The COSTCO Thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

We reviewed our last two year's worth of purchases at Costco and calculated that about 75% of our purchases are things we wouldn't otherwise purchase if we weren't milling around at Costco. None of the things we regularly purchase can't be purchased elsewhere. In short, Costco doesn't save us money.

Sam's is much closer to us and carries the stuff we regularly buy at Costco. Also, we'll be able to take advantage of the gas savings; we rarely get gas at Costco due to the location.

75%? Seriously?

So what will stop this impulse buying at Sam's? Crappy selection? Inferior quality?

[Donuthole]

75%? Seriously?

So what will stop this impulse buying at Sam's? Crappy selection? Inferior quality?

Pretty much.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

That's like Cortez burning the ships. 90% of our purchases are food and gas. We try not to buy food that will go to waste due to the large quantity. We're good about avoiding Costco impulse buys.

[LA Ute]

I can relate. Last week my wife went to Costco for a "few things" ... she came home with a Blendtec.

Costco is a place you go to find out what you need. So is Home Depot (and just about any hardware store).

[Donuthole]

lol. 90% of our purchases are food and gas, too. But that doesn't mean the food is stuff we need. Honestly, most of Costco's food just isn't that great a deal. It's good quality, but it's not markedly cheaper than elsewhere. And most of the really good deals have to be purchased in quantities that our family just can't consume at this point. Costco may be worthwhile when I have 3 teenagers. But with 3 kids who eat like birds, it's generally a w.a.s.t.e.Of course, Costco is great at tricking people into thinking they need what it offers and that they save money by shopping there.

There is a religious paradigm here: I've left Costco, but I haven't left it alone.

[scottie]

There is a religious paradigm here...

And pay to be a full member.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

lol. 90% of our purchases are food and gas, too. But that doesn't mean the food is stuff we need. Honestly, most of Costco's food just isn't that great a deal. It's good quality, but it's not markedly cheaper than elsewhere. And most of the really good deals have to be purchased in quantities that our family just can't consume at this point. Costco may be worthwhile when I have 3 teenagers. But with 3 kids who eat like birds, it's generally a w.a.s.t.e.Of course, Costco is great at tricking people into thinking they need what it offers and that they save money by shopping there.

There is a religious paradigm here: I've left Costco, but I haven't left it alone.

Bread, milk, eggs, fruit and some of the meat is cheaper there, especially for the quality. The quantity for a lot of these items is fine for a young family. You run into trouble when you buy the two whole chickens in the bag or you buy their horrible green bananas.We've got it down so we don't waste much food. What I'm saying is you're not doing it right.

[Donuthole]

Bread, milk, eggs, fruit and some of the meat is cheaper there, especially for the quality. The quantity for a lot of these items is fine for a young family. You run into trouble when you buy the two whole chickens in the bag or you buy their horrible green bananas.We've got it down so we don't waste much food. What I'm saying is you're not doing it right.

Bread, milk, eggs and fruit are not cheaper. Like most Costco customers, you've convinced yourself that they are a good deal because you're getting two at once. Break it down by the ounce and you're paying more per ounce than Smith's or Winco. Winco's produce is definitely cheaper, and is comparable in quality here in LV.

What I'm saying is you're kidding yourself if you think, as a young family of fewer than 6, you're saving money on the whole by shopping Costco. And that doesn't even factor in the fact that, for us, Costco is out of the way. The one thing we'll miss are Kirkland baby wipes. Those things are a good deal. But we can always have our neighbors pick us up a box when we run out. Crisis averted.

[Jeff Lebowski]

lol. 90% of our purchases are food and gas, too. But that doesn't mean the food is stuff we need. Honestly, most of Costco's food just isn't that great a deal. It's good quality, but it's not markedly cheaper than elsewhere. And most of the really good deals have to be purchased in quantities that our family just can't consume at this point. Costco may be worthwhile when I have 3 teenagers. But with 3 kids who eat like birds, it's generally a w.a.s.t.e.Of course, Costco is great at tricking people into thinking they need what it offers and that they save money by shopping there.

There is a religious paradigm here: I've left Costco, but I haven't left it alone.

Yeah, quantities are an issue but I suspect that will be a similar problem at Sam's.

Costco does have some great deals and the max markup on any item is 14%. However, I don't shop at Costco to save money and I have never thought that Costco promotes itself as the cheapest place in town. The number one attraction of Costco is the quality.

[The_Douger]

Milk is way cheaper for us. The fruit items we use are as well.

[Donuthole]

Yeah, quantities are an issue but I suspect that will be a similar problem at Sam's.

Costco does have some great deals and the max markup on any item is 14%. However, I don't shop at Costco to save money and I have never thought that Costco promotes itself as the cheapest place in town. The number one attraction of Costco is the quality.

Right. And I don't dispute that. Costco's quality control is fantastic. It's exactly what you want from a warehouse membership.

Our Sam's membership was $50 for two years through some promotion my wife found, and it came with a $40 gift card good at Sam's or Walmart. We'll benefit from cheaper gas, as we'll be able to take advantage of the gas on a much more regular basis due to location. Otherwise, I think we'd be out of the warehouse membership altogether, because it just doesn't fit our current shopping paradigm.

But according to CMBF, if you think a Costco membership is a luxury and not a savings machine, you're not doing it right.

[wuapinmon]

I'll add my voice to the praise of Sam's Club paper towels. You can also buy more stuff in bulk there for fundraisers (e.g., bulk pepperoni). Kirkland brand is better than most name brands, and the employees at Costco are always excellent. Every time I go to Sam's I fill out a customer comment card. 2 out of 10 are praising someone for being professional. The other 8 detail the poor customer service received. I once had a woman at the Sam's Club in Florence, SC--midway through helping me at customer service--look at her watch, tell me "go get back in line" and she clocked out and left. Mt. St. wuapinmon erupted all over the manager when she told me "Well, her shift was over."

I keep a Costco and a Sam's Club membership. Costco has better quality meats than I can find anywhere, you can buy natural black olives in bulk there, it's the only place you can buy heavy cream affordably, and their store brand laundry soap and dryer sheets are the only kind that don't make my kids get eczema. Sam's Club in the only place in SC that sells Milton's bread, 10 packs of Uniball Gel Impact pens, and the brand of turkey pastrami that I like.

I also like Costco and Sam's Club because I can go shopping and not hear some variation of this conversation as some child of God screams into their cellphone:

"Lissen mudafucka, I ain't gone tell you 'gain. You best be hearin' me cause, tell da troof, I done had it widchoo; you feel me?"

[YOhio]

I don't think anyone has questioned CS orthodoxy like Donuthole has in this thread. Bravo to him.

[smokymountainrain]

I don't think anyone has questioned CS orthodoxy like Donuthole has in this thread. Bravo to him.

Amen, brother. Also, I'm a little uncomfortable with how mean people have been to him in this thread. That said, he's wrong about the milk.

[Donuthole]

Amen, brother. Also, I'm a little uncomfortable with how mean people have been to him in this thread. That said, he's wrong about the milk.

FTR, I don't feel picked on at all. I'm bagging on Costco in the Costco thread. I expected some push back. And if I'm wrong about milk, it's only by a few pennies. A gallon at Winco or Smith's is usually between $2.49 and $2.79. Last time I bought milk at Costco it was $5.35 for two gallons.