I am frugal and so when my DH (then BF) mentioned he had a BJ's card well lets just say he was not prepared for me. It was a long weekend but I inventoried everything that I though we would buy and wrote down the price, unit of measurement and cost per unit. From everything from vitamins to chicken, and wine and beer since it is available in our BJs. Then I did the same for those items at Target and Grocery store. For some things like veggies and fruits with just my DH and even though it is "cheaper" at BJs it spoils before we eat it all so there is no savings. For other things the cost differential is small but the easy of having it on hand (I am thinking chicken breasts two per pouch that are boneless and skinless in particular) and only having to buy every few months is worth it.

Wendy--
I wish you had been on our field trip! Such attention to detail is key--so many things look like bargains when they really aren't. I agree with you about the luxury of having ingredients on hand when you need them. Sometimes, convenience is worth every penny.

We are in love with Costco. I have a running list of things that we stock up on there - Kleenex, chicken breasts, ground beef, Cheerios. We probably go there about once a month. I agree with the produce comment from Wendy, but we do get grapes there, and I get flats of strawberries in the summer if I'm planning to make pies. We also keep pour eyes out for the frequent coupon books - good planning makes for great bargains.

My husband and I hate to grocery shop so we buy in bulk things that we can freeze (thanks to an extra freezer in the house) and things that won’t spoil. We use the grocery store for fresh produce and “random” ingredients. I don’t know that this is the best way for everyone but it works well for us.

Costco is wonderful for lots of things. We joined as soon as we had our first baby - the cost savings on diapers and wipes alone covers the membership fee. Add formula, infant's tylenol, shampoo, miralax....and you're talking some serious savings as well as convenience.

Not everything is a bargain, of course. You do have to watch prices, which is not always easy.

Other things we buy include: frozen blueberries, bread (generic organic), granola bars, juice (individual bottles), chicken nuggets, oatmeal....

I'm a fan of Costco...but only for certain things. Some of the stuff is just too much and would go bad. And I agree with the other posters, you have to watch the prices. I think they have great gifts for people, like books, dvd's, and other food-type gifts. I started my Christmas shopping there this past weekend! Um, it's not even Halloween yet (crazy!).
In my shopping cart at Costco you can find: paper towels, Poland spring water bottles, (some) fruit and veggies, frozen pizza, frozen broccoli, organic eggs, coffee, Oxy Clean, Liquid detergent, bread and cheese.

Once I bought the biggest jar of three bean salad. I don't even think I ever opened it. So, I have mixed feelings about Warehouse Clubs!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love COSTCO!!!!!!!!! I joined to save money on gas and they consistently have the cheapest gas in town. I was able to find small kitchen appliances there for good prices when I moved recently. The bakery/deli food is amazing. I am single, so I can't buy very much in bulk, but Costco is a great place to get food for entertaining. I agree that you have to watch the prices on some items, not everything is going to be the cheapest there. Still, iIt has been worth every penny of the membership fee.

I save so much money by shopping at Costco, but only on certain items (like diapers and baby wipes). I've also learned that there are some items that can be more expensive at Costco if they are on sale in the grocery store. For example, we used to buy food items like milk, chicken and steaks at Costco, but noticed that they are sometimes cheaper in the grocery store. Paper products such as TP and paper towels have always been cheaper at Costco. You just have to be aware of prices (especially unit prices) and shop accordingly. I have a list of items that we regularly get at Costco.

I used to be a member of SamsClub in AZ. I thought we were saving so much, but I am an avid coupon clipper. When I added up the items I bought, and compared it to the sale price at my grocery store, then added on what I would have saved using coupons, there was no savings. I am lucky to have 3 great grocery stores within 5 minutes of me, so there is always an opportunity to use coupons for sale items. The only thing that was a deal was the gas, but not enough to warrant the price of the membership and driving well out of my way to get gas.

i love them it my 2 year old daugher husband and myself and we buy pretty much everything you could think of from costco

I shop at Costco in Louisville Kentucky and love it. In general things are much cheaper than you would find in regular stores. However, you do have to watch ones prices. Sometimes warehouse stores are not always cheaper on some things. Just have watch.

I finally convinced my husband to drop our Costco membership. All the gas to get there and the cost of the membership didn't make sense for what we were buying. We are still on the first of 3 huge containers of body lotion that we bought two years ago. And don't forget the stress, long lines, and cheap hot dogs that somehow convince you that the price makes up for the calories. And in the spirit of sustainability, Costco is the anti-local business, with no sense of community.

I shop at Costco. They simply have the highest quality of meat one could buy in our area ( North Atlanta). As an example, my local store, Publix, offers filet mignon for $15.99 per pound. I can get it at Costco for $7.99 per pound. Yes, I have to buy 5 or 6 to a package, but spending 5 minutes to vacuum seal the extra and freeze it makes it a no-brainer. The downside is that I can NEVER get out of there for less than $350...they carry products that I like. Additionally, you may not find the same products in the store every time. But the meat is worth the trip.

The clubs are deals if you have a large family or group to feed. However, with my small family, I have found that I end up spending more through the warehouse way of buying than I would at my local grocery store. The other Wendy hit it right when she said for some things like vegetables it IS cheaper, but because of the large quantity it spoils(not to mention the wondering of WHERE it came from in the first place along with who knows what chemicals and pesticides), With other things (like kitty litter) I found it was cheaper if I went often enough to realize the cost difference between what I was actually saving and my "membership fee", however, a 40 lb jug of kitty litter is hard to carry and not really worth the extra trip. I spent my "savings" in gas to get there. I gave up on the membership and started clipping coupons and watching sales at the local grocery store instead.