Everybody is working so hard to keep dollars in their wallets, but the concept becomes difficult to visualize after today’s visit to Costco. It began with parking lot bedlam, but the inside of the store made the lot seem deserted! With Easter and Passover coming up, and everyone clutching a coupon booklet, the chaos was inevitable. The store was insane. So was I. Why did I torture myself?
The line to purchase gasoline was maniacal. People merely needed to cross the street, spend one penny more per gallon, and get on with their lives. They used more gas waiting in the line to save the penny and surrendered precious moments of a sunny day.
Back to the insanity of the store itself. Baskets were piled high with an assortment of fresh and frozen foods, books, magazines, snacks, and other non-food “critical” items. The words” excuse me” truly fell on deaf ears as no one could hear anything. The aisles were jammed with adults trying to push mile-high piled carts. Screaming children wondered what they could taste next.
How much do you have to spend to save money? That is always a question when it comes to Costco. Buying $20 worth of toilet paper prompts the question: are you better off spending less money each week or taking advantage of the super-sized big-box universe? I think I saw the answer today: Spend the money; you’ll enjoy the savings.
The big initial cash outlay gets balanced against the need to run out and buy smaller products for less money. Sometimes that equation gets lost on me. I just wanted to make a beeline u-turn for the exit. But I was there, and the smoked salmon from Norway is delish. I needed organic eggs, grilled chicken strips, and, yes, toilet paper. Quality is high and well worth the investment as long as you can remain focused and not buy into impulse savings. After all how much mouthwash does someone use?
It will be difficult to hear that Costco did not have a good financial quarter. If it doesn’t do well, I sure do wonder how many more people have to load their carts to the hills before they can have a blow-out quarter?
My money’s on record sales. I saw ‘em.
