Shopping is as Shoppers do
You can dispute over and over whether Costco or Sam’s Club is better until you are blue in the face. But, I think shopping at those warehouses has a little something to do with the shopper and not the place being shopped.
Consumer Reports online has an investigation on Costco vs. Sam’s Club.
However, I don’t want to post on their opinions of the two warehouses but the good info they hide at the bottom of the article. This is the kind of information that is good no matter what store you shop at.
Make a list and stick to it. ‘“ Personally, I also take a calculator so I can stay on budget.
Know how to identify super-bargains. At Costco, ‘œ.97’ at the end of a price generally indicates discontinued or slow-moving products. At Sam’s, a ‘œC’ at the end of the item number denotes a canceled item.
Compare the club’s unit prices to those at your supermarket for heavily discounted staples. Supermarkets might be less expensive. ‘“ This is easiest if you keep a notebook, unless your memory is like a steel trap.
For big-ticket items, compare the club price to that of other retailers by going to sites such as PriceGrabber.com or BizRate.
Consider splitting large buys with friends. Otherwise, don’t buy in bulk perishables or medications with a short shelf life (check the expiration dates). You’ll end up tossing a lot away. ‘“ This is a BIG one; don’t buy it if you are unsure if you can use it all. 2 ¢ an ounce may be a wonderful deal, but it won’t be if you end up throwing away 300 ounces of it.
Try unfamiliar products judiciously. You don’t want to get stuck with say, a gallon of Brand X Vidalia onion salad dressing. ‘“ This is what is so wonderful about a supermarket; small sizes for trying new stuff instead of the new brand of maple syrup that you hate but have 85 ounces of it now.
Pay with cash; it’s a reality check on how much you’re spending. ‘“ I say to just stick on a budget, hence the calculator mentioned at the top of this list
Shop on weekdays, preferably when the store opens or in midafternoon. That’s when crowds tend to be lighter. ‘“ AMEN, Weekends stink!
Not sure about joining? In many states you can request a day pass at Sam’s Club or Costco and pay a surcharge, typically 10 percent over what members pay. Costco used to have a similar program, but discontinued it. Now, only members can purchase there. ‘“ Perhaps you can tag along with a friend or co-worker instead.
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Dawn C. is site owner of Frugalforlife.com and is residing in Colorado with her spouse, Teri, of 11 years. Dawn can be reached at Frugalforlife@gmail.com
Sam’s Club = Wal-Mart. Don’t shop at Sam’s Club unless you support Wal-Mart’s policies and practices. CostCo is much gentler to the environment, their employees and to their customers. CostCo has a much lower turnover rate due to higher job satisfaction, which means if you need help, the employees actually know where things are and take enough pride in their jobs to do them well.
Dawn: Jeanine and I have yet to figure out the appeal of Costco. We’ve tried… on more than one occasion. For me personally, I just don’t get it. But millions of American swear (including you!) by the place which is why I was intrigued by Julie Bick’s article in The New York Times awhile back called: 24 Rolls of Toilet Paper, a Tub of Salsa and a Plasma TV.
That title sums it up. Bick writes, “Shopping at Costco often goes something like this: Customer comes to buy bulk necessities like toilet paper and dish detergent. Customer buys those items, as well as a pack of giant muffins, three cashmere sweaters and a power tool.”
“It’s more than impulse buying. It is a calculated part of the company’s business plan. Call it the Costco effect.”
It all just sounds so big-corporate evil! But I like how you’ve figured out a way to make it work for you and Teri.
One of the reasons to shop at Costco vs. Sams is the way the employees are treated (pay, etc.).. Like Henry Ford with his Revolutionary $5 a day pay so his employees could afford to buy the car they manufactured the employees at Costco can afford to shop where they work and buy the Cashmere Sweaters.
~ Roland