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I want to live like Costco people

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Re: I want to live like Costco people

#561

Post by xp84 »

type4 wrote: post #199

I have a really mixed feeling about Costco. I hate it, I going there, I hate the crowds, the parking, the people, being hawked a credit card, a cell phone, whatever the vendors are selling. It makes me feel like a pig in a slaughterhouse waiting to get out of the store, I feel like it's the platonic form of consumption. We all go to the nice little consumption center like good piggies to get our sustenance and to get…

This is relatable. I'm constantly baffled by the selection - half the items you find will be there in a month, the other half you will never see again, or maybe see seasonally. And then at random, they move things. Like halfway across the store.

I remember loving a Costco trip with friends at age 18, because we'd walk every aisle, and there were always so many cool things and at prices we could afford. But now as an adult with a stressful and rushed lifestyle due to children, it kills me that it's so difficult to find the 10 things I need quickly and get out, without walking every aisle. They clearly really want you to walk every aisle!

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#562

Post by Gabriel54 »

I'm reading the comments here and confused by one thing... Do people here not purchase fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis (i.e. multiple times a week)? I am not an expert on Costco but it seems insane to visit a store the size of Costco every couple of days just to buy some tomatoes and parsley.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#563

Post by DetroitThrow »

jatora wrote: post #533
kemitchell wrote: post #503

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish Costco were accessible to basically everyone. Among some poorer people I've got to know in the SF Bay Area, having the card and confidence in the means to use it are a mark of the middle class, an aspirational thing. Membership is an up-front cost. That excludes those who can't part with the cash for no immediate benefit. Depending on what you buy, and what else is available around you, breakeven can take a go…

I dont understand this. All Costco memberships are functionally $65 at most. How is this beyond literally anyone in America? Am I so out of touch? Why would corner stores have to pool together to get a membership when they absolutely negate the cost of the membership from the cashback? You only have to spend roughly $6,500/year for the executive membership of $130 to cost zero. That seems like something a corner stor…

I've had friends homeless recently, Costco was the basis of the best choices of their poverty finance even when living out of a car.

I think it's accessible to even the poorest people who work in the US, but it doesn't mean it's cheap for them or worthwhile without a home/reasonable commute.

Time is a major commodity for people working 2 or more jobs and an hour and back commute to Costco is often not worth it.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#564

Post by Dylan16807 »

lurkshark wrote: post #544
jatora wrote: post #533

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dont understand this. All Costco memberships are functionally $65 at most. How is this beyond literally anyone in America? Am I so out of touch? Why would corner stores have to pool together to get a membership when they absolutely negate the cost of the membership from the cashback? You only have to spend roughly $6,500/year for the executive membership of $130 to cost zero. That seems like something a corner stor…

To maybe add some framing, 37% of Americans don’t have enough cash to cover a $400 unexpected expense. Obviously $400 > $65 but I think it puts some perspective on how tight cash flow is for a good chunk of the population. https://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerscommunities/sheddata...

> enough cash to cover

You don't need to buy the membership with cash. Credit card, pay off $3-5 a week with your food savings, you'll barely pay any interest.

Also not having $400 would have to be the number after buying food with your paycheck, right? If you get the membership as part of your first food purchase, including that nice bag of rice, you'll be okay.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#565

Post by dullcrisp »

jatora wrote: post #540
Spooky23 wrote: post #538

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re probably a professional with a good wage. The working poor are too poor to have much and too rich to be poor and get benefits. They are cashflow constrained. When I coached little league, we had parents who walked miles to games because the bus fare (1.50) for 3-4 people would push them over the edge. Vulture companies like dollar general exist because they sell consumer staples in smaller quantities at a slig…

Shit I guess I'm out of touch lol

It’s a banana, Michael, what can it cost, $65?

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#566

Post by bschwindHN »

jatora wrote: post #533
kemitchell wrote: post #503

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish Costco were accessible to basically everyone. Among some poorer people I've got to know in the SF Bay Area, having the card and confidence in the means to use it are a mark of the middle class, an aspirational thing. Membership is an up-front cost. That excludes those who can't part with the cash for no immediate benefit. Depending on what you buy, and what else is available around you, breakeven can take a go…

I dont understand this. All Costco memberships are functionally $65 at most. How is this beyond literally anyone in America? Am I so out of touch? Why would corner stores have to pool together to get a membership when they absolutely negate the cost of the membership from the cashback? You only have to spend roughly $6,500/year for the executive membership of $130 to cost zero. That seems like something a corner stor…

> $65 is the cost of one or two fast food meals.

Okay I'm really curious, where do you live and what are you eating for a "fast food meal"? That's at least 10x what I pay for a fast food meal, and although I know California and other places are expensive, I wouldn't have guessed they are that expensive.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#567

Post by strange_quark »

wil421 wrote: post #312
fromMars wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it really higher quality? I had a membership for a year and didn't find much I was interested in purchasing food wise, at least.

I’m in the same boat. The quality to terrible. No I don’t want a bunch of pumpkin seeds that you’re using as filler for products. The produce isn’t great either. A huge portion of the food is either premade factory food that’s chilled or frozen. I don’t want a bunch of cellulose in my cheese either.

I seriously question if you’ve ever actually been to Costco. The produce is generally fine but everything else is good to great quality. I always load up with a huge wedge of parmigiano reggiano, Spanish olive oil, Barolo wine (all Kirkland branded and DOP labeled) for literally half the price of anywhere else. Everything else is generally solid too. Just looking around at the other Kirkland food I’ve got right now, their tofu, sparkling water, eggs, salted butter, huge loaf of sourdough that I freeze, are all solid. I’m struggling to think of a Kirkland signature food product I’ve been dissatisfied with.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#568

Post by caymanjim »

Auracle wrote: post #529
jorvi wrote: post #497

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The lameness is that brown rice is more expensive than white rice because it is a healthy choice. I know, price is what the market will bear blah blah. There is just something that feels fundamentally wrong about a product cheaper to produce being sold at a higher price purely because its the better choice for your health. Another cute principle in that category is convenience pricing. The 0.5L cola bottle with resea…

I don’t think it’s because brown rice is the healthier choice. I assume it’s because people buy it less and it spoils way, way faster.

And because people want it more. Economy of scale is off the charts for white vs. brown rice.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#569

Post by Dylan16807 »

whyenot wrote: post #404
henryfjordan wrote: post #385

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's 1655 calories in a pound of uncooked rice, so with 330lbs you are sitting at ~1500 calories a day for a whole year. You wouldn't starve to death, but you'd absolutely want to supplement (both for more calories and probably for vitamins). But also you'd be eating that rice every single day pretty much, how else are you getting through that much rice?

Wouldn't you also need at least a little protein? and some lipids? For example, there is a lot more in Soylent than just rice flour. Oh, are we talking brown rice or white rice? That seems like it might make a huge difference, not only in nutrition, but also pooping.

That much brown rice will have around 12 grams of fat and 35 grams of protein.

How much protein do you want for "at least a little"?

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#570

Post by [deleted] »

bschwindHN wrote: post #566
jatora wrote: post #533

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dont understand this. All Costco memberships are functionally $65 at most. How is this beyond literally anyone in America? Am I so out of touch? Why would corner stores have to pool together to get a membership when they absolutely negate the cost of the membership from the cashback? You only have to spend roughly $6,500/year for the executive membership of $130 to cost zero. That seems like something a corner stor…

> $65 is the cost of one or two fast food meals. Okay I'm really curious, where do you live and what are you eating for a "fast food meal"? That's at least 10x what I pay for a fast food meal, and although I know California and other places are expensive, I wouldn't have guessed they are that expensive.

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