Brokelyn

Oh thank god. I HATE going to Costco, but Rob is all, “We’re saving so much money!!!” Of course, going to Target is no cakewalk either, but it’s still easier, and much, much closer.

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by amber. amber said: RT @Brokelyn: Store-brand smackdown: Costco vs. Target! http://bit.ly/Jlkjg via [...]

What Amber doesn’t take into consideration is the non-Costco brand stuff.

[...] Read the entire article. If you enjoyed this post, get FREE updates when you subscribe to Myprivatebrand’s Blog by Email. Share and Enjoy: [...]

I’ve heard that the pharmacy at costco is often a lot cheaper than anywhere else and you don’t even have to be a member to use it.

i would be curious to see a cost comparison also for specifically: Food (meat, frozen, bakery, staples) and their Electronics (TVs, Computers, etc).

Appreciate your work on this, good to know. Having said that, I’ll trade those pennies in savings for the much, much better customer service at CostCo, not to mention their extremely generous return policy. Going to Costco is actually fun. Going to Target is a nightmare. And yeah, spending $500 in a year at Costco? I’ll do that in a couple months.

Looking forward to trying the Target generic brand – but I will say, everything Kirkland brand has always done great by me. It’s quality stuff.

this is retarded. if you factor out the diapers, then the price comparison swings back to costco by the same margin is loses to target with the diapers factored in. stooooooooopid

Nick: the big difference is that you don’t have to pay $50 a year to shop at Target.

There is also a great selection at Costco and the membership fee is not a dealbreaker if you split it with a roommate (as you can have two individuals on a membership).

The target at Flatbush and Ave H is a big improvement over Atlantic Center–spacious, decent customer service, and much less crowded. It’s right off the 2/5 train and not as far away as you think.

Eileen! Don’t tell people about the Target at the Junction in Flatbush! It needs to be kept our little secret — and keep all of the Park Slope and Fort Greene types up north!

Target hardly ever has anything in stock. I can’t tell you how many times I have gone there (first at atlantic center and now at the junction) thinking–surely they’ll have [sheets, socks, a winter hat for my child, a bathing suit for my other child....] and they don’t have the right size or whatever. I have come to DESPISE those stores. I always vow never to go again then I forget. Maybe if you’re shopping for groceries at Target it’s a different story (they probably don’t run out of chips or paper towels–one size fits all after all), but can you even bring a shopping cart to your car at Target? I don’t think so. How can you lug heavy groceries around without? Also factor in that the people who work at Costco are actually helpful and intelligent. NOt so at Target. Dumb and mean, more like it.

Costco’s produce is really fresh and great prices. Also politically a better fit for BK – decent wages to employees and low CEO salary, where Target has been a big GOP donor. Although not convenient for most who want to sleep in, but I go at 9:30am on Saturday’s to avoid the crowds.

Go to the Target in Jersey City. It’s walking distance from the PATH.

Let us not forget that Costco, according to a recent New York Times article on catastrophes in meat control, reportedly has exemplary standards for checking their meat for ecolli. Now, how to spell that?

Both prices would probably be bested by a sale (on equivalent brand-name products) in Rite Aid, Pathmark, wherever. That’s almost always been the case with warehouse stores. For example, I’ve often purchased at a 12-pack of Scott toilet paper for $5.99 at Rite Aid or Key Food, sometimes even for $4.99, and Scott occasionally runs coupons so the cost was even less. READ THOSE CIRCULARS (you can do it online if they’re not delivered to your home). All the stuff mentioned here, plus most other toiletries, are nonperishable so buy the stuff when it’s on sale, not waiting until the moment you need it. There’s usually one brand or another of many such products on sale every week at these stores. I think warehouse stores are good for “catering” for a casual party (i.e., buying party platters) and maybe some electronics but you can almost always do better on regular grocery & household item prices shopping with sales & coupons at other stores. Target sometimes has good sales on these things too. And of course no membership fee.

It’s worth noting, though, that Target and its CEO give extensively to Republican causes and candidates. So does Wal-Mart. Costco is the only big box retailer that gives to Democratic ones.

http://www.knowmore.org/wiki/index.php?title=Target_Corporation#Political_Contributions

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/182915_costco21.html

The disclaimer that quality is not taken into account is huge. Costco is not a Discount operation, if you want CHEAP, go to the Dollar store. Costco brings Value and Quality together so its members get the best possbile product for the best possible price. Of the items analyzed, it would be eaasy to be cheaper by reducing the quality of the products, so if you want cheap, you get cheap, but you better change the diapers more often, or wash the clothes twice to get them as clean, etc. Quality AND Value.

I recently went to the Target at Atlantic Center and it was enough to make me swear off 75 cent gloves forever. The one at Nostrand Junction or whatever it’s called is so much better it’s not even like shopping at the same store.

Gas is consistently at least $0.15/gal cheaper at our Costco, and it’s right near where I work. If I fill up my tiny tank at 10 gal./week, I’m making back my $50 membership fee. Add to that fact that my boyfriend and I share an account, and the savings are doubled. Also, I’ve shopped around for a prescription I have to pay full price for (insurance won’t cover it). Costco has it $20 cheaper for a 30 day supply than anywhere else. I make back the membership fee in 2 and a half months. The key is to buy what makes sense at Costco, and save the other purchases for another store. No one store is always the cheapest. Even the cleaning supplies at the dollar store can usually be found at Target for 99 cents.

I make up more than the $50 a year on milk alone. Where I live, Costco charges $1.90/gal for milk and I’ve never seen Target or anywhere else dip much below $2.90…a gallon a week of milk is already a $52/year savings. Then there’s their coffee; 3 lbs. for $12 and delicious (and I’m a pretty big coffee snob). Target’s coffee selection is abysmal and I’ve never seen any bags come anywhere close to $4/lb. Their meat is consistently $3/lb and high quality, their bulk rate grains are ridiculously cheap, and there’s lots more. For those who workout, they have 6 lbs. of whey protein for $30, the best price I’ve seen anywhere on the Internet for that matter.

So yeah, I’m not switching from Costco anytime soon.

If your parents have an account just have them add you to it as a user..you get your own card and there you go–FREE costco membership.

[...] GPS for some extra cash ($10 a day), you want some assurance that you’ll have it back for next month’s Costco run. And even if you don’t connect at first, you can start forming your own Snapgoods groups over [...]