I would like to know if you're a member of those exclusive shopping stores where you have to pay a membership fee in order to shop there. Here in my country, you have to pay $14 a year in S&R for it's membership fee. I went with my cousin there who is a member, and the merchadise there is mostly imported and expensive, so this store is not for the average Joe. So are you one of those people who shop in such stores? Do you actually get to save money considering there is a membership fee in the 1st place and the items are mostly imported and expensive?
There is an S&R supermarket here which requires membership for an annual fee of about $15. We have been a member for a long time already even if we don't regularly shop there. S&R specializes in imported items from the US and Europe and that's our usual haunt. The last time we went there, I bought 6 big bottles of Mr. Juicy, the orange juice that is available only in Hongkong. It's also in S&R where I can buy Milky Way chocolates and other imported sweets like Meiji from Japan. What's good in S$R is their regular sale where items are marked "buy-one-take-one" which are always a hit with customers.
I'm a member of a few stores, i usually use them when i'm buying in large quantities or when trying to take advantage of a promotion or sales offer.
Here in Hawaii on Oahu, we have several membership stores. One I belong to is Marukai Wholesale Mart. We pay $10 a year for our membership. Membership is under my Mom and I get a card too. The store is just about half a block away from home, so it's very convenient. Marukai has weekly sales, so we save more even if we pay a membership fee. Plus since Marukai serves food, they have a restroom, good and safe to use for us bus riders as well as being able to shop in the store. Costco & Sam's Club are the other membership stores that I know of on Oahu. Both had a come look see for anyone and join when they first opened. Costco is mainly for big families for they got bulk buying. Costco has a little restaurant/fastfood that sells slices of pizza and hot dogs which is very inexpensive and you don't need a membership to buy, so this is a bonus for shoppers. Sam's Club is like your S&R, good quality and high prices, so I never joined. Marukai Wholesale Mart, is good because they got weekly sales, lots of things from the Orient on sale, we love shiitake mushrooms for our soups and other Japanese foods that Marukai brings in for us and has sales on! One thing great is that Oahu supermarkets has weekly sales like Longs/CVS has so we get a bit of variety of foods on sale in one week.
@Alexandoy, Yes I noticed their buy 1 take 1 sales too, my cousin brings my dad along when they go there during sale days, and my dad goes home with "buy 1 take 1 goods". I guess the stocks are a bit slow moving and it might get expired, that's why they regularly have that promo? I will check the expiry dates of the food next time. Because the regular markets don't really have that promo often.
@moneymania You are right with the expiration date which is usually a month or so. But it’s not the only reason for the sale. Sometimes there are new arrivals that maybe S&R wanted to promote. I remember when the Lotte Mandarin juice first hit the racks, it’s not selling fast and it was included in the sale on the following month with the expiration date months to go. S&R here opens at 9am but there’s already a long line of customers by 7am on the first day of the sale period.
I used to be a member of membership of some supermarkets a few years ago, but I didn't see great advantages in continuing... So, I ended up giving up. I prefer to take advantage of some promotions in isolation.
@Alexandoy, I didn't know our countrymen would bother to be the first ones in a supermarket sale, lol I only read about that in the US during Apple launches and department store sales. Does their sale last only a day or it's like in SM where it lasts for 3 days?
Here in the US we have club stores which take a membership fee. It is usually about 40 dollars a year and you can have access to large quantities of products. I think it is worth it to belong to these stores. I have saved some money by belonging to them. However, I don't live close to any of the club stores so that is kind of a problem.
@Ke Gordon, Compared to the membership fee in my country, $40 is quite expensive compared to $14. I hope it's worth it and you get to buy a lot of good items there. Are the items in US club stores mostly imported too? Or they're mostly local, or Western-made products, but of the high-end kind?
I wanted to join Costco or Sams Club but then I wouldn't really be going so it really wouldn't be worth it. I guess if I earned more it would be ideal but my shopping is always limited and I find great values at supermarkets near me.
