COSTCO!!!!

[cr8crshr]

It seems as of late, that COSTCO is becoming a constant presence on the internet that claims everyone must/should/needs, etc. to buy this and that. Now I don't know about y'all's buying preferences and where one shops, but COSTCO is not the do-all get-all store that only has the better deals and the interests of its shoppers at hand. I do have a membership of which I obtained a number of years ago for buying gas for my vehicles when the prices were climbing in order to save a few bucks. Now I have other neat saving deals for gas so I rarely will fill up at COSTCO. Otherwise, I don't shop there because I do not need to buy in bulk as it is just me, myself, and I that I am providing for. Besides, I just don't have the storage room that would allow me to buy in bulk for long-term storage, etc. So here is my question...What is the big attraction for shopping at COSTCO??? Open for discussion...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[toolmanmike]

Their hearing aids are reasonably priced compared to the Audiologists! LOL

 

[padam]

I was going to join the new one in my area, until I heard they were using facial recognition or something similar at the door for admittance. No thanks.

 

[oldkimmer]

I got a card way back in the early 90s. We still use it but not that much. Mostly for when we go camping as it’s 2 hours away. Even for the city folks that we see buying 1 or 2 bags of potato chips I gotta wonder if driving 5 or more miles 1 way is really worth the drive.

 

[oldkimmer]

I was going to join the new one in my area, until I heard they were using facial recognition or something similar at the door for admittance. No thanks.

I never heard that yet. But u have to scan your card at the door upon entry.

 

[YY1]

I agree and feel the same way about Sam's club, the local Wal-Mart version.

The caveat is that some of the Sam's Club brand food, particularly bakery items are pretty good but not offered at Wal Mart.

I will likely never pay for the "privilege" of shopping somewhere.

 

[71RRHI]

I mostly purchase meat and poultry from Costco. Good quality, and about 1/2 the non sale price of our regular super markets. Plus they sell whole packer briskets which are harder to find elsewhere in Hawaii.

 

[440 4 speed]

I was going to join the new one in my area, until I heard they were using facial recognition or something similar at the door for admittance. No thanks.

We have facial pictures on our Driver’s licence, Costco, passport and Firearms card. Don’t see any problem. Our firearms licence is National, so should be recognized anywhere for positive ID.
I think Costco introduced it to prevent possible fraud/misuse.

 

[71RRHI]

They make you scan your membership card when you come for data collection. They know exactly when you came in. How long you spend in the store and what you buy. Their goal is to keep you in the store longer and hopefully you will impulse buy things you see while you are there.

 

[XS22J8R]

After my dad passed away, my mom put me down as her family member for the second card on her account. I mainly have used it for gas. I used to find it a great deal when driving my Challenger that needed premium. Sold the car in 2022 and didn't go there as often afterwards as the savings on regular that my Dart and Ram use wasn't enough to justify sitting in line at the pumps and dealing with the traffic going in and out of the Costco I use. When I got my Scat Pack last summer, I went back to Costco to save on premium, and found it was about the same as the other gas stations in the area, maybe a dime less. I really think it was a bigger savings before, like 30 or 40c.
I rarely go in the store. As a single guy the food is mostly in too large a quantity for me to use. I used to get a good deal on a shirt or pants there, but mostly just shop online for clothes now anyway. Really don't need that much now that they carry.
On my way home from Moparty in the Scat Pack last year, I made it a point to stop at the Costco in Merryville IN which isn't far from the IL border, to top off with premium on my home stretch, as gas in Indiana is less than overtaxed IL. Fought heavy traffic in that area off I-65 to get to the Costco lot, just to find the gas station was torn down for remodeling.
When towing my trailer it would be nice getting their discounted gas while doing a roadtrip getting 10mpg. But dealing with getting to and out of their pumps with the crowds they have there isn't something I want to contend with in a rig, if its doable at all.
So all in all, I'm not super impressed with Costco these days. But my card is worth the money I pay for it!

 

[toolmanmike]

I agree and feel the same way about Sam's club, the local Wal-Mart version.

The caveat is that some of the Sam's Club brand food, particularly bakery items are pretty good but not offered at Wal Mart.

I will likely never pay for the "privilege" of shopping somewhere.

I have a Sam's close to home with a gas island. On any given day their gas is cheaper than other places around town. The gas savings pays for the membership. We shop there occasionally. We don't buy in bulk but I do buy some meat and bag it for the freezer. I have bought pork butts, ribs, and brisket for the smoker. Cheaper than anywhere else in town.

 

[Sixpactogo]

No one has mentioned the $65.00 you pay up front for the privilege to shop there. I have a membership there and some things are cheaper but seriously doubt I have recovered more than a third of that in savings.

 

[YY1]

4 cents won't get me to cross the road for gas.

5 cents might get me to drive an extra block to station on the same side of the street or maybe take a different route with right turns for gas and exit.

At 34.5 MPG, and only 87 octane, a month probably wouldn't pay for my membership.

 

[autoxcuda]

4 cents won't get me to cross the road for gas.

5 cents might get me to drive an extra block to station on the same side of the street or maybe take a different route with right turns for gas and exit.

At 34.5 MPG, and only 87 octane, a month probably wouldn't pay for my membership.

My Costco isn’t really longer distance than any other station on my way home from work. And it's only 3 1/2 miles from my house.

The in-store lines aren't that much longer that regular stores. My costco is lower traffic that most. It's sort of an oddball.

I don't go get gas at super peak hours like middle of day weekends. or 4:30-5pm. There's a 1-2 car wait at alternative stations.

Yes, the gas difference doesn't pay for card.

 

[cr8crshr]

Their hearing aids are reasonably priced compared to the Audiologists! LOL

I wouldn't know as my hearing is still excellent even after crewing on noisy jets and prop airplanes throughout my career in the USAF. I always wore foamy earplugs with my noise-canceling Dave Clark headset so that probably helped keep my hearing intact. But I get those that need hearing aids as so many of my fellow service members do to this day. No fun I bet...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[cr8crshr]

I have a Sam's close to home with a gas island. On any given day their gas is cheaper than other places around town. The gas savings pays for the membership. We shop there occasionally. We don't buy in bulk but I do buy some meat and bag it for the freezer. I have bought pork butts, ribs, and brisket for the smoker. Cheaper than anywhere else in town. View attachment 1819505

Man, I wish my gas costs were that cheap!!! How about 4.19 for the 87-octane and that is without the discount points where I fill up. I usually can save an average of 1.00/month when I do fill up and that is split between 2 vehicles. NV gets all our fuel from Commiefornia so that explains it but if I venture east of Reno, the price drops like a rock. Cannot figure that one out unless it is because we tax the SH*T out of fuel just like they do so no savings really other than when I shop for my discount points at the grocery...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[YY1]

My Costco is really longer than any other station on my way home from work. And it's only 3 1/2 miles from my house.

The in store lines aren't that much longer that regular stores. My costco is lower traffic that most. It's sort of an oddball.

I don't go get gas at super peak hours like middle of day weekends. or 4:30-5pm. There's a 1-2 car wait at alternative stations.

Yes, the gas difference doesn't pay for card.

View attachment 1819520

Wow, you did "the math" for me...

...almost.

Even at 46 miles roundtrip work commute and an occasional 200-300 miles excursion...

I bought my 2015 Renegade in '17 with 31K on it.
I'm now at 115,000.
My math says that's 10,500 per year.

 

[Charger72]

We shop there occasionally, good prices, value and very good products. Variety of international products and some good Organic items.

 

[kiwigtx]

Their hearing aids are reasonably priced compared to the Audiologists! LOL

What ??? Can you speak up please?

 

[kiwigtx]

We have a big Costco down here now....and some of the prices I have been told are not as good as any other Supermarket - of course there are exceptions.

Buying in bulk might sound good, but the pricing per kilo/pound/ton is normally not that much different.