Sams Club or Costco....Which is better?

[Anonymous]

Sams club is cheaper and I will not be a heavy user (single mom with one child). But is Sams club as great as Costco? Particularly with the fresh food section? Its hard to rationalize this membership, but in the past I have loved going to Costco. I just don't want to be dissapointed if I choose the more logical choice which is Sam's Club. Any advice????

[Anonymous]

We really like BJs. I'm not sure their prices are as low as Sams Club, but they run great coupons each month ($3 off or more) AND they take regular coupons, too. (Good for diapers.) I think you can do a one-day membership to check it out and see whether you like it.

[Anonymous]

I was a Sams member in Texas, but switched to Costco for convenience. My parents live in an area not served by Costco (hostages to Sams). Let me just say, they always schedule a Costco day into their visits with me here!

I think Costco outshines Sam's in almost every way. Their house brand is better, they have better prices (imo), they move stuff faster and mark it down sooner, I just really prefer it to Sam's.

Also, if you get an Executive Membership at Costco for $100/yr (instead of the basic $50 card) you get a 2% rebate on all your spending. They will pay you the difference if you don't get enough rebate to offset the $50 difference between the two membership types, so you can't lose.

I try to do all my heavy shopping there for the 2% back and the rebate I get on my Amex card. Can you find a friend or neighbor who can split the food with you, so you don't have to stash a bunch of food or waste the perishables? Maybe form a little Costco co-op to buy in bulk and save each other some money?

[Anonymous]

I second the recommendation for BJs. They're great for diapers (and everything else).

But, between Costco and Sam's, I'd definitely go with Costco.

[Anonymous]

I belong to both. i usually go to costco for 2 reasons: it's about 30 minutes closer to my house, and they take amex. Costco diapers are better, but Sam's wipes are better. Costco has better produce (by far). Both have problems with long lines. Other than that, I think it's sort of a wash.

[Anonymous]

Costco for ethical reasons -- I'm very anti-Wal-Mart and therefore anti-Sams.

[Anonymous]

I love Costco, but I've never been to Sam's so I really shouldn't comment. I was wondering though, do you really think it's economical to join if it's just you and your baby? Seems like you could save more money going to Walmart. Not everything is a great deal at these warehouse stores, and you definitely end up spending more money because you have to buy larger quantities. I always ended up throwing away a lot of the fresh produce I bought. DH and I just couldn't eat 20 avocados in a week, for example, when they all ripened at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Costco for ethical reasons -- I'm very anti-Wal-Mart and therefore anti-Sams.

Second this. Costco has some of the best labor practices in the country. The CEO caps his salary at seven times (I think) that of his lowest-paid employee. And Wal-Mart is, well... you know.

[Anonymous]

Ok, 12 times. He makes $350,000. The wal-mart CEO pays himself over $5 million. Costco wages are, on average, 40% higher than wal-mart's. And the list goes on.