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I've been a Costco shopper for about 18 years now. And I'm by no means a casual Costco fan. Rather, I visit the store on a weekly basis and rely on Costco for a chunk of my weekly grocery purchases . I also make a point to fill up my car at Costco because the gas there is not only cheaper, but generally higher in quality than the gas I can get elsewhere.
Because I'm such a big fan of Costco, I can't imagine joining another warehouse club store. And for this reason, I've never seriously considered a switch to Sam's Club despite the lower price point.
Following a fee hike that took effect on Sept. 1, it now costs $65 a year to join Costco at the Gold Star level and $130 a year to join at the Executive level. The Executive membership is the one I pay for because it gives me 2% cash back on my Costco purchases. And I shop there often enough to recoup the extra $65 the higher-tiered membership costs and come out ahead.
Sam's Club, on the other hand, only charges $50 for a basic membership, while the cost of an upgraded Plus membership is $110. Like the Executive membership at Costco, the Plus membership at Sam's Club gives you 2% back on your purchases.
I could save myself a fair amount of money by choosing Sam's Club's upgraded membership over Costco's. But for a $20 difference per year, I'd rather stick with the warehouse club store I know and love.
However, besides price, there's another big benefit that Sam's Club offers over Costco. And if any single factor is going to make me switch, it's this one.
When I first upgraded to an Executive membership at Costco, that tier came with the perk of early store access. Costco did away with that benefit a long time ago. But frankly, I've been bummed about it ever since.
I do not fare well in crowded stores. I get antsy in throngs of people, which is why clubs and even large events like weddings aren't my thing.
The ability to get into Costco early, however, would work wonders for my shopping experience. Smaller crowds would allow me to shop more calmly, thereby lowering my chances of making a mistake, like not checking salad bags for the better expiration date or buying the wrong type of cheese because I'm in a rush to get out of there.
Sam's Club, meanwhile, does continue to offer early store access to Plus members at select locations. And that's the one thing about Sam's Club I wish Costco would adopt.
It would truly be a game-changer for me. And it would probably benefit a lot of people who are pressed for time and are willing to get up early to hit the store before most shoppers arrive.
Even though I've been tempted to switch to Sam's Club for the early shopping hours alone, ultimately, it's not enough of a sell for me to ditch Costco. Plus, Costco happens to be slightly closer to where I live than Sam's Club. And when you shop somewhere every week, spending less time on the road to get there is important.
That said, I've learned one helpful trick to make my Costco shopping experience more pleasant. What I tend to do is get to the store about 10 to 15 minutes before it opens. Depending on the person at the door who's checking membership cards, sometimes, I'll be allowed to enter a few minutes before the store's official opening time. This gives me a few blissful minutes of effectively having the store to myself, or sharing it with the few shoppers who do the same thing I do.
This isn't to say that you're guaranteed early store access at your local Costco, though. That may depend on your store manager's policy and the person guarding the door. But it's a tactic worth trying if you love Costco as much as I do, but you also hate crowds as much as I do.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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