale.


    Also great prices on TVs, and other electronics.

    Some other items are cheaper at other places.

    We always get our $ out of our membership.

    You can visit the store (just tell them your are going in for a membership and then take a look around).


    I was a Sam's member many years ago and haven't been there in years.
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
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    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
    12
    Summitville
    I do Costco and BJ's... Its not often I go into a store, I order online alot for myself and two sons.
    I will say, watch your pricing. Some things are not that good of a deal.
     

    SumtnFancy

    Sharpshooter
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    5   0   0
    Feb 5, 2013
    502
    43
    Ft. Wayne
    We've bought 2 big tvs and a laptop there, also 1800sq ft of LVP flooring there. We both drive a lot and their gas prices are typically $.20 or more less per gallon. Water, TP, paper towels, 36 packs of Miller Lite!, great booze and wine selection, the seasonal items, and the manufacturer's rebates on certain items weekly .ore than make it worth it. Get the Black membership card, more rebates think. We get a rewards check back that is greater than our membership price, so it works in our favor. Meat selection is typically great, just smoke 16lbs of pork shoulder from there last weekend, $25 I think. I vote yes!
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
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    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
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    Speedway area
    We shop enough in Sams club that we get our membership fee plus back every year and yes they have bulk packaging that we do not see elsewhere. We are considering Costco this next go round.
     

    jsx1043

    Master
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    50   0   0
    Apr 9, 2008
    4,987
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    Napghanistan
    Costco member here. I echo WebSnyper. While some things are in bulk and you may question whether it’s overkill for you or not, my family of four does great on the TP, paper towels, wipes, etc., and other bulk items for prep supplies. Electronics are at great prices (two laptops, two iPhones and two TVs later) and as mentioned, gas is cheaper by a bit. Their pharmacy and optometrist are great, along with their warranty plans for glasses and hearing aids. Some cool stuff like $100 gift cards for $75 is handy too!

    But the pièce de résistance? Rotisserie chicken. Your significant other wants one, seriously.

    You can either buy them one rose for $5.99, or you can buy them a whole rotisserie chicken, that’s all I’m saying. Choose wisely.
     

    mom45

    Momerator
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    0   0   0
    Nov 10, 2013
    47,137
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    NW of Sunshine
    FYI - If you join either of these through Groupon, your first year ends up being pretty much free. You join at a discounted rate, sometimes get a $$ card to use plus coupons for free stuff. When we did it, we got a $20 or $30 cash card and coupons for a free 18 roll pack of paper towels and a couple of other fairly pricey items. They weren't all things we normally bought, but we got them anyway and enjoyed something different. I watch pricing and buy the things that I find to be good deals. We don't go often since ours is 40 miles away but we do stock up enough when we go to make it worth it. Costco has excellent prices online for some items. We get my grandson's diapers much cheaper than thru Walmart or other stores and they ship them at no extra cost. The Groupon only works for a new membership so it won't let you renew on one of their deals.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
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    Speedway area
    FYI - If you join either of these through Groupon, your first year ends up being pretty much free. You join at a discounted rate, sometimes get a $$ card to use plus coupons for free stuff. When we did it, we got a $20 or $30 cash card and coupons for a free 18 roll pack of paper towels and a couple of other fairly pricey items. They weren't all things we normally bought, but we got them anyway and enjoyed something different. I watch pricing and buy the things that I find to be good deals. We don't go often since ours is 40 miles away but we do stock up enough when we go to make it worth it. Costco has excellent prices online for some items. We get my grandson's diapers much cheaper than thru Walmart or other stores and they ship them at no extra cost. The Groupon only works for a new membership so it won't let you renew on one of their deals.

    :thumbsup:
     

    4sarge

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Mar 19, 2008
    5,894
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    FREEDONIA
    Costco
    We'd be Costco Members but closest store is 2+ hrs away. Sam's Club member for many years. IMO Sam's has gone downhill, not sparkling, dimly lit. We still buy a lot, get the Cheaper Gas and Spend many Dollars their Monthly. Costco store is Cleaner, Brighter, seems to have higher end items than Sam's. Family belongs to Costco, so we visit once or twice a year. Wife is Amazon Prime and now Wal-Mart is going to Charge a yearly Fee for their premium on-line. Personally, I like to see the item before purchase but with COVID PANIC it is easier to have it Delivered to our door. Sadly, Competition from small Business is Disappearing. I'd leave Sam's IF Costco had a Store in the Region.
     

    hoosierdaddy1976

    I Can't Believe it's not Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    16   0   0
    Mar 17, 2011
    6,469
    149
    newton county
    When the kids were in diapers, we had a Costco membership. It was definitely worth it for that, as well as other things. Whole bean coffee was usually a good deal, too. My wife signed up for Sam's Club during the spring shutdown but she uses it for free shipping of online orders. Haven't been in the store.
     

    Ziggidy

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    May 7, 2018
    7,265
    113
    Ziggidyville
    I am member of both.......don;know why; Just my wife and I. She likes Coscto because it seems higher quality and I like Sams because it has somewhat smaller packaging. We seldom go to either.

    The reason we joined coscto years ago was for their hearing aids- cannot be beat on price and warranty.

    I can live without either one.
     

    WanderingSol07

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 7, 2017
    413
    28
    North Central
    Sam's Club member here. The price difference of the items we buy cover the membership and then some easy. I would tell you to visit the stores and write down the prices of items you would buy then visit your grocery store and compare.
     

    Tactically Fat

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    22   0   0
    Oct 8, 2014
    8,270
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    Indiana
    It may not be worth it. I do know, though, that when I was tire shopping, the Michelins I got at Costco were more than $60 less than at other tire shops around my area. That year, the $60 membership fee paid for itself.

    And, as someone mentioned above - you can also get a Costco credit card. You can get x% back every year based on your membership tier. The higher tier, the higher the % off. And you get a higher % rebated for what you spend at the store and with their gasoline. A co-worker does this and it more than pays for itself in just regular use, but especially when he fuels up his big ol' thirsty Escalade.

    Costco doesn't have the Walmart Stigma that Sam's Club does. I've always found Costco to be extremely clean and bright. Incredibly friendly employees are everywhere. I do not have much experience at all with Sam's Club, however.

    I do know that Sam's Club markets itself more towards small business owners than does Costco, though. Like if you own a convenience store, it's easier to get your wares to resell @ Sam's Club than it is at Costco. Bulk candy bars, etc.

    For any shopping club, though, you've got to know what you normally pay at a normal grocery store. Some things are cheaper, some are more expensive, some are the same price. The Costco brand alcohol is quite good - especially if all you're going to do is use it as a mixer. The prices on other alcohol can be quite good, too, if that's your bag. Oliver Soft Red wine for $5.99 / bottle is about the cheapest you'll ever see it anywhere. Probably cheaper than buying a case directly from Bloomington.

    And while I'm on the subject of alcohol: You do NOT need a membership, in Indiana, to buy alcohol, tobacco, and/or prescriptions from a shopping club store. The way Indiana laws are set up are that since those items are already specially taxed and/or regulated, a retailer cannot add an extra fee on top of those, which is what membership fees would be. I'm sure it's more nuanced than that, but the end result is the same.

    Costco is a GFZ by corporate decree. I know every time I'm there there's at least one armed shopper. And I can generally pick out a few more on a Saturday.
     

    Mark-DuCo

    Master
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    0   0   0
    Aug 1, 2012
    2,265
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    Ferdinand
    I prefer Costco to Sams Club, but I will probably be dropping my membership to Costco this year. I get all my bulk food for catering at GFS now, no membership fees and better prices, and the other items I buy at Costco just aren't worth the membership costs.
     

    gregkl

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    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
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    Bloomington
    Sam's here. We have no Costco. My daughter does Costco where she l lives. It is worth it to both of us. But then again we are Amazon Prime and it pays in spades for us. Worth every penny.
     

    BroodXI

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    7   0   0
    Sep 15, 2010
    599
    43
    Salem
    i looked into costco a few months ago, but they would not let me and the wife in at the same time (Beshear's order in KY) so we didn't purchase a membership at that time. The women at the entrance said you can get the membership fee back in full if you cancel at ANY time. So i gathered that as shop for 360 days and get the fee back.
     

    phylodog

    Grandmaster
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    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,745
    113
    Arcadia
    I really like Costco but since there doesn't seem to be a time we can shop there without joining 463,000 other people we've not renewed our membership in the past two years.
     

    OurDee

    nobody
    Trainer Supporter
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    25   0   0
    Sep 16, 2017
    7,967
    113
    Camby
    I have been a member of both. I dropped the Sam's and like Costco much better. I always save my membership fees through the pricing. Now a secret I have witnessed. Costco Kraft Mac and Cheese cooks up plumper than Walmart Kraft Mac and Cheese.
     

    Ingomike

    Grandmaster
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    6   0   0
    May 26, 2018
    28,146
    113
    North Central
    We shop enough in Sams club that we get our membership fee plus back every year and yes they have bulk packaging that we do not see elsewhere. We are considering Costco this next go round.

    We do the same at Costco, get our membership fee and executive fee back in the executive rewards.
     

    bobzilla

    Mod in training (in my own mind)
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    2   0   0
    Nov 1, 2010
    8,944
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    Brownswhitanon.
    Sams club here. Never really liked Costco. We use the sams club card and get 2% back in everything we purchase. Usually get a $800-900 check from them every March. Pays for that $100 membership and then some. Used to be the savings in gas alone payed for it. Maybe still does but the wife is the only one that can get it since they closed the one on Michigan road here.
     
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