Considering a BJs membership...

[KTSMOM]

We recently rejoined BJ's after about a year hiatus. They had a special that you could join for $40 for 14 months and if you didn't like it after the first 60 days you could cancel and they would refund you the joining fee. If you did that then you would have just about 2 months to see if you were getting better deals there vs grocery store.
I like that they give you coupons and you can use your coupons as well. You can get some great deals that way.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

I was just at ours on Saturday and was told they are enforcing the policy that if your item weights less than 50lbs you have to life it up and put it on the conveyor belt for the cashier to scan. So that means heavy cases of water, 42 lbs containers of kitty litter all must be lifted from the flat bed or cart and placed on the belt. The cashier is no longer allowed to scan the heavy items you leave in your cart or flat bed. The cashier said she had just gotten written up the day before for not obeying this rule. She said she hates the fact she has to make her customers lift those items because that means she too has to lift them from the belt and into a cart or flat bed.

Was this BJs? If so, that's a local rule. We don't make anyone lift water, soda, kitty litter, large pet foods, etc. it's safer and easier to scan in the cart. As long as the cashier is checking beneath the item for smaller items then there should be no issue. Who the heck wants to lift all that weight repeatedly?

 

[Dax]

We love the place. We have had all 3 club memberships at one point. I enjoyed Costco, but the one in Orlando was nasty, and did not have as good as a selection at the one we went to in Tampa when we signed up during a special at the fair. I hate Sams.

We buy water, baby items(they used to have good earth friendly diapers for a great price, and now they are gone as of 2w ago), deli meats and cheese, grass fed ground beef, lots of organic products. We usually do one or two stock up runs a year. A box of garbage bags lasts DH and I almost a year. But we do stop there about every 2 weeks to pick up water and deli meats

 

[minushka72]

I was just at ours on Saturday and was told they are enforcing the policy that if your item weights less than 50lbs you have to life it up and put it on the conveyor belt for the cashier to scan. So that means heavy cases of water, 42 lbs containers of kitty litter all must be lifted from the flat bed or cart and placed on the belt. The cashier is no longer allowed to scan the heavy items you leave in your cart or flat bed.

The cashier said she had just gotten written up the day before for not obeying this rule. She said she hates the fact she has to make her customers lift those items because that means she too has to lift them from the belt and into a cart or flat bed.

This must be a local thing. I never have to take the large items out of the cart. It's is safer for the cashier if you leave it in the cart also since they have to lift it off the conveyor belt at an awkward angle and put it back in the cart.

Anyway, I get a special deal through work so my membership is $40 for 15 months for the basic or $80 for the rewards (also 15 months). I save more than my membership on milk alone. The milk prices here are $1.00 or more less than the grocery store. So 1 gallon of milk per week (we actually use 2 per week) and I save $52 over the grocery store which is more than the yearly member fee. Add in savings on deli, a great bakery and so much other stuff and we save a lot. It also helps that our local club is on the same street as my work.

 

[pryncess527]

I've been a BJs member for years, but it never occured to me I might get a discount through my employer! Sure enough, I do. Nice to know, I'll be using that next time I renew. So many reasons to love the Dis, I learn something new every day!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I love BJs just for the deli! Their meats and cheese are SOOOOO much cheaper than Stop & Shop (our main grocery). And the quality just seems better too. And it's like a regular deli. If you want half a pound of turkey, you can get it. I was afraid everything was going to be huge quantities but it's not! I'm in there every week for the deli.

Milk is much cheaper than other stores. Cases of water.

Ziploc sandwich bags! Odd, I know, but great for the kids' lunches and super cheap with good quality.

Nutella. I can buy the giant jar there for the same price as the small jar at the regular market.

Those are just some of the things I end up buying there all the time!

 

[Judyat]

We have memberships to BJs, Sam's and Costco. Because BJs is the closest that's the one we use the most. It's handy and it has a good selection of items.
We do get to Sam's and Costco but not as often. So for us it's which one is the closest.

 

[3CW]

I love BJs, but take my opinion with a grain of salt- they write my paycheck
BJs has three things that the Costco around here does not.... A deli dept, fresh sliced cold cuts, an express checkout lane, and a self checkout lane. The waits in Vostco can exceed a half hour on line, and no additional registers are ever opened, when I used to go in for one or two quick items the wait would drive me away. At BJs I jump on the express lane and I am out quickly.

The Costco nearest me has four self-checkout lanes. And thank goodness, because it's the quick trips in for milk or produce that really make back our membership cost and then some!

 

[cluvsdisney]

We have a membership and save a lot! We save tons on condiments, water, dairy, paper goods, health and beauty aide items, some produce, and cat litter. I like that there are multi-packs of usable sized items vs the giant sized items that were available at Costco (although that might have changed since I was a member).

You have to know your prices to be sure you're getting a good deal and try not to overbuy. But just last week, I bought a small tray of cut up fruit for $8.99 in BJ's the same thing was $14.99 in the supermarket.

We go food shopping less frequently now so even though the bills are higher at BJs then the supermarket, the order lasts so much longer.