Costco

[VeloVT]

Do you have a membership, and do you think it's worth it? Why or why not?

I'm trying to decide if it would be worth the membership fee to join. The local warehouse is not extremely conveniently located (it's not close to anything else I go to), but it's actually a fairly quick drive.

[Chicken Little]

We are members, and would be members for the Rx glasses purchase alone- very much worth it. We also split large amounts of products with the neighbors. ( I don't have storage for 25 rolls of TP!). Also, keep in mind that they offer health care to all their employees, a living wage, profit sharing, and have a relatively low employee turn-over rate.

Also go a really good deal on car tires...

[Cataboo]

You can share a costco membership with 2 people. I share it with my mom, we get the executive membership that's $100 a year - but at the end of the year you get a 2% or so rebate on what you've spent... that usually ends up being about $75 or so for us.

I think it's worth it - I get prescriptions there, tires, food, etc. When you get tires there, they do nitrogen refills & free rotation, so every so often when i'm at costco - I give them the keys as I go in to do that. electronics are ocassionally a good deal. i get prescription glasses & sunglasses there... They have a selection of organic foods that are good prices for organic foods. A 5 lb bag of organic spinach for $5 is hard to beat. It does mean I'm eating lots of salads until it starts to go bad, then I make a big pot of spinach soup.

[sgtiger]

I'm a member at the executive level which has a higher membership fee but I get 2% back from most of my purchases at the end of the year. I end up getting all of my membership fee back with a little extra, so it pays for itself.

I get my glasses and contacts through them which is a huge savings over other places. My titanium frames alone would have been 3x the price anywhere else. Prescription medication seem to be less but our family doesn't get prescribed medication much so I can't be sure on that.

There are certain nonperishable items that I purchase in bulk. And I sometimes purchase snacks and frozen veggies that we go though quickly.

There isn't a huge savings on electronics. In fact sometimes they cost more at Costco, but their guarantee and customer service makes up for it. I find their electronics people are way more knowledgeable about their products than the specialty store people. If you're lucky, sometimes the company rep is there to answer questions on their products.

The other thing that is a factor for me is that it's a sort of a local company for us, and they carry a lot of items that are produced in Washington and Oregon. In fact their house brand is named after the town that they are based in and I used to live about 15 miles from there when I lived in Washington. I don't know if I'd buy from them so readily if I lived out of the area and everything they carried was from somewhere else.

[GLC1968]

We shop there fairly frequently. The best one in the area is across the street from where I work, so it's very convenient. When we lived in NC, it was a haul to get there, so we hardly ever went. The lines for their gas are always quite long but they move fairly quickly (I get it as cheap out in the country, but if you live in town, it's a deal).

We originally joined to get a great price on a carpet steam cleaner and we still use that thing!

Now, we mostly purchase bulk items (we have plenty of storage space) when we go. I did recently get a tip from a very knowlegeable friend that we should investigate Costco for flooring since we are in the market. Haven't compared prices just yet, though.

I like Costco. It's a pleasant place to shop (even when it's busy, they do a good job of keeping it sane), they carry the brands I like (in most things) and the prices are reasonable.

[Irulan]

Costco is how I fed my teenage boys without going broke. You do have to know your prices and just keep that in the back of your head. The in house brands for food are terrific quality.

I don't do much produce there, but I do get: fresh pastas, coffee beans, 6-8 packs of various canned good, specialty items like real paremsean cheese and sundried tomatoes, meats which I portion up and freeze, boxes of luna bars... I also get a lot supplements. The eye care at our local costco is excellent.

They had the best price on a CR Best Buy rated lawnmower that we wanted.

Note on flooring- this is one item I would be very careful about. We've done about 3000 ft-sq of hardwood laminate, and my professional installer friend who gave us tip warned us off of it, it's not that great.

[shootingstar]

We live only 1 block away from a Costco. I don't know what this store looks like inside since neither of us have even visited the store.

There's no real advantage for us to have a membership since we have limited storage space to store bulk toilet tissue and other non-perishable consumables/food. It's just buying for 2 of us.

And we are surrounded within several kms. of several different store chains for sales on fresh produce and household goods. Several national Canadian all-round grocery store chains, a national pharmacy chain store and 2 different specialized Asian grocery store chains with different choices --1 Chinese-based and the other, Japanese-based.

We are incredibly lucky to live in an area to have this level of choice with competitive pricing, plus smaller independents also with competitive pricing.

Now you know why I have no interest to live in the suburbs. :) Oh sorry, there is also an international Korean-based grocery chain store near us too. But I don't like their alot of selection..overprocesssed foods and more limited choice.

[Crankin]

I agree with Shootingstar. I have no reason to shop there; at one time we did belong to Price Club in AZ. I found I bought a whole lot of things I didn't need. We get our contacts very cheap on line and as far as glasses go, my head is so damn teeny that I have to go to a place that has a choice in upscale kid's glasses. My husband takes several prescriptions and gets them all on line, too. I only have one prescription that I go to the local, and I mean independent, pharmacy for. I like walking in and they address me by name and ask about my kids.
We have plenty of choice around here: 2 local grocery chains within 4 miles and another larger one 6 miles away. Trader Joe's and an excellent natural foods store are both within 3.5 miles. That's not counting the five local farms in Concord and the other ten or so in the surrounding towns.

[malkin]

Glasses, gas, coffee, Perrier, tomatoes, frozen blueberries, almonds & pecans, kleenex, generic allergy meds...

It's worth it for me.

Storing the TP in our little place is kind of a joke, though.

[sbctwin]

I like Costco, if, for nothing else, the gas price is at least 10c/gallon cheaper than anything closer. I live next door to a gas station! and Costco is near Petsmart! a weekly visit (for birdfood) and only 2 miles from the house. We don't buy much in bulk, but we do have a freezer in the garage and I like their frozen veges in the winter. You don't need to buy bulk to reap the savings, in my opinion. Maybe it is the convenience, but there are certian things my DH and I like that are way cheaper at Costco than we can buy at my favorite market, Harmons

[msincredible]

I used to be a Price Club member years ago and I wouldn't do it again.

[Tuckervill]

No Costco near me, here in Sam's Club's back yard. If there were one, I'd be a member, of both Sam's and Costco.

I buy organic milk at Sam's for about .50 cents a gallon less than Wal-Mart. Where I really make my membership money back, though, is on meat. (This may not be the case at Costco..) Sam's puts all their due-to-expire meat on clearance every morning. I have a business membership so I can go in at 8 a.m. Once a quarter or so, I go in and stock the freezer with very many expensive cuts of meat (yeah, in bulk, but we divide it before we freeze it) and we eat good meat for a long time. My husband likes to smoke meat so we always have something good to eat.

I used to buy Sam's gasoline, but since it has ethanol in it now, I refuse. I pay extra for the non-ethanol gas closer to Oklahoma. It is not cost-effective for me to go to Sam's for gas, anyway, but their prices are always lowest.

Karen

[roadie gal]

We had a membership for about 5 years and finally decided that it wasn't worth it for us. Neither one of us is on any meds and we don't have kids. They don't carry the pet food that I like. The only advantage would be my glasses. But it just wasn't worth it.

[Irulan]

What is your issue with ethanol gas? Up here, they only sell gas w/ethanol, during the winter months. There is no other option. They do it to improve air quality in winter, and that has certainly improved over the years. We don't find it affects our vehicle's performance, either, so what's the problem?

[Tri Girl]

Like Karen, we only have Sam's club here. I used to go to Costco when I lived on the east coast. I think I like them better.
We buy some things in bulk, but don't go there very often. I buy laundry soap, gum (we are big gum chewers), bisquick, toilet paper, slim fast, and a limited selection of canned goods. Most anything perishable goes bad before we have a chance to use it.
I still like to go there, though, as it saves me money overall- and it's not any further than my favorite grocery store.

[Becky]

We have a BJs membership, and use it for non-perishables like TP, dog food, contact solution, and dry foods. I'll buy meat or produce occasionally, but it's just the two of us, so I have to have a plan for it all! We definitely save money, even with the limited amount of stuff that we buy.

As for ethanol gas: E10 is all that's available in some parts of the country now that MTBE is no longer being produced by many of the refiners, including our local refinery. I have some concerns about ethanol, especially at higher concentrations, but it's my only choice here.

[Tuckervill]

What is your issue with ethanol gas? Up here, they only sell gas w/ethanol, during the winter months. There is no other option. They do it to improve air quality in winter, and that has certainly improved over the years. We don't find it affects our vehicle's performance, either, so what's the problem?

My Honda Element gets 4-5 mpg less on ethanol than it does on plain gas. I can prove it, as I document every single tank and I've plotted many of them on a graph. I can also prove that my car* gets much better mileage in the Northeast than it gets between here and Nashville or in Indiana, Illinois or Missouri. I haven't figured that one out, yet, but I'm thinking that it has to do with emission standards in Northeastern states that we don't have in this part of the country.

Also, if you use ethanol in your gas powered tools (weed-eater, lawnmower, chain saw) the ethanol will separate and will begin to create pits in the sides of the cylinders, thus rendering your power tool inoperable.

Karen
*A 2000 New Beetle and a 2007 Honda Element where both used in this experiment. :)

[Zen]

You should call Tom and Ray (http://www.cartalk.com/) with that one.

[berkeley]

Corn-based ethanol does have a lower energy content than gasoline. The trade off is using a domestically produced fuel source with lower emissions. When we finally get a cellulosic-based ethanol, there will be more benefits (better energy return, etc). If all you're worried about is MPH, then go for 100% petroleum.

The problem with power tools is because they're left sitting for long periods with gas in the tank not being used, I would imagine. That's not really a good idea with any type of gas.

Did you know Brazil has been on ethanol since the 1970s? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel_in_Brazil

[Tuckervill]

Yes, it's all I care about, my gas mileage. :rolleyes:

Karen

[Irulan]

My Honda Element gets 4-5 mpg less on ethanol than it does on plain gas. I can prove it, as I document every single tank and I've plotted many of them on a graph. I can also prove that my car* gets much better mileage in the Northeast than it gets between here and Nashville or in Indiana, Illinois or Missouri. I haven't figured that one out, yet, but I'm thinking that it has to do with emission standards in Northeastern states that we don't have in this part of the country.

Also, if you use ethanol in your gas powered tools (weed-eater, lawnmower, chain saw) the ethanol will separate and will begin to create pits in the sides of the cylinders, thus rendering your power tool inoperable.

Karen
*A 2000 New Beetle and a 2007 Honda Element where both used in this experiment. :)


in our area, one has no choice, it's mandated by law that the winter fuel is 10% ethanol. I'd have to drive to a different state to get something else.

[Tuckervill]

Yeah, I know, but as long as I have a choice, I'm going to make the one that benefits me the most.

Karen

[berkeley]

Yes, it's all I care about, my gas mileage. :rolleyes:

Karen

I'm not trying to put words in your mouth - that's the reason you gave. Are there others?

Ethanol is used instead of MTBE as a fuel additive, too, which is another big environmental upgrade.

[Tuckervill]

I'm not going to use ethanol if I have a choice, a) because it is inefficient and b) because it's a political boondoggle. When it becomes practical to get where I want and need to go without burning fossil fuels, I will do it. But right now, I'm making the best choice for me that I can make.

Karen

[ZenSojourner]

I'm a Sam's club member, and I've been a Costco member.

If I had a choice, I'd STILL be a Costco member. No Costco anywhere near me since I left Oregon.

Definitely worth it if you can get it.

[WrensMom]

We love Costco! Of course, we have 3 kids at home also, so we definitely use stuff up. It is right by where I work, so it's not out of my way at all. We get practically everything there. One of my big scores was a Natuzzi leather sofa for $500 a couple of years ago. They have a very generous return policy also, and really stand by their products. I like that they treat the employees well too. We have the "executive" membership where you get the 2% back, plus their AmEx for another percentage (varies between 1-3%, depending on what it is). There is no risk to joining--if you are not happy with the membership, they will cancel it and refund you. I say give it a shot!

[KatieJean]

I can't really say that I've gotten my money's worth at Costco. The annual fees are proabably higher than any money I save, and really, how do you use a 1 gallon can (or whatever it is!)of tuna for sandwiches for a family of five? Having said that, I know lots of people who swear by it. I just have a problem with buying in huge quantities when half of it spoils before being used.

I have found that Smart & Final has the same or lower prices, and their big sizes are not as big as Costco's.

Recently I shopped for an upgraded Direct TV satellite receiver--same exact price as elsewhere. Ditto for a new computer when our old one bit the dust.

So...unless you can really use the big sizes, or benefit from the glasses/RX dept., I don't see it as being a good deal for a family (as opposed to a small business owner--it's great for that).

[WindingRoad]

Costco is a good deal. Me and my boyfriend buy and split groceries between the two of us. We are both active types so we go through a lot of food between the two of us. A lot of their produce is organic which is something I like to find. I think it's a great deal. My favorite Costco things are: the coffee they roast in the store (exceptional value), tires for the car, organic eggs and produce, goat cheese (exceptional value) and milk if they have 1%. ;)

[deedolce]

Funny, it's not gallons of tuna, it's a package of many little cans! I love eating tuna, so it's one of the things I do get there. Organic carrot juice, Odwalla Orange juice, my yummy Pop chips, bbq. I do get gas there. I hate that $.45 surcharge for using my debit card, and then another $.25 charge from the debit card! None of that at Costco, plus the gas is less. I have a 'new' one just down the country road about 6 miles, and it's large, not crowded (except on weekends, but even then not as bad as other more urban ones) AND it's in a new complex with Michaels for my craft supplies, and a super Target. Now if only Trader Joes would move into my neighborhood!! :p

[Pedal Wench]

I like them for frozen fish and turkey and veggie burgers. I like just grabbing a protein out of the freezer, and they have some great varieties with real flavorful options. (just had a salmon burger for dinner - major yum!)

And, how's this for customer service. I bought a very expensive camera there in 2001. It broke in 2004, but by the time I got around to wanting to fix it, the company was bankrupt (Konica Minolta.) I no longer had the box or receipt.

I was interested in a GPS unit and had a question about their warranties. They said that for almost everything, their warranty is for the life of the product, but now, not for cameras and other select electronics. As an aside, she said unless it was purchased before 2007. I asked what happens if it was purchased before 2007. She said they'll take it back. I told her I had a camera that doesn't work that I bought back in 01, and she said I should definitely return it.

So, I just returned my broken camera for a full refund, no questions asked. I'm a fan for life.

[Cataboo]

That is why costco changed their electronics/camera policy to 6 months. People were buying cameras, returning them a year later, and buying the next greatest model... Same with flat screen tv's... The internet bargain forums were full of people bragging about what they'd done.

[Pedal Wench]

That is why costco changed their electronics/camera policy to 6 months. People were buying cameras, returning them a year later, and buying the next greatest model... Same with flat screen tv's... The internet bargain forums were full of people bragging about what they'd done.

Well, now I feel bad. But, it was an expensive camera, and an hour before I was about to start a two week hike through the Grand Canyon with it, it just stopped working. Luckily, my BF had his (the exact same model that we still both use) so the trip wasn't ruined.

[Cataboo]

Well, now I feel bad. But, it was an expensive camera, and an hour before I was about to start a two week hike through the Grand Canyon with it, it just stopped working. Luckily, my BF had his (the exact same model that we still both use) so the trip wasn't ruined.

Oh, don't feel bad! You only did it once and the employee completely told you to do it.