# Does Costco membership worth it?



## gibor365

Never shopped in Costco and was curious if Costco membership worth it? What is the difference between Costco and other supermarkets like RCSS or Highland farm? Is Costco cheaper or has better selection?
I checked Costco online and looks like game meat or seafood you can order only online (and you don't even need membership for it).Is it true?


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## OutofBounds

Like i said in my MC thread, 95% of our groceries and nearly all our fuel come from Costco. We have a pretty fixed meal plan to optimize our fitness and help manage our budget, so we're able to buy in the larger quantities without it going to waste. We eat a ton of fruits and veggies, nuts, chicken and lean meat. Here in Grande Prairie, their produce is just about the best in town. Their meats are second in quality only to the pricey independent butcher shop. Their bakery is excellent as well. For two people eating 4 - 5 times a day, our food budget is under $400 per month. 

We've found their Kirkland Signature brand items to be cheaper and generally of better quality than the name brand stuff. For example, we buy the Kirkland Colombian ground coffee in the big tins. It's significantly cheaper than Starbucks or other name brand stuff and it's very good. 

The Costco return policy is fantastic. No questions asked. We had an appliance crap out 2 years after buying it. Just on the off chance they'd warranty it, we asked. Nope, but they'll return it and give us a brand new one. Deal. They extend electronics warranty by a year as well iirc. 

Propane for BBQ tanks is the best price I've found anywhere. $8 to fill a 25lb tank. No need to bother with those exchange a tank scams. 

Fuel is about 10 cents per liter on average less than anywhere else in town. Driving a 2005 Tundra with a 4.7L V8, I fill up about twice a month. I save $8 - $10 per tank of fuel each time. That alone pays for the Executive Membership we have, which offers cash back (which comes as a Costco gift certificate thing so you need to spend it there). 

Using the Executive Membership we got $70 cash back rewards, so we'll us that on our next trip. They also offer passport photos, inkjet cartridge refills, a pharmacy, tire shop and how can you not love $1.99 for a huge, high quality delicious hot dog and drink at their concession stand???

So yeah, I'm a Costco fanboy. LOL. I have yet to buy online from them but I've heard nothing but good things about it. If you want to try it out, I've heard you can buy a gift card which will let you shop in the store without a membership. The trick to Costco is to figure out what you need and stick to a list. It's real easy to go in needing a box of chicken breast, tin of coffee and some produce but come out with a $500 bill because you found other things you "need".


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## Mukhang pera

Whether it is "worth it" depends on what you are buying and how much.

Some things Costco offers are priced better than a lot of other places, but not everything, always. So you have to know prices and compare. Also, probably not worth it if you go there only a few times a year and don't buy much.

When I lived in California years ago, someone gave me a Costco membership for 2 years, so I used it because it was free. I noticed there, in those days, that Costco would sometimes, apparently, get a great deal on a container load of a certain item and they would sell it at a good price. Even some oddball items. For eg., I recall they had a whole load of 9.9 hp. Mercury outboard motors at a very good price. I even considered buying one and told myself, "next time". I learned with that kind of thing, there is no "next time". That item won't be sold there again. So grab it while it's there or forget about it.

I had no membership for many years after returning to Canada. What prompted me to sign up again was their price for propane, which we use for our on-demand hot water system here at our off-grid location. We also use propane for a small stove, although we generally cook on a wood cookstove. We pay at Costco about 1/3 of the price anywhere else. It's cheaper still compared to buying from the fuel boat that goes by us once a month.

So we signed up for the $110/yr. membership, instead of the basic $55 membership. I can't recall the exact details, but the $110 membership gives back a percentage of purchases and we took out a Costco/Capital One credit card which gives some cash back. We do not spend a whole lot at Costco (mainly because there is not one close to us), but the rebates pretty much pay for the membership each year. But even without that, for us, the saving on propane alone makes it worth it. We use about 300 lb./yr. At Costco, we can fill up 3 100-pounders for about $120 total. The price at a gas station in town would be 3 times that. I just looked at my records and I see that we last bought from the fuel boat in May 2013 and paid $209 for 200 lb. At the same time, we bought 797 litres of gasoline at $1.4326/l. + 5% HST. Costco offers discount gas. But priced no better that gas at the Superstore using a PC Mastercard, which gives a credit of 7 cents/litre to use in the store. So now we buy all our gas there. Not as convenient as the fuel boat delivery to the house, but much cheaper. Now, if they would just sell diesel as well.


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## Mukhang pera

OutofBounds got in there while I was typing and confirmed what I said about propane. I agree with the comments on Kirkland products. We buy their big tins of coffee and it's pretty decent. 

I have not really bothered to do a close comparison to say, Superstore, but my _impression_ is that things like meat, produce and bakery products are well-priced. And they do offer some things you do not see elsewhere, like whole beef tenderloins. They cost about $100 or so, but cut up and put on the BBQ, hard to beat.

I was also going to mention the hotdogs. We usually arrive at our Courtenay store around noon and that is usually lunch. But unless they raised the price, we pay $1.50. I read somewhere not long ago that the price was set in 1983 and had never changed. Maybe now it has. As of early December 2016, it was still $1.50 at Courtenay. That includes soda, but I pass on that and drink water.


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## gibor365

> Whether it is "worth it" depends on what you are buying and how much.


 We spend on groceries about $1,200 - 1,500 per months, more before holidays, much more before New Year  ... Buying a lot of meat, fresh/live fish, salads, veggies, fruits, mushrooms ....
For example I like RCSS because they have live trouts , sometimes fresh and cheap salmon...
In Highland farm, I like to buy meat, it always fresh and good quality and veggies/fruits.
And about once per quarter I drive to Yummy Market in Vaughan as they have the best cheeses, kolbasa, salami, smoked salmon ,sturgeon and tons of yummy Russian food .
I've heard good review about Costco, but never visited .... so just curious if it's worth start going there....
I've seen online pretty interesting things, but not sure if I can buy it in store, and I hate buying food online (want to see and smell before i buy) .
The problem with Costco that the closest one is 15+ min driving, and RCSS is 2 min driving... Costco with gas is more than 30+ min driving 1 way.... so not feasible


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## OutofBounds

Mukhang pera, just an FYI; the Grande Prairie Costco recently installed diesel pumps so you may see diesel at your Costco soon enough.


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## Mukhang pera

I hear ya' on the driving, gibor.

For us, to go to RCSS involves a half hour in our boat and 15 minutes of driving. Costco adds another 30 minutes of driving (one way), so we go there, on average, every 2 months. We get to RCSS almost every week. There, we probably average about $400 per trip, not including gasoline. Let's just say we _always_ get the freebie. You know, where they say "spend $250 in store today and get a free turkey, or 25,000 points (or whatever)". 

RCSS used to just give one freebie no matter how much you spent. Sometimes I would ask the cashier to cut it off when we reached $250, allow me to pay, and start again. I would do that when I knew we'd spend over $500 and I wanted the freebie times 2. Now they'll spare you doing that. We spent about $1,100 one day before Christmas and came home with 4 free turkeys (well, to the extent they can be characterized as "free" when you just shelled out over a grand.

I have family living in Ontario, 3 hours north of Toronto. The nearest Costco in in Barrie, 2 hours south. They still have a membership and think it worth it, even though they do not go every week.


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## Mukhang pera

OutofBounds said:


> Mukhang pera, just an FYI; the Grande Prairie Costco recently installed diesel pumps so you may see diesel at your Costco soon enough.


Thanks for that bit of info! Courtenay just sells gas, same as RCSS. So if the Costco starts selling diesel, we'll take it. I am sure it will be less than the gas stations that sell diesel. We use mostly gas, but perhaps go through about 15 gallons of diesel per month. Probably not economic to drive to Grande Prairie just for 15 gallons of diesel.


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## Eder

We use the $110 card...usually get back a bit more than that each year with cash back. 

Card is really useful in the USA if you like decent wine/spirits. 

They get any tire in for you if they don't carry the correct ones with a road hazard warranty that is actually honored. 

Their receiptess return policy blows everyone else away...

We've used their car rental deal many times...much cheaper w/o any bs. 

Of course we buy larger sizes at times than we require...we give extra away to friends. 

Here in Mexico I can buy Choice USDA steaks, where if you've ever tasted Mexican beef its a good thing. Mexican beef is unaged...no feed lot, only grass fed etc so even though USDA is garbage compared to real Albertan beef its better than nothing.


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## Mechanic

We have the executive membership which is $110/yr and where we were living when we joined was almost 3 hrs each way. We also use the mastercard part for just about everything. Really like produce, meat, bakery etc. I have a big assortment of coffee pods but my favourite is their Kirkland keurig pods and its a good price too. Big savings but easy to pick up extras in there. Just cashed a $700 rebate too. Probably use it more now as I'm only 20 mins away since moving.


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## andrewf

Costco is not going to be a one-stop shopping experience for you Gibor. They do have a lot of good quality and well-priced items, but they won't sell a lot of the specialty items you describe. You also have to be okay with buying a lot of it at once. Meat it usually sold in 6 or 7 pound containers (like 9 chicken breasts, 9 large sausages), which for me means individually packaging and freezing. Their sausages are great, but not obviously not kosher if that is important.

I find buying giant condiment containers (like ketchup, mustard, etc.) to be a waste of fridge space.

Given your food budget, it sounds like you will get value out of a membership.


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## twa2w

If your Costco has a liquor store, you can't beat the prices but some bottles are BIGGG. Silver tequila is 1.75 litres ;-) 

Pharmacy items and things like eyeglasses or photo reprints are cheap relative to other stores.
Also Costco has a fair amount of organic stuff, far cheaper than any other store, but you have to find it.

The items they sell on line are not always available in store, but you can return them to the store.

Note that you used to be able to go to any Costco and get a tour or a temporary card or something like that that lets you go into the store to look around before you join. Not sure if this is still available but the basic membership of 55.00 is fully refundable if you try it for a few months.
I have had a friend go to the Costco, tell the guy at the door his wife had the card, and she had come in ahead of him while he parked. He got to walk around the store and check prices and selection. Of course he couldn't buy anything without a card.


Note also that the prices are coded
Prices ending in
.97 are markdowns
.79,. 49, . 89 are special deals 
.88 or. 00 are manager markdowns on items not selling well at that store
An asterisk in the top right of the price sign means no reorder.

There are a couple of othrs I can't think of just now.


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## andrewf

Honestly, you can just walk in to a Costco without a membership. I used to do it all the time when I worked near one (cheap hotdogs) for lunch. You just walk in like you own the place.


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## northernguy

I also recently was happy to discover their oil change prices are far and away an amazing deal compared to dealerships and most anyone else around. An oil change for my Odyssey was only $49 + tax (synthetic). Walmart is $69, the franchise oil change companies $89 and Honda $150-400 depending which 'service' they were trying to force me to get each time. I stuck with Honda until the warranty recently ended and will stick with Costco now.

Overall great for buying higher quality items in bulk for decent prices. Not the cheapest you'll find, but good value most of the time.


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## bobsyouruncle

northernguy said:


> I also recently was happy to discover their oil change prices are far and away an amazing deal compared to dealerships and most anyone else around. An oil change for my Odyssey was only $49 + tax (synthetic). Walmart is $69, the franchise oil change companies $89 and Honda $150-400 depending which 'service' they were trying to force me to get each time. I stuck with Honda until the warranty recently ended and will stick with Costco now.
> 
> Overall great for buying higher quality items in bulk for decent prices. Not the cheapest you'll find, but good value most of the time.


If they have a tire place do they do oil changes as well?


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## gibor365

> If your Costco has a liquor store, you can't beat the prices but some bottles are BIGGG. Silver tequila is 1.75 litres ;-)


 AFAIK, Costco is not allowed to sell alcohol in Ontario... Only LCBO (except beers and wines, Beer Store and some supermarkets can sell it). I actually usually buy hard liquor in 1,75l bottles, as it cheaper and lasting longer


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## northernguy

bobsyouruncle said:


> [
> If they have a tire place do they do oil changes as well?


Here in Ottawa that is the case.


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## twa2w

gibor365 said:


> AFAIK, Costco is not allowed to sell alcohol in Ontario... Only LCBO (except beers and wines, Beer Store and some supermarkets can sell it). I actually usually buy hard liquor in 1,75l bottles, as it cheaper and lasting longer


Yeah, that is an Alberta thing. 
1.75 litre bottles are rare out here in most stores. Most are 750 ml. Except some wine and of course boxed wines in 5 litres. Costco also has some larger beer cases like 48 can sampler packs but these are a seasonal thing.


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## twa2w

andrewf said:


> Honestly, you can just walk in to a Costco without a membership. I used to do it all the time when I worked near one (cheap hotdogs) for lunch. You just walk in like you own the place.


That depends on the store. All the ones in Alberta that I have been to insist on seeing a membership card. Even when I walk in with Costco bags. They will even check for cards with some people going to the returns or membership area.

Of course in their liquor store you don't need a membership.


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## gibor365

> That depends on the store. All the ones in Alberta that I have been to insist on seeing a membership card. Even when I walk in with Costco bags. They will even check for cards with some people going to the returns or membership area.


From what I heard, going to Costco pharmacy ,you don't need to be a member. Didn't try it yet, but want to try... 


I just want to see what they sell in store...esp i'm interested in Bison, Lamb & Game Meat and Seafood sections


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## jargey3000

twa2w said:


> That depends on the store. All the ones in Alberta that I have been to insist on seeing a membership card. Even when I walk in with Costco bags. They will even check for cards with some people going to the returns or membership area.
> 
> Of course in their liquor store you don't need a membership.


...Curious about this.... our store seems to be hit or miss on walking in without a card..
But WALKING IN & looking around is one thing.... can you then actually shop & buy something without a card? Don't you have to show your card at the checkouts?


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## Spudd

jargey3000 said:


> ...Curious about this.... our store seems to be hit or miss on walking in without a card..
> But WALKING IN & looking around is one thing.... can you then actually shop & buy something without a card? Don't you have to show your card at the checkouts?


No, you need a membership to buy (except for pharmacy, I've heard).


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## twa2w

I believe the ' no membership for pharmacy' is an American thing based on their legislation.
The selection varies somewhat from store to store and province to province. I have seen lamb in the stores in Alberta but never any venison or game.( other than bison burgers one time). Some fresh salmon, steelhead trout etc and some frozen fish. Decent prices but selection varies week to week. So if you see it this week it may not be there next week.
The store I frequent has organic chickens, organic ground beef, organic produce, quinoi etc. Expensive compared to non organic but far cheaper than planet organix or the like.
Remember Costco buys in volume and sells with low mark up so likely difficult to source game in the quantities they need.
You will find most stuff is high quality.

They make little profit on each item. In fact it is rumoured that something like 70% of profits are from membership fees.


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## gibor365

DId anybody buy online?
I found some interesting stuff

https://www.costco.ca/seafood.html
https://www.costco.ca/bison-game-meats.html


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## BBB

What I have usually done is get someone I know with a membership to buy me several $25 Costco gift cards and just go in and use those a few times a year since I don't need much.


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## Eder

gibor365 said:


> DId anybody buy online?
> I found some interesting stuff
> 
> I buy online stuff for friends back in Canada...fast delivery always top quality.


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## Plugging Along

gibor365 said:


> Never shopped in Costco and was curious if Costco membership worth it? What is the difference between Costco and other supermarkets like RCSS or Highland farm? Is Costco cheaper or has better selection?
> I checked Costco online and looks like game meat or seafood you can order only online (and you don't even need membership for it).Is it true?


We shop ALOT at costco. We did take an 18 month break to see if it was worth it, and ended up going back for us. 

Costco is not always the cheapest if you compare to loss leaders in flyers, but as for an average price their prices are really good. They quality is MUCH. higher than RCSS for meats and produce. There are some things that are consistently cheaper, compared to non sale items at rcss. 
Can't speak about that highland farms which we don't have here.

You can order online without a membership except there are a few items for member pricing only and you cannot even f d out the price unless you enter you card number. 



gibor365 said:


> We spend on groceries about $1,200 - 1,500 per months, more before holidays, much more before New Year  ... Buying a lot of meat, fresh/live fish, salads, veggies, fruits, mushrooms ....
> For example I like RCSS because they have live trouts , sometimes fresh and cheap salmon...
> In Highland farm, I like to buy meat, it always fresh and good quality and veggies/fruits.
> And about once per quarter I drive to Yummy Market in Vaughan as they have the best cheeses, kolbasa, salami, smoked salmon ,sturgeon and tons of yummy Russian food .
> I've heard good review about Costco, but never visited .... so just curious if it's worth start going there....
> I've seen online pretty interesting things, but not sure if I can buy it in store, and I hate buying food online (want to see and smell before i buy) .
> The problem with Costco that the closest one is 15+ min driving, and RCSS is 2 min driving... Costco with gas is more than 30+ min driving 1 way.... so not feasible


The meat is great at Costco. The only time I don't buy from them is when I decide to put a special order at our a local farm/butcher, but then we are buying $1000 of beef. Seafood is great too, we buy a lot of salmon, tuna, trout, halibut, live mussels. No other live fish froma tank though. 

We have found gourmet chanteril mushrooms amount other things, but they are of course seasonal. We get our fruits and veggies between rcss, Costco, farmers market, and my garden . 



twa2w said:


> If your Costco has a liquor store, you can't beat the prices but some bottles are BIGGG. Silver tequila is 1.75 litres ;-)
> 
> Pharmacy items and things like eyeglasses or photo reprints are cheap relative to other stores.
> Also Costco has a fair amount of organic stuff, far cheaper than any other store, but you have to find it.
> 
> The items they sell on line are not always available in store, but you can return them to the store.
> 
> Note that
> 
> Note also that the prices are coded
> Prices ending in
> .97 are markdowns
> .79,. 49, . 89 are special deals
> .88 or. 00 are manager markdowns on items not selling well at that store
> An asterisk in the top right of the price sign means no reorder.
> 
> There are a couple of othrs I can't think of just now.


.77 means final clear out. 

if y


gibor365 said:


> From what I heard, going to Costco pharmacy ,you don't need to be a member. Didn't try it yet, but want to try...
> 
> 
> I just want to see what they sell in store...esp i'm interested in Bison, Lamb & Game Meat and Seafood sections


You can go directly to Costco pharmacy. Our friend is a pharmacist there and told is. They have the cheapest prescriptions around. I use them for our reoccurring prescriptions but not the ones I need right away. 

The have lambs, but not game meat. The closest they had to bison were the frozen burgers and smokies. The seafood is good, and the have seafood shows a few times a year. Their live muscles are great and cheap. 



jargey3000 said:


> ...Curious about this.... our store seems to be hit or miss on walking in without a card..
> But WALKING IN & looking around is one thing.... can you then actually shop & buy something without a card? Don't you have to show your card at the checkouts?


You must have a card to buy through the checkout. You can get someone to get your u a gift card, and then go in to buy stuff. We did this for the months I didn't have my membership. I have heard some locations now have it ipthat you must go to the service desk to get a temporary day card and register. 




gibor365 said:


> DId anybody buy online?
> I found some interesting stuff
> 
> https://www.costco.ca/seafood.html
> https://www.costco.ca/bison-game-meats.html


The game meat is only on line. Haven't bought those items but did buy real Kobe beef once. T arrived quickly and was good. 


M recommendation is buy a membership, and in the first year yshe u can get a refund if you don't use it. To onl on the first year though.


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## Plugging Along

Just to let you know there is some Groupon that is supposed to be a very good deal depending on your province for a coconut gold membership.


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## CalgaryPotato

I can't imagine not getting my money's worth out of Costco personally. You can't get every single item there so it can never be 100% of your grocery shop, but for the stuff you can get prices are typically cheaper than RCSS and way cheaper than the other alternatives. Like others have said, Kirkland products tend to be very high quality at very low prices. Gas is well worth it, although not to the point I would go far out of my way for it.

The cost of a yearly membership is no nominal compared to a normal weekly grocery trip, I just can't understand people who don't get their money's worth out of it.

And then you look at big ticket purchase items, like TVs, computers, tires, furniture, appliances which can often be huge savings at costco, one of those purchases a year will more than cover your membership card.

I don't know if this is still true. But you used to be able to shop at Costco with a costco gift card even if you didn't have a membership card. If that is still true, and you are really bothered by the annual fee, then you could get someone to buy those for you. But it seems like overkill.


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## Eclectic12

twa2w said:


> Spudd said:
> 
> 
> 
> No, you need a membership to buy (except for pharmacy, I've heard).
> 
> 
> 
> I believe the ' no membership for pharmacy' is an American thing based on their legislation.
Click to expand...

No idea about legislation or not but was recently told in a Canadian Costco at the Pharmacy that no membership was required.


Cheers


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## andrewf

CalgaryPotato said:


> I can't imagine not getting my money's worth out of Costco personally. You can't get every single item there so it can never be 100% of your grocery shop, but for the stuff you can get prices are typically cheaper than RCSS and way cheaper than the other alternatives. Like others have said, Kirkland products tend to be very high quality at very low prices. Gas is well worth it, although not to the point I would go far out of my way for it.
> 
> The cost of a yearly membership is no nominal compared to a normal weekly grocery trip, I just can't understand people who don't get their money's worth out of it.
> 
> And then you look at big ticket purchase items, like TVs, computers, tires, furniture, appliances which can often be huge savings at costco, one of those purchases a year will more than cover your membership card.
> 
> I don't know if this is still true. But you used to be able to shop at Costco with a costco gift card even if you didn't have a membership card. If that is still true, and you are really bothered by the annual fee, then you could get someone to buy those for you. But it seems like overkill.


Costco makes very little sense for singles, for whom buying giant packages of food means a lot of waste or eating the same few things all the time.

For big ticket items, I borrow a friend's membership, which works for them as it helps toward their rebate. I find for big ticket items costco is not necessarily cheaper, but it offers high quality options. Patio furniture is a good example. I don't find Costco all that competitive for electronics, if you are a savvy shopper you can find as good or better deals elsewhere.


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## CPA Candidate

I have an executive membership and buy a considerable amount at Costco. For certain items, they are simply unbeatable. For instance, their propane refills are about half of cost of the nearest gas station, saving $10 with each fill. I also like Costco for tires - they always have the lowest price and offer free tire repairs for life (which typically cost around $50). I've saved a few hundred in tire repairs as a result.

I once bought a $300 backyard playhouse for my daughter at Costco and the following week it was on for $100 less. I visited customer service and they refunded me $100.


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## Eder

Costco add a year to the 1 year warranty most electronics come with...try return a dead flat screen anywhere else after 16 months with no receipt.The Costco return policy pays many times over my annual fee for the card each year.


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## new dog

gibor365 said:


> Never shopped in Costco and was curious if Costco membership worth it? What is the difference between Costco and other supermarkets like RCSS or Highland farm? Is Costco cheaper or has better selection?
> I checked Costco online and looks like game meat or seafood you can order only online (and you don't even need membership for it).Is it true?



Not worth it and the place is a nightmare of people and traffic. They do have some good stuff and items to buy but it is not worth the membership. It is also a pain that you are limited to their credit card or your bank card. Then there is the pain of getting a membership.

I remember one day going in there and there was so many people at the check out that I put everything back and left the store. 

Stress and pain describes what it is like to go to Costco.


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## andrewf

I believe they accept any mastercard, now.


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## carverman

andrewf said:


> I believe they accept any mastercard, now.


It appears so. For a long time they only accepted AMex or one of their affliate MC. 
As already mentioned, for singles, it's hardly worth the cost of the $50 annual membership.

Their pharmacy is a bit cheaper on some things than most, but unless you're shopping for a big
grocery/meat order, it's not worth the hassles at the checkout counters. 

While some of their grocery items may seem like a deal, buying 3-4 loaves of bread bundled together
to get that deal for a single doesn't make good frugal shopping. By the time you are down to 1 or 2 loaves, they are uusally stale. 
Ok, at least the 2kg industrial size peanut butter containerkeeps for a long time and if you box a 
case of 12 KD, there is a cost saving over individually priced KD at $1.79 at most stores.

I used to shop there when I shared the cost of membership with a friend, but I don't buy the type of
groceries that they offer in larger "family pacs".

So as a single from a frugality point of view (never mind the checkout lineups) a $50 membership really
amounts to about $1.00 of the cost of the membership per week..you can usually save more than that
at the big chain grocery stores buying their specials.


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## Eclectic12

carverman said:


> ... As already mentioned, for singles, it's hardly worth the cost of the $50 annual membership.


YMMV ... as a single, the executive membership used to pay back within about ten to twenty dollars of the higher annual membership fee, before adding in the CC rebate or bothering to add up things like larger capacity power bank for 30% less.




carverman said:


> ... Their pharmacy is a bit cheaper on some things than most, but unless you're shopping for a big
> grocery/meat order, it's not worth the hassles at the checkout counters.


YMMV ... I've never waited for the pharmacy as long as I have at run of the mill drugstores. 

I've also had similar lineups in run of the mill grocery stores at similar times and less when planning ahead to avoid popular times so I'm not as convinced it's all that much related to the store itself.



carverman said:


> ... I don't buy the type of groceries that they offer in larger "family pacs".


I'm usually buying the family or bulk packs either way then freezing smaller amounts.



carverman said:


> ... you can usually save more than that at the big chain grocery stores buying their specials.


Possibly ... but then again, at least in my area the "specials" have a much higher rate of having a nice presentation that turns ugly as soon as the package is open so that the under side shows a different situation.


Cheers


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## CalgaryPotato

That is true, if you are literally a single person living alone, Costco doesn't always make sense. Although a lot of their products come in much more reasonable sizes than they did 15-20 years ago. I mean 3 jars of spaghetti sauce, 4 liters of milk, 1 liter of cream. A lot of their items come in sizes that are pretty normal even for a single person if you eat at home.

It also depends on if you drive, and if you have any extra storage space. If you are in a small apartment I probably wouldn't recommend Costco.


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## CalgaryPotato

Also as far as shopping for discounts at other stores. It really depends on the items. Some things are marked up so much higher at the grocery stores that even 50% is still more expensive than Costco. 

The problem is you have to be really dedicated to only go to the groceries stores and buy the sale items. And it often takes coordinating shopping at several grocery stores and strategic stock ups.


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## nobleea

A couple years ago, I spent an hour at Costco and then another hour at Superstore with a list of about 50 commonly purchased items, tracking the unit cost for each one (costco packages are usually bigger, so cost/100g or L or whatever). Overall, costco was about 1% cheaper. On some things Costco was 10-15% cheaper, and on others Superstore was was 20% cheaper. If a shopper were wiley enough to optimize purchases between the two, they could knock 7-8% off their grocery bill. 

I find the meat to be similar at both places. Costco cuts their steaks bigger for example and some people seem to equate this with higher quality. They both only sell AAA grade beef. Costco's produce section is very limited, but what they do have is generally pretty good, because it moves so fast. Costco's specialty is packaged and processed foods though. Thats what most carts are filled with.

The hours at Costco are worse, parking is a total disaster and the main aisles are usually a traffic jamb with people dawdling at the clothes and books/samples and others trying to get power grocery shopping done.

Depends on what you are looking for. If you enjoy cooking with a variety of ingredients, Costco isn't going to work for you. If during the week you're very busy and have to rely on more processed foods and sauces, then Costco will work. Avoid it on the weekend to skip the horrible drivers and parking lot.

The one thing that truly makes our Costco membership worth it is the Costco in Maui. The money we saved there paid for the membersip for 3 years. And that was one 3 week trip to Maui 2 yrs ago.


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## Eclectic12

nobleea said:


> ... If a shopper were wiley enough to optimize purchases between the two, they could knock 7-8% off their grocery bill ...


Hmmm ... this seems odd to me considering a Costco DVD set was 1/4 the price of anything I could find for the same set elsewhere. 

When checking whipping cream for a fund raising event for at least three years in a row, everything else (which included Superstore) was 40 to 90% higher. Of course when one is on a timeline where one can't store the product ... sales won't mean much unless the stars align. :biggrin:


Cheers


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## Plugging Along

Computer is not allowing me to quote, so thought I would respond this way. 
CARVER: 
Quote: It appears so. For a long time they only accepted AMex or one of their affliate MC. 
As already mentioned, for singles, it's hardly worth the cost of the $50 annual membership.
Definitely they take all Mastercards in Canada, however, in the US it’s still Amex. I actually first got my Costco card when I was single, and living at home. I still found it a good savings. Again, it depends on how you are using it. 

Quote: Their pharmacy is a bit cheaper on some things than most, but unless you're shopping for a big
grocery/meat order, it's not worth the hassles at the checkout counters. 
The pharmacy you don’t need a membership, but it is cheaper. I have to admit, this is where I get sucked in. I am always there when it is busy (weekends and holidays), and I figure if I have to wait in line, then I may as well make sure I have everything. That being said, if I can convince my husband to come (he HATES Costco) He will go into line mid shop, and I will finish to save time. 

Quote: While some of their grocery items may seem like a deal, buying 3-4 loaves of bread bundled together
to get that deal for a single doesn't make good frugal shopping. By the time you are down to 1 or 2 loaves, they are usually stale. 
Ok, at least the 2kg industrial size peanut butter containerkeeps for a long time and if you box a 
case of 12 KD, there is a cost saving over individually priced KD at $1.79 at most stores.

This is where knowing you buy frequently and how much one consumes counts. For baked goods such as bagels, and croissants, and other treats, I have system that I will either freeze it as soon as I get home for what I don’t think i will finish in time. Or I will actually have a plan to ‘process/prepare’ the ingredients. For example, I needed tortillas, just not 24, but it was like a $1 more for the extra 12. I ended up using the tortillas I needed, then made a dozen quesidllas and froze them. I do the same with ground beef, I will cook 20lbs at a time seasoned, and then have it in the ziploc bags in a proper portion, I will also make muffin tin meatloaf, so have individual ones. These are just examples of how I manage large quantities. I do the same when I stock up at RCSS. When I have planned properly, I find I can do this as a single person or as a family. It takes some good planning, ability to cook, some creativity, and LOTS of freezer space. 

NOBLEA: 
Quote: A couple years ago, I spent an hour at Costco and then another hour at Superstore with a list of about 50 commonly purchased items, tracking the unit cost for each one (costco packages are usually bigger, so cost/100g or L or whatever). Overall, costco was about 1% cheaper. On some things Costco was 10-15% cheaper, and on others Superstore was was 20% cheaper. If a shopper were wiley enough to optimize purchases between the two, they could knock 7-8% off their grocery bill.

I did a similar test a few years ago when cutting the budget, I got rid of my Costco membership. I found if I could shop ONLY on sale, the prices at Costco were not always lower than RCSS and other stores. However, I found if I needed something specific that wasn’t on sale, then Costco was cheaper in general. The meats I still find better quality than RCSS, and usually cheaper, as I buy the big roast and cut them myself. Produce was usually cheaper on sale elsewhere. 

The one thing that truly makes our Costco membership worth it is the Costco in Maui. The money we saved there paid for the membersip for 3 years. And that was one 3 week trip to Maui 2 yrs ago.

Hawaii was a huge difference. I actually find that the US Costco had better deals, and more selection. I go to the US often, and ALWAYS stop off in Costco. I have found quite often the attraction tickets are a great deal. There was a couple times I went the Costco, and they happened to have gift cards for the hotel we were staying at 20% off. They were exactly like cash. So the night before we checked of our hotel, I got a total bill for our room charges, went to Costco and bought that amount in gift cards, then paid most of the bill in gift cards. It was $150US savings. I have done that with amusement park, ski tickets, etc. For me, I have saved the member may times over just on the tickets. We also stop off at Costco on any trip to pick up our water, and snacks.


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## gibor365

> A couple years ago, I spent an hour at Costco and then another hour at Superstore with a list of about 50 commonly purchased items, tracking the unit cost for each one (costco packages are usually bigger, so cost/100g or L or whatever). Overall, costco was about 1% cheaper.


 Considering facts below:
- driving to Costco (one way) 20 min and to RCSS 2 min
- in RCSS I get points on PC Mastercard and 4% discount on everything I buy and in Costco only 1%
- In Highland farm I also get 4% cash back and selection/quality is much better
I don't think Costco membership will worth for us.
btw, just received ordered in Costco online: smoked Pacific salmon and 6 venison salamis.... Everything was delivered very fast and in good condition (no complains), but taste is very so-so . I doubt I gonna order it again. If you like really tasty staff , better once per Q to to Yummy Market (European delicatesen huge supermarket in Vaughan or North York), even though drive there about 40 min one-way. The only problem that when I'm going there, the products are so good, that I spend at least $500 and all this is not really healthy


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## CalgaryPotato

I think different regions are very different, heck every store is different. The No Frills by my house, is a dump and is usually sold out of about 2/3rds of what is advertised in their flyer. We have some Superstores in Calgary where they sell quality produce and some where it goes bad within a day or two of getting it home. Again I don't know if it's a regional thing, but I don't find the quality of Superstore meat at all. I won't even buy chicken there anymore unless I'm cooking it that day, as I've had it go bad on me before the expiry date on multiple occasions. Sure they give you your money back, but who likes packing up their rotten chicken and taking it back to the store.

I've never done an item by item comparison but I would be very shocked if the prices are within 1% here in Calgary between SS and Costco, unless you focus on buying mostly sale priced items at SS.

All you have to do is look at a place where you have a Superstore and a Costco right across the street from one another. One is packed, the other is empty. Maybe people are just delusional but I don't think so...

The drive is a factor, both are about 15 minutes for me. Which I consider extremely close. I wish I had a Superstore 2 minutes from my place actually...


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## gibor365

> All you have to do is look at a place where you have a Superstore and a Costco right across the street from one another. One is packed, the other is empty.


 Actually within 1km from our house we have:RCSS,Walmart-Supercentre and Metro.... Metro is usually empty, RCSS and Walmart are packed .
Yesterday need to buy something fat and went to Metro, the priced are ridiculous, even simple stuff like dill, parsley, coriander , green onion cost twice more than in RCSS or Highland farms


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## andrewf

Eclectic12 said:


> Hmmm ... this seems odd to me considering a Costco DVD set was 1/4 the price of anything I could find for the same set elsewhere.
> 
> When checking whipping cream for a fund raising event for at least three years in a row, everything else (which included Superstore) was 40 to 90% higher. Of course when one is on a timeline where one can't store the product ... sales won't mean much unless the stars align. :biggrin:
> 
> 
> Cheers


Difference between EDLP and High/Low pricing strategies.


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## Earl

I've never had a membership but I've gone Costco shopping with a friend who has a membership and I'm thinking of getting a membership for myself. I live alone but I eat a ton of chicken breasts. And they seem to have lots of products that you can't get anywhere else in Canada. I figure $55 for the whole year isn't bad, if it turns out I don't like it I won't renew and I'll only be out $55. Any point in getting the $110 membership or should I just get the $55 one?

The costco here in barrie seems to be packed all the time, I guess cause it's the only one around and it serves a large area. If I get a membership I will have to take a half day off work whenever I wanna shop and go in the morning, because I'm sure it's a zoo in there evenings and weekends.


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## bgc_fan

Earl said:


> I've never had a membership but I've gone Costco shopping with a friend who has a membership and I'm thinking of getting a membership for myself. I live alone but I eat a ton of chicken breasts. And they seem to have lots of products that you can't get anywhere else in Canada. I figure $55 for the whole year isn't bad, if it turns out I don't like it I won't renew and I'll only be out $55. Any point in getting the $110 membership or should I just get the $55 one?
> 
> The costco here in barrie seems to be packed all the time, I guess cause it's the only one around and it serves a large area. If I get a membership I will have to take a half day off work whenever I wanna shop and go in the morning, because I'm sure it's a zoo in there evenings and weekends.


The only real tangible benefit of the Executive Membership ($110) is the 2% rebate back on all Costco purchases. I guess if you spend $2750 annually it would make sense (that's the break even point). Based on your posting, that doesn't seem to be the case so I doubt it would be of any real use.


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## Mechanic

Earl said:


> I've never had a membership but I've gone Costco shopping with a friend who has a membership and I'm thinking of getting a membership for myself. I live alone but I eat a ton of chicken breasts. And they seem to have lots of products that you can't get anywhere else in Canada. I figure $55 for the whole year isn't bad, if it turns out I don't like it I won't renew and I'll only be out $55. Any point in getting the $110 membership or should I just get the $55 one?
> 
> The costco here in barrie seems to be packed all the time, I guess cause it's the only one around and it serves a large area. If I get a membership I will have to take a half day off work whenever I wanna shop and go in the morning, because I'm sure it's a zoo in there evenings and weekends.


I saw a sign in Costco the last time I was there, that stated if you were unsatisfied with your membership, they would refund. I don't think you will ask for a refund.


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## bobsyouruncle

bgc_fan said:


> The only real tangible benefit of the Executive Membership ($110) is the 2% rebate back on all Costco purchases. I guess if you spend $2750 annually it would make sense (that's the break even point). Based on your posting, that doesn't seem to be the case so I doubt it would be of any real use.


$50/week on gas would nearly cover that alone.


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## twa2w

bobsyouruncle said:


> $50/week on gas would nearly cover that alone.


Sorry to disappoint you....
Rewards will not be calculated: (i) on purchases of cigarettes or other tobacco-related products; (ii) on purchases that are not recorded through Costco Wholesale’s front-end registers, such as services, purchases at Costco Wholesale’s gas stations, food courts, optical centres (Quebec only), and pharmacies; (iii) on purchases of alcoholic beverages; (iv) on membership fees; (v) on miscellaneous fees, deposits and taxes, including applicable sales tax and goods and services tax; (vi) on purchases of services, including travel, auto and other services; (vii) on purchases where prohibited by legal or regulatory restrictions; (viii) on certain other categories as determined from time to time at Costco


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## WGZ

I find I can save more just going to Superstore or Walmart and buying only on-sale items as much as I can. Costco locations aren't convenient for me, and I'm single so it doesn't make sense.

I don't want to shell out the $55 for membership renewal this year either. Their gas is crap for my current car so I avoid using it. I have an Esso station staked out near where I live that is only 2-3 cents/L more than Costco prices at any given time.


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## bobsyouruncle

twa2w said:


> Sorry to disappoint you....
> Rewards will not be calculated: (i) on purchases of cigarettes or other tobacco-related products; (ii) on purchases that are not recorded through Costco Wholesale’s front-end registers, such as services, purchases at Costco Wholesale’s gas stations, food courts, optical centres (Quebec only), and pharmacies; (iii) on purchases of alcoholic beverages; (iv) on membership fees; (v) on miscellaneous fees, deposits and taxes, including applicable sales tax and goods and services tax; (vi) on purchases of services, including travel, auto and other services; (vii) on purchases where prohibited by legal or regulatory restrictions; (viii) on certain other categories as determined from time to time at Costco


I stand corrected.

Although their gas is much more than 2% less than any other station at any given time, so you're saving even more if you compare it with local competitors. Sometimes it can be as much as 10% less.


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## Zipper

WGZ said:


> I find I can save more just going to Superstore or Walmart and buying only on-sale items as much as I can. Costco locations aren't convenient for me, and I'm single so it doesn't make sense.
> 
> I don't want to shell out the $55 for membership renewal this year either. Their gas is crap for my current car so I avoid using it. I have an Esso station staked out near where I live that is only 2-3 cents/L more than Costco prices at any given time.


Costco gas is Top Tier gas. At least here in ON.

Costco gas is ALWAYS cheaper than anyone in London. They set the price.

Shell and Esso both Top Tier are $1.07.9 and Costco is $0.97.9 on Gas Buddy.


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## MrMatt

Costco memebership is worth it if you use it.

Cell phone plans, I got the same Fido plan (with customer loyalty discount) and $100 in Costco cash cards, when the kiosk was offering the phone for $19 down.
Their damage warranty is great.

Return policy is great.
Photos are cheap.
Product quality is better for the price, I used to think it was silly to pay Costco prices for meat, but I tried it. It's often great quality.

If you're thinking of buying a Ford, the $1000 Costco discount can be appealing.

Genearally Prices are competative, if you get one of their floor deals, they're amazing.
High margin items, Allergy pills, multivitamins, protein powder, they have amazing prices.

In the last year my Costco membership paid for itself completely with these single transactions.
Blizzak Tires for my car - Savings of about $150
Allergy pills - About $75 for 2 people
Cell Phone - $100 cash card mentioned above.

Other ones that add up quick if they apply
Build a Bear & iTunes cards at 10-15% off the list price, similar for movie theaters etc.

It helps that Costco is within 10 minutes of my house.


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## twa2w

MrMatt said:


> Costco memebership is worth it if you use it.
> 
> Cell phone plans, I got the same Fido plan (with customer loyalty discount) and $100 in Costco cash cards, when the kiosk was offering the phone for $19 down.
> Their damage warranty is great.
> 
> Return policy is great.
> Photos are cheap.
> Product quality is better for the price, I used to think it was silly to pay Costco prices for meat, but I tried it. It's often great quality.
> 
> If you're thinking of buying a Ford, the $1000 Costco discount can be appealing.
> 
> Genearally Prices are competative, if you get one of their floor deals, they're amazing.
> High margin items, Allergy pills, multivitamins, protein powder, they have amazing prices.
> 
> In the last year my Costco membership paid for itself completely with these single transactions.
> Blizzak Tires for my car - Savings of about $150
> Allergy pills - About $75 for 2 people
> Cell Phone - $100 cash card mentioned above.
> 
> Other ones that add up quick if they apply
> Build a Bear & iTunes cards at 10-15% off the list price, similar for movie theaters etc.
> 
> It helps that Costco is within 10 minutes of my house.


Agree.. And when I got my cell phone at Costco, I opted for a repair/warrantee plan for about 100.00. The deal was if I didnt use it I would get my money back at the end of three years. No issues with the phone and got 100.00 back in Costco gift cards after 3 years had expired.
But for a single guy, likely not worth it.


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## gibor365

> Shell and Esso both Top Tier are $1.07.9 and Costco is $0.97.9 on Gas Buddy.


 the question is ...would you drive additional 30-35 min one way to get cheaper gas?!


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## Plugging Along

gibor365 said:


> the question is ...would you drive additional 30-35 min one way to get cheaper gas?!


Yeah, I don't ever drive jus to Costco for gas. I find it's only about 2 or 3 cent less than RCSS. However, if I know I am making a trip to Costco I will gas up then too. My Costco is about 25-30 minutes away, so try and plan my trips around there.


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## CalgaryPotato

gibor365 said:


> the question is ...would you drive additional 30-35 min one way to get cheaper gas?!


No that isn't worth it at all. The question is do you go in a direction with a Costco for other reasons during the week though? If not it probably isn't worth it for you for the gas or the shopping.


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## andrewf

Better question: would you wait 10 minutes in line at the pumps to get cheaper gas?


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## twa2w

andrewf said:


> Better question: would you wait 10 minutes in line at the pumps to get cheaper gas?


True.
It depends on several factors. Costco gas bar opens here at 6 am during the week. It is not busy until the store opens later in the morning. Also not busy after the store closes.

Sometimes I drop the bride off at the store to start the shopping while I fill up with gas. Wait is usually less than 5 minutes.

Today the price at Costco was. 85.4 compared to 95.9 at local husky and even more further away in the city. The gas bar was not busy as it is -22 today.
If I am in a hurry and heading in another direction I will fill up elsewhere otherwise I head to Costco but it is only 3 minutes or so further away than the nearest alternate gas source.


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## Zipper

Costco has more pumps than most and the lanes are one way only.

They have extra long hoses allowing you to fill your tank from either side.

The lanes are oversized and the attendant encourages you to pull around to the front pump if it is free.

It is card activated so no need to pay inside.

There are always lines but Costco has this down to a science. Less than 5 minutes max.

Capital One Costco MC rebates 2%.

And as I mentioned above, Top Tier gas.


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## CalgaryPotato

Zipper nailed it as far as waiting in line for gas at Costco, it always looks much worse than it is.

Also 10 minutes idling in the car is free time, doesn't really bother me that much.


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## Mortgage u/w

I don't think the question 'is it worth it' all that appropriate. Costco has a lot of different items that you don't normally find elsewhere and I tend to believe their quality is better too. Some items are not cheaper. If you look for sales elsewhere, they will often be less than Costco. For Costco to match the sale, you will have to buy in bulk.

There are things that you can get accustomed to; hassle-free returns, extended warranties, steady and low prices, unique selections, cheap gas and propane and if you wear glasses, their optometry is great.

For me, I initially got membership because of what people said - low prices. But I soon realized that's a myth. I stayed member because there are many items that fit my lifestyle - whether its cheaper or not.


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## twa2w

I am a Costco member and happy with it but sometimes I think I would actually spend less without it.
How many times have you gone into Costco intending yo buy just a few things and 2 or 3 or 5 hundred dollars later you walk out?
They seem to be masters of parting me from my money :-(


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## Mortgage u/w

twa2w said:


> I am a Costco member and happy with it but sometimes I think I would actually spend less without it.
> How many times have you gone into Costco intending yo buy just a few things and 2 or 3 or 5 hundred dollars later you walk out?
> They seem to be masters of parting me from my money :-(


Masters they are. Saw a documentary on them which explained how everything is strategically placed for you to spend money. Notice how walking down the first isle gives you a 360 degree view of their whole store? Strategic. The food is always in the back and complete left - they don't need to display food because you don't surprisingly _need _oranges.

Packaging is another strategy. They force their suppliers to oversize their packages or add extras in order to justify a specific retail price. Almost nothing is less than $19.99. Dish-washing soap which costs $1.99 elsewhere is an astonishing $8.99 because you get 3 bottles. And forget about comparing per liter/gram/ounce etc. Everything is exclusive to Costco. Even their TVs have exclusive model numbers. Why? So you cannot price match from elsewhere.
They are very hard on their suppliers because they must meet their strategic selling price point and stay within a 15% gross-up.

And that is how they get your money!


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## MrMatt

Mortgage u/w said:


> Masters they are. Saw a documentary on them which explained how everything is strategically placed for you to spend money. Notice how walking down the first isle gives you a 360 degree view of their whole store? Strategic. The food is always in the back and complete left - they don't need to display food because you don't surprisingly _need _oranges.
> 
> Packaging is another strategy. They force their suppliers to oversize their packages or add extras in order to justify a specific retail price. Almost nothing is less than $19.99. Dish-washing soap which costs $1.99 elsewhere is an astonishing $8.99 because you get 3 bottles. And forget about comparing per liter/gram/ounce etc. Everything is exclusive to Costco. Even their TVs have exclusive model numbers. Why? So you cannot price match from elsewhere.
> They are very hard on their suppliers because they must meet their strategic selling price point and stay within a 15% gross-up.
> 
> And that is how they get your money!


Yeah, they work on selling efficiently. It takes just as long to scan a $20 box vs a $2 box, that's a big time savings. 
If their cashiers push out 10x in $/hr, they can afford to pay them more than the competition, while having lower overhead.
I just built some shelving in my basement.

Yes they're hard on their suppliers, but so is Walmart, Amazon and everyone else. The auto industry is the same way. They will try to push as hard as they can.

If the deal you're being offered isn't good, say no. That goes for Costco suppliers and customers.


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## naysmitj

We find that the savings on propane alone almost pays for the membership.
We are currently in Florida and always go to Costco when we first get here to buy wine and prepared meals.
Only thing is Canadian Costco only takes MC and U.S. Costco only takes Visa.


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## twa2w

Zipper said:


> Costco has more pumps than most and the lanes are one way only.
> 
> They have extra long hoses allowing you to fill your tank from either side.
> 
> The lanes are oversized and the attendant encourages you to pull around to the front pump if it is free.
> 
> It is card activated so no need to pay inside.
> 
> There are always lines but Costco has this down to a science. Less than 5 minutes max.
> 
> Capital One Costco MC rebates 2%.
> 
> And as I mentioned above, Top Tier gas.


Ok further to the various comments about Costco gas, I had to get gas today so I thought I would time it.
Typical Saturday at Costco, mild weather. Calgary NW Costco.
Pulled into gas line at 11:00 am. Backed up to pump at 11:09.
Pretty typical wait. Sonetimes a little longer, sometimes slower.
88.4 per litre.
4.5 cents cheaper than next closest gas, and 11 cents cheaper than another part of town.( no wait at other stations)

Costco gas bar opens at 6:30 weekdays not 6:00 as I previously posted.


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## bass player

bgc_fan said:


> The only real tangible benefit of the Executive Membership ($110) is the 2% rebate back on all Costco purchases. I guess if you spend $2750 annually it would make sense (that's the break even point). Based on your posting, that doesn't seem to be the case so I doubt it would be of any real use.


The Costco MasterCard points apply to purchases outside of Costco as well. I got a $183 rebate and know for sure that I didn't spend $9000 at Costco. The rebate was that high as I charge every purchase I can on the card because I'm a points whore.


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## bgc_fan

bass player said:


> The Costco MasterCard points apply to purchases outside of Costco as well. I got a $183 rebate and know for sure that I didn't spend $9000 at Costco. The rebate was that high as I charge every purchase I can on the card because I'm a points whore.


The Mastercard rebate is a different program. You can get the Costco MasterCard regardless of your membership level. It is a pretty good card with 3% rebate on restaurant purchases, 2% at gas stations and 1% everywhere else, including Costco.

As a result when you have an Executive account and MasterCard, you get 2 separate rebate checks.


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## bobsyouruncle

naysmitj said:


> ...and U.S. Costco only takes Visa.


Is this true? I know Canada is MC only, but it seems weird that it would be solely Visa in the US.


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## andrewf

I thought US Costco was still Amex only.


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## contrarian

Retail is very competitive, not sure how a socialist/communist run store could be more competitive than free enterprise stores. My low iq brother shops exclusively at Costco. I guess it is attractive to those who hate capitalism.


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## Eder

I only buy at Costco if possible comrade.


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## ian

We get a Costco Ex. Club rebate and we get a Costco Mastercard rebate. We use the latter at Costco, for all restaurants and gas. In the US we use a Marriott Visa in Costco. Exchange comes across at the day rate with no 2,5 percent admin adder like our other cards.

Costco is very much worth it for us. We use their travel service from time to time and quite often rent cars at very good rates.


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## Plugging Along

CalgaryPotato said:


> I think different regions are very different, heck every store is different. The No Frills by my house, is a dump and is usually sold out of about 2/3rds of what is advertised in their flyer. We have some Superstores in Calgary where they sell quality produce and some where it goes bad within a day or two of getting it home. Again I don't know if it's a regional thing, but I don't find the quality of Superstore meat at all. I won't even buy chicken there anymore unless I'm cooking it that day, as I've had it go bad on me before the expiry date on multiple occasions. Sure they give you your money back, but who likes packing up their rotten chicken and taking it back to the store.
> 
> I've never done an item by item comparison but I would be very shocked if the prices are within 1% here in Calgary between SS and Costco, unless you focus on buying mostly sale priced items at SS.
> 
> All you have to do is look at a place where you have a Superstore and a Costco right across the street from one another. One is packed, the other is empty. Maybe people are just delusional but I don't think so...
> 
> The drive is a factor, both are about 15 minutes for me. Which I consider extremely close. I wish I had a Superstore 2 minutes from my place actually...


My comparison was done in Calgary. It was based on SS sale prices vs Costco prices. I have actually found that SS quality has improved a lot and the no frills near my place is actually pretty good. That being said. I prefer Costco still but it is about 20 minutes, vs SS about 10 minutes away. 

Like I said, the best way to see if Costco is worth it,s make your common grocery list and do a price comparison,


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## Plugging Along

contrarian said:


> Retail is very competitive, not sure how a socialist/communist run store could be more competitive than free enterprise stores. My low iq brother shops exclusively at Costco. I guess it is attractive to those who hate capitalism.


Not sure how iq, socialism or communism relate to best prices. Costco runs on a huge volumes hence why they are able to get such good prices. Because of these high volumes, manufacturers are willing to give them the best prices. They also stand behind their products if you have any problems, satisfaction gaurenteed.


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## dotnet_nerd

Plugging Along said:


> ...They also stand behind their products if you have any problems, satisfaction gaurenteed.


I'm not so sure. I had a Danby wine cooler fail 3 months past the warranty. They wouldn't give me the time-of-day.

They weren't obligated to do anything, I understand that. But still.


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## Eclectic12

dotnet_nerd said:


> I'm not so sure. I had a Danby wine cooler fail 3 months past the warranty. They wouldn't give me the time-of-day ...


OTOH - I have many times returned stuff to Costco without a receipt with no issues versus many other companies who won't give me the time of day without a receipt. 




dotnet_nerd said:


> ... They weren't obligated to do anything, I understand that. But still.


If another place would have done something for you ... what's the name of the place and why didn't you buy there?

I've opened the box at home from another store, took the receipt as well as the cracked part back - had the replacement on order then been told I had to pay for the replacement. Never had anything close to that at Costco.


Cheers


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## dotnet_nerd

Eclectic12 said:


> what's the name of the place and why didn't you buy there?


Because I'm a COSTCO member and that's where I buy stuff



Eclectic12 said:


> I've opened the box at home from another store, took the receipt as well as the cracked part back - had the replacement on order then been told I had to pay for the replacement.


Baloney, I haven't had a store do that since maybe the 1970s.


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## Eder

I've returned a Garmin gps I bought in Calgary after 6 months to a store in Sarasota Florida...no box etc...they happily refunded my money, didn't even ask why I was returning it. That's why I only buy stuff at Costco if I can...service like that breeds loyalty and I will happily buy more stuff from them as long as they never change.


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## Eclectic12

dotnet_nerd said:


> ... Because I'm a COSTCO member and that's where I buy stuff ...


Weird ... I could have sworn that you were arguing that somewhere else would have taken back out of warranty broken stuff.




dotnet_nerd said:


> Eclectic12 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've opened the box at home from another store, took the receipt as well as the cracked part back - had the replacement on order then been told I had to pay for the replacement. Never had anything close to that at Costco ... Baloney, I haven't had a store do that since maybe the 1970s.
Click to expand...

Do you want some cheese with the baloney?

... doesn't change that it *happened* much later than the '70's.

My experience with Air Canada is being offered compensation ... should I assume that all the recent reports of AC bumping without compensation are "baloney"?


Cheers


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## Eclectic12

Eder said:


> I've returned a Garmin gps I bought in Calgary after 6 months to a store in Sarasota Florida...no box etc...they happily refunded my money, didn't even ask why I was returning it ...


Never returned across the border ... but I was told when I bought a travel cell phone "if you don't like it for any reason in under 90 days, return it for a full refund".


Cheers


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## Plugging Along

Can't specifically say about the wine cooler, I don't do it often, but I have returned items with no problems. I guess it would depend on how long the initial warrenty was. I have never returned anything out of warrenty though, and I don't expect them after warrenty. Why should they?


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## Plugging Along

Eclectic12 said:


> Never returned across the border ... but I was told when I bought a travel cell phone "if you don't like it for any reason in under 90 days, return it for a full refund".
> 
> 
> Cheers


I bought a pair of expensive sunglasses in US. About months later, I accidently cracked the lense ( my fault). They manufacture does offer a free lens replacement. Costco Canada gave me a a full refund no problems.


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## canew90

Been a Costco member since the 80's and have never regretted being a member. Can't think of a bad event, other than not being able to get my tires changed when I wanted. Before we retired our annual rebates were 2 to 4 times the annual fee. Now we buy less but still get our money back. Even if we didn't I'd still shop at Costco because of the quality, price (not on everything) and certainly the service/return policy. We do spend 2-4 months in the US and shopping at the US Costco's offer more selection and better online products (such as clothing).
Here in Canada buying there Wine Kits are great as they deliver to the door.


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## lagagnon

The one Costco store in Victoria BC is a good 24-30 minute drive from home depending on traffic, and a 30km round trip. In my vehicle that currently works out to about $3.50 in gasoline alone for a return trip. I most certainly would not save anything at the pump by going there to buy gas.

Furthermore, we have a smallish home with not a lot of storage so buying in bulk is also not something we can do. And lastly I doubt we would save much after paying the yearly membership, so we've chosen not to shop there. I have been there with friends and I also find it much too busy with long lineups at the till at almost anytime. So count me out of that nonsense.

I also feel it is important to support our local merchants to where we can easily cycle or walk for groceries/amenities.

Costco is not for us, but I can understand why some people like the place.


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## ian

We also deal with Costco on line. Booked cruise with them a few months ago, made a rental car reservation last week (both at very good rates), ordered a blood pressure monitor last week, and a bed today.


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## m3s

headed to costco today for a pressure washer

the reviews of the canadian tire pressure washers are generally very poor by comparison

when I needed a car battery costco had the best reviews and warranty I could find

there is a lot of eye candy in the front of the store with typically rare quality items

they're too far away for groceries but I stock up on some things while there

buyer beware, not everything is cheaper. I cross check with the amazon app


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## nathan79

I go there for the gas. It can be as much as 10 cents cheaper than other stations, so that alone pays for the membership.

I don't buy much else there, besides the odd item that I can't get elsewhere. Grocery prices are nothing special and package sizes too large for me.


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## ian

We like Costco.ca. This month.....blood pressure monitor, knives, king size bed, and ottoman. Very easy to shop, excellent integrated delivery tracking, and great prices.

In the store....tires get installed on Friday, picking up a big screen TV next week. Oh yes, filled up with gas last week, will do the same this week. Eight to ten cents less per litre plus 2 cents back from using our Costco MC. Plus our eyeglasses, prescriptions, and health/beauty products. Plus coffee, fresh produce, meat, bbq chickens. Never ending list


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## AltaRed

We buy more stuff from Costco.ca than we do from Amazon. Besides our regular key purchases such as their meat, we've already bought an outdoor sofa patio set and a computer monitor from Costco this year. Next up this coming week will be Hunter Douglas window blinds (the rep assigned by the store comes to see wifey next week).


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## olivaw

We are Costco members and shop there once per month. 

We prefer Amazon for online shopping.

We rely on Lowes, Home Depot and Rona for many of our home improvement purchases. 

I was a little disappointed with Costco's tire service. The price was reasonable but it was the least convenient tire change that I have ever experienced. A friend used Cal Tire's price match service and got his tires much quicker. 

In terms of value, we pay for our Executive membership renewal with Costco cash back so it doesn't cost us anything to belong. 

We often run into people that we know in Costco. That's kinda cool.


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## AltaRed

olivaw said:


> I was a little disappointed with Costco's tire service. The price was reasonable but it was the least convenient tire change that I have ever experienced. A friend used Cal Tire's price match service and got his tires much quicker.


A little off-topic, but Kal Tire will price match any Canadian offering on tires. They purchase them by the shipload. Have found them to be my auto repair place of choice for their areas of expertise, e.g. tires, brakes, shocks, etc.


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## olivaw

AltaRed said:


> A little off-topic, but Kal Tire will price match any Canadian offering on tires. They purchase them by the shipload. Have found them to be my auto repair place of choice for their areas of expertise, e.g. tires, brakes, shocks, etc.


Ahh, *K*al Tire :redface: I'd heard the name but never much thought about them before my friend mentioned the name. Apparently there are about 15 of them in Calgary.


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## AltaRed

olivaw said:


> Ahh, *K*al Tire :redface: I'd heard the name but never much thought about them before my friend mentioned the name. Apparently there are about 15 of them in Calgary.


Kal Tire started as one shop in Vernon, BC. HQ is still there. Kal Tire is very big in BC, AB, and I think SK. They've only more recently extended themselves into ON. The service model is as good as I've ever seen and I've been to at least 4, maybe 5, of them, both in AB and BC. Service and quality may vary from shop to shop I imagine depending on the manager and employees.


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## OnlyMyOpinion

Interesting, I had my first experience with KAL Tire this week. Tpms light came on, had a screw in tire, pulled into nearby kal, 1hr wait to patch tire.
What surprised me though was that the guy came in to the waiting room about an hour into my wait with an inspection sheet and the cabin air filter. He said it needed changing and my oil looked dirty (btw was showing 70% oil life).
I asked wtf he was doing with my air filter, I'd come in to get a flat repaired.
Now IF the guy I'd initially talked with had said they do a multipoint inspection I could have waived it then and/or would not have been as surprised to see my air filter in this guy's hands. But he did not mention an inspection and I wasn't expecting them to try upsell me. 
I wasn't impressed.


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## ian

That is EXACTLY why I only took my car into Canadian Tire once. Headlight replacement. They insisted I needed a brake job. They did not know that I had one six months ago and I knew that my brakes were just fine. Never went back.


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## AltaRed

OnlyMyOpinion said:


> Now IF the guy I'd initially talked with had said they do a multipoint inspection I could have waived it then and/or would not have been as surprised to see my air filter in this guy's hands. But he did not mention an inspection and I wasn't expecting them to try upsell me.
> I wasn't impressed.


Neither would I be. I'd file a complaint with head office on that location. It is my belief that Kal Tire's HQ wants to be 'different' and they've grown based on their reputation. That is way out of character and I'd complain loudly. I've had about 10 flats in the past 10 years or so and not once have I encountered anything other than a 'here are your keys - you had a screw in the threads'. No charge for fixing flats.


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## kcowan

I have had 2 flats in 10 years! Do you drive off-road?


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## none

The thing that I love about costco is for some reason I don't have much of a budget there. I just buy crap guilt free. Is there a basis for this? Not really. It's pretty liberating though.


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## AltaRed

kcowan said:


> I have had 2 flats in 10 years! Do you drive off-road?


No... seems to be just a string of (bad) luck the past 10 years (never used to have that issue). And maybe it's partly due to the soft 245 profile tires that simply have more surface area on the asphalt.


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## OurBigFatWallet

OnlyMyOpinion said:


> Interesting, I had my first experience with KAL Tire this week. Tpms light came on, had a screw in tire, pulled into nearby kal, 1hr wait to patch tire.
> What surprised me though was that the guy came in to the waiting room about an hour into my wait with an inspection sheet and the cabin air filter. He said it needed changing and my oil looked dirty (btw was showing 70% oil life).
> I asked wtf he was doing with my air filter, I'd come in to get a flat repaired.
> Now IF the guy I'd initially talked with had said they do a multipoint inspection I could have waived it then and/or would not have been as surprised to see my air filter in this guy's hands. But he did not mention an inspection and I wasn't expecting them to try upsell me.
> I wasn't impressed.


Kal Tire is as reputable as any car dealer. Ive gone in a couple times and every time they have a big list of suggested maintenance items. There are big margins in filters and they're incredibly easy to change.


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## awesomeame

Here in Toronto you can't beat the unit price at costco. Totally worth the membership. Meat is almost half the cost of some of the majors. I have the executive membership, which now for two years straight has not been worth it for me. I get 2% back, which equaled ~$67 this past year, but membership renewal is $135. So for the single person the regular membership is probably sufficient. But if I had a partner, or drove a gas guzzler, the executive membership would be better.

Matt


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## AltaRed

We break even (or slightly better) with the Executive membership over the regular one. But that is because we have to binge buy when the kids and grandkids set up camp in our house. FWIW, I'd own a regular membership just for their meat. Nothing, but nothing, comes close to the quality (and price) of their fresh meats. The biggest chore is breaking up the packs into smaller servings when one gets home. Ugh!


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## Eder

awesomeame said:


> or drove a gas guzzler, the executive membership would be better.
> 
> Matt


Gas doesn't count to cash back...neither does alcohol....my 2 major expenses.

Agree with the meat....love those new yorks.

I usually get ~$160 back each year.


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## Just a Guy

If you have their credit card, gas is 2% cash back, and I believe that's at any registered gas station (so not some convenience stores which come up as stores instead of gas).


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## Eder

Yep...and 3% at restaurants, but thats no different than my regular Mastercard. The trick is to pay with a cash back Mastercard then you get 2% as a Costco member & 2% on the Mastercard. The Costco Capital One card only gives you 1% cash back on those purchases I think.


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## awesomeame

Eder said:


> Gas doesn't count to cash back...neither does alcohol....my 2 major expenses.
> 
> Agree with the meat....love those new yorks.
> 
> I usually get ~$160 back each year.


They told me it did count for gas! Bastards! Or are you in the US? Costco Ontario doesn't sell booze

Matt


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## cashinstinct

awesomeame said:


> Costco Ontario doesn't sell booze


Costco in some provinces is allowed to sell beer/wine.

In Québec, they have lots of beer!


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## Eder

awesomeame said:


> They told me it did count for gas! Bastards! Or are you in the US? Costco Ontario doesn't sell booze
> 
> Matt


Executive Membership 2% Rewards Exclusions List
Items that fall into the following categories are not eligible for the 2% Reward.

In all provinces:

prescription drugs
all tobacco products (including: cigarette paper, lighters, matches and tubes)
all food court items
all bottle deposits and refunds
all taxes and levies
all Costco Services (click here for a complete list)
eye examinations
tire disposal fees (where applicable)
tire mounting and balancing, and stud installation fees
gift certificates and Costco Cash electronic gift cards
membership fees
oil disposal fees (where applicable)
home delivery charges
administration fees
gasoline
charitable donations
third party insurance payments
postage stamps
environmental fees, deposits or levies
other items, products and services specified as exclusions from time to time


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## awesomeame

good to know, thanks

Matt


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## ian

Costco in Alberta have liquer stores. Because of our antiquated liquer laws the liquer store has to be in a separate building beside the Costco. Same for the Safeway, Superstore, and Co-op liqueur stores.

But...you apparently do not have to be a Costco member to buy liquer in the Costco liquer stores in Alberta.

I filled up with gas at Costco yesterday. Street price was 104. Costco was 92 plus I get 2 percent rebate for using my Costco Mastercard.


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## ian

Just added up our last 2 months of Costco and Costco on line purchase. Spent $4800 on tires, furniture, etc. Saved $1800 over what we otherwise would have paid for identical items.


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## Eder

And the beauty is your tires can be rotated and road hazard reimbursed free at any Costco in Canada, USA and Mexico without a receipt. Try that at Canadian Tire lol.


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## ian

I have my tires rotated gratis every 12K while I shop. The Michelins that just came off had 140K on them. Plus two or three slow leaks repaired.


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## twa2w

Eder said:


> And the beauty is your tires can be rotated and road hazard reimbursed free at any Costco in Canada, USA and Mexico without a receipt. Try that at Canadian Tire lol.


And even if you didn't buy your tires at Costco, it's only 25.00 to switch from winter to summer tires. Compared to 50 to 80 elsewhere, at least in Calgary.


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## ian

We follow the the same policy as Calgary Police Dept when it comes winter tires....we use all seasons.

Besides, we are away for most of the winter


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## spinningtop

Is it worth it? I was given a costco membership and it was cool at first but not worth it to us. We use zipcar on occasion but it doesn't make sense to own a car where we live. We don't really have space to store things in bulk. We don't use propane. We don't pay for gas. They don't sell alcohol in costco near us. I've rigged amazon (VPN's FTW!) to get very low prices and most of the time, I can beat Costco and Walmart prices on Amazon. I have access to a Real Canadian Superstore on my cargo bike. 

The worth of Costco is very dependent on where you live and what your lifestyle is. Obviously, some people are happy with it and it works very well for them.


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## nathan79

spinningtop said:


> *We don't really have space to store things in bulk.* We don't use propane. We don't pay for gas.


Same here. If it wasn't for the fact that I buy gas (and occasionally propane) it wouldn't really be worth it for me. The gas savings alone pays for my membership (and then some), so anything above that is gravy.

I agree that you can get deals as good or better than Costco elsewhere if you're sharp, but that does involve some time/effort.


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## andrewf

In the GTA, Costco is not really cheaper than non-membership gas stations. Maybe a penny.


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## nathan79

andrewf said:


> In the GTA, Costco is not really cheaper than non-membership gas stations. Maybe a penny.


Out here it's routinely 3-5 cents cheaper, and sometimes 10-15 cents.


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## ian

Plus 2 percent if you use your Costco Mastercard. In Calgary, we fill up at Costco or full serve at Co-OP (we are members) especially during the cold weather. Two days ago it was 6 cents. Usually 3-6 cent delta. Plus another 2 from the card. Just depends when you hit it. They also open early so if you go in at 8AM there is never a wait...usually empty.


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## awesomeame

andrewf said:


> In the GTA, Costco is not really cheaper than non-membership gas stations. Maybe a penny.


It's always $0.08-0.10 cheaper than anywhere else here in Etobicoke.

Matt


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## cedebe

spinningtop said:


> I've rigged amazon (VPN's FTW!) to get very low prices and most of the time, I can beat Costco and Walmart prices on Amazon.


Can you elaborate on this, please?


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## spinningtop

cedebe said:


> Can you elaborate on this, please?


Amazon price according to how much they think they can get out of you. They look at your region, browser history, etc... and an algorithm sets the price. If you clear out your history and play with your VPN location and look at Amazon prices, you'll see that the prices change. Keep on changing it and find the lowest prices offered according to area. As this history builds on your account, it changes the algorithm. In addition, you can use things like this keepa.com to watch price history because prices fluctuate in different things according to time of year. I can save hundreds of dollars on quality items due to price fluctuations. 

Amazon has to be coaxed into giving good prices. I guess it might seem strange for some. I grew up in London and haggled at the market by my flat to do most of my shopping. I find Amazong is the same because their first price is never their best.


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## bass player

I've noticed that when I put an item on my Amazon "wish list" that the price often drops a few days later. Perhaps, they are lowering the price in an attempt to entice me to buy the item? I don't know what their method is. Also, don't forget to check eBay before buying...I've found many items or a lower price on eBay than Amazon.

Costco has some good prices, but their selection is limited and sometimes you can find a similar product for less elsewhere. As with all products, it pays to shop around.


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## cedebe

spinningtop said:


> Amazon price according to how much they think they can get out of you. They look at your region, browser history, etc... and an algorithm sets the price. If you clear out your history and play with your VPN location and look at Amazon prices, you'll see that the prices change. Keep on changing it and find the lowest prices offered according to area. As this history builds on your account, it changes the algorithm. In addition, you can use things like this keepa.com to watch price history because prices fluctuate in different things according to time of year. I can save hundreds of dollars on quality items due to price fluctuations.
> 
> Amazon has to be coaxed into giving good prices. I guess it might seem strange for some. I grew up in London and haggled at the market by my flat to do most of my shopping. I find Amazong is the same because their first price is never their best.


Thanks for clarifying. I don't shop much w/ Amazon so it's not that big an issue, but I'm curious nonetheless. I know the airlines play this game, apparently, something to do w/ cookies, but because there are sellers other than Amazon ON Amazon, I thought prices would be more stable.


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## spinningtop

bass player said:


> I've noticed that when I put an item on my Amazon "wish list" that the price often drops a few days later. Perhaps, they are lowering the price in an attempt to entice me to buy the item? I don't know what their method is. Also, don't forget to check eBay before buying...I've found many items or a lower price on eBay than Amazon.
> 
> Costco has some good prices, but their selection is limited and sometimes you can find a similar product for less elsewhere. As with all products, it pays to shop around.


I'm not a fan of ebay. It was a time commitment and shipping rates sucked. They weren't good to sell on anymore as the fees got too high. That was high effort for small gains. 

Switching to Kijiji has been MUCH better than my ebay experience. I tend to sell things more often than buy with them but they have some great deals. So easy to list things on there and they go fast! We had a cargo bike that didn't fit our family's needs anymore. We bought it on sale for $2400 in 2011 and used it most days (well maintained). We sold it this year for $2100. That works out to about $4.16/month for a family of 5's primary transportation. Obviously we use zipcar 2-3x/yr for trips out of town and sometimes I use transit, but that covered the bulk of our transportation costs. I knew bakfiets were in high demand and low supply but seeing how quickly it sold, maybe we should've asked for more. Still, we got a replacement that better fits us now. 

I've been surprised by the deals at dollar store for cleaning products but always double check the expiry date. I don't go in often because most of the products are junk versions, but if I happen by one, I'll drop in and buy them.


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## spinningtop

cedebe said:


> Thanks for clarifying. I don't shop much w/ Amazon so it's not that big an issue, but I'm curious nonetheless. I know the airlines play this game, apparently, something to do w/ cookies, but because there are sellers other than Amazon ON Amazon, I thought prices would be more stable.


If I didn't have quick cheats to do it for me and had to search Amazon, item by item myself, I wouldn't bother. But they're easy to rig up to get alerts when they have items I'm interested in at a price I want.


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## cedebe

spinningtop said:


> I'm not a fan of ebay. It was a time commitment and shipping rates sucked. They weren't good to sell on anymore as the fees got too high. That was high effort for small gains.
> 
> Switching to Kijiji has been MUCH better than my ebay experience. I tend to sell things more often than buy with them but they have some great deals. So easy to list things on there and they go fast! We had a cargo bike that didn't fit our family's needs anymore. We bought it on sale for $2400 in 2011 and used it most days (well maintained). We sold it this year for $2100. That works out to about $4.16/month for a family of 5's primary transportation. Obviously we use zipcar 2-3x/yr for trips out of town and sometimes I use transit, but that covered the bulk of our transportation costs. I knew bakfiets were in high demand and low supply but seeing how quickly it sold, maybe we should've asked for more. Still, we got a replacement that better fits us now.
> 
> I've been surprised by the deals at dollar store for cleaning products but always double check the expiry date. I don't go in often because most of the products are junk versions, but if I happen by one, I'll drop in and buy them.


The good thing about selling on Ebay, though, is the ability to make USD. I hesitated for a long time before starting... mainly due to concerns about having my feedback rating negatively impacted, but some things just don't appeal to locals, hence they'd never sell around here. Plus with Ebay, no worries about people not showing up.


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## twowheeled

i don't see any advantage to selling in USD when eBay takes a 20% fee.


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## nobleea

twa2w said:


> And even if you didn't buy your tires at Costco, it's only 25.00 to switch from winter to summer tires. Compared to 50 to 80 elsewhere, at least in Calgary.


I have a friend who tried this. He almost went crazy trying to get it accomplished. The free rotation/tire swap they would only take something like 50 per day. And all those slots were taken by 4am. Yes. you read that right, people get there before 4 am to get a ticket to get the tire swap done. He would try several times a week starting in early spring, getting there earlier and earlier each time. By end of June he said enough of this and bought a jack set and did it at home on the street.
It may just be due to the location he was going to, which is apparently the #2 or 3 in the world for business.


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## twa2w

nobleea said:


> I have a friend who tried this. He almost went crazy trying to get it accomplished. The free rotation/tire swap they would only take something like 50 per day. And all those slots were taken by 4am. Yes. you read that right, people get there before 4 am to get a ticket to get the tire swap done. He would try several times a week starting in early spring, getting there earlier and earlier each time. By end of June he said enough of this and bought a jack set and did it at home on the street.
> It may just be due to the location he was going to, which is apparently the #2 or 3 in the world for business.


Uh, phone and make an appointment. You may have to book a couple of weeks out though.
They do keep a few spots for walkins that do get snapped up very early depending on the location. Most locations have extra hours during the rush period as well. I found it easier to go to a store that didn't have extended hours as they were less busy and easier to get into.


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## cedebe

twowheeled said:


> i don't see any advantage to selling in USD when eBay takes a 20% fee.


Ebay takes 10%, not 20. Any savvy seller knows to work it into the equation.


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## nobleea

twa2w said:


> Uh, phone and make an appointment. You may have to book a couple of weeks out though.


They don't take appts for this work at that location. Its that busy.


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