Are you a member of any wholesale clubs?

[calypso*a*go-go]

Another vote for Costco!!! I just love the quality/pricing of the merchandise. The other thing I like is that you can return anything you don't like -- no questions asked. This comes in handy if you have purchased a huge quantity of something and it isn't up to par. We've also used Costco for souvenir shopping when on vacation (Hawaii, for example).

 

[PamOKW]

Just curious how some folks got free Costco memberships. Is it related to where you work? The membership fee is the main thing that keeps me from shopping Costco. We aren't a very big family so there is that great a need for lots of bulk shopping but they do have some items that are great.

 

[dizneenut]

Used to have BJ's and Costco (the free year) but never renewed. I have just Sam's now. I love Sam's. I am there at least once a week. Just stocked up on milk last night.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We purchased a membership in Direct Buy (formerly called UCC totalhome) a couple years ago before starting on the new house. We have not only made up for the couple thousand in fees, but have also saved several thousand with the wholesale pricing on all the appliances and especially plumbing fixtures. It was a great buy, but I doubt we will renew a fourth year, once we have everything for the house.

 

[delikado]

How do you get a free membership?!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I don't know about everyone else, but I have the Executive Membership @ Costco that cost $100/yr. but ends up being free as you get a 2% rebate on everything you buy. I split the membership and share the card with my mom. When you have two families buying, that 2% adds up really fast. My rebate has always been way more than the renewal fee.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

We have a Sam's Club Membership. It's a Business Account.

 

[castlegazer]

I have a BJ's membership. I have had both a Sam's and a Costco membership in the past.

There are only slight differences in food prices and variety in merchandise (I actually tend to like a lot of the Costco foods) but the real difference is that BJ's has decided to forgo the business clientelle and focus on woman and residential clients so they have a greater variety of grab and go (prepared foods you just heat and serve) foods and they have introduced Lifesizing in their food packaging so you don't have to buy huge quantities all the time - I just bought a normal size sour cream yesterday and only 2 pounds of salmon. They also have aisle markers (so you spend less time walking aimlessly up and down the aisles), take coupons, have the greatest flexibility in payment options and are trying to incorporate gas stations into almost all of their locations that they can. My BJ's here also just reset the club and took away those giant tall steel scaffolding everywhere so everything is now open and bright and cheery.

Thumbs up for BJ's.

By the way, you get free memberships depending on promotions in different areas of the country. If they have a new club they are trying to promote and grow memberships at. BJ's also has the 2% rebate program at $75 per year.

 

[monarchsfan16]

We have BJ's and Sam's memberships. I like BJ's better, because we've had their membership longer and I'm more used to their set up, but my stepdad likes Sams better (probably the same reasoning). BJ's has a lot of prepared foods, and a much bigger frozen food selection. We buy all kinds of stuff in bulk, with 5 people in the house. Particularly frozen foods, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. Definitely gives great deals. Also as someone else mentioned, BJ's takes regular coupons, in addition to the ones that come in mailings that come out pretty frequently.
Most people choose their membership based on location, because all of these places are pretty similar. You will notice that places like Sams have a lot more office type stuff than BJ's do. Not sure on Costco; I've never even seen one of those, let alone been inside one.

 

[ripleysmom]

I have Costco and BJ's.

I go to Costco for their meat which is awesome. BJs by me sells gas and has nice selections of books and clothes.

Costco has better prices, meat and produce. BJs has a better selection of items though.

 

[Microcell]

Costco seems cleaner and has more party stuff! I go there usually twice a week, for milk if nothing else!

 

[Alice28]

Another serious Costco fan here- you just can't go wrong with them! We spend about $200-300 a month on our groceries there for our family of four (which includes two hungry boys). I buy almost all of our meat there (and divide it up and freeze it), bread, dairy (except butter/sour cream- too much for us to use up), frozen foods, fruits, books, DVDs, gifts, film developing (SUPER CHEAP AND GREAT QUALITY- we recently converted to digital and it's only .19 a print there), treats/chips and as previous posters have mentioned, great party supplies! I have the executive membership and earn 2% back on our purchases, (and we buy enough to make a slight profit from this), plus we switched from AAA to their car service, a $60 savings, and you can order checks from them- $7 for 400 checks! (And cute printed ones!). That made the executive membership make sense for us. Recently we bought a portable 7" DVD player there for only $219- great deal!