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is it worth $40 to pay Sams Club to shop there?

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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 02:43 PM
  #1  
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is it worth $40 to pay Sams Club to shop there?

I don't think so

wife surely does.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=7050
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 02:49 PM
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Maybe if you're buying for a family of 4 or more and have the freezer room to store all the food.

but then weigh the cost of the full size freezer, and it's electricity use since most people have them in the garage.

If you're buying for a large group or party, yes, it is worth it. Costco is IMO the same (good place for the adult beverages!!!) and you don't have to be a member to enter/purch those adult bev.
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 03:04 PM
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It is for some stuff, but you have to be aware of what you are buying there.

I noticed that a case of oil was actually cheaper at Wally World than at Sams, but other things like ink for my printer is much cheaper at Sams.

It just depends on what you are shopping for. Laundry detergent, diswasher detergent etc is a better deal also at Sams. So is vitamins and cold remedies like NyQuil and Tylenol.
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 03:08 PM
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Lately, I'm not so sure. The last time I was in there, I saw quite a few items that I knew I could get cheaper elsewhere. Amazon easily beats Sams on a lot of the electronics stuff. Even Staples, Office Max, etc. had cheaper thumb drives.

I know food prices have gone up everywhere, but Sam's food seems to have gone up more than the average. It's getting so that they are not worth the comparatively long drive. Their fuel isn't a bargain, either.
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 03:20 PM
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I have a buisness acct with Sams.. Use it constantly!! Love sams!
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 03:26 PM
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Have Sams and Costco and use them regularly.
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 04:15 PM
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If you use Costco and have the Executive membership you get 2% back at the end of the year. It costs more up front the first year and we break even most years, so the rebate pays for the membership each year.. When we put in new flooring we even got money back above and beyond what the annual fee is.
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 04:36 PM
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When i first got my Sam's membership, I saved enough money using their long distance calling card that it paid for my annual membership.

Now, it's not so clear as to the value of the warehouse/buying club thing.

I'd love to do Costco if we had one near where we end up settling.

jh
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 05:46 PM
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I kinda think the internet is a better deal for most things. Food though... if you have the storage or go in on it with another family so you cut the cost of the membership then I could see it. Or like it was said earlier, if you have a large family.
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 06:31 PM
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Friends of mine were into Sams for years, then Costco built a store a half hour or so north, now they shop there. I got a free membership when they opened, but never used it after I got it. Now every time my friends tell me about something they got that I might like to have and then tell me the price I wish I would have renewed. I might get it again, we go through a lot of diapers having our boy and have heard they have a great deal on them. Obviously I wouldn't do it just for diapers though......
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 06:38 PM
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Thumbs up Costco American Express

Costco offers an American Express card which gives you rebates of 1-3% everywhere you go. The interest rate is moderate but like all cards,an effort should be made to pay off the balance each month. I don't use it at small businesses though as the fees are much higher and I don't want to make it harder for them to stay alive. Our card's rebate was triple the price of the membership fee at Costco. Great milfs too!
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 06:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Danderson
Great milfs too!
lol the have those at Costco? Are they cheap? What's return policy?
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 07:12 PM
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FWIW, our church has a Business membership, so we got it as an associate of them, for $35, but that's not really a big savings off the $40

went today

rotella was $27 for 3 gallons,
Synth rotella was $47 or so.

some stuff was "price leader" that made you think everything was cheap,

but i noticed that EVERYTHING was TEN dollars.

it looked they just made the quantity large enough to charge ten bucks,
but not really enough to be a good deal

we spent $222, and did not even have a buggy full. for $222, i can't get it all in the buggy at the grocery store.
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Old Apr 22, 2008 | 10:01 PM
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Sams club = Walmart, so I avoid it for the sake of my future children.

But really like most say here, the deals just arent good enough to justify the bulk purchase and membership fees.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 08:11 AM
  #15  
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It is worth it for the free samples and being able to walk around the place and look at all the stuff. If you cant eat $35 of free samples in a year you aren't trying. LOL
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