Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

[niki_the_tiger]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

What about Sam's Club vs Cosco vs BJs? We want to join one of them... not sure which one?

[CRFSaver]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

I belong to Sams Club and have been very happy. As far as which one to join, the one that is easiest for you to go to I would think. Get a one day pass for all three and see which one you like better.

I like Sams for their meat the best. I have heard that Costco is more consumer oriented versus Sams that is supposed to be more business oriented but I can't speak for that by personal experience.

Watch the coupons that come in the mail as sometimes they have a one day pass.

[niki_the_tiger]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

They are all quite far from us, but we don't mind traveling to buy in bulk occasionally.

There is a Sam's Club about 2hrs 20 min from us in Concord NH, where we go occasionally to shop and dine anyway. That's the only one closeby.

There are two BJs within 2hrs... there is one in Tilton NH and one in West Lebanon NH (which is also great because it means one on each interstate within 2hrs, so whichever direction we are going there is one).

There is a Costco in Canada less than an hour from us, but with having to cross the border and dealing with that (plus bans on meats etc), it's not worth it. The next nearest one is Colchester VT, which is about 2hrs from us as well. I am a little less interested in Costco. They are also more expensive than the other two, at $45. Sam's Club is $35 and BJs is $40.

So timewise... they are all about the same distance. The nice thing about BJs is that there are two we could potentially go to. But that is a minor influence... I want to know which one would be the best...

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

Well 2 hours away might be rather hard to just check them all out.

We have a sams and BJS option around here, BJs has more of the brands I buy, diapers and such, they also have a pretty good BJs brand. Cost wise they are pretty much the same, but BJs takes regular coupons and regularly has some on stuff I do get. Also I happen to shop on Thursday and that happens to be when they put meat on sale, again something you will have trouble finding out 2 hours away. If you know anyone close to the store you could ask them if they know, but most people don't. Hard to find out, but easy to ask. Course I dunno how you would keep it cold for 2 hours home?

Anyway while big buisnesses tend to run similar, it is hard to have an opinion about something states away. (I am in NC)

[Fern]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

Costco sometimes has good deals, but not always. To make it more worthwhile, why not split a membership with a family member or friend? That way, you spend just 22.50 for the membership and you both get cards.

I did this iwth my mother this year, but probably won't renew for next year. I have enough shopping chores as it is, and facing the crowds at Costco is not my idea of a good time.

[momma4]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

I have shopped both. My Costco membership just expired we had the Executive membership now this one costs you $100 a yr but the bonus on this one is you get 2.5% back on all your purchases that you use with your card (so the mini bar don't count) We spent an average of $180 for 1.5 wks worth of food with alittle bit of junk food but you also have to add in that I do get WIC and Milk, chs(some chs my family loves chs so I buy ALOT), eggs, some cereal(with 7 ppl i need alot of cereal or atleast they think they do they go threw it like it is nothing), peanut butter, and some juice. I loved the fact that if I was way too tired I could just order pizza when I was all done shopping for less than $30 to feed us all alot cheaper for us then other pizza places. We also would pick up some office/school supplies since they sell them in bulk we did not have to spend as much. Now I shop Super Walmart. I spent about $100 for a weeks worth of food for the 7 of us but there is no membership fees. This for us is a one stop shop. I can litterally get EVERYthing. I was able to get my sewing supplies & scrapbooking supplies in this weeks trip as well without wasting gas going all over town. I use to shop Albertsons religiously for the last yr. I thought I was saving money but I was spending an average of $140 just in food a wk. So that is just my 2 ¢

[niki_the_tiger]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

I wish we had a superwalmart near us, but I think the nearest one is like 3 or 4 hours away. I'm not very fond of walmart anyway... I do go there occasionally, but I much prefer Target.

I think we are going to go with BJs, since they accept coupons as well, as we are trying to cut down our costs as much as possible. And since there are two available within 2hrs, it makes more sense than either Costco or Sam's Club that only have one within 2 1/2hrs.

Is it better to sign up online before you go (do you get extra discounts online?) or sign up when you get there?

[niki_the_tiger]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

Hey, I'm trying to figure out whether it is worth it to travel 1 1/2 hrs to go to BJs for about $100-150 worth of groceries? Will I save enough over my local supermarket to make the gas worth it (it will cost about $25 of gas)?

I am debating whether to go this week since it is grocery time (we shop every two weeks) or whether we should wait until we need a lot more groceries?

[terry1156]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

Hey, I'm trying to figure out whether it is worth it to travel 1 1/2 hrs to go to BJs for about $100-150 worth of groceries? Will I save enough over my local supermarket to make the gas worth it (it will cost about $25 of gas)?

I am debating whether to go this week since it is grocery time (we shop every two weeks) or whether we should wait until we need a lot more groceries?

If you decide to go, do so as few times as possible - $25 in gas actually will add a lot more cost due to wear and tear on the car (more repairs, etc) I think AAA estimates it costs about 50 cents a mile to drive the average car (Jeffrey has the stat somewhere on teh site)

[niki_the_tiger]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

If you decide to go, do so as few times as possible - $25 in gas actually will add a lot more cost due to wear and tear on the car (more repairs, etc) I think AAA estimates it costs about 50 cents a mile to drive the average car (Jeffrey has the stat somewhere on teh site)

Well I don't mind the wear and tear on the Jeep as I figure that since we have to make the payments on the Jeep and the insurance each month, we might as well use it!

We would probably only go once a month to BJs...

I know my parents pay for the Costco card and they only go once every few weeks... my dad is very thrifty so it must be worth it if he keeps renewing his card (it is also only 45 minutes from them).

The BJs website (or was it this one?) says prices are 30% less than grocery stores... is this true for most items, or are they basing that figure on certain items only? I'm so confused... not sure what to do! I know that if we had a BJs right here, we would sign up in a heartbeat. But are the savings worth the gas and time?

[Bluezy]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

Does the Sam's Club offer gas? I've heard from many people that Costco's gas discount is considerable. I've also seen some of the Super Wal-Mart's offer gas.

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

Unfortunatly while I am a wiz at algebra if you add a $ sign I completly incapable!

But I do know the BJs around here has milk at almost 1.50 less than the grocery store, more than worth the 20 minute trip every week. (we drink 3 gallons a week) If you have a freezer I know you can freeze milk, but I never drank it so I don't know what it tastes like.

I also know that if we tried to buy a month or two's worth of stuff at one time we would use it early, so for us, not worth it if it were that far away. I am just not good at rationing

[niki_the_tiger]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

I remembered that one of our friends had a BJs membership, so I asked her if it was worth it. She said no, that Sam's Club would be though.

So I came back to this thread to read up on all that had been said about Sam's Club... and noticed that someone said that the Walmart Supercenter is actually cheaper than Sam's Club and you don't have to pay the membership... is this true, or just on certain items?

This weekend we will be down in Concord NH, where there are both a Supercenter and a Sam's Club. If we weren't in a hurry, I would just go through both and compare prices, but we will only have time to do one...

Which one is better? Sam's Club or Walmart Supercenter, savings wise?

[momma4]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

I remembered that one of our friends had a BJs membership, so I asked her if it was worth it. She said no, that Sam's Club would be though.

So I came back to this thread to read up on all that had been said about Sam's Club... and noticed that someone said that the Walmart Supercenter is actually cheaper than Sam's Club and you don't have to pay the membership... is this true, or just on certain items?

This weekend we will be down in Concord NH, where there are both a Supercenter and a Sam's Club. If we weren't in a hurry, I would just go through both and compare prices, but we will only have time to do one...

Which one is better? Sam's Club or Walmart Supercenter, savings wise?

I believe I was the one who compared but not 100% on that but anyway. I noticed cause I have had Sam's club & Costco memberships I have also been shopping Super Walmart for alittle over a month now and I have noticed it is alot cheaper to shop Super Walmart than to shop either of the clubs. Yes, the clubs do save you alot in BULK but you have to spend alot just to get enough to make it threw the week. My average spendings at the clubs was $200 my dh said it was lasting us about 1.5 weeks But for $100 I was able to get 1.5 weeks worth from Super Walmart. this even included non food items I needed around the house.

[sunnysamantha]

Re: Cosco vs. Wal-Mart

Unless you plan to feed more than 3 people, my suggestion is Walmart. I seem to always find better deals there