Tag Archives: costco

Good morning! Happy Tuesday!

As promised yesterday, today I wanted to kick off blogging with a buying in bulk tutorial. Is it worth it? Are there items worth buying in bulk? Are there items you should never buy in bulk? Are you actually saving by buying in bulk? Let’s get some answers.

In a US News article, they highlight 3 huge sources of “bulk-buying failure”:

1. Perishable items

2. Unnecessary items

3. Items you don’t have room to store

These are all pretty sensible. Perishable items you’ll have to make absolutely sure you can finish before they go bag. Personally, I find that sometimes I have trouble finishing normal sized perishable items, so bulk perishable is simply not on the table for purchase, unless there’s a party to plan for. Unnecessary items are exactly as they seem: unnecessary. Buy items in bulk that you regularly use and KNOW you will use. Otherwise, you’ll be finding yourself trying to take hundreds of Tootsie Rolls to the face, just because. And, of course, always make sure you have room to store bulk items, otherwise they are just a hassle.

“Good” bulk items:

1. Bathroom items: toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels, soap, shampoo&conditioner, etc. These are items that you use daily and always find yourself running low on. You’ll never be upset to have extra of these things.

2. Household items/cleaners: trash bags, detergents, etc. Same story as bathroom items – you’ll always need these things!

3. Dried pastas, beans, rices: these will never go bad, and you will always find use for them. Great to have on hand.

4. Household and office supplies: notebooks, pens, lightbulbs, etc. These things never get old and always need to be replaced.

Now let’s get to a price breakdown for the top bulk stores. This should help you figure out what option is your best!

Costco

Executive Membership: Executive Membership is our highest level of membership. All Executive Members enjoy a 2% Reward (up to $750 per year) on most Costco purchases, as well as additional benefits and greater discounts on our suite of services.

Business Membership: Business Membership, available for business owners and managers, allows the purchase of products for business, personal and resale use. Business members may also add up to six additional card holders to their account for an additional $55 each, includes household membership.

Gold Star Membership: This option is mostly for individuals. Gold Star Membership is available for individuals who want to purchase products mainly for personal use.

*An article by twocents.lifehacker.com notes that Costco is an incredible source for saving money depending on what you buy, and compiled a list of Costco items whose items will single-handedly pay for your membership fee. Tires, wine, and rotisserie chicken. Good thing we love rotisserie chicken!

Sam’s Club

Sam’s Plus: Cost is $100. This membership allows Cash Rewards ($10 for every $500 spent, up to $500 annually), Extra Protection Service Plan (additional year of coverage), Early Shopping Hours, Extra Value Drug List for Plus Members, Optical Plus Member Benefit, Optical Discount RX Eyeglasses, Sam’s Club Mastercard, Instant Savings, Tire & Battery Center Access, Club Pickup, and Add-On Memberships up to 16 people.

Sam’s Business: Cost is $45. This membership allows Early Shopping Hours, Optical Discount RX eyeglasses, Sam’s Club Mastercard, Instant Savings, Tire & Battery Center, Club Pickup, and Add-On Memberships up to 8 people.

Sam’s Savings: Cost is $45. This membership allows Optical Discount RX Eyeglasses, Sam’s Club Mastercard, Instant Savings, Tire & Battery Center, Club Pickup, but no Add-On Memberships.

*An article by WCPO notes that Sam’s Club is a worthy membership if you shop at Sam’s Club at least 9 times, depending on how much you spend during each trip.

BJ’s Wholesale

BJ’s Perks Rewards™ Membership: A business card option, you can earn 2% back on most BJ’s in-club and online purchases. $100/year

BJ’s Business Membership: A business membership for any size business that comes with a FREE second membership card. Enjoy tax-exempt or resale options for business or personal purchases. $50/year

BJ’s Perks Rewards™ Membership: A personal version of the business option – 2% back on most BJ’s in-club and online purchases. $100/year

Personal Membership: For individuals and families with a FREE second card for a household member. $50/year

*An article on timesunion.com notes that BJ’s is totally worth it, especially if you buy certain items (diapers, formula, gas, and pet food are specifically mentioned)

A forum on community.babycenter.com notes that you can often times get a free 30- or 60-day membership to any of the clubs. Check out your local bulk store and see if they can work with you so you can give things a trial run and see if it is worth it for you and your family! Hope this helps 🙂