Shopping in a Club Store

     For the last few years, TJ and I have been club members at BJ's.  We have a Sam's club close by and soon there will be a Costco as well.  These club stores offer more "family" or "bulk" packages for what they consider to be a discount from other retailers.  I love going to BJ's!  There is something about walking up and down the aisle in what looks like a warehouse and then finding a great deal!  But you have to be careful in a store like this, especially if you are on a tight budget.  Sometimes what seems like a great deal is actually going to cost more than if you shopped elsewhere.  So here are some tips to help you save money in a club store to help you stick to your budget.
     1.) Use coupons if you can.  BJ's is awesome because not only do they accept manufacturers coupons but you can use them at the same time you use a BJ's coupon.  For example, if you have a pampers coupon for saving $2 on a case, and BJ's has a coupon to save $4 on a case, you will get $6 off of the case of diapers.  BJ's also has a coupon book you get in the mail, but if you want more than one coupon, you can go to the service desk and they give you another book!  I was able to get a 32 pack of Yo plait Go-Gurts for $4.99 this week, and I have two more coupons so I can buy two more before school starts!  
     2.) Watch the unit price!  This is really important because often times you can find a better deal at Walmart, Wegman's, or Aldi.  Club stores are really good at packaging items so that it looks like you're getting the best deal in town.  A 36 pack of Scott's tissue for $27.00 might seem like a great deal but if you work out the math, that is $.75 a roll (still a good price) but at Walmart right now I can get a 27 roll pack for 15.00 which makes them $.55 a roll.  If you pay attention to the unit pricing (no matter what store you're in) it helps to keep you from spending more when you think you're spending less.
     3.) Only purchase what you plan to eat, or what your family will consume.  That jar of mayonnaise for $6.99 might be a great deal, but not if you're throwing it away.   If the items aren't wrapped for individual use, you have to use it all before it goes bad, rancid, or stale.  I have a big family so this is never an issue in our house, but if you are shopping for a family of four, you'll want to be mindful of what your family will actually eat.

This week at BJ's I used coupons and got some great deals!  Here they are:

A 48 oz can of Folders Original Coffee- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
Two 48 oz jars of Skippy Peanut butter and Two 32 oz jars of Welch's grape jelly- Retails for  $13.48, I got them all for $9.99
A 32 count box of Yo plait Go-Gurts- retails for $6.99, I got it for $4.99
A 125 oz bottle of Cascade Complete Dishwasher liquid- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
A 133 oz bottle of Gain Original Fabric Softener- Retails for $9.99, I got it for $7.99
I bought 2 gallons of milk at $2.49 each (cheaper than anywhere else!)
I got an 8 pack of Puffs Tissues (school supplies)- retails for $11.99, I paid $8.99

Altogether my purchase was $53.  The good thing is that many of these items will last for months in our house so if I stretch that cost out, I saved a lot of money!  

What are some of your best club store purchases?