COSTCO. Is it worth it?

[PeaceNikki]

A Costco in WI opened recently. It's about a 50 mile round-trip from me.

I've heard how great it is, but never really heard why (ok, other than the comparision to it's Sam's Club counterpart).

I've been to Sam's Club years ago so that's my only point of reference. I am in a 2 person household and have no need for commercial sized products/packages.

Do you think it's worth a $50/year membership and a 50 mile round-trip? Or not? :shrug:

[Shell Beau]

1. I think it is best for businesses and big families. Those who

really need to buy in bulk. I have used Sam's before for a party. But basically it isn't worth it to me!

[helderheid]

2. Totally worth it. Totally a BLUE company - Sam's is RED, RED, RED

[PeaceNikki]

3. But, I don't shop Sam's either.

Besides being "blue", what value would I gain from the fee and the long trip?

ETA: I grocery shop at a mom n pop owned franchise here in town... which I love.

[Shell Beau]

4. But is it worth it for a 2 person family?

If you don't buy in bulk, then the $50 fee and the gas used for the 50 mile trip doesn't seem so.

[helderheid]

5. Mmmm good point, though for 2 people you won't need to go as often.

I'm in a 4 person family and we go every Sunday (slowest day - I live in Utah).

[PeaceNikki]

6. I'd hate to make the trip and pay the membership and get no real value

other than support of a "blue" company.

My grocery money doesn't support the GOP currently. It goes to the local family owned store...

[Shell Beau]

7. It wouldn't be worth it for me. I, too, have a 2 person family.

I have gone to buy toilet paper, paper towels, detergent, etc. Things that you really can use a lot of. But it really isn't worth the fee. I am a member as part of a business so there is no fee for me. And it isn't far from me either. I would just shop at the mom & pop store!

[PeaceNikki]

9. Thanks! A friend recently introduced me to Trader Joe's. THAT I like!!

Also a long trip for me, but in a neighborhood that I end up in on occasion for other reasons. I'll definitely be back there!!

[KitchenWitch]

8. Do you have a freezer? Not just the one on your Fridge...

Another thing to consider is do you have some friends that you could split your purchases with?

[PeaceNikki]

10. No, no freezer here.

I'll ask around to see if anyone I know has a membership... like I said, it's brand new here and quite a distance from home and work. Do they allow guests to shop with a member??

[supernova]

11. Maybe not for a 50 mile round trip

would it be worth it for a 2 person household.

I have a Costco here in town. My commute to the store is 15 minutes.

I'm a one person household and I use them mainly for staples that can be stored: paper products, cleaning supplies, even car oil, and office supplies like paper. Plus if you are in the market for appliances (both table top and large) they tend to have better prices than hardware and DIY stores and dept stores. I will buy food if it's canned (like soups) or something I can throw in the freezer. If I buy meat, I apportion it out when I get home and freeze it that way. That way, I can just thaw the small portions I need at a time.

So it can work for a single or two person household but you have to think about your needs for the next few weeks. I tend to think in quarters, for example.

[PeaceNikki]

12. See... I also struggle with the idea of moving my grocery dollars away from the family-owned place

here in town, in addition to the extra fuel expediture, just to save a few bucks on bulk.

I dunno. I think I've talked myself out of the curiousity of a membership.

[Downtown Hound]

13. Definitely worth the $50 per year fee

Not so sure it's worth the 50 mile trip. That's a lot of gas, and my thinking is that you would automatically destroy any savings you made from shopping there driving to it. But, Costco does have a lot of cool stuff for pretty good prices. It's tough to say. Maybe try it out for a year and see for yourself.

[supernova]

16. I find myself doing less driving around

I find myself going to costco and not going to other stores for an item.

I still comparision shop, but I don't drive to the grocery store, then target, then somewhere else. Most of what I need I can find at costco.

[Zookeeper]

14. I'm about 30 minutes from one and I have a family of five....

I made the decision that it's a waste of gas and wear and tear on the car (and me) to drive that far for groceries, when I have three good grocery stores within 2 or 3 miles.

However, when one is built closer, we'll join.

[PeaceNikki]

15. Thank you for your input. If there was no membership fee and I was in the area,

I would check it out, no doubt.

But, I can't justify the "commitment" of the membership fee and the fact it's in an area that I never ever frequent.

[blondeatlast]

17. We have saved on furniture, paper goods, canned goods, linens,

underwear, and so on.

With your drive and the membership, it would be borderline whether you will save, though.

[MANative]

18. While I love Costco, probably not the best option in

your circumstances. I'm in a 2 person household, but the Costco is only about 3 miles from my house. Makes it a no-brainer. I buy all my paper goods, cleaning products, meats & poultry (freeze them in small packs)and even things like shirts and pants for my husband. LOVE them and the way they do business, but the 50 mile drive would make it dicey unless you had a large family or a separate freezer to do heavy-duty stock-up.

[grace0418]

19. I'm in a 2-person household and I love Costco. However, I have one near my

house and another near my office. It's a little hard for me to say because I wouldn't drive 50 miles for anything, nor do I have to because I live smack dab in the middle of Chicago. I will say that the things my husband and I buy (aside from toilet paper, toothpaste, laundry soap, etc.) are fresh items like organic salad mix, vine tomatoes, berries, rotisserie chicken, cheese, etc. I like that Costco carries some organic produce and a number of other high-quality items that are much cheaper than buying them at Whole Foods. But if I had to spend a lot of gas money to do it, I suppose it wouldn't be worth it to me. But if you fairly regularly drive that far for other things it might be worth it. Is there other shopping that you do near the Costco?

My husband's sister and her husband have a Costco membership and they live 2+ hrs away from the nearest Costco. But they go to that city twice a month so it's worth it for them (plus there is a website).

[suzbaby]

20. I'm in a two person family and we love our Costco membership.

We go just about every weekend. There are so many staples in our diet that we purchase at Costco.

[qanda]

21. I just got back from Costco

We go every Sunday after church. I love it, but it's only a couple of miles from my house. If it took us longer than 10 minutes to get there, then I would have to find a new place to shop.

[mike_c]

22. I LOVE my Costco membership....

I live ALONE, but I still do at least fifty percent of my shopping at Costco, often more. As far as the commercial quantities are concerned, there are many items that I use all the time, so why not buy them in bulk at a fraction of the supermarket price? So if I buy, say, a sixpack of canned tomatoes, that's OK-- they sit on my pantry shelf until I use them, but I can COUNT on needing cans of tomatoes during the next couple of months, so it makes sense to buy them this way. I have 30 or so rolls of toilet paper stacked on a shelf-- I can count on using TP regularly, so why not buy it once or twice a year rather than every week? I have a case of apple juice in my pantry-- I drink a bottle every few days, so it's there when I want it. And so on.

I buy most of my clothing at Costco too-- I paid $19.95 recently for a pair of running shoes that would have cost several times as much at the mall. Ditto for shirts, pants, sweaters, etc. The prices are remarkable, and even if I don't buy clothing often, I DO occasionally need new shirts, etc. Same for things like small appliances-- I bought my coffee grinder at Costco and paid half the price I'd have paid elsewhere.

I used to think a Costco membership wasn't worth it because who needs to buy things in quantity, but that has turned out to be the best reason to actually have the membership-- I buy things that I KNOW I'll use, and store them until I do. The only thing I generally don't buy at Costco are fresh fruits and veggies because I can't use them fast enough. But damned nearly everything else works-- it's MUCH less expensive in the long run.

[supernova]

24. You do the same thing

I do.

I can't stand buying certain things all the time, like TP. It makes sense to buy it just 1x a year. And it's very much cheaper.

[CreekDog]

45. And if you have staples at home, you go shopping less

I burn up a lot of money running to the store for just 1 staple item, because I buy a bunch of stuff I wouldn't have in the process.

I used to (tsk tsk) shop at Wal Mart for soap and things like that because it was a little cheaper and one day I was leaving the store with those things (and a printer!) and realized my trips to Wal Mart were not saving me a dime but costing me, and there was the guilt thing too.

[Taverner]

23. If you have more than 2 mouths to feed, yes

If you're only feeding 2 - it's too much

[PeaceNikki]

25. Thanks to everyone for your input.

I just got back from a small trip to my local grocer.

I think that I will actively seek out a friend or acquaintance with a membership to try to check it out.

Nobody answered the question I had... do they allow guests to shop with a member? Sam's did... but the member had to be the one paying. Same thing??

[supernova]

26. You can get a "day pass"

to check it out. I don't think they call it that, but that's how it works. Just go up to the front desk and say you want a pass to look around. You don't need to be anyone's guest, unless you want to.

[PeaceNikki]

27. Wow, thanks!! I might do just that!

[grace0418]

28. Guests can shop with the member, but yes, the member has to pay. ALTHOUGH...

A member can buy a non-member a gift certificate and the non-member can use it without having a membership.

[PeaceNikki]

29. Huh... thanks!

I am still curious, though not enough to pay $50 for the privilege to drive 50 miles and look around.

[dropkickpa]

30. Sams:

The member does NOT have to be the one paying, they just have to scan their member card at the checkout, that's what I do when I go with my mom (but I'm getting a Costco membership now since they've open one closer to me). I would load up my cart, go to the check out, my mom would hand them her card to scan, then they'd ring up all of my stuff and I pay.

[CreekDog]

44. two guest can accompany a member

That's been the rule for as long as we've had them (back when they were Price Club in 1987!)

[WindRavenX]

31. yes. It's great for buying bulk items like meat and cleaning supplies.

We only go to Costco once a month, or even one every other month, but it's for buying meat, cleaning supplies, and other things that can be kept frozen or non-perishable. I've found that because it's only me, my fiance, and my dog, perishables are best to be bought at local places, but Costco has really saved us a ton of money on meat, cereal, and soy milk :)

[philosophie_en_rose]

32. Split a membership with a friend.

I split a membership with my cousin. All you have to say is that you live in the same household, which - in our case - wasn't a lie at the time we applied. However, they don't check or care or ask about the person you put on the card with you.

[PeaceNikki]

34. I think I'll try one of those passes, and if it appears to be something I could use, I'll explore

this option.

Thanks!

:hi:

[lligrd]

33. I'm A Member But I Rarely Go

and our is only a few miles. I love that it is a blue company and it is fun to go but I just don't need bulk food or any more stuff.

[woofless]

35. Everything is a 50+ mile trip from here

and yes it is worth it. When I have to go to town Costco is actally one of the closest places. We are only 2 in the household and Costco saves us boucoup bucks and time as well as providing superior quality. I'd be lost without 'em.

Woof

[cathandler]

36. 50-mile trip for us. Yes, it's worth it!

We live in the mountains, so it's really convenient to go Costco and stock up on the supplies we might not be able to get later on in the year. We buy toilet paper, tooth paste, toothbrushes, paper towels, cat litter, dog food, deodorant, multi-vitamins, dishwasher powder, furniture polish -- you'll get reimbursed your $50 in membership on your first trip there. Plus, I didn't mention the food you can buy -- or the underwear, kitchen appliances, books, CDs, electronics, tires, etc. It's a great place; I highly recommend it. And yes, it's a "blue" company.

[Zoigal]

37. Get all our Rxs filled at the COSTCO

Pharmacy...have the executive membership card and got a
$150 yearly refund the other day...pays next year's membership
fees plus fifty left over. Just two in the family, but we only
live around ten miles away. They used to give out free passes
so people could check them out...might be worth asking if
they still do...particularly a new store. p

[Bennyboy]

38. I am a oney...and I shop there....

Great prices always on:
Clothes
Cheese (tillamock sharp cheddar 2 lbs 5.99)
wine
beer
liquor
paper goods
CDs,DVD, Books
Coffee (fresh roasted about 1/2 price)
Frozen entrees
seafood
sporting goods.camping gear
toys
holiday decoratiosn (the Xmas crap is up already)

Not so good deals:

meat. (usually higher than sales at the supermarket)except pork products.
Electronics

[Generator]

39. They check your receipt at the door on the way out.

HA! DU is so much fun. YES, they do. I HATED shopping there so we let our membership lapse. If you know someone that has a membership you can go with them-everyone I know has COSTCO. And I just ask them to get the four things or so I need every once and awhile. I have friends that go twice a week. I have relatives that shop nowhere else, I mean wedding rings, furniture. It's the COSTCO cult!

I know as a sale/coupon shopper that you can get things cheaper. The bulk thing is good on some things especially if you are not picky about brand. Their "Kirkland" brand is the best deal. But other annoying thing is that sometimes they will have your brand you like and then they don't! That bugs me. I am pretty brand specific.


Men adore COSTCO. It is their perfect idea of shopping-buy a load of whatever and shopping is over. No worry about coupons or price. I've never met a man that doesn't love it. But my husband doesn't do the shopping! So....

Other things I didn't like-it was ALWAYS packed. The parking lot is a nightmare. Unless you pay more-you can't shop until 11AM. I like shopping early. Also did I mention it was packed? You can't move in that store and I like to look around.

[CreekDog]

42. You can buy caskets at Costco (haha!)

Friend came with me who was from Vermont, said she'd never been at a warehouse store before (sheltered I guess).

While there, she was asking me what kind of stuff people buy there and then she said, "caskets", and I kind of laughed, and she said, no look over there and there was a counter and samples of caskets (partial caskets).

Will wonders never cease?

[CreekDog]

40. Best deal in eyeglasses and contacts, period

I looked all around when I needed new lenses and frames, a good $100 cheaper than the competition (For Eyes, Lenscrafters, etc.) for what I think was actually higher quality frames. Consumer Reports good review of them for eye care led me to check them out (I already had a membership).

Also, if you are shopping for a party, nobody beats them for buying high quality food and party supplies in bulk --they are so much cheaper, it's incredible.

They are a good deal cheaper for electronics, provided they have the product and model that you are looking for, they aren't Best Buy after all and will have a limited selection, but if you find what you want, it will likely be at least $20 cheaper. I noticed this buying replacement ink cartridges and digital camera cards, where my xD card was $69 versus $100+ elsewhere.

Nevertheless, since I'm single, I don't go to Costco that much, I don't need all that food that often, though I buy their sirloin patties real cheap and pretty good and chicken too, but that lasts me a long time. Again, if you are buying for a BBQ, you will save big time buying there.

Could be worth your while, but I'm spoiled, there are two Costcos in my city of 60,000,
South San Francisco.

Oh yeah, forgot, if you need a lot of cake, they make fresh cakes and big ones for occasions and were probably at half the cost of other stores. We had to buy a big sheetcake for a work function and ended up at Costco because us staff were paying out of pocket.

[DainBramaged]

41. Shit yeah

[CreekDog]

43. Forgot to mention they are a friendly employer

I don't know if they are unionized, but I have heard they pay among the best in the industry and provide benefits that are actually decent.