In Sunny Los Angeles there are only two options (that I am aware of) that fit a description of a warehouse store. Typically they are characterized for selling oversized items. As well as people usually buying way more than they intended. In my experience, having a warehouse club has led me to spend too much (intended to buy about $150 dollars worth of things, and spent closer to $300). Or encountering the impulse buy of a new "Smart" TV during my favorite time of year, Black Friday!
Nevertheless, it has been a purchase my family and I have not regretted. We find items that when compared to prices I have paid at the grocery store, I get a better deal when I purchase in bulk. My best example, without dishing out inaccurate numbers, is jared organic pasta sauce. As I strolled a lane at Costco, a 4 pack of organic pasta sauce caught my eye. I purchased an organic pasta sauce the day before at my local store. After doing some math, I found myself a little annoyed. I paid half the amount they were asking for Costco for 4 jars, at my local store on just 1. The 4 pack was on sale, but it shows you that if you have the room, and like to plan ahead, you can save money on home cooked meals when buying at a warehouse store.
Disclaimer: I've only had the pleasure of buying at Costco. In Los Angeles we also have Sam's Club. I've heard great things about both stores on online forums. And like almost anything in life, there are teams, or divisions among people's preferences. There's Team Costco and Team Sam's. I'm on Team Savings. I am just writing a little 'ol blog about potential perks of using warehouse stores :)
So, I never said never to the thought of getting a card. It just never seemed like the right time. Since 2011 it has just been my husband and I. It seemed like a waste of money. I still think it would have been. When we got married we decided to invest some of the money from our wedding in the purchase of a Costco Executive Member card. A friend of ours told us that getting a card had been useful when they had their first baby. They bought wipes and diapers at Costco for a cheaper price than at Walmart or Target. We were getting ready to pop, so why not?!
Our first couple of purchases were super novice. It's a huge warehouse without signage and loads of shelves. Overwhelming? A bit, specially on a Saturday or Sunday. People go big at Costco. Some folks lug around 2 carts, followed by family members with carts of their own. It's not all bad, though. You get food and beverage samples on Saturdays and Sundays. Although waiting for the sample to be cooked, or waiting in line and watching the very last sample taken by the person in front of you, could give just about anyone the irritables.
I digress.
After becoming members since Fall of 2013, we have renewed every year. We used the money back feature on Costco's Executive Member card (purchased in 2013) to pay for the lower priced Gold Star Membership the following year (2014).
Potential Deals
Diapers!:
The price of diapers is high. I often looked for deals using weekly ads from Kmart, CVS, Walmart, and Target. Although Costco may have a sale on diapers, it may not be the brand you prefer. If you are on a budget, you may not always be able to buy more than on box of diapers at Costco. At least that was something we have experienced. Keeping an eye out for online coupons and through the Sunday paper were always our go to alternatives.
Before turning one, my son began to develop severe diaper rash. We had to change through different diaper brands until we found one that had the most absorbency. When we finally settled for one, we found that the best prices were at Costco.
Wipes:
The assortment is limited. They do have brand names wipes though. You may just find the kind you currently use.
Since my son was getting diaper rashes very often, we decided to go cold turkey, and just used wet paper towels when changing his diaper. Gross. As we did more research, we decided to purchase wipes that had less chemicals. The wipes we use are not sold at Costco. Boo.
Formula:
Although Costco does not have a wide variety of Formulas, I was pleased with their brand selection. I found more variety at costco.com and began to purchase Gentlease by Enfamil online. This formula helped my little man sleep better. A pediatrician recommended it and we were were happy to see it sold at Costco. Purchasing through costco.com was easy and fast.
Diaper Genie:
I have purchased a 4 pack of Diaper Genies for $19 pretty much since we ran out of the ones that came for free with the Diaper Genie purchase. It has been on "sale" once or twice since 2013 for about $15.
There are many other reasons to purchase things at Costco. I'm just staying on the baby lane.
Hope you find this useful,
KM
I am a mother and former teacher. With some bumps along the way, I have documented my personal journey through post partum depression and currently writing about my life with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Let's connect: Instagram: sun_evue . Twitter: @catsgonuts
Hello All,
It's been a while! Things have happened in life, that should, I suppose. I know nothing is ever easy or even fair. Or is it? I've started thinking differently. I need to stay in the present. To remain focused in life and love. Things can be fair, and how they should be, if I accept them as they are.
Gosh, who knows? All I can do is offer my world, my view and my attempts to rescue; myself.
I left this blog, because it felt lonely. I was spending hours in front of a computer and keyboard, reading and re-reading my work. I take pride in what I write. It matters to me that readers understand my ideas. Then it became a task. I guess my story ended once I gave birth.
So I stopped writing, cold turkey. I did this here, on my other blog, on my emails, with my friends. I went into a deep whole of death. I can be blunt here. Right? Maybe not, but it's the truth. Why shy away from what we truly feel?
Just be cautious, if you don't want to hear the ramblings of a depressed person, come back soon for another post :)
So like I started to say, I started getting these beyond negative thoughts in my head. I felt like the world (mostly my world) would be better off if I died. I have always been a depressed and angry person. I tough combination for myself, but mostly for anyone that was close to me. Only then did you get to see the real me. The real raw me. The one that spat out insults, bad words and just all around hurt to whomever I was angry at. I got angry for absolutely everything! I mean why the hell would anyone love me? That was my biggest struggle, keeping the past in the past. I was always rehashing my shitty attitude. ALWAYS. In my brain. This led to negative thoughts that consumed my day.
Now, I know myself, duh, right? I knew I could never, ever kill myself. I know I'm here for a reason, what that is, be it paying off karmic debt, having a son that will someday be president, saving someones life...whatever it was, I have to own it as my path.
That and during an especially trying day I asked GOD for a sign. I had asked for a sign for so long, it was something I needed so badly that afternoon. I felt alone and misunderstood. I asked for anything he could show me to give me strength to continue to live. This was in 2013 or so. I stood there with my door open, tears rolling down my eyes, and I saw a sign in the sky. From a cloud a huge cross came out and as soon as it came, it disappeared. I regret not getting on my knees and shouting for my husband to come over. But I saw it, and for that and for my family, I live.
My depression intensified after I gave birth (2014) to my son. Honesty has not always been my personal policy when it came to my anger and depression. To clarify, before my son was born I felt anger and mild depression, after his birth my depression became unbearable. For example, I cried once because a DeLonghi air conditioner sold out. I sobbed uncontrollably for over an hour. I knew things were off, but I never checked the box that asked if I was having depression when I visited the doctors office. They ask you if you are feeling depressed when you see your child's pediatrician, and I never could check yes. I didn't want to talk about it.
It took almost 3 years for me to come clean to my personal physician. Even now she doesn't know the full extent of how I feel, but we are managing my symptoms and overtime I have become more open and honest with her.
Please, don't do as I did. Ask for help as soon as you feel like you are not handling situations as you should. Perhaps you are yelling more, throwing things, crying all the time, feeling sad for no real reason. I for one, feel my anger. I feel it in my chest. When I start to yell or become angry I focus on that feeling and tell myself that is not how I should feel. I should't feel angry when speaking to a loved one. This has helped me stop my mouth from running off. I pray that it continues to help. With my depression I have become more honest, with family and my doctor. I continue to remind myself to stay present, stay thankful, and to notice when I feel my anger rising.
It's taken me about a year to return, because I was not ready. What could I offer, but sadness? That was never the point of this blog. The point is to be honest with my words, and to focus on the goal of making time to write, for me.
Getting the F*** out of my EGO,
Kathy
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