Author Topic: Sams club?? (Read 1681 times)

powderman · « **on:** September 10, 2011, 06:03:57 PM »

Anybody here belong?? We'd always heard how great it was, save big bucks, etc, so we just joined. Big disappointment. Most everything we saw was cheaper at walmart or Kroger, especially if bought on sale. We did save on some trash bags and a personal item for Patty. 10 lb of potatoes, $7.98, 10 lb at Kroger and Aldis, $3.69. They were higher on produce and every food item we looked at. Bought a 24 pk of lipton green tea for $9.98, went to wm, 12 pk $4.98= 24 $9.96. Larger pkgs, but same price per item. Tuna 10 pk, $7. 84, or 78 cents ea, Kroger this week was 59 cents a can for the same starkist brand. We bought a lot on sale at their grand opening for 25 cts a can and more on sale at 50 cts, thats the most we've ever paid for tuna. Looks like we blew $40. We saw carts piled high with stuff they could buy cheaper elsewhere. Sams seems to be for folks who don't really know the prices elsewhere. Bigger pkg means saving money, right?? HEH, not always. Anybody else notice this?? POWDERMAN.

briarpatch · « **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2011, 05:12:02 AM »

Yes, my wife and I have seen the same thing. A lot of people dont compare. Walmart/sams takes atvantage of the ignorant. If not for the wife keeping up with it, I would be one of the ignorant.

Empty Quiver · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2011, 06:24:44 AM »

You sir, are where they make the money to pay the light bill. Don't get me wrong I had much the same experience.

The only place I could see savings was on the things bought in bulk that simply could not be found. Like plastic utensils for a huge party, or a gallon of spices, that sort of thing.

They exist for the Mom and Pop place that doesn't use enough to warrant SYSCO, or another wholesaler to deliver. I make those deliveries and believe me they are not getting the price break you would think.

Go in there with a pad of paper and pen. Write prices down and compare around, some things are fantastic. Many are not. We don't belong anymore.

Old Syko · « **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2011, 08:49:51 AM »

Quote from: Empty Quiver on September 11, 2011, 06:24:44 AM

Go in there with a pad of paper and pen. Write prices down and compare around, some things are fantastic. Many are not. We don't belong anymore.

This is the key, but then again it is the key anyplace you go. Most food item prices are outrageous with meat prices out of this world. A handful of produce items are a good deal but again, not many. Soaps, cleaners, paper towels and toilet paper when purchased in volume are hard to beat. When comparing prices you have to be sure to compare prices on exact same items. For example; don't compare 10# of baking potatoes to 10# of russets. In other words you have to know your prices and be willing to buy in volume. Even then the savings has a lot to do with eliminating trips to the store with gas just short of $4 gal.

Dee · « **Reply #4 on:** September 11, 2011, 08:55:47 AM »

I have had a business Sam's card for years, however, my wife says that to actually save, you have to buy in QUANITY on many items, and some are, as said higher than WalMart. She also says that the pharmacy is better, and uses Sam's for that exclusively.

garbhead · « **Reply #5 on:** September 11, 2011, 12:10:14 PM »

As of 2008, Sam's Clubs had 47 Million memberships and at an average of $40 per membership, Sam's is taking in over $1.88 Billion just in membership fees from us dummies for the privilege of getting ripped-off in quantity...

powderman · « **Reply #6 on:** September 11, 2011, 05:55:42 PM »

This has pretty well been the responses I expected. Maybe their fall stuff will produce a bargain. As far as the potatoes they had only the 10 lb bags, nothing more. The TP they were higher on as well as freezer bags, same with alpo canned dog food, higher than we now pay elsewhere. Alpo cans were about $8 for a 10 pk, or 80 cents a can, we buy it for 50 cents now elsewhere. Never priced prescriptions but did price vitamins and over the counter drugs and found Sams to be higher than what we now pay elsewhere. It pays to know prices before you go and math is real handy. POWDERMAN.

Dee · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2011, 03:29:40 AM »

I think the REAL MESSAGE here, is SHOP! SHOP! For the best deal. Most likely on some items, you can beat Sam's AND WalMart.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2011, 03:33:13 AM »

Been a member for years. Prices are better than many places but you need to shop. Tires can be better priced but service is not as good.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #9 on:** September 12, 2011, 03:54:05 AM »

Bulk items are cheaper than other places. I buy the gallon cans of ketchup at Sams. Save plastic bottles to put it in when opened. Ketchup will last several months in frig. I bought a 50 lb bag of rice several years ago for $4, just recently finished it. Bought another for about $8 recently. Yes, you have to shop. Catching sale items at grocery store is less expensive, but you have to catch the sales. Sam's is pretty consistant, usually cheaper in bulk, unless a grocery store has an item on sale as a draw. Kroger recently had bologna on sale for $1 a lb package. We bought about 20 packages and froze them. This will probably last us a year.

ironglow · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2011, 04:08:30 PM »

Right PM;
We3 used to belong to the club, but discovered the price at a regular Walmart was often as not, just as good.plus the way they merchandise in bulk sizes and quantities, one is inclined to buy more than actually needed..

Stillkickin · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2011, 11:52:17 PM »

Last time I was in a Sam's was many years ago when I tried to buy two tires for a 4 wheel drive. Teenage girl at the desk refused to ring up my purchase on the premise that I didn't know enough to put the right size tires on to match the other two tires and that, on a FWD, this would be dangerous. She proclaimed that I could buy no fewer than four tires at a time. No place that hires a wet-behind-the-ears teenage girl with rings in her nose and who tells me how stupid I am will ever see me as a customer again. Told her that, since she knew so much about tires, she would know where she could put those two, plopped them on her desk, and walked out never to return.

no guns here · « **Reply #12 on:** September 15, 2011, 03:27:00 AM »

Blew a tire on a flat bed trailer full of house hold stuff on the east side of St Louis... not a good place for this to happen in the first place AND it was in the evening. Finally found a Sam's. Went to buy a tire, but they refused to mount it because it was for a trailer. Went round and round with them. Finally went back outside, gave the rim to my wife, she went in to get a "spare" for her "other" car. Mounted right up, no problem, no questions. Haven't been back to a Sam's Club in about 7 years or so. Not planning on it either... I put that tire on the trailer in full view of the Sam's tire area and drove off... left them a peace offering of a blown out tire. Hope they sent the same idiot out there to pick it up...

NGH

kinslayer1965 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 16, 2011, 04:19:35 AM »

I have a Sams literally within two minutes of my house so I do shop there and I have to agree they are a pain and you have to buy stuff in quantity to really get any savings. I like the meat department. I will go there if I am having friends over and want to throw some steaks on the grill. To be honest the main reason I have the membership is for my dog. I can get the dry dogfood she likes in the 50lb bags for what it cost me for a 25lb bag at publix. I also get the bags of dehydrated chicken breast dog treats that I give her for half of what I pay at other places. This is going to sound strange but if you like to read they do have some good prices on books and they have a pretty good selection. Since I am no longer allowed in Barnes and Noble (they finally found out who was moving the Barack Obama books to the comic book section) I get most of my reading material there.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #14 on:** September 16, 2011, 07:10:19 AM »

Buying bulk at Sam's usually requires you to buy a vacuum sealer, canning supplies, and/or a pressure canner. Bulk is a lot cheaper for rice, beans, flour, sugar, even spices. Meat is a good price in bulk, just seperate out into meal size vacuum seal packages and freeze. Vacuum sealed meat will last 2 years in the freezer. I have bought 10 lbs of hamburger for like $2 a lb, etc. Cleaning supplies are also cheaper in bulk. Their brand of toilet paper and paper towels are not bad and a fair price.

powderman · « **Reply #15 on:** September 16, 2011, 01:15:55 PM »

Since I am no longer allowed in Barnes and Noble (they finally found out who was moving the Barack Obama books to the comic book section) I get most of my reading material there.

KINSLAYER. HEH, I love it. POWDERMAN.

kinslayer1965 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 16, 2011, 06:07:34 PM »

I gotta tell you Powderman they did not find it funny at all. I tried to be stealthy about it and probably would not have been caught but some guy saw me doing it and ratted me out. I bet he was a liberal. I do the same thing in Borders. They havent caught me yet. At the airport book stores I have to be satisfied with turning them upside down.
You know it is the little things that just make your day better.

powderman · « **Reply #17 on:** September 16, 2011, 06:27:37 PM »

KINSLAYER. HEH, I like to turn products around on displays where spanish is shown so it reads ENGLISH. This is America, we speak ENGLISH here. I may just take up your hobby too. POWDERMAN.

DDZ · « **Reply #18 on:** September 18, 2011, 07:36:43 AM »

That will be the day that I spend $40 to have the privilege to go into a store to save a few cents on certain items. Just wonder how much you would have to buy in a years time to get return on your $40, for your privilege to shop there. They will never get a red cent from me.
I guess they do offer a one day pass, through coupons found in the paper. Although a 10% surcharge is added to those non members. What a deal huh! Maybe if they paid me $40, I would shop there.
I guess there are 50 million Sam's Club members. Multiply that by $40 and its 2 billion dollars a year just to let people walk into the store. I have to hand it to ole Sam Walton, he has one heck of a gimmick going on.

powderman · « **Reply #19 on:** September 18, 2011, 11:35:36 AM »

DDZ. YEP, we learned the hard way. Big ripoff. POWDERMAN.

reliquary · « **Reply #20 on:** September 18, 2011, 01:37:18 PM »

My wife and I are members. We watch the unit prices and do well enough to justify the membership. In my area, there are Sam's Clubs only in the larger cities, one per. Often they are in the same parking lot as Wal-Mart and we hit both stores on our trips to the medical specialists. By shopping from one to the other, we can catch the markdowns and better deals. We buy meat in bulk and vacuum-seal it into smaller packs; that's where Sam's does the trick for us.

Costco often has better deals, but stores are few & far between in our area. The closest one is over 100 miles away. We've bought some dehydrated/freeze-dried/bucketload survival stuff from their online catalog "on special" and saved quite a bit over other outlets.

Tiapan64 · « **Reply #21 on:** September 20, 2011, 03:38:50 PM »

I usually only buy electronics there. Bought a 55" Vizio VIA XVT TRU LED 1080P LED 240 HRZ There for $1099. Closest around here was 1599 from best buy. Our walmart didn't even carry them. But for other things....you have to compair compair and compair!! It is 50 miles from my house to the Sams Club and about the ONLY thing I ever buy is electronics.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #22 on:** September 20, 2011, 04:14:42 PM »

We are members of Costco which is the same concept. I find that you have "know" what your buying. Some things are the same, some or less and some are more. Overall, I think these bulk places are okay. I don;t like going there. Usually too crowded. I like going to the smaller stores but it is hard to beat the Costco prices on beer, booze, detergent, coffee, Miracle Grow, meats and a long list of other items. We only go there a few times a year and the rest we shop around the corner.

Micahn · « **Reply #23 on:** September 23, 2011, 08:50:46 AM »

Like others have said it all depends on what you buy.
We buy most of our meats at Sams as it just seems better than at Walmart and the prices of meats are better then other locals stores for the most part on meats anyway.
One thing I will not buy at Sams as well as walmart is hamburger as I just like good hamburger and they just do not have it I feel.
We also buy all of our paper towels and tp paper there. We feel the Sams members mark trash bags are great for the price.

But things like soda and many other things are cheaper other places.
Most of the time we will hit Walmart for canned things and other sides then hit sams down the road for meats and such.

Buck-Ridge · « **Reply #24 on:** October 07, 2011, 03:14:34 PM »

I am a member and only buy a few Items there. I buy rib racks and large blocks of cheese and olive oil regularly. The meat is the best I can get locally by far. The olive oil and cheese is at a real savings too.

powderman · « **Reply #25 on:** October 07, 2011, 04:24:22 PM »

BUCK RIDGE. Thanks, I will check the cheese next trip there. POWDERMAN.