Apparently Costco is introducing a new Kirkland brand Supreme diaper. It's in the upcoming November coupon book, and they are also offering a sample from their website. Go get a sample now!
It is interesting though, that the sample is promised between 4-6 weeks, but the coupon is valid 11/17-12/7. Hopefully one would get the sample before committing to a big box of diapers. BTW, the coupon is for $5 off. Guessing the price of a box is around $30.
**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Nikon D90 at Costco
On one of my multi-weekly trips to Costco recently, I noticed that they're selling the Nikon D90 DSLR these days. I also saw that it's on sale for a $100 off with 2 excellent lenses in the bundle. I originally got the D80 bundle back in December 2006 when they had it; I think they've had the D40 at some time as well. One of the many features of the D90 is the fact that it's one of the few DSLRs out there that records video.
Ken Rockwell reviews it on his website, and also explains the megapixel myth. Basically the number of megapixels will not make a difference to the regular amateur photographer. Read his review if you're considering the D90.
My take? It's always been a great idea to combine multiple technologies/features into one device, but it often results in mediocre performance. Heard of the phrase, "jack of all trades, master of none?" That's how I feel about most multi-function devices outside of fax/copy/scan machines. If you want a good camera, get a good camera. If you want a good video camera, get a good video camera and expect it to be something different from your good camera. FYI, we have the D80 with a 18-200 VR and 50mm (1.8) lenses, and the Canon HV30 HD video camera.
Ken Rockwell reviews it on his website, and also explains the megapixel myth. Basically the number of megapixels will not make a difference to the regular amateur photographer. Read his review if you're considering the D90.
My take? It's always been a great idea to combine multiple technologies/features into one device, but it often results in mediocre performance. Heard of the phrase, "jack of all trades, master of none?" That's how I feel about most multi-function devices outside of fax/copy/scan machines. If you want a good camera, get a good camera. If you want a good video camera, get a good video camera and expect it to be something different from your good camera. FYI, we have the D80 with a 18-200 VR and 50mm (1.8) lenses, and the Canon HV30 HD video camera.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Sign of the ultimate Costco Fan & gift card update
I'm seriously thinking of buying >this.
Tally of gift cards: Three $500 gift cards, two $200 gift cards sold at a profit of ~$10/gift card. One $500 gift card purchased at a 17% discount, one $100 gift card purchased at a 9% discount. IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND SHOP AT COSTCO, YOU HAVE TO GET IN ON THIS DEAL. I WILL HELP YOU SAVE 15% ON YOUR COSTCO PURCHASES.
**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!
Tally of gift cards: Three $500 gift cards, two $200 gift cards sold at a profit of ~$10/gift card. One $500 gift card purchased at a 17% discount, one $100 gift card purchased at a 9% discount. IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND SHOP AT COSTCO, YOU HAVE TO GET IN ON THIS DEAL. I WILL HELP YOU SAVE 15% ON YOUR COSTCO PURCHASES.
**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Starbucks gift cards Costco's best seller?
Might the new Starbucks gift cards (Five $20 cards for $79.95) be the best seller at Costco, overtaking the mighty Kirkland brand bath tissue?
It does make for a great gift if you have a Starbucker to give a gift to.
**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!
It does make for a great gift if you have a Starbucker to give a gift to.
**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Update on buying gift cards on eBay
Last week I wrote about using live.com's cashback promotion to purchase Buy-It-Now items on eBay. A primary target for this are Costco cash cards, b/c most people can burn through a $500 value card in a few months. The fact that you are saving $70-80 and are actually paying ~$420 is a major bonus. The only catch is you have to wait 60 days for the cashback.
Anyways, I've now sold 2 $500 Costco cash cards, 1 $200 Costco cash cards and probably have made about $10-$15/transaction for a total profit of $30-$40. This includes subtracting eBay fees, paypal fees, shipping fee (a stamp) and adding in the fact that I'm using my Costco AMEX to buy the gift card, thereby getting the 1% cashback on the card, and adding to my 2% for executive membership (see details in this post).
On the buy side, I've purchased a
$100 Bed Bath gift card (paid $110, $27.50 cashback, $82.50 final price)
$100 Costco card (paid $130, $39 cashback, $91 final)
$50 Lettuce Entertain card (paid $45, $11.25 cashback, $33.75 final)
$100 Ruth Chris card (paid $91, $22.75 cashback, $68.25 final).
Take advantage of this while you can! If you want, you can try it by buying one of my Costco cash cards. Someone you can trust to deliver a card, and we both benefit!
**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!
Anyways, I've now sold 2 $500 Costco cash cards, 1 $200 Costco cash cards and probably have made about $10-$15/transaction for a total profit of $30-$40. This includes subtracting eBay fees, paypal fees, shipping fee (a stamp) and adding in the fact that I'm using my Costco AMEX to buy the gift card, thereby getting the 1% cashback on the card, and adding to my 2% for executive membership (see details in this post).
On the buy side, I've purchased a
$100 Bed Bath gift card (paid $110, $27.50 cashback, $82.50 final price)
$100 Costco card (paid $130, $39 cashback, $91 final)
$50 Lettuce Entertain card (paid $45, $11.25 cashback, $33.75 final)
$100 Ruth Chris card (paid $91, $22.75 cashback, $68.25 final).
Take advantage of this while you can! If you want, you can try it by buying one of my Costco cash cards. Someone you can trust to deliver a card, and we both benefit!
**If you are reading this through a feed aggregator, email, facebook, or anything else, please click here to go to the original blog (costcofans.blogspot.com) and click on a few of my ads!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Costco allows reviews on its website
Did you know that Costco now allows customer reviews on items on its website? Similar to Amazon and other retail websites, you can now post a review of a Costco item.
I find other user reviews very helpful when comparison shopping. I really like amazon, b/c they usually have a good solid number of reviews over a longer period of time. You have to take everything with a grain of salt; there can also be "fake" reviews posted by people who want to promote a certain product. But suffice it to say, if an item has 100+ reviews and 90% of them are positive, it's probably a good product. That's the power of the online community.
Since Costco has just started, the reviews probably won't be as useful, but feel free to go and add your opinion of products that you like! We're in the market for a stroller, so I surfed around and found a review of this >Go-Go Babyz Urban Advantage stroller. Go check out this new feature!
I find other user reviews very helpful when comparison shopping. I really like amazon, b/c they usually have a good solid number of reviews over a longer period of time. You have to take everything with a grain of salt; there can also be "fake" reviews posted by people who want to promote a certain product. But suffice it to say, if an item has 100+ reviews and 90% of them are positive, it's probably a good product. That's the power of the online community.
Since Costco has just started, the reviews probably won't be as useful, but feel free to go and add your opinion of products that you like! We're in the market for a stroller, so I surfed around and found a review of this >Go-Go Babyz Urban Advantage stroller. Go check out this new feature!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wines at Costco
I'm a big fan of Kirkland brand, but ever wonder about the quality of Costco's own wines? This columnist from the Statesman's Journal in Oregon did. Don't know if he's a wine expert, but since I know nothing, I'll take his opinion over mine...
the highlights, you can also click through:
Let's start with that bubbly, the Kirkland Signature, Brut Champagne, $22. This is real, upper-case Champagne. At that low-end price point, though, do you have the right to expect Bollinger or Veuve Clicquot? No, but, this is pretty darned good stuff.
It's fairly rich, with wonderful yeasty, baked-apple-pie aromas. The creamy texture, with frothy, tiny bubbles, enliven the apple flavors. Very good. And just think: You can buy at least two of these for the price of a typical Champagne.
The Kirkland Signature, 2007 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, $10, is the one wine of this bunch that is produced by an actual winery. And it is classic New Zealand sauvignon blanc, with zippy grapefruit and peach aromas. The tart flavors of mango and peach, and big notes of grapefruit, make for a wonderful wine.
The Kirkland Signature, 2007 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, $14, is predictably very California-like, and that's good or bad, depending and how Oregonized you are.
It begins with aromas of violets, earth and a note that I get so often in California pinot, of resin. The flavors are herbal, with notes of raisin and bing cherry. It's a pretty hefty wine, for pinot, weighing in at 14 percent alcohol. Not much in the way of acidity. But that's coming from someone who was weaned on Oregon pinot noir. I suspect if you like California pinot, you'll enjoy this.
So let's get it on with the Kirkland Signature 2005 Margaux, $18. The skinny on this Bordeaux region is that the wines tend to be more elegant, more aromatic than some of the neighboring big boys.
And that's exactly what I found, beginning with the fabulous floral, cedar and black-currant aromas. It's fairly light, more delicate than one might normally expect of Bordeaux. It has good chewy tannins, and earthy flavors of blackberry and currant. Excellent with a side of beef.
the highlights, you can also click through:
Let's start with that bubbly, the Kirkland Signature, Brut Champagne, $22. This is real, upper-case Champagne. At that low-end price point, though, do you have the right to expect Bollinger or Veuve Clicquot? No, but, this is pretty darned good stuff.
It's fairly rich, with wonderful yeasty, baked-apple-pie aromas. The creamy texture, with frothy, tiny bubbles, enliven the apple flavors. Very good. And just think: You can buy at least two of these for the price of a typical Champagne.
The Kirkland Signature, 2007 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, $10, is the one wine of this bunch that is produced by an actual winery. And it is classic New Zealand sauvignon blanc, with zippy grapefruit and peach aromas. The tart flavors of mango and peach, and big notes of grapefruit, make for a wonderful wine.
The Kirkland Signature, 2007 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, $14, is predictably very California-like, and that's good or bad, depending and how Oregonized you are.
It begins with aromas of violets, earth and a note that I get so often in California pinot, of resin. The flavors are herbal, with notes of raisin and bing cherry. It's a pretty hefty wine, for pinot, weighing in at 14 percent alcohol. Not much in the way of acidity. But that's coming from someone who was weaned on Oregon pinot noir. I suspect if you like California pinot, you'll enjoy this.
So let's get it on with the Kirkland Signature 2005 Margaux, $18. The skinny on this Bordeaux region is that the wines tend to be more elegant, more aromatic than some of the neighboring big boys.
And that's exactly what I found, beginning with the fabulous floral, cedar and black-currant aromas. It's fairly light, more delicate than one might normally expect of Bordeaux. It has good chewy tannins, and earthy flavors of blackberry and currant. Excellent with a side of beef.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
All Hail Costco
Reasons you already knew about Costco, but reiterated by one of my favorite personal finance sites, Motley Fool. Some highlights from the article...
- CEO Jim Sinegal earns a mere $350,000 per year, with a bonus of as much as $200,000 (and possibly some stock). He aims to earn no more than three or four times what his highest-paid store managers earn. "Having an individual who is making 100 or 200 or 300 times more than the average person working on the floor is wrong," Sinegal has said.
- Costco pays its employees relatively lavishly. Workers reportedly start at $10 or more per hour, considerably more than elsewhere, where minimum wage is the usual starting point. According to a 2008 SmartMoney article, average pay topped $18 an hour, fully 68% more than employees earned at Wal-Mart's (NYSE: WMT) Sam's Club, and more than BJ's Wholesale (NYSE: BJ) employees earn, too. Roughly 85% of Costco's employees had health insurance last year (at fairly cheap rates), versus only about half at Wal-Mart and Target (NYSE: TGT). All this leads to low turnover, saving the company money on recruiting and training new employees, and helping Sinegal argue that it's simply a rational business practice.
- It's a rule at the company that no item can be marked up more than 15%. You'll find markups much higher elsewhere (though you'll usually be unaware of it) -- supermarkets mark up items by about 25%, on average, and department stores like Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN), Dillard’s (NYSE: DDS), or Macy's (NYSE: M) can tack on 50% or more.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Buying Costco gift cards on eBay for a discount
I'm constantly looking on eBay for certain gift cards to get a discount in essence at the store. We've received 10-20% by buying gift cards for Marshalls, Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, etc. Some stores go pretty close to face value, while others get a bigger discount b/c they may be more obscure or not as popular. For example, Walmart and Target gift cards almost always go for 98-99% of what they are worth since almost anyone/everyone can get something of use at those stores. For others like say Club Monaco, you may be able to get 25-30% off b/c they're aren't as many Club Monaco stores and/or it doesn't fit everyone's style.
Anyways, Costco gift cards fit the 98-99% of face value, since most people can get something there. In fact, some gift cards go for more than the face value sometimes, b/c non-members can use the gift card to buy something at Costco even though they are not members.
There is a cashback program at live.com. It's been well documented at Fatwallet, and other deal sites, where one can get 25-30% off of a Buy-it-now eBay auction. So what's been popping up on eBay are gift card auctions with a Buy-it-now price of something higher than what the gift card is worth.
For example:
$500 Costco gift card listed at $570 Buy-It-Now
Buyer pays $570, but with 25% cashback (on $570), only pays $427.50 for the $500 gift card
Seller gets $570, pays approximately $54 in eBay and Paypal fees, profits $16 on the sale.
I've bought 2 gift cards now using this method, a $100 Costco gift card for $91 after 30% cashback, and a $100 Bed Bath and Beyond gift card for $75 after 25% cashback. The cashback is not payable for 60 days, but I have received confirmation that it's there. I've also put up an auction of my own on eBay selling a $500 Costco gift card, just to give it a try.
So go out there, check things out, and save some $$$!!! You can even buy my Costco gift card and get your cashback/discount that way! I'll show you how to do it, if you want. Just drop me a line.
Anyways, Costco gift cards fit the 98-99% of face value, since most people can get something there. In fact, some gift cards go for more than the face value sometimes, b/c non-members can use the gift card to buy something at Costco even though they are not members.
There is a cashback program at live.com. It's been well documented at Fatwallet, and other deal sites, where one can get 25-30% off of a Buy-it-now eBay auction. So what's been popping up on eBay are gift card auctions with a Buy-it-now price of something higher than what the gift card is worth.
For example:
$500 Costco gift card listed at $570 Buy-It-Now
Buyer pays $570, but with 25% cashback (on $570), only pays $427.50 for the $500 gift card
Seller gets $570, pays approximately $54 in eBay and Paypal fees, profits $16 on the sale.
I've bought 2 gift cards now using this method, a $100 Costco gift card for $91 after 30% cashback, and a $100 Bed Bath and Beyond gift card for $75 after 25% cashback. The cashback is not payable for 60 days, but I have received confirmation that it's there. I've also put up an auction of my own on eBay selling a $500 Costco gift card, just to give it a try.
So go out there, check things out, and save some $$$!!! You can even buy my Costco gift card and get your cashback/discount that way! I'll show you how to do it, if you want. Just drop me a line.
Monday, October 20, 2008
The Journey: A Humidifier Story
So we've been in the market for a humidifier for our little one's room. We originally had one of those simple, cute, frog ones, this one. But saw a Honeywell one (similar to >this) at Costco for $50. Me being the techy snob, saw the UV germicidal technology that reduces 99% of bacteria and germs justified that for only $16 more, we could get a much better machine. So wifey returned the froggy to BRU, and we got the Honeywell.
It seemed to work well enough, but after a few days, the mist started smelling. I took a look at the filter and saw mold! From reading humidifier reviews, I knew mold was an issue, especially with an appliance that is constantly churning water. But after 3 days of use? I was not willing to clean the thing every 3-4 days. Plus with the filter, that's one more thing to have to keep buying. It's like printer cartridges. Manufacturers are willing to give away printers, b/c they know you will always have to buy more print cartridges, where they make more $$.
We decided to return the Honeywell but couldn't find the receipt! No worries, Costco's no-questions-asked return policy took it back w/o a problem. Then on our tri-weekly treasure hunt around Costco, we found >this beauty! It was double the price of the Honeywell ($100), but it looked awesome! I did some more research online, checked to see if we could get something decent at Bed Bath with the 20% coupon, but in the end, decided to spring for the Germ Guardian.
Thus ends our quest to find the perfect humidifier.
It seemed to work well enough, but after a few days, the mist started smelling. I took a look at the filter and saw mold! From reading humidifier reviews, I knew mold was an issue, especially with an appliance that is constantly churning water. But after 3 days of use? I was not willing to clean the thing every 3-4 days. Plus with the filter, that's one more thing to have to keep buying. It's like printer cartridges. Manufacturers are willing to give away printers, b/c they know you will always have to buy more print cartridges, where they make more $$.
We decided to return the Honeywell but couldn't find the receipt! No worries, Costco's no-questions-asked return policy took it back w/o a problem. Then on our tri-weekly treasure hunt around Costco, we found >this beauty! It was double the price of the Honeywell ($100), but it looked awesome! I did some more research online, checked to see if we could get something decent at Bed Bath with the 20% coupon, but in the end, decided to spring for the Germ Guardian.
Thus ends our quest to find the perfect humidifier.
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