CostCo vs Sam's vs BJ's

[Great Dane Mom]

Which one do you prefer and why.

 

What do you typically buy and for how much?

[Gator Pam]

I only have Sam's locally, so that's where I belong.

 

But I understand BJ's allows you to use coupons, and more than one coupon on a single multipack of the same item. If the selection, selling price, and membership fees are similar, this would be a big reason for me to switch if BJ's ever opened here.

[RossMAN]

Help, I tried to make a poll. I clicked on make a poll and I didn't go to the options like it said in Brad's reference thread.

Fixed

[Great Dane Mom]

Thank you!!

[love2beurwifey]

I only have sams club

[ccarson1972]

I have never really shopped at Sam's or Costco. I picked BJ's because I have been a member for years and I love the fact that they accept coupons. When I used to have to buy diapers, I could use 4 coupons for one multipack of diapers. I can use multiple coupons on bulk items all the time. Plus the website has printable coupons and I get mailings with coupons periodically.

[bayhaysay]

The only one we have within 100 miles of us is Sam's so that's what I picked. Since I've been on here I've heard alot of good things about Costco though. I usually go to Sam's 2-3 times a year and it usually for our softball association's concession stand. I LOVE their click n' pull option. You just go to the website, click on what you need and they have it packaged up and ready for you at the checkout when you get there. This is great for us because we usually get so much stuff that I have to take the seats out of my van to haul it all back and we don't have to spend 2 hours finding everything we need and pulling that heavy flatbead cart (more like 2 flatbed carts) around the whole time.

[USC Becca]

I've been a couple times to Costco with my mom for the junior high she works at, but otherwise I don't go. I live along, so there's little I have "bulk" needs for. I'm guessing BJ's is another bulk club store? I'd never heard of them.

[imaguy1010101010]

I pick costco and hate sams....but thats because I work there(at costco that is)

[JonathanM]

CostCo, not sure where the local Sam's Club is, don't know what BJ's is.. Probably some east coast thing. I think that I probably would still go to CostCo even if I lived by myself as I think the stuff they sell is great and a good bargain.

[Karmarose]

I picked Sams because I've never been in the others, but I wonder if I even save money going there. I kind of only use my membership for large purchases since in my old town they were the only place that carried certain selection in town.

[mugs]

COSTCO!

[queenofshopping]

we used to go to bj's maybe 8 or so years ago & i remember not really liking it, since then we've gone to costco & i think it's great except for the looong lines...they have coupons in-store & thru the mail all the time, i love their prices on books & dvds, & they have the GREATEST flowers: beautiful full bouquets for $14.99 & bunches of 2 dozen roses (that last forever!) for $12.99!!

 

that's where we get our bottled water, paper towels, toilet paper, coffee, dried fruit, books, scotch tape, hand lotion, tylenol, the occasional baked stuff, & that's where i get my beloved packs of camisoles & also my patches, & of course we go a little crazy around christmas time (their pack of tissue paper was so big we've been using the same one for 5 years!)

 

i just recently saw our first sam's club around here but have yet to check it out

[nick_jenni_jocelyn]

i belong to sams club, so i picked that. I have never been into costco or BJs, even though we had a costco in my old city.

[TnDimples]

noly have Sam's here, have never heard of BJ's. I used to work for american greetings and we had huge orders for christmas paper from costco but they wanted like 300 yds on one damn roll. Thoise rolls of paper were BIG and HEAVY as hell and I was a material handler and had to lift boxes full of those rolls. I hated this place called costco. Did anyone one here ever buy one bigass roll of christmas paper from costco? I ask becasue we used to wonder at the factory who would buy a roll of paper that big. You'd have enough paper for all your gifts on one roll for 3 years LOL

[Talama]

I used to belong to Costco, I switched to BJs about 5 or 6 years ago and never looked back. They accept manufacturer's coupons, their store hours are better (or were, I haven't been back to Costco), nicer selection of gourmet foods for parties and such, and when I made the switch some of the items I most often buy were cheaper at BJs. Also you can do your rebates on line now which is very helpful.

 

My main reasons for switching were really the hours (Costco was always closed when I had a chance to go) and coupons. BJs is open I believe from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

 

The membership price was comparable, I got to it from a deal at work and I got an extra 6 months free for giving up Costco, then once we didn't renew and they sent us a card for a free 1 year membership.

 

We buy most meats there (varies but cheaper than our other stores, even on sale), diapers (I think $18 for 66 Pampers Easy Ups, plus I always use a coupon), milk (miami $2.39), deli meats ($5.99 for 2 pounds of honey ham), Jif peanut butter (I think $5 or $6 for 2 very large jars), canned corn, tuna, asparagus, chocolate chips, sometimes soups, cards, videos, etc. I don't know all the prices but I comparison shop and only buy things there that I know are a good price. Also I buy my gas from them which has varied between $0.03 to $.12/gallon cheaper than the rest in the area.

[Great Dane Mom]

Thanks Talama and queenofshopping for posting what you buy. I have a Sam's membership. There is a BJ's fairly close, but I haven't been there. I've seen a lot of raves here about Costco, but the nearest ones are about 40miles away.

 

Mugs, what do you buy at Costco and how much do you pay? You and Ross seem to really like the store.

[RossMAN]

Mugs, what do you buy at Costco and how much do you pay? You and Ross seem to really like the store.

CostCo has such great deals that we usually walk out of there buying $100+ of clothes, food, and electronics.

 

If you become a member of the CostCo cult you have to get the Amex TrueEarnings credit card which is awesome!

• RossMAN approved and certified
• $0 annual fee
• Doubles as your CostCo membership card, yes two cards in one!
• 3% cash rebate at restaurants
• 2% cash rebate for travel
• 1% cash rebate for all other purchases
• Extensive Amex card benefits such as buyer's assurance and purchase protection plan.
• because RossMAN said so

[cotejb]

I picked Sam's b/c I'm a member and have never been to the other two.

[Mommy2Parker]

I belong to BJ's, mainly because they have a much bigger selection of baby products than the measely few items that Sam's Club offers, although I do shop at Sam's occasionally with my mom.

 

A question for everyone who uses coupons at BJ's....? I know you can use coupons there but I saw that you can use more than one coupon for one item? Does that just mean like for instance if I had 2 coupons for Jiff PB, that I could use both because there are 2 containers in a pack or if there is only one item like for a package of diapers, could I use 2 coupons for those also, or no? Hope that made sense....

[adiazdeleon]

Never been to BJ's, don't even know if they exist in my area.

 

CostCo is cool but there is not one near my home. Sam's are every where, I'm in between two Sam's so I go to them just for that reason...nearby.

[queenofshopping]

noly have Sam's here, have never heard of BJ's. I used to work for american greetings and we had huge orders for christmas paper from costco but they wanted like 300 yds on one damn roll. Thoise rolls of paper were BIG and HEAVY as hell and I was a material handler and had to lift boxes full of those rolls. I hated this place called costco. Did anyone one here ever buy one bigass roll of christmas paper from costco? I ask becasue we used to wonder at the factory who would buy a roll of paper that big. You'd have enough paper for all your gifts on one roll for 3 years LOL

heck yeah! awesome value!!

[queenofshopping]

CostCo has such great deals that we usually walk out of there buying $100+ of clothes, food, and electronics.

haha us too

[barghunter]

Sams, because its about 30 min. away. I had a membership to Costco for 2 yrs when it first opened about 1hr away. It was great but just didn't get to go enough @ that time for the cost of membership. Also BJ's is too far also.

 

We were bad about filling up those carts also.

[freesia39]

we only have costco nearby. there are a few sam's clubs, but we have to drive pretty far to get to them.

 

we use them to get a lot of water. always water. we don't drink tap water here (yet i'll use it to wash the dishes.), and other lots of random stuff. toilet paper, chicken breasts, tuna, paper towels...

[Gator Pam]

A question for everyone who uses coupons at BJ's....? I know you can use coupons there but I saw that you can use more than one coupon for one item? Does that just mean like for instance if I had 2 coupons for Jiff PB, that I could use both because there are 2 containers in a pack or if there is only one item like for a package of diapers, could I use 2 coupons for those also, or no? Hope that made sense....

:::nodding:::

 

I do not have a BJ's nearby, but this is what posters on other boards who do belong to BJ's have told me. Since you are a member, why not give it a try and see what they say?

[Marcster]

Nearest Sam's is 5 minutes away, and has a gas station, car wash, butcher shop, concessions, and bakery.

 

Nearest BJ's is 15 minutes away. I used to belong to both, but hardly went to BJs.

 

Nearest Costco is 45+ minutes away. But I've been to them in San Diego area...

[Melissa]

We belong to Sam's Club. No CostCo around here, and the nearest BJs is close to an hour away.

 

At Sam's we buy:

 

bottled water

toilet paper

paper towels

tissues

toothpaste

Fig Newtons

Taquitos

butter

lemonade mix

iced tea mix

fruit cups

water softener salt

cat litter

crackers

fruit roll-ups

gushers

sharp cheddar blocks

milk/choc milk

corned beef hash

spaghetti

macaroni

tuna

mandarin oranges

spaghettios

juice boxes

hand soap

Rice Krispies treats

clam chowder

mayonnaise

Chex Mix

fruit

 

....and various other things that happen to catch our eyes!

[BigBob]

We belong to Sams and Costco. BJ's is about 40 miles away and thus not worth the drive.

 

We buy "bulk" items at Sams such as paper products, laundry detergent, bleach, tires, and batteries to name a few. Gasoline too, if we are passing by.

 

Costco is much more up-scale and has a much wider selection of food and clothing items. We buy a lot of our groceries and meat there. Costco's wine selection and prices are very good.

 

Costco seems to be much more oriented to the average consumer while Sams caters more to businesses.

 

If at all possible, we buy all of our TV's, appliances, and other big-ticket items at Costco as well. The Costco return policy is hard to beat -- as long as you are a member and still have the receipt for the item, you can return it with no time limit and no hassles. The only exception are computers which have a 6 month limit. Sams sells extended warranties and Costco gives you much better coverage at NO extra cost.

[RossMAN]

You're all forgetting CostCo's 2 huge advantages:

• Cheap 2 ply Kirkland brand toilet paper.
• Hot dog or polish sausage and 20 ounce soft drink for $1.50