As in, are the deals really that much better than a regular store? We buy bulk toilet paper, diapers, wipes, paper towel etc at Target, and I'm just curious if the deals at those types of stores are really better or if it's just the products themselves that people like.
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I think so. We have free memberships to both stores, but I think we would pay for at least one of them even if we didn't.
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If you coupon, then I don't think the deals are better.
However, I tried and failed miserably at couponing so Costco works better for us. Costco is not the lowEST price... but it is a lowER price than Target/Safeway/etc when you don't coupon.
For instance, Costco brand size 3 diapers are 17c each +tax. I am pretty sure if you coupon you could get them for 13-15c. Costco brand wipes are 2.2c a wipe. I've used Pampers and Huggies (which Costco does sell) and I find that the Costco brand are just as good. I actually prefer the wipes over the Pampers/Huggies wipes.
For us, the Costco membership is worth it because we buy gas there. According to gas buddy, my local Costco is selling gas for $3.27 and the local 76/Shell/Chevron are all $3.71. Since my tank is 17 gallons, I saved $7.48 when I filled up last night.
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Yup. Toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent and fruit can be way cheaper. Not all but some. Eggs are sold at 24 packs and milk sold in 2 gallons are cheaper too. Oh, greek yogurt.
Costco has home goods, too. I bought a pot and pan set for super cheap.
Oh, printer paper is cheap there, too.
$100 gift cards to entertainment and restaurants are $79.99. Save $20!
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@sunny: Oh, yup! Gas is cheaper, too.
I have the premier membership with now a AmEx Costco card so now I get cash back. -
Yes! We buy chicken and ground turkey on bulk and save a ton! I also buy frozen fruit, peanut butter, coffee, formula and wipes. We only buy things we will completely use within 3 months or so....but the cost savings is far more than the cost of the membership.
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I have a Costco membership, but use Amazon Subscribe and Save for most household goods, including diapers. I like having a choice of brands (which you often don't get at Costco). The $79/year I pay for Amazon Mom is worth it times 1,000.
I also love Costco, though. Things I buy at Costco that I think are really worth it:
cheese
pesto
chicken breasts (they come shrink-wrapped in packs of two, so it is super easy to freeze whatever you don't use immediately)
wine and liquor (WAY cheaper than my other options)
snacks -
I was given a Sam's Club membership, but I have only really found a few regular things that makes it seem worth it to me.
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@Bao: If you worry about the expense, you could find a friend or a family member to share the membership with.
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And... if any of your friends or family members have business memberships, they can add up to 99 people on those memberships.
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For me the gas is a big part of what makes it worth it. I usually pay $0.20 less there than at my corner grocery store so if I buy half of my gas there annually I still save more than the cost of membership. Once we take that into account we save quite a bit on other things so for us it makes it worth it.
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Oh heck yeah, Costco is saving me crazy money. First, formula - saving me like 66%. Otherwise, frozen chicken, frozen veggies, cheese, fresh veggies (carrots, celery, mushrooms, potatoes and onions), bananas (other fruit, not so much), sugar, flour, rice, quinoa, coconut oil, bread, tortillas. I don't find their pasta or canned goods to be cheaper.
I would say coffee because Folgers is cheaper there, but their cheap Starbucks beans always tempt me, so I end up spending more on Starbucks beans than I would on Folgers grounds at a basic grocery store.
I do buy paper towels and tp there, but just out of convenience, I've never actually price checked those - too many variables!
Great clothing deals every once in awhile, along with some great toy prices (especially bigger toys). We bought our TV mount there and ended up saving $100 from the cheapest one we could find anywhere else (we needed a pretty hefty one that moved every which way).
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Oh and I think the best deal at Costco is the rotisserie chicken. $5 for a whole chicken or a box of 8 quarter thighs!!!! It's a life saver when I don't have time/energy to cook.
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We used Costco to buy our big screen TV, my son's bed, a TV stand, a small safe and a few other things on line. We also bought a big market umbrella and our outdoor table and chairs in the store.
We've gotten good deals, yes.
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It is for us. Diapers and formula are the cheapest there than anywhere. And we live across the street from Sam's so it is the most convenient.
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Yep! And for meat. We save a lot on meat, toilet paper, paper towels, dish and laundry soaps, toilet paper....oh and wipes and formula. My goodness, we spend a fraction on formula compared to many ladies here (less than $400 and she's almost 8 months old...)
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Before kids, I would have been indifferent. Now it's definitely worth it. Formula, wipes, diapers are most definitely cheaper. We also buy meat and portion it out. The fruit at my SAMs is great too. I've even gotten clothes there.
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@Mamasig: Good point about clothes at Costco. I got a nice fleece jacket for $24. I got DH one, too, and he loves it! Last year, we went to Macy's and paid $94 for a thin coat. Ugh! Costco clothes all the way!
Last night, I got 700 coffee filters for less than $3. Two months ago, we need some so I quickly went to the grocery store. I paid $3 for 200 coffee filters. Ugh!
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@sunny: we get a Costco chicken every week
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@swurlygurl: @bluestriped bee: clothes!! Their prices on carter's stuff for babies is the cheapest I have seen... even the crazy carter's store's 60% off sales can't touch what Costco has every year. Usually $7.99 for a onesie/pant set.
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@mrs. wagon: exactly! At my SAMs they only have Carter's clothes every so often. So when they do, I bought a bunch - rompers and sleep n plays for $5 each!
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We belong to Costco. It's $50 per year and we save that in gas alone so I figure any other money we save is a bonus.
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@mrs. wagon: YUP! Carters clothing is soooo cheap! We do have a free membership. I wouldn't have one if I had to pay for it. I'm too lazy and can spend hundreds of dollars there in one go. So I don't go there often.
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I think so. The gas savings at either makes up for the cost of membership. Everything else is a bonus.
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