Is Costco worth it in your opinion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder why they don't just drop the membership altogether. So many more people would shop there.

Basically, Costco makes its money on the membership fees, not its products.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/05/how-costco-wholesale-corporation-makes-most-of-its.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We gave up our membership when we got a local Aldi’s. You get good prices and don’t have to buy in bulk.

I have tried to like Aldi (because I'm cheap) but there is something about their meats that I can't quite trust. It always looks off to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder why they don't just drop the membership altogether. So many more people would shop there.

Basically, Costco makes its money on the membership fees, not its products.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/05/how-costco-wholesale-corporation-makes-most-of-its.aspx

How can that be when so many people say they are getting back the fee in the form of a bonus check at the end of the year? Seems like they'd be better off reeling in all the shoppers who are on the fence or having a weak moment rather than exclude them.

[Anonymous]

Are you still in the diaper stage? Do you have a second fridge/freezer to store food in? Are you aware enough of food prices that you could figure out which are the best deals? Are you disciplined enough to adjust your buying and cooking habits to bulk buying? Is there one convenient enough to where you live? If yes to enough of these questions it is probably worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder why they don't just drop the membership altogether. So many more people would shop there.

Do you wonder why Amazon doesn’t drop Prime? Or really any other successful enterprise that requires a membership fee?

[Anonymous]

In an effort to save money, I gave up my membership when my kids were out of diapers. If the ones near me (Alexandria, Arlington) had gas I'd be more likely to keep my membership. Agree with the PPs that the savings on glasses, tires, and a few other things (car rentals?) make a membership worthwhile, but I don't plan on any of those in the near future.

I feel like I could go once a year on a gift card or with a friend to stock up on the few things I miss from there (e.g., the large jug of organic maple syrup, the toilet paper).

[Anonymous]

For tires, glasses and some clothing, yes. For a smaller family for food, usually not.

[Anonymous]

If Costco sells it, we buy it. If we need something - from food, clothes, yard, garden, house,books, medicines, eye glasses etc... We buy it from Costco.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder why they don't just drop the membership altogether. So many more people would shop there.

Basically, Costco makes its money on the membership fees, not its products.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/05/how-costco-wholesale-corporation-makes-most-of-its.aspx

How can that be when so many people say they are getting back the fee in the form of a bonus check at the end of the year? Seems like they'd be better off reeling in all the shoppers who are on the fence or having a weak moment rather than exclude them.

There are so many people who have memberships and rarely go.

[Anonymous]

I go to price club almost once or twice a week. One reason is that I entertain a lot and Costco allows me to be a generous hostess with food and booze.
Another is that we have figured out what we like and how not to waste. My weekly purchase for a family of 4 ncludes apples, oranges, baby spinach, milk, mushrooms, bread, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers.. Every two weeks I replenish onions, yogurt, eggs, organic chicken, salmon, paneer, cereal. Stuff like cream cheese, butter, cheese, pesto, cooking oil, spices etc do not get relenished as often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I go to price club almost once or twice a week. One reason is that I entertain a lot and Costco allows me to be a generous hostess with food and booze.
Another is that we have figured out what we like and how not to waste. My weekly purchase for a family of 4 ncludes apples, oranges, baby spinach, milk, mushrooms, bread, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers.. Every two weeks I replenish onions, yogurt, eggs, organic chicken, salmon, paneer, cereal. Stuff like cream cheese, butter, cheese, pesto, cooking oil, spices etc do not get relenished as often.

Which Costco still carries paneer? I haven't seen it at mine in ages.

[Anonymous]

We have a separate chest freezer and extra refrigerator, which makes a lot of this possible. Our staples are:

TP/Paper Towels
Eggs
Ground beef/turkey
chicken breasts/thighs
Steaks (we get whole striploins/tenderloins, and break them down at home)
toothpaste
razors
tortilla chips (Kirkland brand are great)
Kerrygold butter
deodorant
gas
roast chickens (This is a loss leader for Costco).
Vitamins
alcohol (in addition to having alcohol, the DC Costco is head and shoulders abowe the others in the region)
detergent
Some prepared foods - chicken tikka, chicken teryaki meatballs.

In addition, there's added benefit in the one-off items. WE got a great deal on folding tables and chairs, for example, because we were members, but you obviously don't need them more than once.

If you wear glasses and/or contacts, the membership pays for itself several times over the first time you use it.

Finally, the PP who said that you just need to exercise a basic level of adult discipline. Yes, there are opportunities for impulse purchases. No, you do not need superhuman poers to avoid them. Come on, people.

[Anonymous]

It's worth it for us, but we do a lot of batch cooking, eat a lot of meat, and have at least 2 people eating every meal at home each day (4 person household). We don't shop the middle - clothes/books/shoes/etc. - which is where I think impulse purchases would come into play. We have the executive membership so we get 2% back. Ask someone to buy you a Costco gift card and go do a trial run - see what you would want to buy vs. what would not be worth it for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder why they don't just drop the membership altogether. So many more people would shop there.

Basically, Costco makes its money on the membership fees, not its products.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/05/how-costco-wholesale-corporation-makes-most-of-its.aspx

How can that be when so many people say they are getting back the fee in the form of a bonus check at the end of the year? Seems like they'd be better off reeling in all the shoppers who are on the fence or having a weak moment rather than exclude them.

There are so many people who have memberships and rarely go.

Also once they join they compare other prices less. Amazon is the same way...they know there make more money off of prime members...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I go to price club almost once or twice a week. One reason is that I entertain a lot and Costco allows me to be a generous hostess with food and booze.
Another is that we have figured out what we like and how not to waste. My weekly purchase for a family of 4 ncludes apples, oranges, baby spinach, milk, mushrooms, bread, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers.. Every two weeks I replenish onions, yogurt, eggs, organic chicken, salmon, paneer, cereal. Stuff like cream cheese, butter, cheese, pesto, cooking oil, spices etc do not get relenished as often.

Which Costco still carries paneer? I haven't seen it at mine in ages.

Fairfax Costco has it.