Quitting Costco and why

[Gene Davis]

Sorta got talked into it by new neighbors when moving here in late '14. Joined in Jan 2015 and right away bought an 80 inch TV for $3K.

Got the exec membership for $110 and combined it with their Amex which yielded over $850 in cash back to date.

But excepting the cash back from the TV buy, most all the cash back was due to purchases not done at Costco.

There are only two of us and little to nothing available at Costco makes sense for use to buy it. One cannot comparison shop, one needs to buy large quantities, and we don't like the crowds. We pay lower prices for most everything elsewhere, including gas. Since in Colorado, the Costco has no beer or wine or booze.

I thought their tires might be a buy but for the exact same item Discount tire was $140 less for a set of four.

So we are quitting. We got tempted into impulse buys a few times, and regretted it. No more. One less piece of plastic in the wallet.

[Jim Koepke]

Sorta got talked into it by new neighbors when moving here in late '14. Joined in Jan 2015 and right away bought an 80 inch TV for $3K.

Got the exec membership for $110 and combined it with their Amex which yielded over $850 in cash back to date.

But excepting the cash back from the TV buy, most all the cash back was due to purchases not done at Costco.

There are only two of us and little to nothing available at Costco makes sense for use to buy it. One cannot comparison shop, one needs to buy large quantities, and we don't like the crowds. We pay lower prices for most everything elsewhere, including gas. Since in Colorado, the Costco has no beer or wine or booze.

I thought their tires might be a buy but for the exact same item Discount tire was $140 less for a set of four.

So we are quitting. We got tempted into impulse buys a few times, and regretted it. No more. One less piece of plastic in the wallet.

One does have to be careful about impulse buys.

One also needs to keep up on the prices others charge for similar products. Some items do have better prices at Costco.

jtk

[Lenore Epstein]

I do Costco even though I'm only buying for one because they sell a number of specific products (mostly supplements and OTC stuff) I use all the time significantly cheaper than anywhere else, including online. I don't do the executive membership and I have an AmEx card with better rewards than theirs, but for what I save its still well worth it--for me, at least.

I do try to avoid the temptation to buy big stuff because I don't have much space, but I couldn't resist the big bundle of rolls of blue shop towels.

But good on you for resisting the buyers club propaganda; it's not for everyone.

[Adam Herman]

Hey Gene, we are just down the road from you in Lafayette.

We find some things at costco are worth going, dried fruit, lunch meat, cleaning supplies, paper products. We only go about once every other month. Glasses also.

[Prashun Patel]

It's funny you say this.
I just had to go there yesterday. It's such an unpleasant experience for me. Everything is supersized and the experience just feels gluttonous.

I made it a point to keep blinders on, look at nothing, and head straight for the salmon and only the salmon (I bought a 10-person serving for my 4-person family). But that salmon is so darn good!!!

This is what I like about the Internet; you have to search for what you want. The 'targeted ads' are still pretty bad at forcing me to impulse buy. But the supermarkets have it down PAT. I can go in for a gallon of milk, and end up walking out with also a couple yogurt smoothies, a bag of freeze-dried astronaut apple slices, and a June issue of Shape magazine.

[John K Jordan]

We use Sam's, don't pay for the premium membership. I don't shop there except for heavy duty wire shelving, shop cabinets, etc. My wife shops every few month or so for food and drinks but always makes a list before going and was born without the impulse-buying gene. She is extremely good at finding the best deal anywhere so I believe it's not a waste. She buys quantity and makes use of the freezer. My contribution is putting chocolate bars on the list.

Those addicted to the impulse-buying rush and not independently wealthy should stay away, far away.

JKJ

[Mel Fulks]

"did'ja ever wonder ,when someone says they "quit Costco", if they were really just kicked out for eatin' too much at the
end caps? "
Attributed to Andy Rooney

[Steve Peterson]

I agree with John that Sam's is a better option for us. Both Sam's and Costco are within a mile of each other, but Sam's is by far the better experience. Costco always seems to have 5X the number of customers and around half the selection.

Steve

[Jim Becker]

Costco doesn't work well for everyone. It has for us, but I can appreciate where it might not be as valuable to others. And yes, like with every other buying source, one needs to know what things cost in the market to be sure they are getting a good value.

[David Helm]

There are a few things that I get at Costco. Organic extra virgin Olive oil, Reggiano cheese, kitchen sponges and jeans. When I go, the cashiers are always surprised that I might come through the line with only one or two things.

[Chris Padilla]

We are a family of 3 and my wife shops there every weekend. About the only things she no longer buys there is beef and pork (their roasted chickens are still excellent and a great value) but the fruit and veggies and other sundry items work well for us--beef/pork are expensive. We average about $700 in rebates from the Amex card yearly which, BTW, is being replaced shortly with a Citi Visa card that will, supposedly, carry over and provide the exact same rebate package. Safeway is a better value for beef/pork around here.

[Rich Riddle]

Costco just built a store in Northern Kentucky and had booths set up around the area to try to get people to join. It didn't work well and then they tried to send a $10 discount coupon for joining. We had them about 8 years ago and simply never used them. Sam's seems far more supplied.

[Bert Kemp]

? do you have to be a member to shop at either place

[Bruce Page]

We shop Costco about once a week, we like it better than Sam's Club. They have good prices on several of the items we routinely buy. Their pharmacy prescription prices are good as are a lot of their other pharmacy type items. They have good prices on roses too.
Neither one of us are impulse buyers so that isn't a problem. I do like to wander around the electronic section while LOML does the shopping.

[Brian Henderson]

We were members, back in the days when you had to have a business license to join, back when they were Price Club. We just never went. I don't know why, we just never went and when we realized that we had paid for two entire years and never went once, we dropped the membership and haven't missed it yet.