@dietz199, my husband tells people “she goes for groceries and comes home with luggage.” You’ve got me beat.
Mr. once ended up driving the Corolla back home to get the truck while I “guarded” a cart full of Japanese maples and other trees waiting for him to come back to Costco. They were disappearing fast. It helped that we live only 10 min away. 
A cautionary tale for all you Costco shoppers out there:
Wow–I think it’s more a cautionary tale about not confronting crazy, violent people. I’ve never seen anyone confront anyone else over samples at our neighborhood Costco (or any others I’ve visited). The customers are polite mostly interested in shopping and going home.
Guess there are whackos everywhere. Have never seen anyone get huffy at any free sample tasting table, at Costco or anywhere.
Read the article. Doesn’t sound like the person who took all the samples was “crazy or violent” before he hit the poor old man. But it does sound like he was a 24 year old career criminal.
Flu shots! I got one today for $15. Our local grocery stores are charging $30.
A new Costco is opening about 30 minutes from here…but on DH’s way home from work. We arw hoping they will offer some new membership deal to join…since we don’t live all that close. We would like to try it…but know it won’t be a regular stop.
Maybe you can ask a friend who is a member to take you shopping with them to decide whether it’s something you’re really interested in. For us, even when it was 30 minutes from our house, it was worthwhile. The clothing and medications alone better than elesewhere–good quality at good prices. Sometimes they do have special deals when they open a new store, so be on the lookout. They also sometimes have special deals around the holidays to intice people to give “gift memberships.”
@himom, I’ve been to other Costco stores dozens of times. I know the place. I just don’t want to cough up the full cost of a membership for the first year it’s open…because I don’t know how much we will use it.
I’m very familiar with the stores.
I understand a work around to check out a Costco is to buy a Costco gift card. Anyone can use one. I guess if you spent more than the gift card you’d have to pay cash.
@walkinghome…does this mean I can get into a Costco with a gift card?
I want one of this living social specials where you get the chicken, and the $20 Costco gift card…and the free 24 pack of water…for $55. I’m patient!
^^ Yes, thumper1, you can shop at Costco with just a gift card. My son used to ask me to pick up a couple of $20 gift cards every now and then so that he could go there and shop. He just paid the difference in cash when he checked out.
What she said^^!
@thumper1 - will that Costco have a gas station? And alcohol? If so, it’s even more likely that it will be worth it.
You can also look around online. They sell many things that they don’t have in the warehouse and they have travel deals.
Also the vision center - so much cheaper for us than an independent optometrist!
@gertude, just took my mother to get new lens in old glasses because she broke her Costco glasses, she is in a small town hours from Costco, $165 for just the lens, the glasses she broke were $120 including the frames and extra lens treatments!
We got our membership solely for glasses. It has paid for itself many many times over.
How much do you wind up paying for glasses at Costco? I know it depends, but – in general??
deleted
I got two pairs of prescription sunglasses for about $250.