Yesterday my husband and I did some shopping at both Sam’s and Costco. Because he rarely is with me on my warehouse club shopping trips, we found ourselves looking at lots of items. It gave me a chance to think about what I buy in these clubs and why.
I found that there are three primary reasons why I purchase something at a warehouse club: price, convenience, and fun. I examine each of them in greater detail below.
Price: No doubt about it, there are bargains to be had. In my neck of the woods it’s hard to beat Sam’s or Costco on things like milk, spices, and over-the-counter medications. Even gas can be had for a penny or two cheaper per gallon than anywhere else. I find my price book handy when I want to know whether something is a true bargain or not.
Convenience: Even when the warehouse club is not the cheapest place in town, it’s a decent alternative when I don’t have the time or motivation to comparison shop and make multiple stops. A loss leader sale at the grocery store might result in a better meat price but I can’t always afford to wait for one. Walgreen’s Sunday ad might have a better price on toothpaste but CVS might have a better deal on Kleenex and that’s assuming that either place has any left when I get there.
I know my warehouse prices are at least competitive on these things and I can get what I need in one stop when my time or energy are in short supply.
Fun: It goes without saying that this is where a shopper can get into all kinds of trouble. The warehouse clubs are full of all kinds of fun items that I didn’t know I needed until I got there! Electronics, books, clothes…even that giant-sized tub of animal crackers that will go stale long before I can get through them.
I have two thoughts on this: One, I’m fairly disciplined in this regard. I can get in and out without a lot of diversions. And two, everyone needs a little fun in their (shopping) lives. Even when I do pick up something that’s not on my list – a book or a blouse, for instance – it’s usually not something that will break the bank and it’s something I might have bought somewhere else for more. In fact, I tend to do much better at warehouse clubs than I do at someplace like Target.
So, here it is, my best advice for warehouse shopping:
1. Keep a price book.
2. Make a list.
3. Stay focused.
4. Have (a little) fun.
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In regards to Sam’s Club, I find it *very* useful for business, but not so much for my home life. I use it for strictly bulk business items. (I run a bakery. So by bulk, I mean 25 pound bags of sugar and flour and 4.5 pound bags of chocolate chips.)
BJ’s is helpful for meat and other items that we can buy and freeze and we’ve discovered that their deli is excellent in terms of price and quality.
I do have to be careful when we go to BJ’s as a family. We have to restrain the impulse to buy things “just because”. “Just because” usually means we let half of it go to waste.
All in all, I think the clubs can be useful, but they can also be very wasteful.