I’d say go, but take a list with you of the usual prices you pay for the stuff you’d normally buy at a grocery, hardware, book or electronics store.
Then only buy things that are more than 10% cheaper compared to outside world prices. You’re still saving money, and you’ll have an idea how much the prices in Sam’s Club are.
This is generally the case when the “big” stores in the comparison refers to supermarkets, and the “small ones” refers to mom-and-pop grocery stores (or convenience stores).
However, when you’re talking about the big box, bulk purchase membership stores
there tends to be very little variety in what brands of any given item are available. For instance, when you’re looking for, say, peanut butter, there maybe only one brand on the shelf (possibly two, if the store carries their own brand).
I hate all the fine print lately. It used to be only shady companies, As Seen on TV or whatever. Now it seems they are all doing it.
I’m sure they will lose a lot of potential customers that are turned off over that 10% upcharge.
At Costco, I save twice that per year on baking potatoes only.
Damn, how many pounds of baking potatoes do you buy in a year?
I figure we (family of 4) go through a 20 pound bag every three weeks. At Costco a 20 pound bag is $10.
52/3 = 17ish, or about $170 of baking potatoes per year. The normal price for baking potatoes at the grocery store is about a buck a pound (89c / 99c).
So, if I were to buy 340 pounds (17 purchases of 20 pounds each) at the grocery store it would cost approximately $340, for a savings of about $170 a year. Well worth the $55 dollar membership, on potatoes alone.
Heck, I probably save more than $55 a year just buying a gallon of milk every week at Costco. I think I save about $1.25 per jug.
And there is often a limited number of items even from known brands. Costco sells big bags of Starbucks beans, but only French Roast.
However, they carry some things you can’t get anywhere else, and they have a deal with a local bakery for bread which is better than any we’ve found around here. That along makes membership worth it.
Our Costco checks cards on the way in. I don’t know what happens if you don’t have one.
They release the dogs.
I was joking around with her username. Thus, 
:smack:
I wish we had a Costco around here. They’re so much better than Sam’s Club and their employment practices are also much better. I try to avoid anything Walmart, so Sam’s Club is out. But the last time I was in there, it was pretty much the same stuff as Walmart, but in the bulk sizes and pretty much still as the same prices. I really think the difference between Walmart and Sam’s Club is that Sam’s Club warehouses are for those who are distracted by the posh surroundings of the average Walmart.
In my state (Michigan), tell them you’re going to buy beer/booze/drugs. No membership required per state law.