Sam's vs Costco memberships...?

realspaazz said:
All of the big box stores also differ from location to location. If you are thinking of adding or switching your membership, ask at the customer service desk for a day pass (sometimes they have a 30 day trial) and walk around the club, look for the stuff you use, look for stuff you might like to use. Only you can decide if one or the other ( or both) is best for you.
Click to expand...

Great idea.

I'll give this a try on my next trip over that way.



TravelingJ said:
Is there a way you can work a trade on memberships with a friend? We signed up for a Costco membership a while back-the line in Sams was too long, and I didn't feel like waiting. I mentioned it at a family dinner and our niece informed us that we were still on her Sams card. I called up Costco, and put her name down for my second person. Now My girlfriend has a Sams card we can use, I have a Costco card we can use, and the niece has both. It's a win-win, and only costs each person a single membership.
Click to expand...


Interesting solution.

I may be able to do this very thing.
 
Strictly from a meat buyers perspective, Sams wins hands-down for us. We have a membership to both clubs and I can honestly say that I am very rarely purchasing meat at COSTCO.

The bonuses for us:

No bone-in butts at COSTCO, Sams has.
No Briskets of any kind at Costco, Sams has.
I like the ribs I get better at Sams.
I can get online and check Sams current meat prices locally.

I think it really does have a lot to do from location to location as another poster mentioned.

It should also be noted that 99.9% of Brethren do not live in our state, so we may be the exception to the rule.
 
We have memberships to both Costco and Sams, and through work my wife has a BJs membership too, and we use them all.

Not much to add to what has already been said above.

For us, the things that we prefer are split amongst them. Example: Sams has half gallon jars of slices jalapenos @ $3.25, and Costco doesn't have them. What I save at Sams, over the supermaket price, on Jalapenos alone almost covers the cost of that membership. Yeah, I use a lot ... put them in my salad every night.

I just pick which one I'm going to go to based on what will be most advantagous (depending on what I need) that wekend, and I am not averse to hitting two in one trip if my needs and the savings warrant it.
 
It really depends on your area. I love Costco for everyday stuff, but they do not carry any competition meats except for chicken, and it is not that great. My Sam's club carries bone-in butts, IBP hand trimmed ribs and ok chicken. It sometimes carries angus packer briskets, but rarely. They have a larger selection of catering/cooking supplies than Costco. But for everyday stuff I prefer to shop at Costco. It is cleaner, has better samples and has a better electronics. So long story short, you need to check them out if you can see which one in your area has what you need. And then join. BTW the sams club where I used to live was way better than costco. So it really depends on where you are.
 
We used to switch back and forth between the two: One year at Costco, the next year at Sam's. Due to their warranty policy (the warranty is only good as long as you are a member) we stopped switching and stuck with Costco since we needed to extend a particular warranty. However, this year I think we are going back to Sam's.

We have four Costcos and two Sam's near us and there does not appear to be any set standard for either. The stores carry different products and have different prices (I purchased a clock radio that was $10 cheaper at one Costco than the one we normally frequent.)

Customer service also varies. Unfortunately, the Costco we normally frequent has the worst (the major reason we are considering going back to Sam's this year). The checkers just sit and talk with each other while the lines back up.

The best thing to do is to visit the stores near you and decide based on your impressions.
 
It doesn't appear that anyone has mentioned that there is no need to choose because a Costco Executive Membership is actually free. Yes, it says it costs $100, but with that $100, you get 2% back on all your Costco purchases. That means if you spend $5000, then you get your $100 back at then end of the year. One thing that people don't know is that if they didn't get a full $100 back at the end of the year, then Costco will refund the difference. I'm embarrassed to say what our rebate check typically is. :oops:
 
Gore said:
It doesn't appear that anyone has mentioned that there is no need to choose because a Costco Executive Membership is actually free. Yes, it says it costs $100, but with that $100, you get 2% back on all your Costco purchases. That means if you spend $5000, then you get your $100 back at then end of the year. One thing that people don't know is that if they didn't get a full $100 back at the end of the year, then Costco will refund the difference. I'm embarrassed to say what our rebate check typically is. :oops:
Click to expand...

Great point!

And I share your embarassment.
 
We were Sams family until they opened Costco in Charleston years ago....never went back. We love their meats and seafood....their bakery...great wine selection and good beer selection.....it is almost one stop shopping for Christmas and throughout the year.

I have always been 100% satisfied with quality of meats and products...and the one or two times we had issues..they were very helpful in the return and replacement or refund...but over the many years that has only happened twice and were very isolated in my opinion.

I dont know what Sams is today...last went in one in 2004...but I dont think you can beat Costco overall.
 
Gore said:
It doesn't appear that anyone has mentioned that there is no need to choose because a Costco Executive Membership is actually free. Yes, it says it costs $100, but with that $100, you get 2% back on all your Costco purchases. That means if you spend $5000, then you get your $100 back at then end of the year. One thing that people don't know is that if they didn't get a full $100 back at the end of the year, then Costco will refund the difference. I'm embarrassed to say what our rebate check typically is. :oops:
Click to expand...

I had no idea about that. Thanks for posting !!!


I wonder if the Executive membership allows for earlier hours shopping?

That would be really nice.
 
Gore said:
It doesn't appear that anyone has mentioned that there is no need to choose because a Costco Executive Membership is actually free. Yes, it says it costs $100, but with that $100, you get 2% back on all your Costco purchases. That means if you spend $5000, then you get your $100 back at then end of the year. One thing that people don't know is that if they didn't get a full $100 back at the end of the year, then Costco will refund the difference. I'm embarrassed to say what our rebate check typically is. :oops:
Click to expand...

My wife were talking just this week about getting a Costco membership.

I had always heard about Costco rebating the difference between the executive and lower memberships if the cash-back threshold wasn't met, but looking through the fine print in their membership documents about the Executive Membership found this:
Costco does not guarantee that your reward will equal or exceed your Executive Membership upgrade fee nor does Costco automatically refund any shortfall between the amount of your Executive Membership 2% Reward and your upgrade fee.
Click to expand...
I may be wrong, but it reads to me like they won't do the rebate between the regular membership and the executive anymore.
 
cricky101 said:
My wife were talking just this week about getting a Costco membership.

I had always heard about Costco rebating the difference between the executive and lower memberships if the cash-back threshold wasn't met, but looking through the fine print in their membership documents about the Executive Membership found this:
I may be wrong, but to reads to me like they won't do the rebate between the regular membership and the executive anymore.
Click to expand...

It's not something they have ever advertised, but it is something they do. At rebate time, they usually have someone walking through the lines asking people who have rebate checks if they're for under $100 in our Costco. I know they did this last spring and have done it previous years to that. I think it's pretty hard not to spend $100 a week there. I also know they do this at other Costcos in other states. They only topped us off one year when we were living in Europe. They also refunded us for the full $100 and not the difference between the memberships. You could also go in and ask if they do that at your local Costco.
 
Someone posted awhile back saying to get a bone in butt at Costco's you just ask the meat mongrels to get one in the back, they take the bones out and package themselves. So since you still have the bone in you get it at cheaper price then the bone out, this is still a conspiracy theory I don't eat that much pork but the next time I buy butts at Costco I'll be asking for the ones in the back.
 
We are Costco abusers. I really like their ribs, not the cryo packed ones, our Costco often has some that appear to have been packaged on site.

Here is how we abuse them. We have the Costco AmEx card. If you do not have it and are an executive member, get it. Why? AmEx also pays cash back yearly, so we get a nice rebate from Costco and one from Amex. We also use our AmEx everywhere we can and pay it off at the end of the month. I never carry cash, always use my AmEx and get a nice fat check from them. Costco and AmEx pay me to shop there.
 
You can use your debit card at Sams Club. NOt sure if it has to be either Visa or Mastercard.
 
caseydog said:
I was a Sam's member for years. Now I am a COSTCO member.

Meats and other products are about the same, IMO, as well as prices.

However, COSTCO employees are definitely happier in their jobs, from my observations. The founder of COSTCO catches a lot of flack on Wall Street for treating his store-level employees too well in pay and benefits. Wall Street prefers Sam's, for sure.

IMO, the employees at COSTCO are more friendly and helpful than the employees I dealt with at Sam's. They actually seem to like their jobs better.

CD
Click to expand...

This. ×'2

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2
 
i was working in deep south texas( mcallen area) this year and the costco there had packer briskets and fresh cut st louis ribs at times we got briskets for 1.50 lbs it was great i wish the costco at home sold the same stuff. but my family loves costco the steaks r excellent and you can get prime grades if you want
 
I didn't even mention the way the staff is treated, my long time friend, some 32 years, has work at Costco for 22 years now. He loved his job and is able to support his family on his wages.
 
I know here in Birmingham, Alabama there is only one choice.... COSTCO! Sam's is pretty bad here as far as store upkeep and overall shopping experience. And every Costco I have been to have a MUCH better selection of everything, and that includes meats. I don't mind paying a few cents more per pound for better looking meat and a much wider selection. That may be an isolated thing here in Alabama though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

rwalters
Pellet Cookers 101 - Part One
Replies
0
Views
535
rwalters
rwalters
rwalters
Pellet Cookers 101 - Part Two
Replies
0
Views
355
rwalters
rwalters
M
M1/M36 grill vs Kamado
2
Replies
32
Views
3K
travismagee
travismagee
B
One More Vacuum Sealer Thread
Replies
3
Views
339
bgross88
B
AKMIMNAK
How Do I Smoke Boneless Pork Butt from Costco - Same as Bone In?
2
Replies
29
Views
11K
Baychilla
B
Back
Top