Are warehouse clubs really a good deal? I know some people swear by them and others who pay for a membership and never use it. In our area the only warehouse club that I am aware of is Sam's Club, so will only use this one for an example.The last time I checked, a yearly membership to Sam's Club is $40. There are often one day guest passes available and if you shop with a guest pass you have to pay a 10% markup. While that sounds high, if there are just a few items that you want to shop for and would only shop at Sam's Club a few times a year, the guest pass is actually the best deal. Because even with the 10% markup, you would have to spend over $400 a year to make the membership fee break even. So the few times I have wanted to purchase something at Sam's Club I have used the guest pass and happily paid the 10% markup.
While looking around the store, I didn't find a whole lot of outstanding deals. I can get the majority of items cheaper at the grocery stores or Walmart watching sales and stocking up or using coupons. One of the deals I did go for was the 5 lb. of honey for $8 (or around there) because that was a wonderful deal. But we didn't use it up fast enough before it crystallized and now I have half a bottle of crystallized honey that takes too long to get liquid again. If I won't be able to use it up before the expiration date or am unable to use such a large bottle then it is just wasted money. I went back to buying the bottles of honey at the store.
I have noticed that Walmart is starting to carry some of the larger size items, such as a 6 lb. container of peanut butter for $8.xx. This is something that we can use, and go through fairly quickly. And I don't have to go to a warehouse club to purchase it. They have a shelf in their grocery section with some bulk items such as pickles, drink mix, cocoa mix, the peanut butter, beans, and other large cans of items. I purchase items there at times.
Surveys have shown that you often spend more at warehouse clubs than you intended. And that it is usually is not a savings because while you may think that you are saving money by buying potato chips five bags at a time, you often go through those bags faster because they are in your house than if you just purchased one bag a week. Do you need a 3 lb. bag of gummy bears or 3 lb. tub of cheese puffs? Will your kids go through those bags in less than a week just because it is sitting there before them? I know in this house we have to buy sweets in limited quantities because if the kids (or even us parents!) know it is in the house we will eat it up. I'm sure there are some out there with more self control so maybe it works for them.
I know several businesses that give their employees a warehouse club membership for free. I think in this case it could be worth it, as long as you stick to the items that you know are saving you money.
As I stated before, I don't know a whole lot about membership clubs but from my research I decided they don't fit our family. The membership fee alone would never be recouped unless we spent over $400 yearly at Sam's Club (and thus saving the 10% markup fee). I doubt I would purchase that much there.
I am curious though. Are you a die-hard warehouse club shopper? What items do you regularly purchase there that you find to be the best savings? 
Your post pretty much described our family! Like you, I haven't found "awesome" deals at Coscto at all! And the samples get us every time! We will walk in and get a bag of frozen chicken breasts (on our list) and toilet paper (on our list) and leave with broccoli cheese soup (not on our list), fresh tortillini, big bottle of salad dressing, frozen yeast rolls, and eggplant parmesean dinners... all not on our list. My husband, who does not like to spend money, will buy anything just because its at Costco.
ReplyDeleteWe also didn't find it worthwhile when in the US. For us, it was because at WalMart or similar, we buy the store brand, very rarely the name brand. Then, at Sam's Club, the offerings are all name brand items, no store brand. So, perhaps the brand-for-brand price was cheaper, but the quantities larger and for us, it was not a savings. Also, we did not have storage for large quantities, so it was really a pain.
ReplyDeleteI do recall that diapers were cheaper at Sam's, but again, it wasn't worth the membership fee. The temptation to buy more, the extra trip because of not wanting to get everything, the inconvenience of no bags - was not worth it for us.
We are huge Sam Club users. According to the research done by couponmom.com (you can read about it in her new book) it beats grocery stores sales even . Here is how we do it. First of all, we always shop with a list! That you have to do. Then I shop at regular grocery stores first buying those things that are on sale and I have a coupon for. Example, I just bought $52 worth of grocerys at Kroger for $19. Then whatever is left on my list I purchase at Sam's. We took our grocery bills from $1200 a month to $600 a month and are now pusing towards $400 a month since I started shopping like this. You can buy in bulk you just have to know how to store it and make sure you use it.
ReplyDeleteWe're Costco shoppers. We have a list of items that we regularly buy and stick to the list.
ReplyDeleteWe rarely buy non-food items and shop once a month.
I buy staples in large bags there - jasmine rice, flour, etc. I like the convenience of buying in bulk because it keeps me out of stores and therefore I'm less likely to be tempted to shop "off list."
The organic peanut butter at Costco is lower than any other price I've been able to find.
I can buy organic vegetables at Costco for the same price (sometimes lower) than I pay for conventionally grown vegetables at the supermarket. I'll take the organic, thank you. :)
We use our American Express card when we shop there and also accumulate points which we can cash out or use to pay the Amex bill. The points alone end up covering the yearly membership. ;)
Here's our "must haves" from Costco:
- Annie's bunny crackers
- organic peanut butter
- organic tomato paste
- organic tomato sauce
- olive oil
- flour
- brown sugar
- sugar
- jasmine rice
- assorted herbs
- tuna fish
- organic frozen vegetables
- organic fresh vegetables (love their cooler room)
- baby wipes
- boxed tissues (aka kleenex, but the Kirkland brand)
I have a membership to both Costco and Sams. I'm not even sure why I have the memberships, but we like walking around these stores once in a while. We go to Sams a couple of times a year and to Costco once a month. We never go to buy anything special, but once there, we can easily blow at least a hundred dollars or more. If I ever cancel a membership, it will be the Sams one because it is owned by Walmart. We have issues with Walmart.
ReplyDeleteWhat timing - I have a post in mind for this exact topic! What is it they say about great minds ;)
ReplyDeleteWe have a membership to Sam's and to BJ's. Now, I would normally only have one but the extra one is a work perk so I have 2 right now. I've been keeping a price book and have been comparing the two stores to my regular finds. For us, it has been worth it. For instance, 2 weeks ago I was able to buy boneless, skinless chicken breast for $1.45 a pound...which is much better than the $2.00 a pound I normally pay. I bought 40 pounds and saved $22 on just that one thing! My standards are chicken breasts, cheese, potatoes, peanut butter, spices, jelly and rice. We go through enough of those a year. A lot of items, though, actually cost MORE per ounce/pound/whatever than I can find at other stores so you really have to be a conscious consumer to make it work. And always shop with and stick to a list (of course, that's true everywhere!) And coupons help (BJ's takes coupons but I don't believe Sam's does) So for us, it's worth it :)
Oh, and thanks for stopping by my blog - it led me to you and I'm loving your blog :)
ReplyDeleteStacy
I haven't found Sam's Club to be worth it. I read the same article about purchasing more than you really need.
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