We used to be members of Sam's Club (warehouse store similar to Costco, owned by Walmart). Raising 5 kids it was easy to use up that 55-gallon drum of mayonnaise. But a few years ago we let the membership lapse because we just don't need warehouse store quantities these days. Anyway... I got an email from Rakuten with an offer to join Sam's Club for $45 and get a $45 gift card. I have no interest in the deal, but if any of you would like to join Sam's, here's a LINK TO THE OFFER. Offer expires 2/28/21. Speaking of warehouse stores, I kept the Costco membership for a while longer but it also has lapsed. I found that I can order from Costco's website as a non-member and pay a 5% upcharge, so that works for me. I like their Kirkland k-cups.
I got a COSTCO membership when I first moved in here in 2010, and found myself buying things I did not need in irrational quantities. Your Sam's Club offer is enticing. Folks around here prefer them to COSTCO. As a single guy I just can't justify it.
I really love warehouse stores, but it's so easy to buy "stuff I never knew I needed." I used to enjoy just wandering around in there, trying all the food samples from the ladies with hairnets.
I'll tell you what I did. I thought I was gonna be a prepper, so I bought some bulk stuff for TEOTWAWKI. One of the things that was recommended was baking powder. I forget why. So I bought a 1# plastic container of it with a screw-on lid. Fast-forward a few years and it had expired, so I decided to get rid of the contents and keep the container. I tried and I tried to get the lid off, but for some reason it was stuck. Silly me did not realize that some of the powder has started acting, and the thing was under pressure. After much effort, I finally got the lid unscrewed. **BOOM!!** It literally exploded all over my kitchen, with fine white powder going everywhere. All I could think of was Lucille Ball. It took forever to clean up. I decided that if the poop hits the fan, I'll just jump in right behind it.
Bumping this old thread to mention that Sam's Club is having a membership promotion this week to celebrate their 40th anniversary. An annual membership is $10 until April 19. That's a savings of $40 if anyone is interested. CLICK HERE
Damn. I just joined COSTCO last week. I got the high pressure to get their Executive Membership ($120), but opted for the regular one ($60.) The guy told me that he used to manage their gas station so could attest to the additives they put in the gasoline.
We are big on Costco and now do the majority of our shopping there. We also only buy their gas, always cheaper and they do (or ours does) supplement with their own additives. When Costco got their top tier rating, I asked the attendant about it and he said they had a hard time getting the additive tanks installed because, you know, Maryland. Our car has a little turbo 4 cylinder so we always use Top Tier, 93 octane.
Back when Sam's Club first came here (1980s?) they had a deal for businesses. If you could get 5 employees to go together, each could pay about $10 for a year's membership. I tried it a couple years. It was useful once when I was in charge of the annual picnic. Bought some hamburger buns that were terrible. Just fell apart. It was embarrassing. They had a computer section that was interesting, with discontinued models of desktops. They had a free guest membership in store at that time. Just to look around. I think the way they handled it was a surcharge if you bought anything. They still have those online.
I had no idea that COSTCO did their own mixing on site. I thought the guy was full of BS. Now I feel bad (a little.) I, too, have a 2019 4 cylinder turbo and always ran high test through it until the Biden price want through the roof. My car adjusts to all octane levels. Low octane gets great mileage, high octane increases the HP by 25 or so at a certain RPM range. I've always used Top Tier, even though I'm skeptical as to its value in Direct Inject engines. I read a lot of "...but it's still a benefit" stuff, but never any real details as to what that benefit is. edit to add: It was their Top Tier gas that caused me to choose COSTCO over Sam's Club. COSTCO is not that far out of my way from my weekly shopping excursions into the city.
One of those ladies almost sold me on a set of CUTCO kitchen knives during my first visit back after 10 years. Made in the USA, baby. I almost kicked the Germans and the French out of my knife drawer.
Yeah, the price stuff gets absurd at times. The past couple years, price ranges have narrowed a bit but there have been times that Costco 93 octane was over $1.00/gal less than our closest Exxon for the same 93. That’s too much savings to ignore.
You didn't miss anything. My husband bought some Cutco knives years ago and they basically suck when compared to a Japanese or German knife, in my opinion. I don't believe I've owned any French knives.
We have Costco here,I LOVE Costco,mainly for their paper products they last me about 6 months.I can't afford the membership but the Homecare worker I have till after my Surgery does have a membership so it's nice for now.Everything extra goes into transportation to and from the heart sciences center which is about an hour away.I'll be glad to turn 65 next year,they say life gets easier with OAP.We'll see.....lol