If you belong to a warehouse club...

[mrsbornkuntry]

I think you got a good deal on your membership and this will be a great way for you to try it.

My mom has a Sams membership and she would take me shopping a couple times a year and I would buy a lot.

Now a Costco opened in our town and I bought a membership. I am still more used to Sams at this point so I would have to say I like that better. Plus learning to shop at a warehouse store more often is completely different than shopping a couple times a year.

I have settled on going about every 3 weeks. I stock up on milk and apples, and then a few other entree type and/or meat items, and snack type bars. I have been sticking under $100 each time.

My best advice with teenagers in the house is to ration your bulk items. For example, the first time I bought a big box of granola type snack bars, I put the whole box in the cupboard. They were gone in a week. I was not too happy. Now when I buy a box, I only put a week's worth in the cupboard and stash the rest. I then restock each week.

The thing I have found frustrating is that sometimes they discontinue an item that I got used to buying.

Anyway, I think you will like having another shopping option and you don't need to renew if you find it wasn't worth it to you.

That's a good tip about only putting a week's worth in the cupboard, my kids would definitely eat all of them at once if they were available.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I think what I will do to start out is make a list of meals for the month as a guide. Then I will shop there first and stock up on what seems to be cheaper per unit compared to where I usually shop. Then I will shop my freezer/cupboards filling in where I need to from Food Lion. Of course I will adjust that if it doesn't seem to work out for me.

 

[Eureka]

It's $100 for the "Plus" membership. Regular is $40. The living social deal is still worth it, you're paying $5 more for the membership but getting a $20 gift card, a free chicken, a free pizza, and a couple boxes of free cookies.

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What does the "plus" part get you (not including the free stuff from the living social deal)? BJ's has a business membership that I think gets you more points or water when you use their credit card, but I am not aware of any other upgrades. I totally think it was worth it for reduced membership and free food and GC you got.

 

[Eureka]

My best advice with teenagers in the house is to ration your bulk items. For example, the first time I bought a big box of granola type snack bars, I put the whole box in the cupboard. They were gone in a week. I was not too happy. Now when I buy a box, I only put a week's worth in the cupboard and stash the rest. I then restock each week.

Exactly what I do with snacks, whether I buy them at BJ's, Target or Giant. If everything was left out in plain sight, it would be gone in two days. I have 12 and about-to-be 10 yr old boys and I still manage to have a few hiding places they have not discovered yet, lol.

 

[smallsteps]

We price match at Wal-Mart and shop sales, so many items we purchase there because it's cheaper (and saves gas not driving around everywhere!). As far as Costco, I like to buy meat (Wal-Mart is picky about price matching and Costco is cheaper than regular prices), fruit (I can usually get it the same or slightly higher than price-matched items, but it lasts so much longer than Wal-Mart because it's fresher), Kirkland wet wipes and gas. I am usually suckered by some of their toys/books/children's clothes .