Making the Most of Warehouse Shopping
You walk into a massive warehouse store with acres of “good deals” spread out before you. You are amazed at the low prices and at the size of those cans of tuna! You begin to fill your oversized cart with anything and everything you think you may need. At the checkout, you realize that the gallon of milk you came in to buy has just cost you $400 and you have no idea where you are going to put everything you just purchased! So did you get a great deal on things that will last your family months or did you just blow your budget? It’s hard to say…there are a couple of things to consider when figuring out whether wholesale shopping is right for you and will end up saving your family money.
Are things REALLY cheaper at Wholesale stores?
In a word…Yes. In most cases, wholesale clubs have a cheaper price on the staples that your family needs on a per unit basis. Check out the table below for the results of a recent price checking excursion to six stores in the Kansas City area. I did price checks on five items most families need, looked at specific brands for fair comparison and did the math to get the price per unit. In almost all cases, wholesale shopping stores had the lowest prices per unit. But is that the end of the story? Not necessarily. Even though the wholesale stores had the lowest prices that day, savvy shoppers can even things out with coupons and sales at regular retail shops. Smart warehouse shoppers like Brookside mom Nina Troester watch for items to go on sale at other stores where they can be purchased with a coupon, making the cost lower than the regular warehouse price. So do not automatically assume you are getting a great deal. Do your homework on the items that your family uses most so you know the price you pay per unit. Bring a calculator to the store for help!
Will you actually use this stuff?
The potential definitely exists for great deals at these stores, but make sure that your family will actually USE the items you buy. Most importantly, avoid impulse purchases. If you can’t walk past that big screen HDTV or 40-pack of Twizzlers on the way to get your milk, you will buy things you don’t need and throw your savings out the kitchen window.
Even if you can avoid impulse buying, make sure your family will actually consume the items you buy before those items expire. As Costco-shopper Katie Goodpasture of Kansas City, MO, says, “You have to be realistic with your bulk purchases.” Make sure you have storage space (an extra fridge or freezer) for perishable items before you buy them. If you aren’t diligent in your storage and use of these items, your savings will end up in the trash can with the rotten food. Stephanie Luzar of Fairway buys all of her meat at Costco and uses a vacuum sealer to extend its life in the freezer. Other moms go shopping together at their warehouse club and split the perishable items between two families. You may also choose to buy only non-perishable items at warehouse stores to avoid this problem altogether.
Start Slowly.
If you are thinking of getting a membership to a warehouse club, start off slowly and begin with the items that your family uses the most. Goodpasture says, “The items that our family goes through the fastest are easily the items that give us the most savings.” Diapers, wipes, milk, paper goods, meat and cleaning supplies were the favorite items of local moms who are veteran warehouse shoppers. Make a list of the items that YOUR family needs most and a budget for the trip, then head to your store, and do not buy anything that isn’t on the list. As you get used to having large quantities of food and household items to store and use, you can add more and more things to your list, making sure that everything you buy is something that will be 100% used by your family. At the end of the year, you will likely find that you have saved a ton of money by smart shopping at your local warehouse store!
Sara Keenan is a mom of two from Kansas City, MO, and blogs about Savvy Shopping at www.SaraTheSavvyShopper.com and at www.KCParent.com/MomBlogs.aspx.