Seriously thinking of canceling Costco card

[njtosd]

[quote=XBoxBoy]Hate Costco. Refuse to go there. Poor selection, long lines. Can’t see what people find so wonderful about the place. The most unpleasant shopping experience there is.[/quote]

+1. I was responsible for the 6th grade promotion breakfast (donuts and drinks) at out elementary school a few years ago. $350 budget for about 240 possible people. I priced water bottles, juice boxes, plates, napkins and doughnuts. I did better shopping the sales at Vons and Party City than Costco for every item. I don’t get the appeal.

[Essbee]

I was at Costco Carmel Mountain over the weekend. What amazes me is how normal-appearing people will jostle and grab 5 samples without any thought to the person who has been waiting politely for their turn (ie me). Or they reach WAY across the sample tray to get the largest sample, rather than taking the one closest to them. I pretty much just avoid the samples now (and better for my waistline anyway).

Love the pizza slice at the patio but at ~800 calories per slice, it is best to avoid it.

I’m pretty sure that the gas was $2.09 on Sunday. (But I did not stop due to the crazy line).

[ltsddd]

[quote=Essbee]I was at Costco Carmel Mountain over the weekend. What amazes me is how normal-appearing people will jostle and grab 5 samples without any thought to the person who has been waiting politely for their turn (ie me). Or they reach WAY across the sample tray to get the largest sample, rather than taking the one closest to them. I pretty much just avoid the samples now (and better for my waistline anyway).
[/quote]

+1.

I have been avoiding going to costco at peak feeding hours. There are way too many people that is completely devoid of any common sense or courtesy. I find it quite pathetic that it seems there are people/families who’ll come to costco just for that singular purpose – eating free samples. Oh, then there’s the gas station. I don’t know exactly how much one could save but the long lines and the chaos is not worth it. I thought costco shoppers are generally higher-iq folks.

[La Jolla Renter]

I’m a costco fan. I skip the gas line if it’s too long. Time is money.

Maybe they are selling more organic because that’s what people want. I do probably spend all my savings on stuff I probably don’t need.

A slice of cheese pizza, a hot dog, a coke, and a frozen yogurt for 5 bucks. How do you beat that. (before you call me fatty, this is for me, wife, and kid)

My favorite items, almond butter, coffee, salmon, organic chicken, asparagus, tequila, Stellas, frozen blue berries, protein powder, paper towels, toilet paper, those yellow micro fiber shop towels.

[Reality]

Kirkland vanilla ice cream is the best. And it’s the best priced super premium by far.

It’s sold as two half gallons wrapped together. No 1.75 quart or 1.5 quart crap. Actual half gallons.

[matt]

Sprouts + trader joes for me… Especially Wednesday’s at sprouts when you get both last weeks and this weeks deals… Costco has great quality but you pay for it… Favorite items frozen berries for smoothies, seaweed, chocolate raisins…. Rite aid seems to have the best deals on beer… I generally check the weekly flyers and plan accordingly

[livinincali]

[quote=matt]Sprouts + trader joes for me… Especially Wednesday’s at sprouts when you get both last weeks and this weeks deals… Costco has great quality but you pay for it… Favorite items frozen berries for smoothies, seaweed, chocolate raisins…. Rite aid seems to have the best deals on beer… I generally check the weekly flyers and plan accordingly[/quote]

Costco for me is primarily meats and cheese. I get most of my produce from sprouts and if I want a good steak or pork chop then Siesels. If you live close to a Mexican market or an Asian market then those can be pretty good too. Vons and the other corporate grocery stores are trash, it’s a waste of time unless you are only shopping their deals. Of course most people just shop their local grocery store so sometimes you’re stuck with want you got where you live. It’s just too much of a pain or hassle to go somewhere else.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=livinincali]. . . Vons and the other corporate grocery stores are trash, it’s a waste of time unless you are only shopping their deals. Of course most people just shop their local grocery store so sometimes you’re stuck with want you got where you live. It’s just too much of a pain or hassle to go somewhere else.[/quote]livinincali, I used to have five Vons to choose from within 8 miles of my home and now I only have two. The closest Vons to me is very small and doesn’t carry Safeway’s whole line of groceries OR even everything they advertise. However, I typically come into the store with a paper list of my Just4U items and a few club deals for that week on produce and end up making out like a bandit at the register after only buying what is on my list (and anything I might be able to use within a reasonable period of time from the clearance bin in which I also have a coupon for). For example, I just scored 2 bottles of Nature Made Multi-Vitamin capsules (60’s) for $7.33 (incl tax) in a 2 for 1 club deal with a $4 Just4U coupon. (That’s $1.83 mo for high-quality multivitamins.) I could get deals like that all day, every day if I shopped every day but I am now only a one-person household. I regularly get a LOT of slightly bent cans (dropped the night before in stocking) from both Vons or Ralphs for .25 to .50 ea (esp pet food).

I’m not a big meat eater but Vons meats are very high quality, they have their own organic line and they put them on clearance between 7:30 and 8:30 am at 30% – 75% off (incl fresh fish and poultry). If you’re going to freeze it when you get home or cook it within 24 hours (and then maybe freeze it), it doesn’t matter if its “sell-by” date is today or tomorrow. NONE of the meat they put out for clearance is discolored or spoiled. If you can’t shop early in the am, there isn’t much to choose from (if anything) by 11:00 am.

Vons and Albertsons now both have “red tag” sales every week featuring at least 50 items in the store. Buy any four and save $1.00 each. I’ve gotten all kinds of frozen, dairy and dry groceries (ex: Ragu spaghetti sauce or Progresso soup) for .88 to .99 each many times.

Overall, Vons is a good value if you plan your trip from home, bring a list (I don’t have any apps in my phone) and stick to your Just4U list religiously (except for visiting their clearance areas).

I’m fairly certain that “corporate grocery stores” make very little $$ off me, if anything.

[FlyerInHi]

BG, you sound like a good shopper and a person who can resist temptation really well. Good for you.

I recently met a a riend of a friend who is a retired history professor. He cooks very and uses good ingredients. He’s very knowledgable. But he can’t resist snacks. That’s bad if you’re retired and at home all day. He works out at the gym 2 hours a day, but he eats so much that he’s obese and gaining. His breathing makes it sound like he’s about to die. Late 50s.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=FlyerInHi]BG, you sound like a good shopper and a person who can resist temptation really well. Good for you….[/quote]Well, the key is that you have to “go with the flow” with whatever is offered on sale/clearance this week and can’t be “brand-loyal” the way I shop. You also can’t be “in a hurry” to purchase a particular item. If you know you won’t use it this week and it is not deeply discounted right now, then don’t buy it. It is likely to go on sale within the next 14 days at one of the Big Three “corporate” grocery chains in SD County. You need to sign up for e-mails for their deals which come out every Wed. If you’re in the store and see something in the clearance areas that won’t spoil and you will definitely use in the near future, then buy it, ESP if you have a coupon for it.

I used to buy my grains at Sprouts but their bags went up in price over $1 each. Steel cut oatmeal is now cheaper at Ralphs, as is flaxseed. I agree that Sprouts’ produce is really cheap. However, the tomatoes are of better quality at Vons.

You also can’t be loyal to any particular store. I buy staples at Grocery Outlet such as eggs ($2.73 for a dozen local “jumbo size” which typically isn’t carried in the “Big 3” cuz they are too big for recipes), $1.49 for 24 oz wide 100% WW bread, $2.29 gal milk and as little as $1.99 for a GAL of 100% CA orange juice (both from Rockview Farms):

Home

I can actually still feed two pets and two people (if necessary) very well (incl personal and hshld items) for $160 – $170 month and I lost my commissary privileges almost two years ago! Fortunately, I am surrounded my grocery stores of every kind 🙂

My strategy wouldn’t work nearly as well for a rural dweller who had to plan trips for grocery shopping due to more time and gas expended. I can just drop by any of the big 3 on my way to/from the gym, post office, and other local offices I regularly visit without wasting any extra time or gas.

I have never belonged to Costco (formerly “Price Club”) even when I had a family to feed. I’m not in any way, shape or form interested in buying in bulk (and having to store it). The reason is because most of us in SD County are surrounded by stores and whatever you want will be cheaper next week or the week after. Hence, there is no reason whatsoever to stock up unless you just made a killing on the purchase or you live in the boonies.

Edit: I have always only fed “premium brands” of dry pet food. These items are on sale and clearance frequently and coupons are readily available both online and off.

[Coronita]

Passport photos $5…. lol
Photo dept is ok if you are not that picky. If you are picky, some locations allow you tell them calibration settings you’d prefer.

[La Jolla Renter]

Just saw this in a email feed. Great read.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robinlewis/2016/02/16/costcoholics-costcos-113-7-billion-addicts/#75b0955a5f73

...the over 75 million “mainlining” Costco members (and growing at a high single digit percentage rate annually), with an average annual income of $100,000, paying a $55 annual membership fee (or $110 for an executive level membership). Three million members a day enter Costco’s stores to get their fix.

Yes, you read those numbers right. In today’s over-stored and over-stuffed retail environment, the equivalent of almost one-fifth of the U.S. population is paying for the privilege to shop at a particular store. And this is not a one-off, let’s-see-what-it’s-like kind of visit. The renewal rate is a whopping 90 percent each year. I guess that captures the power of an addict’s behavior.

Not only is 80 percent of Costco’s gross margin and 70 percent of its operating income derived from its Costcoholics’ membership fees, Costco collects most of its profits 12 months in advance, not at the eleventh hour of the fiscal year like most other retailers.

[bewildering]

It is a lot cheaper for Diapers, Milk, Bread, eggs, tissues and rolls, even the wine i like is cheaper (Kim Crawford Sauv). Even one off purchases are cheaper like tires, TVs, pianos. And I get money back with Amex and executive membership. The fact they make their money from the membership shows how that they cut prices to almost cost.

Finally, like Trader Joes, they treat their worker very well. Vons and Ralphs seem to be at constant war with their employees.

[svelte]

[quote=La Jolla Renter]
Yes, you read those numbers right. In today’s over-stored and over-stuffed retail environment, the equivalent of almost one-fifth of the U.S. population is paying for the privilege to shop at a particular store. [/quote]

Well. Another case where stats can be misleading. Many employers – mine included – give free Costco memberships to all employees.

I’m guessing many other employers to the same. So all those members didn’t choose to be members…it came along for the ride.

Also – even though we’re members, we haven’t set foot in Costco in several years. The crowds give me the heebie jeebies, and we found that buying in bulk led to overconsumption. Yeah maybe we could save 20% per ounce, but if we use twice as much at each serving because the large containers encourage us to do so, no savings were incurred and our beltline paid the price.

[bewildering]

I received a letter yesterday with Costco delivering through google express
https://www.google.com/express/

REI, and a few other places as well. I guess this is competition for Amazon

[Author]

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