Kids & Family
Is Costco Membership Worth The Cost? St. Michael Patch Readers Respond
We asked Patch readers whether paying up to $110 in membership fees was worth the possible savings.
If you’re anything like us, you can’t escape Costco with a haul that’s less than $200. And after purchasing mega packs of hotdogs and buns for the Fourth of July, it got us wondering: Is the membership truly worth the cost, even for small families?
According to an article in Forbes last month, while big-box retailers like Wal-Mart and Target struggled last quarter, Costco reported revenue growth of almost 8 percent with new memberships increasing 19 percent last quarter over the same period the previous year.
After asking St. Michael Patch readers what they thought about the benefits of a Costco membership, it’s clear that St. Michael residents are big supporters.
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Readers took to Facebook to voice their support and, in some cases, outright love, for Costco.
“We love Costco,”said Jennifer Poor Auseth.
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Fellow Facebook friend and longtime Costco member Debbie Gerlach Strege agreed.
“We love Costco!! They have great quality products and reasonable prices. We have an executive membership for our family of 5. It costs more up front, but with the 2% I get back I always get a check to more than cover the entire membership,” Strege said. “ We have been members for 12 years and have never once been unhappy with their service. We have purchased everything from food and liquor to TVs, carpet and quart countertops and they the place to go if you are throwing a party! I used to drive into Coon Rapids or St. Louis Park before the Maple Grove store opened, so no complaints here on their location!”
Larry Yarger said that the meat from Costco rivals steaks found at some Minneapolis steakhouses.
“The 2% back on the $110 membership is great. Easy to spend money there and the stuff is priced lower than you can find most of it anywhere else. Had some problems with some of their clothes, but received a full refund,” Yarger said. “The computer and camera deals are fantastic. Flat screen TVs also can't be beat. The produce, meat and baked items are delicious. The tenderloin steaks are as good as you can get at Manny's or Pittsburgh Blue!”
Reader Brenda Moss Kodl echoed Yarger’s opinion, mentioning that Costco’s organic meats are some of her favorite purchases.
So, what do you think? Do you agree with these St. Michael readers? Is the membership worth the price? Weigh in. Start a board post or leave a comment.Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
