We live just a few blocks from a major shopping area, so it is really only about 5 minutes to get from home to Costco if we don't get all red light. (No Sams in Canada.)

Since it is so close I usually go once or twice a week. I try to keep the fridge full of nice fresh veggies, fruits, meats, cheese, yogurt, etc.

I need to say I like the samples. Not all of them are healthy (and I don't eat all of them) but my two youngest will try anything if they serve the samples at Costco. It's really a hit and miss if they like it or not, but at least they'll try new foods and they'll try it time and time again to see if they like it yet. (Spinach salad, duck, various cheeses instead of our normal everyday ones, crab meat, soups, etc.) I think it's a competition between the two to see who likes the most foods. But I have to admit, I feel bad for anybody standing around when my youngest doesn't like something. She just can't keep something in her mouth if she doesn't like it and by the look on her face you KNOW when she doesn't like it.

I was a member of both for one year, and I decided that while there were common things they both had, I just liked Costco better in the end.

I'd just like to know why? I know it's probly an individual thing, but what were the deciding factors for you?

I tried to research Costco online, but I'm not able to see everything they have in stock in stores like I can with Sams. A bit frustrating.

Unfortunately the Sams Club is much closer to me than Costco (20 min v. 40). Because I decline to give Wal-Mart my money, I don't shop at Sams and I've made the choice to not drive to Costco. Love Costco though!

Costco gets a lot of special package deals on things I never saw at Sam's. For example, I love Olay's regenerist serum, and they had a package of two, or sometimes a larger size that was far cheaper than anywhere else. I got a sonic toothbrush that was specially priced....two brushes and two chargers for about what you'd pay for one elsewhere, so things like that. I got a great price on a Vitamix there. Better wine than Sam's. Really good meat section, better veggies and fruits. Good seasonal deals. Local restaurant cards....for example, spend $75 on a food card from some local upscale restaurant but get $100 value of food from it. Great ski gloves in winter. The list is long, and my comparison of Sam's was that it was just more basic, in general. Another thing: many items are available on costco.com that you don't see in the store, and vice versa. Basically, Costco just sells a LOT more things of all types, year around. Given the types of things/food etc. that I like to buy, I just never ended up shopping at Sam's.

I don't know about Sam's but the quality of products at Costco is great and if you don't like it for any reason, anytime you can bring it back. We buy the kids backpacks at Costco and one of them ripped about 6 months after buying it and they said to bring it back in and they'd exchange it since they still had more. (The other two were great, just the liner ripped on the one for some reason, just a lemon I think.)

Thank you. I guess I will just have to go to Costco and make a list of the things they carry that I would buy and compare that to what I can get at Sams and make a decision. I do know that Costco carries a very good all natural peanut butter and Sams doesn't. But Sams carries my sf DaVinci syrups and Costco doesn't. The other issue is that on my way to Sams I pass three different grocery stores and on the way to Costco I would pass one that I've never shopped at.

Freckles - you might check out TJ Maxx for DaVinci syrups. I've found them there on occasion.

Yes, and sometimes Ross. I can get them at World Market too (and they have a much better selection), but at Sams they are over $2 cheaper per bottle!