Costo Kirkland 5W30 not a great deal afterall!!!

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by SteveG4
Originally Posted by CKN
There is the I believe 2% rebate you get using the CostCo credit card for in their warehouse purchases.

Forgot about that!
Since I have an executive membership and my family spends thousands there every year, I receive $200 to $300 back every year. This more than pays for my $120/year membership.
This oil costs me less than $24.99...

Never leave money on the table..but fwiw, I get 2% cash back from my card using Wally's and if I couple that with Rakuten it can be as high as 6%. Rakuten cb's can vary widely on automotive products from 0% to 4% I've found.

 

[metroplex]

Originally Posted by SteveG4
Originally Posted by CKN
There is the I believe 2% rebate you get using the CostCo credit card for in their warehouse purchases.

Forgot about that!
Since I have an executive membership and my family spends thousands there every year, I receive $200 to $300 back every year. This more than pays for my $120/year membership.
This oil costs me less than $24.99...


Well you can use the Executive Membership for 2% back, plus the Costco Citi Visa for another 2% at Costco. Costco Citi is also good for 3% on hotel/airfare/restaurant, and 4% back for gas. Their Citi Card gives you 2% back at Costco purchases including alcohol, unlike the Executive Membership card. But with the regular Gold Star membership and their Citi card, I'm getting almost $300 in rewards back just by my own purchases for the year with the regular membership.

 

[Toros]

Last I checked, Walmart didn't charge you for the "privilege" of spending your money there. The argument that paying more for a membership so you can spend more and make money on the deal is intellectually flawed....."the more I buy, the more I save" is to retailers what Valentines Day is to Hallmark.

 

[BigD1]

Originally Posted by Toros
Last I checked, Walmart didn't charge you for the "privilege" of spending your money there. The argument that paying more for a membership so you can spend more and make money on the deal is intellectually flawed....."the more I buy, the more I save" is to retailers what Valentines Day is to Hallmark.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted by BigD1
Originally Posted by Toros
Last I checked, Walmart didn't charge you for the "privilege" of spending your money there. The argument that paying more for a membership so you can spend more and make money on the deal is intellectually flawed....."the more I buy, the more I save" is to retailers what Valentines Day is to Hallmark.

I don't mind paying for the "privelage". We mostly buy groceries and gas at costco. Gas is the cheapest there in my area. The cash back for us is usually is at least double the membership fee for stuff we would have to buy anyways, and is competitively priced as well.

It makes sense to some and doesn't make sense to others. That's the beauty of a free market. Everyone can decide for themselves what's best for them.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I use the Costco Citi card for everything. I think I am at $850 reward value right now...
Now that's a privlidge!

 

[Toros]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Originally Posted by BigD1
Originally Posted by Toros
Last I checked, Walmart didn't charge you for the "privilege" of spending your money there. The argument that paying more for a membership so you can spend more and make money on the deal is intellectually flawed....."the more I buy, the more I save" is to retailers what Valentines Day is to Hallmark.

I don't mind paying for the "privelage". We mostly buy groceries and gas at costco. Gas is the cheapest there in my area. The cash back for us is usually is at least double the membership fee for stuff we would have to buy anyways, and is competitively priced as well.

It makes sense to some and doesn't make sense to others. That's the beauty of a free market. Everyone can decide for themselves what's best for them.


I agree about free market enterprise. I too have a Costco membership as they sell certain items that would be most difficult for me to buy elsewhere. Outdoor lounge chairs for one for our beach house pool. Commercial quality at a retail price. They also carry great whole bean coffee.
But there is much to not like about them as well. Their online retailing is an industry joke.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by Toros
Originally Posted by KrisZ
Originally Posted by BigD1
Originally Posted by Toros
Last I checked, Walmart didn't charge you for the "privilege" of spending your money there. The argument that paying more for a membership so you can spend more and make money on the deal is intellectually flawed....."the more I buy, the more I save" is to retailers what Valentines Day is to Hallmark.

I don't mind paying for the "privelage". We mostly buy groceries and gas at costco. Gas is the cheapest there in my area. The cash back for us is usually is at least double the membership fee for stuff we would have to buy anyways, and is competitively priced as well.

It makes sense to some and doesn't make sense to others. That's the beauty of a free market. Everyone can decide for themselves what's best for them.


I agree about free market enterprise. I too have a Costco membership as they sell certain items that would be most difficult for me to buy elsewhere. Outdoor lounge chairs for one for our beach house pool. Commercial quality at a retail price. They also carry great whole bean coffee.
But there is much to not like about them as well. Their online retailing is an industry joke.

Agreed..and conversely that's what I find as a strong point to Wally's. Sure they have glitches now and then just like any large eTailer but by in large ordering from Wally's dot com is easy peazy. And you know you're getting very competitive pricing and the shipping is hard to beat for a non membership eTailer.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by Toros
Last I checked, Walmart didn't charge you for the "privilege" of spending your money there. The argument that paying more for a membership so you can spend more and make money on the deal is intellectually flawed....."the more I buy, the more I save" is to retailers what Valentines Day is to Hallmark.


That's not quite the premise. I have a membership with the Costco MasterCard. I have to buy gas anyways, regardless of where I purchase other products, and Costco is typically cheaper for those other products (that aren't meat and produce, which we buy locally) as well. Costco is ALWAYS significantly cheaper on gas.

So, I pay the membership fee, save significantly on gas that I'll be using anyways, which more than offsets the cost of the membership fee. I then also get cash back on the MasterCard on stuff I was going to buy regardless, such as bread, buns, lunch snacks for the kids, cereal, cat litter...etc.

I'm not buying more stuff, I'm simply further ahead on the stuff I was already going to be buying.

It also avoids having to expose oneself to the "People of Walmart" club, who don't appear willing to pony up the cost of a membership.

 

[Patman]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the $4.96 you spent for water! That's the ripoff right there, considering it comes out of your tap virtually for free.

 

[Toros]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by Toros
Last I checked, Walmart didn't charge you for the "privilege" of spending your money there. The argument that paying more for a membership so you can spend more and make money on the deal is intellectually flawed....."the more I buy, the more I save" is to retailers what Valentines Day is to Hallmark.


That's not quite the premise. I have a membership with the Costco MasterCard. I have to buy gas anyways, regardless of where I purchase other products, and Costco is typically cheaper for those other products (that aren't meat and produce, which we buy locally) as well. Costco is ALWAYS significantly cheaper on gas.

So, I pay the membership fee, save significantly on gas that I'll be using anyways, which more than offsets the cost of the membership fee. I then also get cash back on the MasterCard on stuff I was going to buy regardless, such as bread, buns, lunch snacks for the kids, cereal, cat litter...etc.

I'm not buying more stuff, I'm simply further ahead on the stuff I was already going to be buying.

It also avoids having to expose oneself to the "People of Walmart" club, who don't appear willing to pony up the cost of a membership.


Yeah sure. Your post assumes Wal-Mart and Costco are the only options out there...and perhaps for you, they are. But not for most folks. I can't swing a dead cat without hitting a grocery store here and it's easier and faster to get in and out of any grocery store than Costco...check my membership upon entry, line up like sheep to make sure we aren't all stealing to make up for that $60+/year pay to play....Costco gas stations are notoriously packed...traffic jam style sometimes. "The people of Walmart" thing is silly and newsflash, spending $120/year to spend your money is not membership in the Seminole Golf Club like so many Costco fanbois earnestly believe.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by Toros
Yeah sure. Your post assumes Wal-Mart and Costco are the only options out there

No, it simply addresses the two options being discussed.
Originally Posted by Toros
...and perhaps for you, they are.

No, but they are both close to where myself and my wife work, so they are reasonably convenient, particularly for gas, which of course Walmart doesn't sell.
Originally Posted by Toros
But not for most folks. I can't swing a dead cat without hitting a grocery store here and it's easier and faster to get in and out of any grocery store than Costco..

I agree, if I didn't pack a lunch, I'll go to Sobeys and grab a sandwich, which they make fresh and are extremely well priced. This is where we do the bulk of our grocery shopping for non-meat products as well.
Originally Posted by Toros
.check my membership upon entry, line up like sheep to make sure we aren't all stealing to make up for that $60+/year pay to play....Costco gas stations are notoriously packed...traffic jam style sometimes.

The Costco gas station is almost always busy, but the traffic moves well. Given I save $0.10/L easily, often significantly more, when compared to at a different station, it's well work a minute or two wait.
Originally Posted by Toros
"The people of Walmart" thing is silly and newsflash,

No, it's a legitimate experience. Perhaps your Walmart stores are more upscale, but not around here. Walmart attracts a certain demographic that doesn't appear to frequent Costco.
Originally Posted by Toros
spending $120/year to spend your money is not membership in the Seminole Golf Club like so many Costco fanbois earnestly believe.

That's ridiculous, nobody is making that claim. The membership allows me to get cheaper gas, close to work, and if I want to buy bulk stuff like bread, cat litter...etc, I can do so, for a reasonable price.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by Toros
Yeah sure. Your post assumes Wal-Mart and Costco are the only options out there

No, it simply addresses the two options being discussed.
Originally Posted by Toros
...and perhaps for you, they are.

No, but they are both close to where myself and my wife work, so they are reasonably convenient, particularly for gas, which of course Walmart doesn't sell.
Originally Posted by Toros
But not for most folks. I can't swing a dead cat without hitting a grocery store here and it's easier and faster to get in and out of any grocery store than Costco..

I agree, if I didn't pack a lunch, I'll go to Sobeys and grab a sandwich, which they make fresh and are extremely well priced. This is where we do the bulk of our grocery shopping for non-meat products as well.
Originally Posted by Toros
.check my membership upon entry, line up like sheep to make sure we aren't all stealing to make up for that $60+/year pay to play....Costco gas stations are notoriously packed...traffic jam style sometimes.

The Costco gas station is almost always busy, but the traffic moves well. Given I save $0.10/L easily, often significantly more, when compared to at a different station, it's well work a minute or two wait.
Originally Posted by Toros
"The people of Walmart" thing is silly and newsflash,

No, it's a legitimate experience. Perhaps your Walmart stores are more upscale, but not around here. Walmart attracts a certain demographic that doesn't appear to frequent Costco.
Originally Posted by Toros
spending $120/year to spend your money is not membership in the Seminole Golf Club like so many Costco fanbois earnestly believe.

That's ridiculous, nobody is making that claim. The membership allows me to get cheaper gas, close to work, and if I want to buy bulk stuff like bread, cat litter...etc, I can do so, for a reasonable price.


The things is (as I mentioned earlier in another thread) is everybody thinks CostCo has this great business model, pays their employees a "living wage" to drag items across the scanner, etc . But the fact of the matter (as mentioned on their annual report) is without membership fees-their expenses would exceed their revenue.

 

[diyjake]

You don't have to spend $120 for a membership at Costco, the gold star membership is $60.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by CKN

The things is (as I mentioned earlier in another thread) is everybody thinks CostCo has this great business model, pays their employees a "living wage" to drag items across the scanner, etc . But the fact of the matter (as mentioned on their annual report) is without membership fees-their expenses would exceed their revenue.



Yup, I remember reading that. I maintain my membership primarily for the cheaper gas. On an 80L fill the difference is typically around $12, and I'm doing two of those a week, so $24/week, $96/month; $1,152/year. I'm saving $1,000 including the cost of the membership, and that ignores the cash back.

Looking at local prices:
Costco:
Regular: $1.064/L
Premium: $1.239/L

Shell:
Regular: $1.143/L
Premium: 1.343/L

Esso:
Regular: $1.146/L
Premium: 1.406/L

Petro-Canada:
Regular: $1.209/L
Premium: $1.439/L

So the closest spread on 91 octane is $0.104/L and Shell is an anomaly, the other stations are more typical of the spread. Looking at Esso, that's $0.167/L, which, on an 80L fill is $13.36.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by Patman
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the $4.96 you spent for water! That's the ripoff right there, considering it comes out of your tap virtually for free.

Yeah but he's in NYC. I wouldn't drink the water either. ...‚

 

[metroplex]

The Costco gas prices alone will earn you back more in savings than it cost to pay for the membership. Costco's prices for bottled water, paper products, and health items (vitamins, toothpaste, shampoo, etc) are also extremely competitive with any of the chain stores to the point I don't really shop much anywhere else.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL


Yup, I remember reading that. I maintain my membership primarily for the cheaper gas. On an 80L fill the difference is typically around $12, and I'm doing two of those a week, so $24/week, $96/month; $1,152/year. I'm saving $1,000 including the cost of the membership, and that ignores the cash back.

Looking at local prices:
Costco:
Regular: $1.064/L
Premium: $1.239/L

Shell:
Regular: $1.143/L
Premium: 1.343/L

Esso:
Regular: $1.146/L
Premium: 1.406/L

Petro-Canada:
Regular: $1.209/L
Premium: $1.439/L

So the closest spread on 91 octane is $0.104/L and Shell is an anomaly, the other stations are more typical of the spread. Looking at Esso, that's $0.167/L, which, on an 80L fill is $13.36.


In the GTA now, Shell has jacked up it's price for premium and it's now 29 cents per liter higher than regular! So that makes it an even bigger savings for those buying premium at Costco around here. The price of premium at Costco will often be the same or even less than the cost of regular at Shell. Well worth the price of membership, it pays for itself in about a month.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by Patman
Originally Posted by OVERKILL


Yup, I remember reading that. I maintain my membership primarily for the cheaper gas. On an 80L fill the difference is typically around $12, and I'm doing two of those a week, so $24/week, $96/month; $1,152/year. I'm saving $1,000 including the cost of the membership, and that ignores the cash back.

Looking at local prices:
Costco:
Regular: $1.064/L
Premium: $1.239/L

Shell:
Regular: $1.143/L
Premium: 1.343/L

Esso:
Regular: $1.146/L
Premium: 1.406/L

Petro-Canada:
Regular: $1.209/L
Premium: $1.439/L

So the closest spread on 91 octane is $0.104/L and Shell is an anomaly, the other stations are more typical of the spread. Looking at Esso, that's $0.167/L, which, on an 80L fill is $13.36.


In the GTA now, Shell has jacked up it's price for premium and it's now 29 cents per liter higher than regular! So that makes it an even bigger savings for those buying premium at Costco around here. The price of premium at Costco will often be the same or even less than the cost of regular at Shell. Well worth the price of membership, it pays for itself in about a month.

Exactly!

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

Originally Posted by Patman
Originally Posted by OVERKILL


Yup, I remember reading that. I maintain my membership primarily for the cheaper gas. On an 80L fill the difference is typically around $12, and I'm doing two of those a week, so $24/week, $96/month; $1,152/year. I'm saving $1,000 including the cost of the membership, and that ignores the cash back.

Looking at local prices:
Costco:
Regular: $1.064/L
Premium: $1.239/L

Shell:
Regular: $1.143/L
Premium: 1.343/L

Esso:
Regular: $1.146/L
Premium: 1.406/L

Petro-Canada:
Regular: $1.209/L
Premium: $1.439/L

So the closest spread on 91 octane is $0.104/L and Shell is an anomaly, the other stations are more typical of the spread. Looking at Esso, that's $0.167/L, which, on an 80L fill is $13.36.


In the GTA now, Shell has jacked up it's price for premium and it's now 29 cents per liter higher than regular! So that makes it an even bigger savings for those buying premium at Costco around here. The price of premium at Costco will often be the same or even less than the cost of regular at Shell. Well worth the price of membership, it pays for itself in about a month.



29 yikes. Here it is 23, most other brands are 20. Chevron 94 is 24.

When fuel prices were around the same ~2007, premium was 13 cents more than regular