Thoughts on Costco

[sweeps]

Hi all.. are any of you Costco members? I've been pretty bummed recently because it seems like membership is not as valuable as it used to be. If I run the math on various items, I find that I can do just as well if not better at a regular store.

I do buy gas there (10-15c cheaper/gallon) and get my digital pictures printed there (17c a picture). Those are definitely good deals. But I question whether I'm making back my annual fee.

[fultron]

Some prices at Costco and other discount warehouses are really good. Others can be beat. You've got to do a little number-crunching to see where the best deal is. My wife and I definitely get our money's worth.

[MrsChambers]

well, being that I am a Costco Family member, I feel obligated to apease to your sences and get you to keep your costco membership.

However, depending on your spending, you could be very well not be making back that annual fee. You can go to the membership and they can tell you exactly how much money you have spent in the past year. That is (of course) what I would suggest you do before you go divorcing Costco.

Some people do this and find out that they are spending mucho $$$ and that they need to upgrade to the Executive membership to get the 2% cash back, and some people discover that they don't spend as much money at the Costco (THEN WHERE DID IT GO?) as they thought, but please take the time to go to the membership and find out exactly what your spending would dictate.

I know with our coupon clipping, that we have not spend NEARLY as much as we used to. The fact is, If I can get it free with a coupon, there is no need to go to the Costco - Costco family member or not. But there are items that no matter how good the sale combined with a coupon, it just donesn't compair to Costco..

MILK is one of those items, it just seems that even when milk is on sale at the store, it's just cheaper to get the two gallon deal at Costco.

I don't know, what a bummer... I sure hate to hear that your Costco membership isn't cost effective for you anymore....

[byusteeler]

I have never had Costco but I used to have Sams club. I decided not to renew because it wasn't saving me enough for the inconvenience of having to shop two places. Although I did always make back my annual fee.

[sweeps]

Milk is a good example. It's like $2.20 or so a gallon at Costco, but I can often get it at $1.70 a gallon at Meijer (which I'm already at for the rest of my grocery shopping).

We used to buy Pampers there for a good price, but they got rid of them.

To complicate matters I love using my Costco American Express card at restaurants. 3% cash back! 2% off travel and 1% everything else including Costco purchases. If I drop my Costco membership, I'd have to drop the CC as well.

One good thing... the food at their cafe is insanely cheap. I can't figure out why they don't let you use the Amex card though -- only cash.

[Fern]

If you're not sure it's worth the annual fee, why not split a membership with a family member , and pay just half? You'll both get cards so you can still go whenever you want.

[PrincessPerky]

Milk we make the BJs (similar wharehouse club) money back in milk alone (about a dollar difference), but we buy 3 or more gallons a week.

If you can split the fee go for it, if not, try to keep track of some purchases and stuff for a month or two (or till the card expires) to see if it is woth it.

I have a card there, and I save enough money to more htan pay for the card. It all depends on wha tyou buy. But like any other store, you gotta know your prices. No one store is the cheapest on everything.

[cercis]

Their organic prices are great. We buy organic milk. Costco has the best prices on organic milk hand's down.

Of course, my costco membership is about my political and economic beliefs as well. Costco supports MY political candidates and they pay their workers a living wage.

C

[mjrube94]

My two suggestions: 1) Keep a price book for your groceries. It has helped me a great deal to see who has the best prices on what. I agree that it's tough to consistently beat BJs for milk, half-and-half, eggs, and bread. That will also help determine if you're making your annual fee back. 2) When it's time to renew, talk to the customer service people (in store, online, whatever gets the best response) and tell them that you want to renew but are having trouble justifying the annual fee given your usage patterns. When I renewed my BJs membership, they threw in an extra membership for free (so you could go in with a friend for half each) and they gave me 15 months instead of 12. Always worth a shot.

[niki_the_tiger]

My parents have a costco membership so I didn't get one as I can just get them to pick me up anything if I want it. My dad said it's definitely worth it because he saved over $100 on just one thing he bought (some tool). And they buy their vitamins there, where they are much cheaper than elsewhere (they go through hundreds of dollars worth).

We got a Sam's Club membership instead and so far it's paid for itself... and I guess that's what counts. We don't go very often... it's too far away, but if we happen to be passing through an area that has one, we stop in. The pizzas are great and only $7.88 for a 16" one - a great hit with our friends.

I find that generally the prices are about what you could buy an item on sale for... every once in awhile you could find a better sale, but it's nice to not have to wait for a sale to buy the item.

[debtfreeme]

i only shop costco about 4 times a year or when we plan a party or i need to take something to work for 30 people. It is hard for just one person but my mom and i share the acocunt. I pay membership but it helps her out financially with her medicines and the special stuff she might want for her lunches that she takes to work.

[cercis]

The medicines! That's a good point. I don't know about Costco, but last year Sam's saved my over $100 just buying 3 prescriptions (regular antibiotics). I called around for the best prices and Sam's was half off. I'll bet Costco is comparable.

[dealsaver]

Costco is a big YMMV.

[debtfreeme]

what is a ymmv?

[cercis]

Your Mileage May Vary

So, it depends on your area and your local stores as to whether it will have better deals.

[marglo]

There are a few items that we really like to buy in Costco, but you do have to watch the prices carefully. They are not always cheaper. There are only 2 of us too so we don't always like to buy some big packages. We buy our gas there and my dh buys oil there. We feel that with these things plus the groceries and other items we buy there that we do come out ahead.