Consumer Reports ended its May article comparing Costco versus Sam's Club by listing some money saving tips to use when shopping at a warehouse club store. Here's a summary of what they suggested:
- Make a list and stick to it.
- Know how to identify super-bargains. At Costco, “.97” at the end of a price generally indicates discontinued or slow-moving products. At Sam’s, a “C” at the end of the item number denotes a canceled item.
- Compare the club’s unit prices to those at your supermarket for heavily discounted staples. Supermarkets might be less expensive.
- For big-ticket items, compare the club price to that of other retailers by going to sites such as PriceGrabber.com or BizRate.
- Consider splitting large buys with friends. Otherwise, don’t buy in bulk perishables or medications with a short shelf life (check the expiration dates). You’ll end up tossing a lot away.
- Try unfamiliar products judiciously.
- Pay with cash; it’s a reality check on how much you’re spending.
- Shop on weekdays, preferably when the store opens or in midafternoon. That’s when crowds tend to be lighter.
Here's my take on each of these (as a frequent Costco shopper):
1. Of course. Making a list and sticking to it is saving money when shopping 101. Good luck actually sticking to the list in a club store. We did it. Once.
2. I'll combine my comments on 2 and 3 above by saying that you need to know the retail and sale prices of your household basics (as well as how often they go on sale and if they have coupons.) You can then compare these as you shop at the warehouse clubs on a per size (ounce, pound, etc.) basis. There are two ways to do this: 1) Via memory. This is my wife's method and it can become frustrating as I stand there waiting for her to recall the size and price on a bottle of ketchup at our local grocery store. 2) Write it down. A price book is a wonderful thing -- no memory is required. I wish we had one, but alas, I am prohibited from making suggestions when it comes to our grocery shopping habits. ;-)
3. Covered above.
4. Yes, shop around, especially for big items. (For instance, like I did with car tires.)
5. We've split purchases with friends on occasion, but generally it seems like too much of a hassle to coordinate.
6. Yes, yes, yes! We've learned the hard way not to take a risk on something we know nothing about that comes in a jumbo size! And even on items you know you like, ask if you really need that many of them. (I still have several boxes of staples I bought years ago at Sam's Club.)
7. Nope. I prefer to pay with my Amex card since it earns me money.
8. We shop on Saturdays around 11 am. The crowds aren't that bad yet, but the samples start to come out. You can have an entire meal for free by tasting all the samples (but be warned, you'll end up buying several of them.)
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