Costco ethical dilemma
Poll
7 votes (46.66%) | |||
4 votes (26.66%) | |||
No votes (0%) | |||
No votes (0%) | |||
1 vote (6.66%) | |||
3 votes (20%) |
15 members have voted
February 10th, 2017 at 8:23:46 AM permalink | |
ams288 Member since: Apr 21, 2016 Threads: 29 Posts: 12421 |
I love Costco. If nothing else, it's worth it for the cheap gas. I do the $55 membership - I wouldn't bother with the more expensive one. It's dangerous though - you will always end up buying way more stuff than you planned to. Happens every time. “A straight man will not go for kids.” - AZDuffman |
February 10th, 2017 at 8:39:37 AM permalink | |
Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 | The amounts are too big for my needs, so I long ago stopped having a membership. What's really good down here is their tire center. They sell car tires and install them for a fair deal less than regular tire shops. And they usually are done within an hour. Plus you get unlimited free refills with nitrogen for the life of the tires. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
February 10th, 2017 at 9:20:38 AM permalink | |
Ayecarumba Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 89 Posts: 1744 | They have a "cashback" Visa that saves you an additional percentage on every purchase, plus other stuff you buy outside of Costco that can help soften the blow (especially on gas). However, if you buy four pounds of strawberries, because they are the same price as one pound at your usual grocery store, but let three pounds rot in your refrigerator, I don't think it's a good deal. Are there other "small users" in your building or neighborhood that can split a membership (and bulk purchases) with you? This "Co-op" has the potential to save everyone some money, and you can make some new friends. However, it could put the small grocer, independent tire store owner, gas station, butcher and bakery out of business. |
February 10th, 2017 at 11:51:20 AM permalink | |
Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 | I have the basic membership too. We shop there a lot and spend about $250 each time. The lines as the Summerlin store used to be about 15 minutes long but are now down to about 5, I think because they hired more cashiers. I have a friend here who loves their fast food. I am not so enthusiastic about it. It certainly isn't worth waiting in an extra line for. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |
February 10th, 2017 at 11:58:58 AM permalink | |
terapined Member since: Aug 6, 2014 Threads: 73 Posts: 11786 | I checked out the Costco fast food for lunch today My house to Costco, 5min in line, ordered, got food, back to my house. All in 20 min. Yea its that close. Bought the chicken thing (pretty big), 2 slices of pepperoni pizza(slices are large) and a pork/coleslaw sandwich. 12 bucks and change, a lot of food, pretty cheap but then a lot of cheap starch Sometimes we live no particular way but our own - Grateful Dead "Eyes of the World" |
February 10th, 2017 at 1:12:08 PM permalink | |
Ayecarumba Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 89 Posts: 1744 |
Try the hot dog or polish sausage AND a refillable soda for $1.50. You can load up on onions if you need a veggie. I don't think you need an Costco membership (at least I have never seen them ask for the card) if the food court is outside. |
February 10th, 2017 at 1:53:23 PM permalink | |
stinkingliberal Member since: Nov 9, 2016 Threads: 17 Posts: 731 |
Somebody did a study and determined that based on the price of membership and the savings derived from shopping at Costco as opposed to other places that offered comparable goods, you have to spend about $2500 a year to justify the cost. That implies a roughly 2% savings vs. other places, which is impressive when you consider that 2% is the margin of most grocery stores. However, if you spend just that $2500 a year, paying for the basic membership, you're breaking even as opposed to going to Smith's or WalMart for your supplies. The question then becomes which experience you like more. I eventually gave up on Costco because I got tired of standing in lines for loooong minutes behind grim-faced housewives who were apparently restocking the family fallout shelter for a six-month stay. I did like their array of frozen foods, especially in "SERVES 120" packages, because I had a herd to feed at the time. There's also an amusement factor in that where else can you buy a fifty-pound plastic jar of pretzels? And to back up what another poster said, the hot dogs are the stuff of legend, and for $1.50 (or $130 if you buy a hundred). The study I referred to was conducted in the south Bay Area, so your mileage may vary. Having lived in both places, I found that my best shopping strategy was to get the newspaper ads and clip coupons, and be prepared to shop at any or all of the various Vegas food and stuff options. With coupons and specials, I never paid more than roughly half of the regular price for anything. That's a weakness of Costco IMHO--they aren't really big on sales or specials, except when maybe some train derails near Barstow and they have to unload 800 tons of frozen chicken wings pronto. |
February 10th, 2017 at 2:28:57 PM permalink | |
buzzardknot Member since: Mar 16, 2015 Threads: 7 Posts: 497 |
I did not know you could vote for yourself. |
February 10th, 2017 at 3:31:09 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 | I gave up on Sam's and Costco 10 years ago. You always spend more than you need to, and buy things you don't need. It's all Walmart for me now. I do a lot of shopping online for groceries, $35 and shipping is free. They have things you never see in the stores. It's great having to walk from the back deck into the kitchen to unpack groceries. I still go to the store for perishables, but that's only twice a month. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
February 10th, 2017 at 3:34:00 PM permalink | |
AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18136 |
I just cannot see paying to shop. Costco has some neat stuff, but the sizes are too large for a single guy and the lines are way too long. Lately I am trying to spread more shopping to GFS and Aldi, they have some good deals. The President is a fink. |