WEBVTT - Why Warehouse Clubs Might Be Awesome #093 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:03.000 Welcome to How the Money. I'm Joel and I'm Matt, 0:00:03.160 --> 0:00:06.440 and today we're discussing why warehouse clubs are awesome but 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:09.480 really they're not. Now they're great, Now they suck. All right, 0:00:09.480 --> 0:00:11.479 we're gonna get into it. Just in the second cue 0:00:11.520 --> 0:00:32.960 the music. Yeah, man, there are lots of pros to 0:00:33.320 --> 0:00:35.720 joining a warehouse club, and so we're gonna get into those. 0:00:35.720 --> 0:00:37.239 And I think you know, by the end of this episode, 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:39.680 you're going to completely agree with me. We're gonna be 0:00:39.760 --> 0:00:41.960 on the same page and all's gonna be right with 0:00:41.960 --> 0:00:44.080 the world. You can try to convince me, but man, 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:46.560 I have not joined yet, so this is your last chance. 0:00:47.080 --> 0:00:49.040 It should be last and final chance should be a 0:00:49.040 --> 0:00:50.920 fun discussion, and you know, to be fair from the 0:00:50.960 --> 0:00:52.919 get go, I will say they're not for everyone. You're 0:00:52.920 --> 0:00:56.560 already backpedaling, But I love my costco membership. I think 0:00:56.600 --> 0:00:58.920 it's gonna be a fun conversation today. We will see 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:02.480 about that, best buddy. I wanted to share a quick 0:01:02.520 --> 0:01:05.280 story though with you about a bike helmet. A story 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:07.280 about a bike helmet. This sounds intriguing. It's like the 0:01:07.880 --> 0:01:10.240 it's like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants it's about 0:01:10.240 --> 0:01:13.000 the helmet though this time. Actually I don't know anything 0:01:13.000 --> 0:01:14.800 about that movie or those books, but I feel like 0:01:14.800 --> 0:01:17.440 that this might be a very similar story. Okay, alright, 0:01:18.319 --> 0:01:20.319 I'm intrigued. I never read the book either. A couple 0:01:20.360 --> 0:01:22.039 of months ago I was writing, I had taken the 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:24.399 girls up to up the corner between where you and 0:01:24.440 --> 0:01:27.199 I live. In between us is a big parking lots 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:30.080 that belongs to a church, and they paved it recently, 0:01:30.120 --> 0:01:33.480 and it's awesome for biking, fantastic spots. Take the kids 0:01:33.480 --> 0:01:35.640 to ride bikes, kids go up there play. It is 0:01:35.640 --> 0:01:37.680 a little free library. It's just like a little hub 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:39.959 to our neighborhood. We had a great time, came home, 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:42.560 we know, went back to living our life. A few 0:01:42.600 --> 0:01:44.280 days later, I was trying to get the girls together 0:01:44.319 --> 0:01:46.319 to go on another bike ride, and we were missing 0:01:46.319 --> 0:01:49.400 a helmet. Well, you can guess as to where we 0:01:49.520 --> 0:01:52.080 finally realized that we left it. We left it up 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:54.200 at that church. But it was close to a week 0:01:54.280 --> 0:01:57.559 later at least, before we realized that your detective skills, 0:01:57.560 --> 0:02:01.560 by the way, we could totally for got unparalleled. We thought, well, 0:02:01.560 --> 0:02:03.480 the girls will grab the helmets and just like stash 0:02:03.560 --> 0:02:05.400 them somewhere in the house, and so I'm like looking 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:07.960 in the closets, looking outside. I've been there. You know 0:02:07.960 --> 0:02:11.359 what I'm saying. I know what that's But we finally realized, like, oh, 0:02:11.440 --> 0:02:13.200 we probably left it up there. So I went up 0:02:13.240 --> 0:02:15.520 to the church and was asking someone that works there 0:02:15.560 --> 0:02:18.440 and like, hey, any chance you saw a pink helmet? 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:21.320 And well they asked around and she got back to 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:23.560 me and was like, hey, somebody saw that. Nobody can 0:02:23.560 --> 0:02:26.160 remember what happened to it. It was sort of this 0:02:26.280 --> 0:02:30.000 vague answer, and I was like, this is weird, but whatever, alright, fine. 0:02:30.560 --> 0:02:32.320 I put it off for a couple of months, but 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:34.200 I finally realized, we need to get a helmets because 0:02:34.200 --> 0:02:36.800 all the girls they need one, right, So that leads 0:02:36.840 --> 0:02:39.480 me to value village. I wasn't necessarily looking for a helmet. 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:40.960 I was looking for some yard tools. Oh I would 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:42.520 have assumed you might have gone to all need to 0:02:42.520 --> 0:02:45.040 get a bike helmet, but no, Hey, that would have 0:02:45.080 --> 0:02:47.400 been a great guest because all the is the best. 0:02:47.880 --> 0:02:50.320 And you know, like on your phone, like you think 0:02:50.360 --> 0:02:52.639 of something and then you see an ad for that, 0:02:52.760 --> 0:02:55.600 like the next day on Instagram. Yes it's creepy. Yeah, 0:02:55.600 --> 0:02:59.760 Aldi has that, but without like the Vladimir Putin Russian technology. 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:02.880 Somehow they just know what it is that my wife 0:03:02.880 --> 0:03:04.640 and I need, and all of a sudden they're carrying it. 0:03:04.680 --> 0:03:07.680 This massive company just into it what you need. It's incredible. 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:10.959 But regardless. I was at value village looking for a 0:03:11.040 --> 0:03:13.160 rake or something, and I thought, oh, this might be 0:03:13.360 --> 0:03:15.400 a good spot to maybe find a helmet that might 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:18.800 actually be in decent shape. Specifically, I hopped over there, 0:03:18.840 --> 0:03:20.560 and I was looking for one that had the little 0:03:20.680 --> 0:03:23.160 round dial in the back because a little word to 0:03:23.200 --> 0:03:25.320 the wise, that's how you get a helmet to really 0:03:25.320 --> 0:03:26.959 fit your kid well as you make sure that you 0:03:26.960 --> 0:03:30.160 can adjust it. And and I saw one and saw 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:31.760 so stoked, and I thought, oh, man, there's one at 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:33.480 the bottom of the pile, kind of like hanging on there. 0:03:34.160 --> 0:03:36.920 And I looked a little bit closer and I realized, 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:40.080 wait a minute, that's pink helmet, Like that's the helmet 0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:41.800 that we lost. I flipped it over it It It had 0:03:41.880 --> 0:03:44.160 the mini mouth sticker there on the side and everything. 0:03:44.560 --> 0:03:46.760 I could not believe it. Man, I was beside myself. 0:03:46.800 --> 0:03:49.880 I was so stoked. That's incredible, like like what are 0:03:49.920 --> 0:03:53.400 the chances right right to find something that you lost, 0:03:53.480 --> 0:03:55.720 first off, that made it to the third story by 0:03:55.760 --> 0:03:58.119 your house, and then second off that you know wasn't 0:03:58.120 --> 0:03:59.880 already gone or what I mean just then I happened 0:03:59.880 --> 0:04:01.800 to like go and see it. There's so many other 0:04:01.840 --> 0:04:03.640 things that could have happened. That little helmet along the 0:04:03.640 --> 0:04:07.440 way sister to the traveling Helmet. Am I right? And 0:04:07.480 --> 0:04:09.520 so obviously I was stoked. I was beside myself. I 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:11.440 thought it was just sort of a funny story. And 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:12.920 so when I took it to the register, I started 0:04:12.920 --> 0:04:15.560 telling the lady about how all this came to be, 0:04:15.880 --> 0:04:17.960 which she as amazed as I am. Well, she kind 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:19.560 of rolled her eyes because I think she knew where 0:04:19.560 --> 0:04:21.360 I was going with it, which was trying to see 0:04:21.400 --> 0:04:24.200 if I could somehow get this helmet back for free 0:04:24.240 --> 0:04:27.760 because it was my helmet, and she wasn't that convinced 0:04:27.760 --> 0:04:29.960 by my story. Maybe she gets this all the time, 0:04:30.000 --> 0:04:32.040 I don't know. So she had to go get a manager. 0:04:32.120 --> 0:04:34.040 And while she did that, what I realized is that 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:36.720 I need some proof. I need some evidence. So whipped 0:04:36.720 --> 0:04:39.520 out that phone, scroll back a few months and found 0:04:39.520 --> 0:04:43.000 a picture of my daughter wearing that helmet and you 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:45.280 couldn't see that mini mouth sticker, but what you could 0:04:45.279 --> 0:04:48.799 see was a chip piece of the shell of the helmet. 0:04:49.200 --> 0:04:51.680 So I pinched and zoomed in and I was like, look, man, 0:04:51.720 --> 0:04:53.760 it's right there. So I showed him the chip in 0:04:53.800 --> 0:04:56.000 the picture, showed him the chip on the helmet, and 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:58.120 he just kind of cracked up, laughing and just let 0:04:58.160 --> 0:04:59.839 me go with it. He let me have the helmet 0:04:59.880 --> 0:05:01.840 for were free. I didn't have to pay anything, but 0:05:01.880 --> 0:05:03.320 it didn't That just crazy. I mean, I wanted to 0:05:03.320 --> 0:05:05.640 share that story because it's just such a wild thing. 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:08.360 I feel like that happened totally random. I was so happy. 0:05:08.440 --> 0:05:10.919 But then secondly, I wanted to share how you know, 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:13.120 like we've had an episode before, we talked about the 0:05:13.200 --> 0:05:15.880 art of asking for a discount episode number eighteen, Buddy, 0:05:16.000 --> 0:05:18.200 eighteen eighteen. I was way back when it was a 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:20.080 while ago. But yeah, that's what you have to do. 0:05:20.120 --> 0:05:21.599 You have to ask for that discount. You have to 0:05:21.640 --> 0:05:24.479 be that advocate for yourself, because you know, had I 0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:27.240 not said anything and not shared how excited I was, 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:29.440 or shared the whole story, man, I would have just 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:31.720 had to pay the five bucks. The four nine that 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:33.720 was written on the helmet with with sharpie that I 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:36.320 had to go home and rub off plus tacks exactly. 0:05:37.080 --> 0:05:38.280 You know what that makes me think of, like we 0:05:38.360 --> 0:05:40.919 just gotta well, first off, I love the story and yeah, 0:05:40.720 --> 0:05:42.520 yeah it happened, and then you found the helmet. I'm 0:05:42.520 --> 0:05:44.920 sure your girls were pumped when you brought it home, right, Yeah. 0:05:45.000 --> 0:05:46.680 I came in literally I was. I was holding it 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:48.840 over my head kind of like bouncing it up and down, 0:05:48.960 --> 0:05:50.560 you know, while the girls were like, Daddy, where did 0:05:50.560 --> 0:05:52.560 you find being commed? You know, I got to play 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:54.080 the hero, which is a lot of fun, kind of 0:05:54.080 --> 0:05:55.720 like in the movie Rudy where they hold him on 0:05:55.720 --> 0:05:58.039 their shoulders or something like that. Yeah. No, I just 0:05:58.080 --> 0:05:59.800 made me think of a recent listener email that we 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:02.600 got based on that episode about asking for a discount, 0:06:02.880 --> 0:06:04.919 and the listener told us that their landlord was planning 0:06:04.920 --> 0:06:06.400 to raise their rent somewhere in the range like a 0:06:06.480 --> 0:06:09.960 hundred seventy dollars a month, a lot of money. Yeah, 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:12.479 I think it was like a corporate department complex. And 0:06:12.520 --> 0:06:14.159 he asked for a discount. He asked for a lower 0:06:14.200 --> 0:06:19.000 monthly rate, and just by asking his landlord was like, Okay, 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:22.279 and only raised his rent thirteen dollars some teen bucks. 0:06:22.279 --> 0:06:25.920 Isn't that crazy? He saved almost two thousand dollars a year. Yeah, 0:06:25.960 --> 0:06:28.040 and he didn't say that he wrote some like giant 0:06:28.279 --> 0:06:30.880 essay or like some official letters. He just straight up 0:06:30.880 --> 0:06:32.800 just asked the guy. It doesn't have to be anything 0:06:32.880 --> 0:06:34.839 over the top. It doesn't have to be you know, 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:37.760 this big song and dance. But sometimes just by asking 0:06:37.839 --> 0:06:40.720 just that act alone can actually lead to a major 0:06:40.760 --> 0:06:44.120 impact in your finances or something minor or five bucks 0:06:44.120 --> 0:06:46.800 off a helmet that's already yours, but it was less 0:06:46.839 --> 0:06:48.960 the money for us and just more of the like 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:51.440 that's mine, like that used to be ours. It felt 0:06:51.480 --> 0:06:53.680 weird because that's like, am I really going to pay 0:06:53.720 --> 0:06:55.920 for something that used to be mine? That was accidentally 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:58.640 donated there? So the more of the story. Yeah, if 0:06:58.680 --> 0:07:01.360 you don't ask, you don't receive EVE. But also to man, 0:07:01.440 --> 0:07:03.960 check out your local thrist store, your local value village 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:06.880 if that's what you've got, or or goodwill, and yeah, 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:08.600 you never know what you might find. You might even 0:07:08.920 --> 0:07:11.320 find something that used to belong to you that you 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:14.240 won back, No doubt, dude, I love a good thrist 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:15.840 store run although it's been a while for me. I 0:07:15.840 --> 0:07:17.559 need to get back into the swing of things. Where's 0:07:17.600 --> 0:07:19.400 that you know? My favorite thrist store shirt that you 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:21.560 had was like that. Uh it's like there's a T 0:07:21.680 --> 0:07:23.440 shirt and it had like these rabbits on it that 0:07:23.480 --> 0:07:25.760 we're running like some sort of bunny run. Yeah. I 0:07:25.760 --> 0:07:28.880 still got that one. Yeah. Actually, one of my best friends, Josh, 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:31.680 had an eBay store where he sold vintage clothing. All 0:07:31.720 --> 0:07:34.360 he did was shop at every single local area Thirst 0:07:34.360 --> 0:07:37.120 store in Florida and he would resell that stuff on eBay. 0:07:37.200 --> 0:07:40.360 And he had a full time job out of reselling 0:07:40.400 --> 0:07:43.520 clothes on on online, which I thought was really cool 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:45.680 idea for her business. Yeah, Josh, he had good taste, 0:07:45.960 --> 0:07:48.760 he did. I love that shirt. Alright, So Matt, let's 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:50.640 mention the beer that we're having on the show today. 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:54.680 We're drinking Buffalo Soldier by Utah Brewing Company. And big 0:07:54.680 --> 0:07:57.560 thanks again to listener Andy for sending this beer out 0:07:57.600 --> 0:07:59.600 as well. We had a beer that he donated on 0:07:59.680 --> 0:08:02.280 Monday A two. Yeah, this is a black I p A. 0:08:02.400 --> 0:08:04.280 I'm not sure if you've ever had this style on 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:06.720 the show before. This is one of the styles that 0:08:06.760 --> 0:08:08.800 maybe I've only had once or twice in my entire life, 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:11.120 so really excited to share this one with you. And 0:08:11.160 --> 0:08:12.800 we'll share our thoughts on this beer at the end 0:08:12.800 --> 0:08:15.840 of the episode, no doubt. All Right, Matt, onto the 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:19.040 subject at hand, why warehouse clubs are so stinking great? 0:08:19.440 --> 0:08:22.440 And uh, I think right. I think it's gonna be 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:25.080 a fun conversation because we both kind of fall on 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:27.840 different sides of this issue. I am kind of a 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:30.880 die hard Costco member. I I also have been a 0:08:30.920 --> 0:08:33.440 member of Sam's Club in the past. I think there's 0:08:33.480 --> 0:08:36.959 some really good, compelling reasons for people to consider joining 0:08:37.000 --> 0:08:40.640 a warehouse club. And I know that you have really 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:44.640 staunchly refused to partake. And so let's get into kind 0:08:44.640 --> 0:08:46.440 of some pros and cons and kind of not partake 0:08:46.480 --> 0:08:49.680 of the Costco. So let's get into the too, the 0:08:49.679 --> 0:08:51.200 good and the bad. And yeah, I want to hear 0:08:51.240 --> 0:08:53.560 your take on on warehouse clubs. All right, Jil, let 0:08:53.559 --> 0:08:55.760 me share my problem that I had with warehouse clubs. 0:08:56.040 --> 0:08:58.079 The issue you know that I have and maybe others 0:08:58.080 --> 0:09:00.200 do too, is that I am not sure that a 0:09:00.200 --> 0:09:03.800 warehouse club membership is worth it. The reason being is 0:09:03.840 --> 0:09:06.800 that with new grocery stores like Aldi, Like you mentioned earlier, 0:09:07.200 --> 0:09:10.480 these guys are cropping up everywhere, and it's really easy 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:13.400 for us now to get affordable groceries, you know. And 0:09:13.400 --> 0:09:15.600 then on top of that, online shopping allows us to 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:17.560 get the best deals on the other items that I 0:09:17.600 --> 0:09:21.240 can't get at Aldi. So that begs the question is 0:09:21.240 --> 0:09:23.600 it worth it to join Costco or you know, like 0:09:23.600 --> 0:09:26.760 you said, Sam's Club or b J's whatever warehouse club 0:09:26.840 --> 0:09:29.080 that you have in your area. Yeah, So that's what 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:31.040 we're discussing today. Let's run through a couple of things 0:09:31.080 --> 0:09:32.760 before we kind of get into the pros and cons 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:36.200 of how we feel about the warehouse clubs. Really, these 0:09:36.240 --> 0:09:39.680 warehouse clubs cater themselves to different clientele. That's something that 0:09:39.720 --> 0:09:42.080 we kind of need to know upfront. I've been a 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:44.640 member of Sam's Club. I'm currently member of Costco. Sam's 0:09:44.679 --> 0:09:47.800 Club seems to attract more small business owners. They just 0:09:48.000 --> 0:09:51.520 have more stuff that seems to target itself towards towards 0:09:51.600 --> 0:09:54.000 folks in particular that have their own small business that 0:09:54.080 --> 0:09:58.880 mix machines, yeah, factors. Yeah, especially people that own, like 0:09:58.960 --> 0:10:01.800 let's say, convenience store. They have a lot of stuff 0:10:01.800 --> 0:10:05.120 that convenience stores could resell in their own store. So 0:10:05.120 --> 0:10:07.640 it's interesting to note that they're all different, the price 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:10.520 points different. Two so it's sixty dollars to join Costco, 0:10:10.600 --> 0:10:14.199 forty five to join Sam's. I think BJ's is fifty. 0:10:14.280 --> 0:10:16.240 And you can find sign up specials from time to 0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:18.800 time at each of these stores. B J's in particular, 0:10:18.840 --> 0:10:21.640 if you have one of those close close by awtent times, 0:10:21.640 --> 0:10:24.720 they'll offer you a free sixty day trial membership, which 0:10:24.720 --> 0:10:25.959 is kind of nice way to get your foot in 0:10:26.000 --> 0:10:28.120 the door for free. Yeah, and remember one time you 0:10:28.160 --> 0:10:29.600 were trying to get me to go ahead and join 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:32.320 Costco when they're offering a sweet discount, they had like 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:35.320 have their membership rates. They're gonna throw in like a 0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:39.480 free case of water, like a gift card. Chicken. Yes, 0:10:40.400 --> 0:10:42.319 we're gonna get to the chicken man. This is such 0:10:42.360 --> 0:10:45.120 a random assortment of goods this one has like to 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:48.160 shop at Costco exactly what it's like Like. The whole 0:10:48.200 --> 0:10:50.440 thing kind of made me think, I don't think I 0:10:50.480 --> 0:10:52.320 want to be a part of this. The whole thing 0:10:52.360 --> 0:10:55.520 kind of weirded me out, I understand, honestly, because before 0:10:55.559 --> 0:10:58.040 I joined Costco, a spare tire here we'll just throw 0:10:58.080 --> 0:11:01.280 this as well. It does seem it does seem odd 0:11:01.280 --> 0:11:02.959 from the outside in if you if you've never been 0:11:02.960 --> 0:11:04.480 in one, if you kind of don't know how they work. 0:11:04.679 --> 0:11:06.599 By the way, I also wanted to mention there is 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:09.120 a website that's kind of trying to be the online 0:11:09.120 --> 0:11:13.120 equivalent of a warehouse club. It's called boxed dot com, 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:16.520 and uh, it doesn't necessarily have quite as good a deals, 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:19.120 but there's also no membership fee. For someone who's looking 0:11:19.160 --> 0:11:21.520 to buy in bulk or maybe doesn't live very close 0:11:21.559 --> 0:11:24.320 to any of these warehouse clubs, you know, boxed dot 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:26.840 com could be a good online alternative for folks like that. 0:11:27.200 --> 0:11:30.000 Nice man, I've actually never heard of boxed box dot com. 0:11:30.400 --> 0:11:32.760 Excited to hear that's an option, though. So in order 0:11:32.800 --> 0:11:34.440 to convince me, though, you're gonna have to lay some 0:11:34.480 --> 0:11:37.160 pros on me, all the different reasons why you love 0:11:37.240 --> 0:11:41.280 costco so much. Late on thick, I will, all right, 0:11:41.320 --> 0:11:43.280 So later in the show, we're gonna get into some 0:11:43.320 --> 0:11:46.400 of the specific services that are offered the best specific 0:11:46.440 --> 0:11:48.559 items to buy at warehouse clubs, but for now, I'm 0:11:48.559 --> 0:11:50.880 going to kind of generalize it. Okay, first that I 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:52.199 want you to know a lot of these things. I'm 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:54.760 gonna specifically talk about Costco a lot because that's where 0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:58.000 I'm a member, although many of these warehouse clubs offer 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:00.520 kind of similar things. I wanted to mention that employees 0:12:00.520 --> 0:12:03.240 are treated really well. In particular, at Costco, there's a 0:12:03.240 --> 0:12:06.760 fifteen dollar minimum wage. Employees are just really happy there, 0:12:06.880 --> 0:12:08.600 and that that's a sign of a good company. In 0:12:08.640 --> 0:12:12.120 my opinion, shopping at Costco is is pleasant, and I 0:12:12.120 --> 0:12:15.720 think in large part that's because the employees feel loyal 0:12:15.760 --> 0:12:18.120 to the company because the company cares for them well, 0:12:18.400 --> 0:12:20.080 and to me, that kind of sets the table for 0:12:20.320 --> 0:12:23.720 enjoying the place where you shop. Right, Knowing that the 0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:25.600 employees are well taken care of and that they care 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:28.080 for you, that's kind of one check mark in favor 0:12:28.120 --> 0:12:30.240 of Costco in the warehouse clubs. Yeah, you can always 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:32.360 tell like a good company like that, right when you've 0:12:32.400 --> 0:12:34.800 got employees that are happy to be there and they're smiling, 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:37.160 and they're asking you questions and engaging with you versus 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:40.000 just showing up doing the bare minimum. If they're younger, 0:12:40.000 --> 0:12:41.520 a lot of times they're just like on their phone, 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:44.080 like playing Fortnite while they're supposed to be working. It's like, 0:12:44.080 --> 0:12:48.280 come on, guys, like, I'm trying to find some tires, right, yeah, fortnite. 0:12:48.400 --> 0:12:50.559 A lot of people are predicted to that, right, I've 0:12:50.600 --> 0:12:52.720 heard of this, all right. So another check mark in 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:56.400 the corner of the warehouse clubs is it buying in 0:12:56.440 --> 0:13:00.720 bulk does often lead to lower prices, and in Costco 0:13:00.760 --> 0:13:03.079 in particular has a commitment to not mark up anything 0:13:03.120 --> 0:13:06.160 more than fift in its stores, and so you kind 0:13:06.160 --> 0:13:08.480 of know when you're looking at the price that you're 0:13:08.520 --> 0:13:12.000 not getting gouged. You you know that whatever you're paying, 0:13:12.400 --> 0:13:15.800 well at max it's fifteen percent more than the cost 0:13:15.960 --> 0:13:18.959 the Costco paid to acquire the item. And there's kind 0:13:18.960 --> 0:13:21.559 of something cool about that. Yeah, I didn't know that, 0:13:21.760 --> 0:13:23.680 knowing that, you know, in a grocery store there could 0:13:23.679 --> 0:13:26.440 be certain items in there that are marked up. You know, 0:13:26.440 --> 0:13:28.760 most grocery store items are marked up between twenty five 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:30.920 and fifty, and so you just kind of know that 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:33.120 you're getting, you know, a solid deal. It might not 0:13:33.200 --> 0:13:34.959 always be the best deal, but you know you're getting 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:37.839 a really really good deal. And so I like that 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:40.199 about shopping at a place like Costco. You know, I 0:13:40.240 --> 0:13:43.320 wanted to share a quick pro of Costco is that 0:13:43.400 --> 0:13:46.800 I've experienced the Kirkland signature, which is like the Costco 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:49.400 store brand, even though not a member there, though I 0:13:49.480 --> 0:13:53.559 have experienced that delicious brand, whether it be at your house, Joel, 0:13:54.080 --> 0:13:55.439 or at a friends. You know, you got to cook 0:13:55.440 --> 0:13:58.320 out and you see Kirkland signature. That's pretty good stuff. 0:13:58.400 --> 0:14:01.360 You know. I've been impressed with the quality, you know, 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:04.040 of the store brand, and it's telling of a company 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:07.760 when you see folks buying the store brand like that, Yes, 0:14:07.840 --> 0:14:09.480 you kind of just stole my thunder for the next thing. 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:11.600 Else to say, no, it's all good, No, it's funny. 0:14:11.800 --> 0:14:13.800 It's so true that the Kirkland signature brand has kind 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:15.800 of taken on this life of its own, and anybody 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:20.480 that shops at Costco realizes that oftentimes the Kirkland signature 0:14:20.520 --> 0:14:23.200 equivalent to the name brand that's being sold next to it, 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:26.800 is oftentimes better at a lower price. So it's fascinating 0:14:26.800 --> 0:14:28.680 how Costco has been able to create a lot of 0:14:28.720 --> 0:14:32.400 loyalty from their shoppers by giving them a cheaper, generic 0:14:32.480 --> 0:14:34.680 brand that they take a lot of pride in. Do 0:14:34.720 --> 0:14:36.320 you think it's in the marketing, The fact that they 0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:39.720 named it something kind of cool like Kirkland signature. Honestly, 0:14:39.760 --> 0:14:42.400 it had no appeal to me, and I doubted it 0:14:42.520 --> 0:14:44.800 until I started buying that stuff. And and Emily and 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:46.800 I are both now Holkline and Sinker were like, if 0:14:46.800 --> 0:14:50.040 it says Kirkland signature, it's going to be good. It's 0:14:50.040 --> 0:14:53.200 just true. It just really is really good stuff. And 0:14:53.480 --> 0:14:56.280 is the Kirkland signature beer. Actually, Okay, that's one place 0:14:56.280 --> 0:14:59.560 they fall short. Their Kirkland signature beer is terrible. I 0:14:59.600 --> 0:15:02.600 will I will readily admit that. Just don't buy that beer. 0:15:02.640 --> 0:15:05.800 But but we're also ridiculous beers. Yeah, we're pretty. We're pretty, 0:15:05.800 --> 0:15:08.600 particularly when it comes to our booze. Yeah. But almost 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:11.040 anything in the store that says Kirkland signature on it 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:13.600 is going to be really, really good. And so also 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:16.040 they have lots of organic options at Costco. So if 0:15:16.080 --> 0:15:18.920 you are super into buying organics, that's one of the 0:15:18.920 --> 0:15:21.720 best places in the United States to get really good 0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:24.720 organics at a reasonable price. Oh and by the way, 0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:27.360 you mentioned Aldi and buying groceries. There, have you ever 0:15:27.400 --> 0:15:29.520 bought a steak at Aldi? I just want to let 0:15:29.560 --> 0:15:32.600 you know right now there's a marked difference between a 0:15:32.640 --> 0:15:34.520 steak that you buy at all the versus a steake 0:15:34.560 --> 0:15:37.320 that you're gonna get a Costco. There's just something so 0:15:37.440 --> 0:15:40.400 nice about the quality of some of the things that 0:15:40.480 --> 0:15:43.320 Costco offers, especially in regards to to food like that. 0:15:43.680 --> 0:15:46.000 And so yeah, that's another reason that I love Costco 0:15:46.120 --> 0:15:48.080 is is that the quality is so much better than 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:51.160 than I could get at a local grocery store. Yeah. Sure, 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:52.560 I'll give that one to you. You know, we don't 0:15:52.600 --> 0:15:55.360 buy meat often, and so maybe that's because we shop 0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:57.360 at ALDI, or maybe it's the other way around. I 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:00.400 don't know, but I have had stakes from Asco with 0:16:00.480 --> 0:16:03.960 you before, and yeah, those bone and ribbons are really good. 0:16:04.120 --> 0:16:06.400 And I also remember when we were getting those steaks, man, 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:10.520 that we got to try some very delicious samples, and 0:16:10.600 --> 0:16:12.280 I now that's one of the selling points people always 0:16:12.320 --> 0:16:13.800 talk about the samples. You can kind of go around 0:16:13.800 --> 0:16:15.840 the store and get a full meal if you just 0:16:15.840 --> 0:16:17.840 like hot from one sample aid to the next to 0:16:17.920 --> 0:16:20.680 the next. That's pretty accurate that how you're all, that's 0:16:20.680 --> 0:16:23.160 pretty accurate. Yeah, though there's lots of good samples, especially 0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:26.120 on the weekends, and and so yeah, that's kind of 0:16:26.520 --> 0:16:29.200 one of the things that Costco shoppers love is it's 0:16:29.280 --> 0:16:31.720 kind of the samples at every little corner of the store, 0:16:32.120 --> 0:16:33.960 and so yeah, you're gonna get a little fill up, 0:16:34.080 --> 0:16:35.640 you know, while you're doing your shopping. So that's kind 0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:37.640 of cool, is it? Infomercial style as well? And they're like, 0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:39.960 you can actually buy the skillet right over there as well, 0:16:39.960 --> 0:16:42.120 and you can buy this meat over there. It is 0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:44.040 like that, but they're not super pushy, which is nice, 0:16:44.040 --> 0:16:46.000 and they're like super nice instead because they're happy to 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:48.040 be there. Yeah, they're not like, if you take this bite, 0:16:48.080 --> 0:16:50.560 you must buy the product, So yeah, I appreciate that 0:16:50.640 --> 0:16:53.400 it's a little low key. Another big time pro in 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:57.160 Costco's favor is their amazing return policy. Basically, you can 0:16:57.160 --> 0:17:01.680 get a full refund for anything anytime except for electronics 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:05.159 and major appliances. Costco stands behind pretty much everything they 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:08.600 sell and you never have to worry about whether three 0:17:08.680 --> 0:17:11.359 years later, you know your luggage broke. You know what. 0:17:11.560 --> 0:17:14.480 At almost every other retailer, you're gonna have an issue 0:17:14.480 --> 0:17:16.760 returning that you're you're just not gonna be able to 0:17:16.800 --> 0:17:19.439 take it back. But with Costco Boom, you take it 0:17:19.440 --> 0:17:23.080 back no questions. Asked refund or or you're given you know, 0:17:23.160 --> 0:17:26.120 the equivalent that they offer right now. So I love 0:17:26.160 --> 0:17:28.960 that return policy, especially for something like luggage, which is 0:17:28.960 --> 0:17:31.760 gonna get beat up, messed up, and to know that 0:17:31.800 --> 0:17:33.960 you can always take it back if something happens. I 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:36.640 really do appreciate that factor in a major way. Yeah, 0:17:36.680 --> 0:17:38.560 that's a pretty sweet perk. And you know, I've also 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:42.400