Costco? BJs? Sams Club?

[Chum]

Hi I am wondering if it would be worth it to get a membership at a bulk store such as Costco. I figure it might be good for getting dehydrated bulk food items such as mash potatos and powdered eggs. I don't have any experiences with places like these.

Do these places have any real advantages over, say, Walmart or Targets? Is Costco really only useful if you have a family and a house?

I'd be interested to know what other kinds of advantages these places places might have that I'm not aware of.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

If you're near a WINCO store they've got GREAT prices on bulk items. I've never seen powdered eggs there tho. Also, the best price I've ever found for instant milk is at the "Mormon stores".
KinA

 

[MikeRuth]

For me an $80.00 a year fee is not worth it to Costco. Now with that said they do have some items that others don't but nothing that makes a difference to me.

From what I hear and not experience Walmart can be a good deal on food depending on what you buy. Shopping for food with price in mind means really getting out and doing your homework on it. Coupons and knowing prices. I'm not one to do that, but I hear folks say they saved a ton by using coupons, Great, but again you need to have them for the items you need!

 

[LeeRevell]

Another excellent place for cheaper foods is the ethnic food stores, especially latino and Asian.
Sam's is good for tires.

 

[Almost There]

The problem with all of the 'club' stores is that they are intended for bulk purchases. Living in a van or any other small vehicle leaves little room for the large size packages.

Living in a S&B home I'm accustomed to buying on sale items that I would use anyways and buying them in quantity.

While I'm getting ready to go on the road in the van I'm eyeballing the store shelves to see what comes in smaller quantities...buying 16 triple rolls of toilet paper just isn't going to happen...a package of that combined with an 8 pack of paper towels and the storage area would be full with no room for the rest of the necessities!!

 

[highdesertranger]

there are alternatives. around here there is "smart and final", in Oregon there is another one can't remember the name right now. they don't have a membership fees they are wholesalers. I use Costco but I don't pay for the membership, it's though the ranch. I buy all my tires though Costco, can't beat the price and I have tried. highdesertranger

 

[mockturtle]

I let my Costco membership lapse when they increased the fee several years ago and since I've been full-timing I don't have room for large quantities. I do miss some of the quality items they sell, though.

 

[gramakittycat]

Just got a basic Sam's Club membership $45.00/yr. Gas prices are cheaper (same as Costco) but I got a deal with the membership;it came with a $20.00 Sam's gift card so $25.00 for my membership.

 

[ccbreder]

Sams club had a coupon for free 60 days. Joined last week as I intend to get a set of GC batteries. gasoline is 20 cents lower than surrounding stations. I found a camera i was looking for at $140 instead of $180. i got some good cotton socks. Food was mostly packaged in too large a quantity for my use, and some was not that good a deal. My squeeze found some good purchases of organic/vegan products, and she was happy. Much better than BJs by my first impression.

 

[Matt71]

Costco is currently $55 for the basic level.
If you buy the next level up (which we have) it is $110. However, that level gives you money back each year based on your spending with a minimum of $55 back, so there's really no reason to not get the mid level.

Costco has a lot of stuff that's not "Bulk", or at least not so bulk that it's going to monopolize your space.
You can probably make your $55 back just on gas if you';re driving a lot. Costco has the lowest gas prices around - usually 10 to 20 cents cheaper than everyone else.

You probably don't want to buy your toilet paper there, but they have a good selection of pre-cooked chicken burgers and sausages that will hold up for a few weeks in the frig or a cooler. They also have a great deal on cooked chicken quarters - 8 pieces of $5. You can eat for a few days off that. Our Costco also has a concession stand area where you can get burgers and pizza type stuff for cheap. You can also save a fortune on granola bars compared to a grocery store.

You're not going to save as much as you would living in a house buying everything in bulk, it's still worth it.
We plan on keeping our membership for at least a year once we're on the road. I have all of the Costcos mapped out along our route.

 

[raygun]

I had a Costco membership and used it only one time. I got paper plates and plastic silverware. I still have most of it. I probably won't get one again.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

It's been a long time since I've been in a Sams or Costco. I've only gone as a guest of a member. Do they still do that? I know the prices I would have paid for my stuff if rang up separately would have been higher than member prices. At least now I don't have to be worried about being tempted by all the books they had when I visited.

 

[ccbreder]

Off topic a bit. There is a chain book store here that has a few shelves and bins of books at marked down prices. Also an Olly's, a "big lots" type of over stock store with great prices on books. It pays to explore.

 

[compassrose]

I have Sam's Club membership (business). Had one for years. Put an upright freezer in my bus. I fill it thru Sam's. Actually I prefer to stay overnight at Sam's. They are very nice about it and I can stay there overnight when it's not allowed at the Wal-Mart next door. No one forces anyone to shop at Sam's. I save large amount of money thru Sam's. Saved on my contacts. Saved huge amounts on my husband's prescriptions. I love the rotisserie chicken. I pick and choose what I buy there. I currently get the gas for my jeep there and onlky there as it's the cheapest in town. That is not always the case. But I do not have a membership for the fuel.

Sam's (or costco) is not for everyone. So what. Go shop somewhere else. You can get a temp guest card for a single visit to check it out. Stop looking at the big stuff and look at the things you use daily. And yes, I can store 30 rolls of tp in the bus and 24 double rolls of paper towels.

 

[Canine]

Costco sell Kirkland brand and the dog food is of good quality for the price. Don't know if you have critters, but that may help.

I've read that Costco only accepts American Express, and that may go away, too. Not sure what the deal is, but something to be aware of. You can purchase Costco gift cards then use them to buy what you need. Some people are starting to charge crazy amounts of transaction fees for those cards. H&R Block will let you get your refund sooner if you put it on one of their cards, but it costs $35 every time you use it. I use gift cards for Amazon, but I keep a close on the terms of service.

 

[akrvbob]

Canine, I have a Costco card and mainly for their line of dog food which is very good and cheap for the quality. Also for their dog biscuits which are about the healthiest I've found and also cheap.

They also have a canned roast beef under the Kirkand name it is is by far the best I've ever tried, almost as good as moms. Those things alone are worth the cost of membership.

They take Debit cards and that's all I have.
Bob

 

[Matt71]

Our Costco takes cash, debit and American Express

 

[gramakittycat]

When all is said and done Sam's or Costco the same concept some folks prefer one over the other for many different reasons. What one is good at the other not so much and vice versa.Both have decent cheap food in their snack bars.and cheaper fuel prices

 

[LeeRevell]

Been thinking about a Costco memership, but if they refuse Master Card I have to refuse them.

 

[wagoneer]

I love the "hey try this" at costco walk eat and Full size tp rolls rotisserie chicken is the best When I'm in my senior mode. Too bad they no longer have the herring in wine.