Author Topic: Membership Stores Worth It? (Read 521 times)

Halo · « **on:** May 08, 2007, 11:57:28 AM »

A big new Costco just opened near us, and once again I'm considering PAYING TO SHOP, a concept I dearly hate. I've tried memberships before in stores like Sam's Club and BJ's but let them lapse after a year.

If I had a large family or a small business and needed bulk quantities at somewhat better prices than available elsewhere, membership might be worth it. But I don't need bulk quantities and am not impressed with a constantly changing selection of merchandise that can never be counted on for a particular item or brand.

How about you? Is membership bulk purchasing something you currently need and participate in? If so, which stores and why?

Vipermann · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2007, 01:09:21 PM »

My wife and I shop at a Sams Club about once a month. I really don't do it to save money, I like buying large quantities of stuff I use a lot of so I don't have to pick it up every week at the grocery store.

Cat litter, cat food, paper towels, toilet paper, juice, soda, and other stuff we get at Sams.

Also I got our 46" Sony HDTV there about 2 months ago, exact same models I was going to buy at Tweeter but $300 less.

ChickenHawk · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2007, 01:16:29 PM »

I've been a Costco member since the early 90's. It's not near as good now as it used to be. They used to have great a software selection at half price but now the selection is hardly worth looking at and it's all at full price or more than you could get on-line. The prices on a lot of other popular products cost as much or more than they would at any other store too.

But for a growing family there are still a lot of benefits. The bulk food is still a better deal and for book lovers, most are still at half price or greatly reduced. And they have the cheapest gas in town.

If you do a lot of shopping there like I do, get yourself the Costco/American Express card that pays back a percentage of what you spend. At the end of the year it more than pays for the annual membership for me.

But if I was single, it probably wouldn't be worth it for me.

midnight Target · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2007, 03:11:47 PM »

Costco is the Shiznit.

I wander around that store saying.."I need that" "I need that"....

Got some great deals on Scotch there.

JB73 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2007, 03:24:25 PM »

what MT said.

I like tuna, and get it really cheap there, like 1/2 the price of the grocery store.

lots of other stuff too, but the deals are great (IF you want to buy in bulk like I do buying 20 cans of tuna a pop)

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2007, 03:46:31 PM »

I belong to Sams.
Depends what your looking for.
You gotta know your prices because sometimes sams can actually be more expencive then the local supermarket.

One deal they always seem to have is on Ribs.
You can get 3 pretty nice racks for around $25 which can be close to half the price for the same amount in the local supermarket.

I have a standup freezer in my garage so I like to buy7 meat in bulk and seperate it and freeze it when I se good deals.

also Sams comes in handy if you have teenagers around and you more or less need to buy food in bulk

also I get assorted odds and ends from sams like trash bags

tedrbr · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2007, 04:02:32 PM »

I think I've saved a lot more shopping at SAM'S CLUB than I've spent on the membership. Have gotten good deals on bulk items to clean the house, do yard work, tires, batteries, tools, some furniture, paper, electronics, some cheap clothes, and so forth.

I usually only go in once or twice a year to buy all the rags, paper towels, laundry items, and cleaning supplies to take care of the house for the coming year.

Only shop there for food if I've throwing a party. I'm a single adult, so saving on food usually is not worth the effort if I want to eat well (tasty or healthy), and buying in bulk is not really a good option.

Can they be a good deal; yes, but not for everyone, and as noted, you should compare prices on occasion with other sources.

Halo · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2007, 05:43:31 PM »

For a little comedy relief, Google to Wikipedia and search for BJ's. That's BJ's Wholesale Club. You won't believe what they say the title stands for.

Or maybe you will. I used to joke about that but didn't believe it might be true. I checked Snopes, but no urban legend on that yet. So I asked Snopes to check into it.

I was comparing Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's when I came across the Wikipedia item.

LePaul · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2007, 05:55:29 PM »

I like hitting the local Sam's since they have good deals on steak, pork and chicken (whole bird). I fill the freezer after I divy up the steaks and pork chops into smaller ZipLoc bags. I find the steak to be better cuts than the local chain supermarkets offer a majority of the time

My one greivance...I wish they had plastic bags at the register. I always forget to bring some and the cardboard leftovers they leave up front never seem to contain things from rolling around in the trunk.

Another perk to the local Sam's....they have beds and furniture, which several local stores pricematch against. Capitalism is good.

I haven't used them for electronics since I began buying online from folks like NewEgg and so forth.

Mark Luper · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2007, 07:03:09 PM »

I use Costco about once a month. I am single and buy different things each time I go there with a couple of exceptions: Meat and poultry and fruit. I like large enough quantities of paper items and the like so I don't have to worry about running out.

It has paid for itself but it is also easy to overspend in there for me.

Mark

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2007, 07:17:38 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by LePaul
I like hitting the local Sam's since they have good deals on steak, pork and chicken (whole bird). I fill the freezer after I divy up the steaks and pork chops into smaller ZipLoc bags. I find the steak to be better cuts than the local chain supermarkets offer a majority of the time

My father and I find better pork chops for cheaper at BJ's then in the super market. The rest of the meat is comparable in price and quality, if not a touch cheaper (only a touch though).

forHIM · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2007, 07:31:08 PM »

We use costco two to three times a month, but we fall into that large family category ( 2 parents, 2 teens, and a mess of others

) So the bulk food is great for us. We looked at the executive membership, but it wasn't worth the extra money, so after 10 months we went back to the normal money and were given back the difference in membership cost versus savings.

Halo · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:06:21 PM »

A drawback of retail/wholesale/whatever clubs is many do not accept the most popular credit cards. For people who like to consolidate most purchases on one piece of plastic that is generally acceptable anywhere, this is irritating and often a deal breaker.

Costco, for example, pushes America Express and doesn't accept Master Card or Visa. Some competitors reportedly are starting to accept Master Card. That makes their membership fees a tad easier to rationalize.

JB73 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:23:59 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
A drawback of retail/wholesale/whatever clubs is many do not accept the most popular credit cards. For people who like to consolidate most purchases on one piece of plastic that is generally acceptable anywhere, this is irritating and often a deal breaker.

Costco, for example, pushes America Express and doesn't accept Master Card or Visa. Some competitors reportedly are starting to accept Master Card. That makes their membership fees a tad easier to rationalize.

don't know about there.... or if it has changed recently (I actually havent gone in a few months as money is tight and I father actually pays my membership)

but Sam's Club here only accepts / accepted Discover card, or cash.

Halo · « **Reply #14 on:** May 09, 2007, 12:10:33 AM »

I haven't been to Sam's Club either in a long while but Googling says at least some Sam's started accepting Master Card around November.

Apparently the warehouse clubs experiment with various card options now and then. Long ago when we tried Sam's we had to get a Discover card which we've never used since.