# More Are Preppers Than We Realize.



## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Sams Club has more joining to buy in bulk and the membership; price has trippled.
I think there are many people prepareing than we realize.


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## robsbunker (Oct 6, 2011)

*Not more*

I don't think its more preppers, as much as regular folk looking to save money. If business was up, why raise the price of membership. BJ raised theirs. Look at the raise in sales at the Dollar Stores, people are looking to save money.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

robsbunker said:


> I don't think its more preppers, as much as regular folk looking to save money. If business was up, why raise the price of membership. BJ raised theirs. Look at the raise in sales at the Dollar Stores, people are looking to save money.


 I heard the membership at Sams now is $100.It was 30 a couple years ago.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

BJ's just doubled the membership here from $25 to $50. Even with that, it's still worth it.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Meerkat said:


> I heard the membership at Sams now is $100.It was 30 a couple years ago.


Also, 30 years ago..membership was not renewable each year--or my memory is really bad if something like that slipped my mind.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

JayJay said:


> Also, 30 years ago..membership was not renewable each year--or my memory is really bad if something like that slipped my mind.


 Now that you mention it,I think your right.My memory is'nt what it use to be either.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

UncleJoe said:


> BJ's just doubled the membership here from $25 to $50. Even with that, it's still worth it.


I never heard of BJs ,is it nationwide ?


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Basic membership is $35 to Sam's club. Their Prime is close to $100. 
Just paid our yearly dues last month.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Emerald said:


> Basic membership is $35 to Sam's club. Their Prime is close to $100.
> Just paid our yearly dues last month.


 I wonder if its more here in florida? i herd on the radio it has tripled in price here. Maybe I misunderstood.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Well around here they don't advertise the basic rate only this newer "prime" membership that gets you discounts on the prescriptions and glasses and dental and that kind of stuff. They have been pushing it in the stores too. I wouldn't be surprised that someone heard that (not knowing that it was for the fancy package)and then passed it around.. My SIL in Arizona only pays the basic too(she was talking about it on facebook) and my BIL in Wash. state just dropped his basic cuz he didn't buy enuf to make it worth that $35 a year. 
Hub' brothers and sisters are all facebook addicts since they moved out of state.. I think we all gab online more than we did in person when we lived in the same town! 
I buy so much in bulk and use so much in bulk that I think I would miss it if we stopped going. The big restaurant supply that is free to shop at has higher prices on almost everything that we buy. But they do carry things that Sam's doesn't and they are sometimes worth picking up in bulk even with the higher price. (usually hard to find herbs/spices in the large sizes).
We often take others with us to Sam's club and tell them to bring cash and run them thru with our card. Helps them with their bills. Neighbors and a few friends and a couple of distant cousins.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Meerkat said:


> I wonder if its more here in florida? i herd on the radio it has tripled in price here. Maybe I misunderstood.


Here, it's $40 for membership and $100 for the prime thing...We don't even visit Sam's any longer---we have all we need and will continue to add to our rice stores, but in March, will not renew.
We have an Aldi's and they are great. However, I do like the shelfing I got at Sam's.
Was buying tuna 10 @ 7.70 and Aldi's has tuna for 55 cents still.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Meerkat said:


> I never heard of BJs ,is it nationwide ?


BJ's Wholesale Club

BJ's Wholesale Club has over 180 locations in 15 states:
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I just had a thought, I wonder if our cost of $35 is due to the fact that we have been members since they opened in our area (back in the late 80's early 90's)? and it is auto renew thru our credit card. We just check each year to make sure that it is the same.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

My sister got a Sam's membership this summer for $40, in Wisconsin. We don't have Sam's here in Montana, but we have Costco. They're $50 a year. Worth it, for the things we buy.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

Meerkat said:


> Sams Club has more joining to buy in bulk and the membership; price has trippled.
> I think there are many people prepareing than we realize.


I don't know why people even go to BJs and Sams, they're no bargin and by the time you pay for the card, you're food cost more. You can do a lot better at Aldis or Sav-A-Lot,walmarts and for bulk grains Honeyville.


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

lotsoflead said:


> I don't know why people even go to BJs and Sams, they're no bargin and by the time you pay for the card, you're food cost more. You can do a lot better at Aldis or Sav-A-Lot,walmarts and for bulk grains Honeyville.


I found the best thing to do is know your prices. BJ's, Sam's and Costco can save you money if you do it right. I do not currently have memberships at any of them but have friends and family that do. We shop together and I give them cash to pay for my purchases. I get to spend time with people I love and save money in the process. That being said, I do find that most of my better deals are found at Aldi's. Or loss leaders in regular grocery stores (which is how I buy most of our meats).


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

lotsoflead said:


> I don't know why people even go to BJs and Sams, they're no bargin and by the time you pay for the card, you're food cost more.





mdprepper said:


> I found the best thing to do is know your prices. BJ's, Sam's and Costco can save you money if you do it right.


That is the way to do it. Know how the items you use are priced. There is no doubt, some things are NOT a bargain at the warehouse stores. Canned tuna is one thing I've noticed that is never cheaper at the big box store. A pack of pencils ( yea, I have a couple of them. ) are 10/$1 at the store. BJ's; $4.50/100. A 55% savings. 
Know your prices.


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## whome (Oct 6, 2011)

gypsysue said:


> My sister got a Sam's membership this summer for $40, in Wisconsin. We don't have Sam's here in Montana, but we have Costco. They're $50 a year. Worth it, for the things we buy.


I just saw Costco's memership went up $5. I get some things at costco, but I'm always on the lookout for a bargin. My problem is we live so far out that I don't have access to watch for deals every day, I basically have to find the best deals on the day we decide to go to town.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

UncleJoe said:


> That is the way to do it. Know how the items you use are priced. There is no doubt, some things are NOT a bargain at the warehouse stores. Canned tuna is one thing I've noticed that is never cheaper at the big box store. A pack of pencils ( yea, I have a couple of them. ) are 10/$1 at the store. BJ's; $4.50/100. A 55% savings.
> Know your prices.


My kids gave me a Sams card a few yrs ago and I did buy over a half ton of sugar there back then, some to store and some to feed my bees during a drout and the winters, I also bought about a half ton of rice and popcorn there and the rice & sugar was cheaper across the street in Walmarts at the time back in 2007.We picked up a couple hundred cans of solid white tuna at the local when it was 10 for 10. every week they have those 10 for 10 deals and my wife loads up and even uses coupons.this week Campbells chicken noodle and mushroom soup is 10 for 10(usually 1.45 per can) and she will load up everytime she passes the store which is everyday, our kids come here to do their shopping, and it real cheap for them-free. she said by the time she uses her coupons she gets 5 cans for 3.20


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## efbjr (Oct 20, 2008)

Walmart has been taking a beating from the dollar outlets:

Walmart Forced To Compete With Dollar Stores For Customers - DailyFinance


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## Asatrur (Dec 17, 2008)

We used to do costco, but it is a 30 min drive for us each way and we found there is no way of knowing what they have before you get there and the last few times between gas and time, it was not worth the trip any longer, so we canceled the membership.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I am a couponer and I count and pinch every penny-I know my prices and if I wasn't getting a deal there I wouldn't go. There are somethings that are cheaper if you find them on sale at the other box stores. But the things I buy routinely are much cheaper to buy in bulk.. I do not buy tons of over processed junk foods. that is where most people lose money buying at Sams. I buy meats and cut them down, I buy my flours and sugars and olive oils and all my herbs (well most that they carry) and spices at sams in the huge bulk bottles/containers. I can usually tell you to the oz. how much cheaper what I am getting is compared to going to a regular store.. 
I do not buy tons of stuff from dollar stores as (if you are not a label reader) you may find you are buying goods produced in China, Indonesia etc. While sure it may be cheaper, how many pets/children have been poisoned by tainted stuff from other countries? If you don't give a crap about what you put in your body then sure you are saving money buying at the dollar store or aldis or even Save a lot. I do shop at the local Save a lot but I read every label and make sure that what I am buying is produced in USA.. Watch out for labels that say-packaged in USA or distributed in the USA.. many times these items are not from the USA. 
Of course there are some items that are never going to be from the USA.. like Cinnamon/cloves/vanilla due to the fact that they just don't grow here.
I buy my bulk flours at Sam's cuz they are Kosher and have no ingredients that are animal/human derived. Plus 25lbs of flour(ap and bread usually are close in price within a buck) is/was last time I was there $7.79. The brand that I used to buy in the store was last week $3.79 for 5lbs Which works out to $18.95 for the same 25lbs. Over $10 saved. The same brand sugar in the store around here for (now) 4lbs was $2.99 we got it this summer 25lbs for $14.80 to buy in the store would have been $17.94.
But I cook from (mainly ) scratch. Once we got the larder stocked properly it is not that expensive to maintain it.

There is a downside to making every damn thing from scratch tho.. When I want a cookie or pie or some other treat it takes an hour if not more to to whip one up! lol. At least I am losing weight.. lol
We do keep a few things on hand that are convenience type foods only due to my current medical treatments.. there have been times where I can not do much and have to depend on son to cook and help me. and I haven't taught him how to make everything yet!

All I can say is what everyone here already says... know your prices and think of shopping as a full time job. I get more bang for my buck.


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

whome said:


> I just saw Costco's memership went up $5. I get some things at costco, but I'm always on the lookout for a bargin. My problem is we live so far out that I don't have access to watch for deals every day, I basically have to find the best deals on the day we decide to go to town.


The grocery stores in my area all have their sales posted on line. I keep a list of all the stores, the day they change their sales and coupon policies posted next to my computer. That way when I am planning my shopping I know where to go for the best prices and plan which stores to shop depending on wether they have special 2 or 4 day only sales.


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