Sam's Club or Costco? Is It Really Worth It?

I have a family of 4, and we do quite a bit of shopping at Costco. Of the two stores I prefer Costco because of the high quality of their merchandise, and the fact that they treat their employees well.

5 moms found this helpful

We are a family of four and I absolutely would hate to have to give up my Costco membership. I adore Costco, they have great products, excellent customer service and the best return policy anywhere.

I highly recommend a Costco membership. We have their Executive membership, which costs $110 and offers 2% cash back, so every year we get a check. The check is always more than the membership fee, so we make money :-). Can't argue with that.

4 moms found this helpful

We are a family of three (husband, wife and doggy). We have a Costco membership for many years now. We prefer the quality and the brands Costco brings in comparison to Sams, we are not anti Walmart per se, but Walmart and any store related to Walton Corp is not our favorite.

Costco has great satisfaction guarantee and return policy. The price of organic milk and the quality and price of their meet can't be beat.

If your Costco has gas station, they have the additives that generally the supermaket gas stations don't have. The price of the gas is usually the lowest in their 5 mile radius.

The Kikland brand which Costco's generic brand, is not really generic, you see most of the time that a famous brand name has packaged it spefically for Costco.

Overall, we have been very happy with our membership.

3 moms found this helpful

I love Costco! They get WAY , too much of our money. Is it worth it?... I'm not sure but I love their products.

3 moms found this helpful

Hi! Love, love love Costco! Their Kirkland brand things are awesome. There is no high fructose corn syrup in their ice cream. They are beginning to carry some great organic stuff at great prices. I can't afford Whole Paycheck but I can swing Costco prices. You will save a ton of money on things like milk and cheese and veggies. Oh, their men's jeans are great, they actually survive being worn by my husband. Real Speedo swim suits for girls and women at amazing prices and I even find the cutest things for my little nieces.
Is everything a bargain? No, but most stuff is better priced and you can count on the quality of what they are selling. The real key is to not get carried away by all the stuff. I send Bruce regularly (he passes at least two a day in his travels) to pick up milk. But when you do the big shop (I do it once a month) be prepared, the amount will be scary. But you get into a rhythm to buying things and life is so much easier not shopping all the time.
Lastly, Costco is a company we all need to be supporting. They are excellent to their employees and actually care about their customers.

2 moms found this helpful

I watch prices very carefully. I bargain hunt all the time.

Sams was cheaper than Costco on 7 of the items I checked last. Costco was cheaper on one item and they tied on one. Sams membershi[p is $35. Costco's membership costs $50.

Sams and Costco are more expensive that my local grocery stores on meat and vegetables when the meat and vegetables are on sale. Example: Pork ribs were $2.99 lb at Sams and Costco. They were $1.79 lb. at my neighborhood store (National brand). Dairy items are cheaper at Sams and Costco than at my local stores, the same with spices and toilet goods. You just have to know your prices.

The only reason I have a Sam's membership is that I save enough on gas, spices and miscellaenous and dairy products to pay for the $35 membership fee. If I couldn't save the $35 membership fee, I wouldn't be a member.

If I were to join one, it would be Sams.

Good luck to you and yours.

2 moms found this helpful

Yes we save a lot plus with a little work we eat better than we would at the grocery store. We have more storage than the average bear. My older two call the one section of the basement the food pantry. It is just one small shelf but yeah, it kind of looks like a food pantry.

I think the mistake people make is not knowing how to store everything. They shove stuff in their closets so they don't know what they have or they buy meat and the like and throw part away because they didn't freeze it right.

Oh, we have a Costco membership. We used to have Sams but I didn't like the meat as well as Costco so we switched. Sorry but Wal Mart beef is gross!

1 mom found this helpful

It's worth it!

Gas
Diapers
Organic products
Meats,
Toiletries
And school snacks are the best...
I would recommend getting a membership!

1 mom found this helpful

I would say it is worth it. I might be an expensive trip to Costco or Sams but just remember you won't have to buy those items for awhile. I also like to buy clothes for my kids at Costco, great prices and quality. Maybe you could split the membership with a family member or a friend. My sister and I share membership since you are allowed 2 card holders.

1 mom found this helpful

We have a Costco membership and we are a family of 5. We've had it since around the time my first son was born if not longer. We use it all the time! We have the Executive Membership which is more expensive but you get back a percentage of your purchases. Every year since we got this membership we have been able to renew it with our refund and have some left over for our groceries that day so essentially the membership is free. They have great clothes, fantastic prices on books, DVDs and Blurays. We have bought a couple of our cameras from them over the years and a couple laptops. Not to mention our family groceries. We use their store brand laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, diapers and wipes. We buy our soy milk there. We buy our kids' OTC allergy medicine there. Their produce is great and they have a good meat department. Some things are too big for us because we don't have anywhere to store and freeze a lot of extra but if you have the ability to break it into smaller portions and freeze it you will find even more that you can use.
A few years ago all the grocery stores that were part of the union went on strike that went on forever. Grocery store shelves were empty because delivery trucks refused to cross the line. We took the time to walk each and every aisle at Costco and tried what they carried of all our staples. Between Costco, Trader Joes and Sprouts with Target for bits of random items we do all of our shopping and never set food in any of the big chain grocery stores unless we are in a pinch for something specific. We don't miss the big chain store anymore, we get better food and Costco makes it easy to get a lot of things in one trip so we're not wasting our time going all over town to get what we need.
ETA: I forgot to mention we also get our glasses there as does my dad. He gets all his prescriptions there and the very rare time s we need them we get them there too.

1 mom found this helpful

Love Costco! I have read a few posts and I have to say that they return policy s the best. We have the $110 membership, and get cash back every year. Our cash back always ends up bringing our membership fees down below what a regular $50 membership costs. We buy gas there. I buy there milk, hormone free, and usually the price is $1.85 gallon. I have ever seen it higher than 2.28. We buy he purdue frozen chicken breasts, cereal, detergent .... They also have a fabulous wine selection! We have never tried the Kirkland brand of wine. We have a wine fridge so this comes in handy :). I love their paper towel, strong, absorbent, and doesn't leave a ton of lint everywhere. Cheerios are also on my regular list at Costco. Costco Has the best tortilla chips, huge bag for $3 something. My daughter drinks carnation breakfast essentials (powder that u mix with milk) every morning, because she is not a great eater unless she has been up for a long time. I get a 30 ct box for $9:98. We also love their spinach and mozzarella ravioli. It's in the frozen section, great because u can make as little or as much as u want. They have the small water bottles that are great for luches. I agree with another poster that you can get carried away, especially on a first trip, but they only exept debit cards, cash, or AMEX. So, you really keep in mind, IMO, how much u are spending. They send coupon books, once a month, so you can save even more on certain items. Oh, I also buy my contacts there. I have great insurance (which they do not take) but I can get contacts there for $15 a box, leaves my insurance for new frames or Rx sunglasses! The next time we are in the market or a new TV, we will definitely be buying it there, not just because of price but because of their great return policy. Oh yea, and my husband bought new Bridgestone tires, for his car, last year. Lol! I have never shopped at SAMs so I can't make a comparison.

My Sams has expired and I was wondering if I should renew there or go to Costco. The Sams is right by my house, Costco is much further away. I still have not decided.

I do think you save money but you have to have money to save money. A good trip there can cost you 300 bucks. Yes it lasts much longer but a lot of people are on a strict weekly budget that cannot take a big hit like that all at once.

It is worth it if it isn't completely out of your way. We don't have a Cosco, but have really enjoyed our Sam's membership in the past year. I am like 8KidsDad. I compare everything. There are some brand named things that I buy, and when I compare them to Walmarts prices, they are cheaper. Milk is almost always $.25-$.50 cheaper a gallon compared to Walmart, and nearly $1 or more cheaper than local grocery stores and gas stations. Gas is almost always $.05 cheaper a gallon than ALL gas stations down here.

We have a select group of items we always buy and have slowly added some items. We also like the seasonal items they bring in....like last night we bought Halloween costumes for the girls. And, at the end of the S. season we bought a cedar playhouse for $300 off the online price and $100 off the in store price. That is the girls' Christmas present. Sssshhhhhh. Don't tell them! :)

Totally worth it. We're a small family of 4. (2 y.o. and 4 y.o. girls)

One thing I didn't see mentioned in the posts I read here -- storage space at home, or lack of it. We only had a BJ's membership for diapers and formula and then dropped it when those were done for us. I don't know how folks who stock up on large amounts in these stores have space for it in their homes. Our house is too small for us to buy heaps of things and store them for long periods until they're used up. I know others with the same issue. If it's bulk buying that saves the money, the bulk has to go somewhere once you get it back home.

I don't know about Sams Club but, I would say Costco is worth it.

We go to Sams club. What we buy there is :
Diapers and wipes, which are a huge price difference
Meat, fresh and frozen
Beer, also a huge price break
Dog and cat food
Plug ins air fresheners
Garbage bags, $8 case lasts us 4-6 months
Raspberries and strawberries, my dd eats them like no tomorrow
DVDs and other randomn items

Once my kids are older, and eating more, we will probably start buying more snack foods and cereal there. Its worth it, especially if you have a kid in diapers.

I have a costco, and I think it saves me a lot. we are only 3 in my family, but I get all the snacks, drinks, and other items I need for school lunches, and I just use them as I need, without having to go to the store every week for jut those items.. for instance, a bag of chips at the store is $3 + and it doesn't last 2 days, in my house, I get the large box at Costco, and it last 2 weeks, and its only a dollar or so more than one bag at the store...

hope this helps.

We have a Costco card. Though we don't use it for everything, some things I do prefer to buy there are laundry detergent, snacks, spices, and some items like plastic storage containers. Find out how they mark clearance or discontinued items. You can save money buying those items. Also, SAMs Club has a money back guarantee. If you find you don't use it much you can get a full refund at any time. I got my refund after 8 months and they didn't give me a hard time about it. I think I got back a lil less because of taxes in the city I went to for the refund vs the city I purchased the membership through.

I say yes, yes, yes, but then I'm old.

Yes but I only use it for things like toilet paper, tiny water bottles, diapers,
premade frozen dinners you pop in (they're tasty, cheap & good in a pinch). pizzas, tamales etc.

I use it for Christmas food: biscotti, chex mix, M&M's etc.

Toothpaste, their cheap pizzas for parties, soda packs for camping etc.

Otherwise, I buy everything else cheaper elsewhere (only 1 other stop).

We have a Costco membership and we love it. My husband drives by it on his way home from work, so once or twice a week he will pop in and pick up dinner. They have great "ready-to-cook" meals. We also buy all of our household products there (detergent, TP, paper towels). They always have a unique selection of seasonal items.

As other people have said, their return policy is excellent. On electronics they extend the manufactures warranty by 1 year. I had purchased a small flat screen TV for the kitchen and almost 2 years later is stopped working. I, of course, didn't have a receipt. I took the TV into Costco and they were able to look up the purchase and it was just under the 2 year mark and right there on the spot, they gave me a brand new replacement TV, no questions asked.

So, yes, for that reason alone the membership is totally worth it. Good luck and happy shopping!

I have a membership to both :) I also have a deep freezer so I can go in and stock up on a LOT of stuff and only have to go once a month or so.

I guess if it's worth it or not would depend on what you use a lot of. I have different things I buy from the different stores ... I prefer Costco's meats, breads (except for hoagie rolls those I get at Sam's) I also get most of my sodas, water and paper products at Costco ... they just have a killer deal on their brands. From Sam's I tend to get paper plates, snacks, chips, and certain frozen foods as well as lunch meats (they have a KILLER deal on deli lunch meats).

After reading a few of the other responses I do know that Costco has one of THE best return policies EVER. On their food items you can get a full refund if you didn't like the item (even if all of it got eaten). Detergents and all that stuff is the same way ... bring back the bottle (even if it's 99% empty) and they'll refund the money if you didn't like it for ANY REASON. I have yet to find something *I* disliked enough to do a return, my hubby didn't care for a laundry detergent I tried, but it did the job fine as far as I was concerned LOL

I used to have a Costco Membership, but it really wasn't worthwhile. Most of the time the prices at Costco were the same as the prices at Superstore, only at Costco you had to buy in huge quantities, and there wasn't much of a selection, so I still had to shop somewhere else anyway. Sometimes Costco's price is higher than Superstore. I hear it is worth while if you use the pharmacy. Our neighbours have a lot of prescriptions and have a Costco membership to save on their prescription drugs. I go and shop with them from time to time and I really don't see many deals. What I do like is the product sampling and the hot dog stand. You can go for appetizers then lunch.

Both are a good deal, if they fit your lifestyle.
I opened my Sam's Club card when they came to my area in 1996. I purchase my tires & batteries (great program--tire care at any Sam's across the country--had a flat on vacation in Niagara Falls and had it repaired free!). I used to purchase the best priced gas at Sam's, but we opened a Costco card last year, when one came to our area, and with the +membership, it comes with a gas rebate at the end of the year, as well as now being the cheapest place to get gas in our area. I still do most of our shopping for our family of five (Mom & Dad, 2 kids, and Grandma (who gets her Sam's meds much cheaper than CVS). We were purchasing diapers, formula, baby wipes, detergent (we always refill smaller containers) and laundry stuff, shampoos & soaps, ziplock bags, meats & fish, all dairy, some frozen veggies, produce, occasional clothing and shoes, some gifts & liquors, photos and photo invitations (what a bargain!!!) & Holiday cards, and things like that at Sam's.
When we go to Costco, we look for unusual more expensive things like luggage & toys, and electronics. Costco has the BEST return policy. They don't hassle you for receipts (it is in their Amex system, as to what you bought, so they have the receipt, if you purchased it!). We've returned and exchanged things that Sam's would not (since at Sam's, you have your choice of payment method, and Sam's does not have such a liberal return policy).
We now buy our gasoline exclusively at Costco.
But we have to pay two memberships!

We are a family of 4 and have had a Costco membership for years. We buy practically all of our fruit and nuts there and it is much cheaper than the food store. I also like their rotisserie chickens and frozen meatballs. You can not beat the price of their cakes. We also buy our contact lens there. We have an executive membership too and we shop there enough that the cost is covered by the dollars we "earn" back.

I'm curious, too. Our neighbor offered to lend us her membership but then we'd have to bother her. We have a Costco opening up soon. Is it worth it for mostly a family of 3?

Costco! They have the best deals on Huggies diapers, carter's, pool supplies, bakery, batteries, ziplock bags, etc...we also buy fuel for our cars and with the $110 membership you get a percenage back. We spend enough in a year to pay for our membership. You really should take a walk through both stores to see what they have.

As with any club membership, it really depends on what items your family uses on a regular basis, how often you would plan on going, do you have the type of income where you can aford to stock up.

I highly recomend you visit each store. Take a look at the items you know you'll purchase on a regular basis. Compare the prices to both Sam's and Costco and to your usual grocery store.

We have a BJ's membership, family of 4 (me, hubby, teen girls). We save a small fortune. The location is extrememely convenient for us, as I pass it on the way home from work, so sometimes I'll stop in for just an item or 2.

I didn't read all of the replies, but I will guess that my opinion is going to be wildly different ;) because I think neither of these stores should even exist. Even if it means spending a little more money (and really, it's usually just A LITTLE!), to "vote" with our dollars for local businesses when possible.

I've been a member of Sam's in the past, and I thought, at the time, that it was worth it. Of course, my membership was deeply discounted through work, and I was a single mom. I spent a lot of money there that I shouldn't have been spending at ALL.

Disposable diapers might be cheaper there, but cloth ones (and they make really easy ones now, like Fuzzi Bunz) will last through all of your kids, plus you can sell them online for almost the price you paid for them new! Napkins and paper towels are cheaper in bulk, but cloth ones last years, and your trash pickup costs will go down as well. The same on so many other things, like Windex? Just use vinegar- it's cheap by the gallon anywhere!

I still shop bulk, but I try to do it in a more eco-friendly way, that still helps my budget....

I buy meat from Irv and Shelly's http://www.freshpicks.com/cms/ or
Wallace Farms http://www.wallacefarms.com/
(and try to have a meatless meal at least once a week)

Grains and other odds and ends come from Azure Standard
https://www.azurestandard.com/ (you have to create an account to see prices, but they don't send spam emails)

Produce comes from the farmer's market. I've made friends there as I've become a regular, and I often get "seconds" or freebies. I've also started my own garden, and been amazed at how much one little patch in my backyard can produce, and how my kids have learned about "farming." My older daughter (12) has even volunteered at greenhouses locally, she enjoys it so much, and is joining 4-H this year. That is something no big-box store could have given or sold to our family, and I am grateful that the (seriously!!) little bit of hard work we put into a couple of raised beds paid off so much in so many unexpected areas of our life.... New friends, new hobbies, amazing healthful food....

Our milk comes from a local farm as well, though I know raw milk is not for everyone. We have learned to make our own yogurt, and do so sometimes, as well as the occasional homemade ice-cream.

Toiletries come from drugstore.com or vitacost.com, using ebates to click through and get cash back, plus I buy enough for free shipping each time.

Just some food for thought from another perspective. I don't have to deal with crowds, sales, coupons, returns, travel, parking, hauling kids into the store who don't want to be there, finding room for the items in my house, worrying about impulse buys or overspending (for the most part... I still get carried away sometimes!!)

Happy to talk more about any of these things, if you have more questions. :)

M.

Yes, their prices are great. I am a member at Costco and love it. The only problem I have is with storage in the house. I have space in our garage to store paper products and non perishables so that is a lot of what I buy. They send out coupons monthly and they are a great deal. I stock up on what is on sale each month.

They are the cheapest place for toilet paper, diapers and baby formula that I have found. Check out shampoo's and vitamins. If they carry your brand, you will save a lot.

I have a set list of things I buy at Costco. For those things, it is worth it to us. Plus, I lOVE their Kirkland brand wipes. BEST EVER.

My husband travels a ton for work. We use our Costco Am Ex for all those expenses... and get a big check back from them at the end of the year. It's win win.

I love Costco! It's about an hour from my house, so I only go about every 6 weeks. However, it's worth it for the $$ I save on certain items and the quality of the Kirkland stuff. Paper towels, toilet paper, juice boxes for my son's lunchbox, the big box of Special K, the Kirkland beer, the 6-pack of romaine, the big block of cheddar cheese, coffee, eggs, tuna fish, chicken breast, bread, Pop chips, grapes, grapefruit, strawberries, blueberries, walnuts, almonds, sponges, garbage bags, laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, so many toiletries. I could go on and on, as you can see.

I do recommend you go in with a list and stick with it, though. Otherwise, Costco can very quickly become the "$500 club" as I like to call it. The unplanned splurges can really add up fast.

I feel that it depends on what you like to buy. We were 2 of us and were given a membership to Sam's and it was out of our way and we bought mostly store brands and so it was more expensive for us and we didn't go there much. We also get meat once a year in bulk so that is not a buying point for us anywhere.

Fast forward 5 yrs and we have now been members of Costco for nearly 2 yrs. We go about once a week - if for nothing else, gas. It's generally cheaper than everywhere else and that pays for the membership in itself. It's not out of the way for us either which is why it makes it a good buy. We already have a 25 cubit chest freezer for our meat and so the bulk frozen stuff is easy to toss in there too. They have some of the BEST cheddar cheese! Fruit tends to cost the same or a bit more than sales at Meijer's but you can get it at that price all of the time. Due to food sensitivities now in our family and Meijer's refusing to provide ingredients info for their private lines, we buy more name brand stuff at Costco. I'm not sure though that with out the gas that it would be such a great deal, but that puts it over the top. They also have amazing ppl working there that are so kind and helpful.

H.

I like Sams best, and we have both cards. We have decided to keep the Costco card, because we like their hams for the holidays, and their rotisserie chickens. They are both way better than Sams. I personally don't think it is worth keeping the card for Costco because of those 2 items, but my husband does. And everytime I go into Costco, all I encounter are RUDE people. Even the people that work their are rude. I don't get that at Sams.

We entertain a lot and honestly I love Costco to help me gets lots of good yummy stuff for cheap! Plus, I like to donate snacks, wipes, etc. for my kids preschool so I buy the big boxes there.

Their cakes are seriously to die for and they are SO cheap! The rest of their bakery doesn't have a lot of variety but everything is pretty good.

The meat is a good price and I've never been disappointed with their lamb chops!

I buy bottom wipes and toilet paper there for us and it's nice because it's a while before I have to to restock. Plus, I use vinegar as a cleaning solution and as a fabric softener and the big jugs are only like $2 there. And I agree their clothes are great!

Do I save money?...well that's questionable honestly. The savings I probably would have had I spend on "must haves" like something I sampled or a giant bag of pistachios I didn't really need.

Costco. And yes - amazingly worth it!!

We were a family of 5 when we had Sam's club. We hardly ever used it because it was a pain. Plus I did not think we really saved money. My brother has Costco and loves it, uses it all the time.

It's worth it! Shampoo, diapers, paper towels, toilet paper, fruit, nuts, fish, meat, eggs, milk, Tide, Downey.....We are a family of 5 and it works for us. Obviously you shop wisely. If you can store it,buy it. Also, it's based on your usage of products. I go through tp & pt like crazy.

We are only three and I find it worth it.
We are with Costco and I LOVE their Kirkland products. We go about twice a month sometimes we only get milk and bread and sometimes we stock up on other things as well.

Here is what I buy:
toilet paper and paper towels
bread (comes in a two pack, freeze one while using the other) and bagels (slice and freeze, toast up in the morning)
fruit (I will buy fruit that does not easily perish, like apples)
greek yogurt
milk (two gallons of milk will last us almost a month, which is still with their expiration date)
eggs
hamburgers
pasta
coffee
dog food
laundry and dishwasher detergent as well as cleaner

I also occasionally buy meat and veggies, especially when I am preparing freezer meals. And now and then I will get cheese.

We have also gotten great deals on once in a while purchases for household items like batteries (we go through a lot of 9 V), DD's life vest and other stuff. And I have bought great kids clothes at Costco: one pair of Hanna Anderson leggings is $20 at the HA store, a two pack at Costco is $16.

It took us about a year to figure out what to buy and what not to buy (for example we skip the toiletries sections altogether) . The secret is to compare to supermarket prices taking the unit price.
It also helps if you have a big pantry and freezer... in our last house we never bought meat since we just didn't have the freezer space!

Good luck!

I am a single parent with a 5 year old son and I save the Sam's membership fee in dairy products alone. Milk is about $1 cheaper and a brick of cheese saves me almost $7. I only go every other month or so, but usually make back my membership fee in six months. When my son was in diapers and supplemented with formula, I would make back the membership fee in two months. We don't have a Costco here, so I can't compare the two.

We let our membership go.
I'm ALL about one stop shopping.
To me, just another PITA stop to make!
And they're not "giving" anything away at either.

we have had sams club card for years. then we got a costco card and i quit using sams right away. the choices are better at costco and yes i do save money on juice boxes, water, bread, you name it. we have the amex through costco so we get a check at the end of the year, and we can also use coupons.

I'm a Costco person because I boycott Walmart/SAMs. Don't get me started.

We are a family of 3 and we use Costco for many basics. My regular list is butter, cheese, to, paper towels, dishwasher tablets, dishwash liquid, Clorox, canned veggies, allergy meds.

I spend about $ 600 every 4-6 months to stock up

I do not purchase meats, fresh veggies, fruits, etc

I have a Sams membership because I've never had a Costco near me (now that I moved they are building one, so I may have to reconsider). Food is cheaper, diapers, etc. The only problem is it's in bulk, in our new place we don't have the storage room I had in the last place so I'm trying to work through it (as far as Toilet paper, paper goods, etc). Food, you have to make sure you use it or freeze it well so it's not wasting (then the good deal wasn't such a good deal). Other items are pretty good deals too. We only get our cell phones from there . . . they give the rebate on spot vs mail in - love that!!

Hope that helps.

I go to Sam's Club. We've been doing it for 4 years now. Every year I save over $2000 (last it was $3100). We're a family of 6. I love that I can do "Pick n' Pull"! I go online, put everything I need in a cart. When I have everything, I tell them when I want to pick it up. (Usually 24 hours later.)

The next day I go to Sam's Club, stop by customer service, give them my name and pay for my items. They call back to the guys in the back, who bring me out my cart(s) and I'm out. Typically it takes no more than 10 minutes. There have been a few times when they're super busy and it takes longer.

Either way, money saved, time saved and I can buy in bulk, so I'm not shopping every other day or even once a week.

i joined again but this time I used it as my childrens school buisness I really like it but hated paying for the membership.I really need to sit down and find what is cost effective to purchase as for snacks and items for parties it is so is some toiletries.I like and love to buy in bulk now that I have more children I can't always get out when I need to so having things on hand is great for me