Costco
#61
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 605
Re: Costco
Apparently Costco set higher standards for things like bacterial contamination (zero tolerance with whole batch being rejected) in salads etc than other supermarkets (walmart was mentioned specifically) which tend just to follow legal limits.
#62
Re: Costco
That might be true but I couldn't imagine buying salads at Walmart. It's a store I avoid at all costs!
#63
Re: Costco
With qualifying membership @ $110 that is indeed, several times the cost of membership.
It's just that if $750 is 2% then the qualifying spend in a year is $37500.
Or over $3000 a month.
Even getting three times the fee back - $330 - involves an annual spend of $16500 or nearly $1400 a month.
I suppose gas needs to be bought there to get to this level of spending.
#64
Re: Costco
I popped in when getting gas- my son loves the powdered mash from there, and it comes in a carton with a dozen or so sachets so it is handy.
Didn't get owt else though. It's just not tuned for my shopping needs- which are small scale (kids with their mum the majority of the time) and eclectic - I typically shop off-brand.
Having said that they had a site jacket with zip out liner that was really nice, for $80, and some good work trousers cheap too. If I had to buy my own PPE I'd be a regular.
Didn't get owt else though. It's just not tuned for my shopping needs- which are small scale (kids with their mum the majority of the time) and eclectic - I typically shop off-brand.
Having said that they had a site jacket with zip out liner that was really nice, for $80, and some good work trousers cheap too. If I had to buy my own PPE I'd be a regular.
Last edited by Pizzawheel; Oct 31st 2016 at 2:05 pm.
#65
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: 12 degrees north
Posts: 2,777
Re: Costco
In the uk, while of course one has t obe selective, they have some unbeatable bargains, and some american stuff you cant easily get elsewhere. Certainly their signature brand claims seem approximately true. Their pricing algorythms arent the same as the uk sellers, some big stuff is definitely a lot cheaper bought from costco, but not everything.
#66
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 605
Re: Costco
I've just been looking over their website and the rewards system is 2% up to a maximum of $750 per year.
With qualifying membership @ $110 that is indeed, several times the cost of membership.
It's just that if $750 is 2% then the qualifying spend in a year is $37500.
Or over $3000 a month.
Even getting three times the fee back - $330 - involves an annual spend of $16500 or nearly $1400 a month.
I suppose gas needs to be bought there to get to this level of spending.
With qualifying membership @ $110 that is indeed, several times the cost of membership.
It's just that if $750 is 2% then the qualifying spend in a year is $37500.
Or over $3000 a month.
Even getting three times the fee back - $330 - involves an annual spend of $16500 or nearly $1400 a month.
I suppose gas needs to be bought there to get to this level of spending.
Now I know why we have the same car we had 6 years ago, haven't been on an overseas holiday for 15 years, don't have a TV and can't afford to eat out
#67
Re: Costco
I've just been looking over their website and the rewards system is 2% up to a maximum of $750 per year.
With qualifying membership @ $110 that is indeed, several times the cost of membership.
It's just that if $750 is 2% then the qualifying spend in a year is $37500.
Or over $3000 a month.
Even getting three times the fee back - $330 - involves an annual spend of $16500 or nearly $1400 a month.
I suppose gas needs to be bought there to get to this level of spending.
With qualifying membership @ $110 that is indeed, several times the cost of membership.
It's just that if $750 is 2% then the qualifying spend in a year is $37500.
Or over $3000 a month.
Even getting three times the fee back - $330 - involves an annual spend of $16500 or nearly $1400 a month.
I suppose gas needs to be bought there to get to this level of spending.
#72
Re: Costco
Get 3% on restaurant purchases, 2% on gas purchases and up to 1% on all other purchases
No annual fee
#73
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Costco
We joined Costco again as there are some select items I like to buy there.
Yesterday we went for bath soap (works out to 62 cents per bar, same brand at Wal-Mart is 98 cents per bar) deodorant 5 pack (works out to 2.49 per each, vs 3.97 at Wal-Mart per each) and razors which worked out to about $1 per razor vs 1.99 per razor at Wal-Mart.
Items wife wanted but didn't make sense to buy at Costco:
Tide detergent. The packages are bigger, and you get more at once, but the per pod price worked out to be 0.24 per pod, vs 0.17 per pod on amazon.
Toilet paper cheaper per roll on amazon.
Mouth wash cheaper per ML on amazon.
Shave gel cheaper on Amazon.
Dishwasher detergent worked out to 0.22/pod at Costco and 0.15/pod on Amazon.
Yesterday we went for bath soap (works out to 62 cents per bar, same brand at Wal-Mart is 98 cents per bar) deodorant 5 pack (works out to 2.49 per each, vs 3.97 at Wal-Mart per each) and razors which worked out to about $1 per razor vs 1.99 per razor at Wal-Mart.
Items wife wanted but didn't make sense to buy at Costco:
Tide detergent. The packages are bigger, and you get more at once, but the per pod price worked out to be 0.24 per pod, vs 0.17 per pod on amazon.
Toilet paper cheaper per roll on amazon.
Mouth wash cheaper per ML on amazon.
Shave gel cheaper on Amazon.
Dishwasher detergent worked out to 0.22/pod at Costco and 0.15/pod on Amazon.
Last edited by scrubbedexpat091; Jun 19th 2017 at 1:47 pm.
#74
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: 12 degrees north
Posts: 2,777
Re: Costco
Their own brand washing pods are great, as are the dishwasher ones...
#75
Re: Costco
Yeah. The Kirkland brand stuff is usually big name brands rebadged.
I know I'm lucky to be in a position where I can afford to do this but I'd shop there just for the convenience factor of having efficient checkout staff who are quick, know what they are doing and are happy to help you.
I know I'm lucky to be in a position where I can afford to do this but I'd shop there just for the convenience factor of having efficient checkout staff who are quick, know what they are doing and are happy to help you.