Kitchen

[jaxs mom]

I don't buy much of the prepared food items, but I buy lots of staples. Unsalted butter, milk, eggs, cream, meat, toilet paper, napkins, unbleached AP flour, sugar, spices, bacon, coffee, batteries, sour cream, cream cheese, cheese of all varieties, olive, coconut and peanut oil. Fruit and veg it really depends, most of the time their prices aren't cheaper. The Kirkland brand vanilla ice cream is fantastic. We get our dogs rx eye drops, my allergy medicine and ibuprofen there. I save a ton on our car insurance through Costco.

[AndiL]

I love Costco - Their Kirkland brand is excellent - I use their shampoo/conditioner - large purple container with pump - lasts forever, smells delicious, good for the hair and is under $10.00! Cheerios - double box for under $6.00 - huge boxes I think 180z each. Milk is so inexpensive - under $3.25 for a gallon. (I live in Long Island).

Fruit, veggies prepared foods - you will get used to it as you go each time - and then you willhave a routine - Have fun!

[meonlybetter]

LOVE Sams Club! Got a steal on my membership. Just bought tires for the car and saved a boatload plus they rotate for free, roadside assistance, etc, etc, etc. I use coupons to save money but I find alot of items, even with coupons/stores, are cheaper at Sams Club. I love that you can go on line and check prices. I compare oz to oz, pound to pound etc. to places like Walmart which is usually the cheapest. I also have a membership to Costco (another great deal on membership) and I buy a few things there, but I find Sams to be laid out better (quicker for me to get in, out) and many items are cheaper at Sams. Sams has items Costco doesn't have and Costco has items Sam's doesn't have. In the end, I will dump Costco and keep my Sams Club membership. IF I need anything at Costco, I have friends with memberships that have offered to pick up whatever is needed.
Almost forgot! Milk is ALWAYS cheaper at Sams or Costco!

[Q4u]

One more thing... as I mentioned, we only have a Sam's Club here, but if we were ever to get a Costco, I would definitely trade in my Sam's Club card for a Costco card. They are pretty much the same kind of store, but I do miss the Kirkland brands and think Costco carries more variety. Good luck and have fun...

[Nickname1]

One other thing, one (of 3) Costco's in my area sells beer, wine and liquor and there are savings there. A friend of mine has the same with the Sam's they go to, but that would be at least an hour trip for me. And when I say they sell it, it's the club not some outside store that rents space, which other clubs in my area do too. I think the big difference is that Costco seems to have more high end items, other than that they are pretty much the same, the meat is good at both.

[pattypeep]

Costco has the best meat and their pumpkin pies are outrageous ! (In a good way)

[kivah]

Costco is my favorite store. They only have one size products (so u don't have to figure out which is cheaper -- large, medium or small); they sell high-quality foods/products; Kirkland is their brand - so anything Kirkland (including alcohol); tuna; paper towels; toilet paper; paper napkins. They have everything!!!!! All big and small appliances have a 2-year warranty. Today, I purchased a 40" Samsung tv from costco.com (price $430.) - add'l 3-year warranty was only $29.99. I was at Costco last week - and on the way out, they handed me a few flyers with Promo Codes. If u buy on-line thru December 31st for over $100 - u save $10. I used that today. I wouldn't buy big items from any other place - as Costco backs everything they sell. The best customer svce. They mail out coupon books every few weeks - with great savings, so the membership is actually free - after all the savings I receive. I use the Costco Amex Card and get a rebate once/year. You're also entitled to a 2nd Costco card - u can give to a family member; or split with someone else.

In the past, I found Carole Hochman pajamas for $19.99; short pastel jackets; fleece pullovers ---- put out on tables.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

On 11/2/2014 gazelle77 said:

On 11/2/2014 JeanLouiseFinch said:

On 11/2/2014 gazelle77 said:

I would like to know if Sam's Club is as good as Costco? I always have just gone to Costco. Do any of you join both clubs?

Sam's was in our area several years before Costco. When Costco came, we joined and carried both memberships for a year. More and more we found ourselves in Costco and less and less in Sam's. We let the Sam's membership go when it expired.

Can I ask what Costco had that SAMs did not?

Cleaner, brighter atmosphere. Better quality products. Better incentives. A GREAT American Express card/benefits. We made the switch several years ago. I don't know what kind of products or services Sam's offers nowadays.

[Jpn10037]

So many other great ideas here already! Check the monthly deals at Costco. Stock up on items that are on sale. For example, once or twice per year, Braun electronic brush heads go on special and we stock up. Same with Clorox wipes. The Kirkland signature brand really is just excellent -- from diapers to peanuts and beyond! Costco's bakery is superlative - breads, cookies, cakes. One of their biggest values, IMHO, are the dog pill pocket treats. Two packs of 30 cost $9 vs. one pack of greenies pill pockets at $12.

[ChouChou]

The advice about seasonal items is spot on! Also, be aware that sometimes Costco gets a really good one time price on something. So, they buy it and pass it on to customers. I bought a beautiful set of Bobbi Brown makeup brushes that were on the BB website for $120. I paid about $35. I also got a beautiful Chanel makeup palette for about half the price that Nordstrom's had it.

If you see an asterisk (*) next to a price that means it is a one time only limited offer and no more are coming. Also, if the price ends in $.97, $.88 or $.00 it is either a clearance, closeout or one time only. These prices usually apply to hard goods and not usually to foods.

Additionally, we buy our OTC meds, vitamins and supplements at Costco. Have never found a better price. Costco often has prime cuts of beef which most markets do not carry. They are more expensive but taste so good. I usually don't buy fruit because it comes in packages that are too large for us to finish before it goes bad. When the grandkids come I do buy the fruit because they eat it all up. I also buy pet food there.

It all depends on what you use.