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Started By
Message
TulaneLSU's guide to purchasing at Sam's Club versus Walmart
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:32 pm
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:32 pm
Dear Friends,
“You would make your Great Grandfather proud,” Mother told me this morning after I returned home from a trip with her to Sam’s and Walmart. Mother tells me I am the frugal one in our family, something for which Great Grandfather was known. He was of Scottish stock by way of North Carolina. Family legend has it that he, and I by extension, were descended from a great Covenanter who attempted to ban alcohol in Scotland. He owned a large sheep farm and made the finest jackets of the day. But many of his workers did not like him because he was meticulous in his record keepings and not a jot or tittle was passed without his keen awareness.
After waking around five this morning and having morning prayer with Mother, I suggested that we go to both stores today, not so much to shop but to focus on pricing items. My goal was to find out which items are better purchased at Walmart and which are better from Sam’s.
Mother initially was not interested. Yes, you know she gave me that look, that “TulaneLSU, do not drag me into your pointless journey look.” Sometimes, though, you have to look past negativity, pessimism, and rejection, and march onward, with the Cross of Jesus going on before! I persisted.
“Mother, today’s corporate age requires that consumers be vigilant. Corporations like Sam’s-Walmart do not see us as individuals or even families anymore. We are a numerical component of their Numerical System. Within this system, out of our desire for convenience, we cede our trust to the scales and listed prices, and they are not always fair. There is room for more graft than Sheriff Frank Clancy of the JP could have ever dreamed.”
Mother still was not convinced.
“Mother, consider how I am currently working on the undercover weighing operation, the one that will expose Sam’s unethical snow and king crab weighing system.”
She responded, “Are you still emailing Dateline NBC about them selling you 2.3 pounds of snow crabs with 2.7 pounds of water weight, packaged as five pounds of snow crab?”
“Yes, and the same thing happened with last week’s king crab weight. I bought 1.6 pounds of king crab to the tune of $48. When I took the legs out of the packaging, there were only 9 ounces of legs. Sam’s is stealing from us, the consumers, potentially millions every year. Not to mention Sam's is sourcing the king crab from Russia. Do we not have a boycott on Russian goods?
“Mother, my pressing concern is not just the crab weights. It is that our friends on the OT, friends like MeridianDog, OTIS, toff, andouille, Big Bill, and Degas, could be purchasing products at Sam’s they should be buying at Walmart and vice versa. So many Club members think they are automatically getting a better deal at Sam’s, but that is not always the case.”
“Well, if it could help MeridianDog, we should do it.”
With that, Mother agreed to join me on this pricing adventure. I hope you will find some of this information useful in your shopping outings.
DETERGENT
Sam’s: 170 oz of Tide HE for $24.98, or 14.7 cents per ounce
Walmart: 146 ounces of Tide Original for $19.94, or 13.66 cents per ounce
Sam’s: 195 oz of Members Mark orange bottle for $15.98, or 8.19 cents per ounce
Verdict: Toss-up
Members Mark is the way to go here, and the Members Mark is cheaper than Great Value. However, if you are purchasing name brand detergents, Walmart generally is cheaper. Mother once told me, “TulaneLSU, when it comes to household goods and hygienic products, Walmart is usually better than Sam’s.” Mother certainly knows best.
“You would make your Great Grandfather proud,” Mother told me this morning after I returned home from a trip with her to Sam’s and Walmart. Mother tells me I am the frugal one in our family, something for which Great Grandfather was known. He was of Scottish stock by way of North Carolina. Family legend has it that he, and I by extension, were descended from a great Covenanter who attempted to ban alcohol in Scotland. He owned a large sheep farm and made the finest jackets of the day. But many of his workers did not like him because he was meticulous in his record keepings and not a jot or tittle was passed without his keen awareness.
After waking around five this morning and having morning prayer with Mother, I suggested that we go to both stores today, not so much to shop but to focus on pricing items. My goal was to find out which items are better purchased at Walmart and which are better from Sam’s.
Mother initially was not interested. Yes, you know she gave me that look, that “TulaneLSU, do not drag me into your pointless journey look.” Sometimes, though, you have to look past negativity, pessimism, and rejection, and march onward, with the Cross of Jesus going on before! I persisted.
“Mother, today’s corporate age requires that consumers be vigilant. Corporations like Sam’s-Walmart do not see us as individuals or even families anymore. We are a numerical component of their Numerical System. Within this system, out of our desire for convenience, we cede our trust to the scales and listed prices, and they are not always fair. There is room for more graft than Sheriff Frank Clancy of the JP could have ever dreamed.”
Mother still was not convinced.
“Mother, consider how I am currently working on the undercover weighing operation, the one that will expose Sam’s unethical snow and king crab weighing system.”
She responded, “Are you still emailing Dateline NBC about them selling you 2.3 pounds of snow crabs with 2.7 pounds of water weight, packaged as five pounds of snow crab?”
“Yes, and the same thing happened with last week’s king crab weight. I bought 1.6 pounds of king crab to the tune of $48. When I took the legs out of the packaging, there were only 9 ounces of legs. Sam’s is stealing from us, the consumers, potentially millions every year. Not to mention Sam's is sourcing the king crab from Russia. Do we not have a boycott on Russian goods?
“Mother, my pressing concern is not just the crab weights. It is that our friends on the OT, friends like MeridianDog, OTIS, toff, andouille, Big Bill, and Degas, could be purchasing products at Sam’s they should be buying at Walmart and vice versa. So many Club members think they are automatically getting a better deal at Sam’s, but that is not always the case.”
“Well, if it could help MeridianDog, we should do it.”
With that, Mother agreed to join me on this pricing adventure. I hope you will find some of this information useful in your shopping outings.
DETERGENT
Sam’s: 170 oz of Tide HE for $24.98, or 14.7 cents per ounce
Walmart: 146 ounces of Tide Original for $19.94, or 13.66 cents per ounce
Sam’s: 195 oz of Members Mark orange bottle for $15.98, or 8.19 cents per ounce
Verdict: Toss-up
Members Mark is the way to go here, and the Members Mark is cheaper than Great Value. However, if you are purchasing name brand detergents, Walmart generally is cheaper. Mother once told me, “TulaneLSU, when it comes to household goods and hygienic products, Walmart is usually better than Sam’s.” Mother certainly knows best.
This post was edited on 6/13/23 at 2:50 pm
23
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:32 pm to TulaneLSU
EGGS
Both Sam’s and Walmart sell Eggland’s Best, a mid-market product. They are not as good as free range eggs, but these eggs are better than Great Value, whose yolks are very runny and fragile and have a dull yellow color.
Sam’s: 18 Eggland’s Best eggs for $5.38, or 29.89 cents per egg.
Walmart: 12 Eggland’s Best eggs for $3.34, or 27.83 cents per egg.
Walmart GV 12 jumbo eggs for $1.98, or 16.5 cents per egg.
Verdict: Walmart
Do not assume that because you are getting 18 eggs rather than 12 eggs you are saving money. Convincing members that purchasing in bulk will save money is one tricky tactic Sam’s uses.
MILK
Sam’s: 2% gallon of milk for $3.58
Walmart: 2% gallon of milk for $3.77
Verdict: Sam’s
Not only is Sam’s milk cheaper, I think it tastes better. Is that better taste a product of the better packaging? I certainly prefer Sam’s milk packaging, as it is more compact, leading to lower shipping costs, which leads to less pollution, which leads to cleaner air and better health for everyone. When Sam’s introduced the rectangular milk cartons, if my memory serves me correctly, in 2008. At first, I did not like them because they went against decades of the old shape, but I now greatly prefer the rectangular packaging.
BREAD
Sam’s: 54oz Dave’s Killer Bread whole grains for $10.68, or 19.78 cents per ounce
Walmart: 27oz Dave’s Killer Bread whole grains for $5.98, or 22.15 cents per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
Although the baker has a tattoo, I love his story. Imprisoned for 15 years, Dave decided to turn his life around when he got out of prison and took up baking, just as his parents had. With his brother and nephew, they have helped many people, including those who had served prison time, and make a very good tasting bread. As Trent Shelton, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, “See my heart, not my past.” Indeed, Jesus calls us not only to visit the prisoners but to accept them and forgive them. That spirit seems to be alive with this bakery. I find that purchasing the two loaves from Sam’s, as long as you keep the second loaf in the fridge, to be the way to go. On the other hand, if you said paying 2.5 cents more per ounce was worth getting a fresher loaf, I would not say you are wrong.
BACON
Sam’s: 10.5 oz Hormel Black Label precooked bacon for $12.98, or $1.24 per ounce
Walmart: 2.52 oz Hormel Black Label precooked bacon for $4.48, or $1.78 per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
It is not close. If you want precooked bacon, buy it at Sam’s, where it is 44% cheaper. The precooked bacon is one of the most significant price differences we found between Sam’s and Walmart. Hormel says that a 10.5 oz package of its precooked bacon is equivalent to four pounds of raw bacon, so just $3.25 /lb. I prefer the cooked mostly due to it being less work and clean. Cleaning all that bacon grease after cooking raw bacon is something that takes away from my writing and tours. If you are wanting uncooked bacon, we found that the raw Great Value compares favorably to the Sam’s raw bacon.
LUCKY CHARMS
Sam’s: 46 oz Lucky Charms $8.22, or 17.86 cents per ounce
Walmart: 29.1 oz Lucky Charms for $6.48, or 22.27 cents per ounce
Walmart: 48 oz Marshmallow Matey’s for $7.98, or 16.63 cents per ounce
Verdict: Walmart
Walmart? Walmart? But Sam’s is cheaper per ounce, I see some of you saying. While that is true, I recommend Walmart over Sam’s for cereal for two reasons. First, Sam’s does not accept manufacturer coupons, and if you are a cereal shopper, you know that coupons are essential if you are purchasing name brands. Second, Walmart has superior Great Value and cheaper brands. Great Value Magic Treasures are usually around 16 cents per ounce, and Marshmallow Matey’s are better and cheaper than them all. It is not unusual for me to sit down and in several large mixing bowls, go through 48 ounces of them in a sitting. Plus they are themed with pirates, not mythical, racist miniature Irish men.
FRESH MOZZARELLA
Sam’s: 32 oz BelGioso fresh mozzarella for $8.28, or 25.86 cents per ounce
Walmart: 16 oz BelGioso fresh mozzarella for $7.74, or 48.36 cents per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
No one is going to confuse BelGioso fresh mozz, which I now pronounce “Moozt” and “Mootz-ah-rell” rather than “Mahtz,” which is a source of unending frustration and annoyance to Mother, not to mention confusion to local cheese purveyors, with Casa Della Mozzarella. Because we do not have any nearby quality cheesemakers, as they do in so many New York neighborhoods, we are pinched to use BelGioso for our fresh mozz. If you are buying fresh mozz, there is no better place in Louisiana to buy it than at Sam’s. It is significantly cheaper than everywhere else. It is 87% cheaper than Walmart! This item has the third biggest of all price differences between the two stores.
CHEDDAR CHEESE
Sam’s: 32 oz Members Mark mild cheddar for $6.98, or 21.81 cents per ounce
Walmart: 32 oz Great Value mild cheddar for $7.48, or 23.38 cents per ounce
Walmart: 32 oz Great Value mild cheddar for $7.32, or 22.86 cents per ounce
Verdict:
Sam’s. I believe this cheese product is a new offering at Sam’s. I have never seen the dual one pound bags for sale. Not only is the Sam’s cheese cheaper, while having the same great quality as that of Great Value, I would strongly suggest Sam’s here because this pre-cut cheese quickly begins to grow mold. Sure, you could purchase a one pound bag of the GV for $4, but then you are spending 50 cents more per pound.
Both Sam’s and Walmart sell Eggland’s Best, a mid-market product. They are not as good as free range eggs, but these eggs are better than Great Value, whose yolks are very runny and fragile and have a dull yellow color.
Sam’s: 18 Eggland’s Best eggs for $5.38, or 29.89 cents per egg.
Walmart: 12 Eggland’s Best eggs for $3.34, or 27.83 cents per egg.
Walmart GV 12 jumbo eggs for $1.98, or 16.5 cents per egg.
Verdict: Walmart
Do not assume that because you are getting 18 eggs rather than 12 eggs you are saving money. Convincing members that purchasing in bulk will save money is one tricky tactic Sam’s uses.
MILK
Sam’s: 2% gallon of milk for $3.58
Walmart: 2% gallon of milk for $3.77
Verdict: Sam’s
Not only is Sam’s milk cheaper, I think it tastes better. Is that better taste a product of the better packaging? I certainly prefer Sam’s milk packaging, as it is more compact, leading to lower shipping costs, which leads to less pollution, which leads to cleaner air and better health for everyone. When Sam’s introduced the rectangular milk cartons, if my memory serves me correctly, in 2008. At first, I did not like them because they went against decades of the old shape, but I now greatly prefer the rectangular packaging.
BREAD
Sam’s: 54oz Dave’s Killer Bread whole grains for $10.68, or 19.78 cents per ounce
Walmart: 27oz Dave’s Killer Bread whole grains for $5.98, or 22.15 cents per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
Although the baker has a tattoo, I love his story. Imprisoned for 15 years, Dave decided to turn his life around when he got out of prison and took up baking, just as his parents had. With his brother and nephew, they have helped many people, including those who had served prison time, and make a very good tasting bread. As Trent Shelton, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, “See my heart, not my past.” Indeed, Jesus calls us not only to visit the prisoners but to accept them and forgive them. That spirit seems to be alive with this bakery. I find that purchasing the two loaves from Sam’s, as long as you keep the second loaf in the fridge, to be the way to go. On the other hand, if you said paying 2.5 cents more per ounce was worth getting a fresher loaf, I would not say you are wrong.
BACON
Sam’s: 10.5 oz Hormel Black Label precooked bacon for $12.98, or $1.24 per ounce
Walmart: 2.52 oz Hormel Black Label precooked bacon for $4.48, or $1.78 per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
It is not close. If you want precooked bacon, buy it at Sam’s, where it is 44% cheaper. The precooked bacon is one of the most significant price differences we found between Sam’s and Walmart. Hormel says that a 10.5 oz package of its precooked bacon is equivalent to four pounds of raw bacon, so just $3.25 /lb. I prefer the cooked mostly due to it being less work and clean. Cleaning all that bacon grease after cooking raw bacon is something that takes away from my writing and tours. If you are wanting uncooked bacon, we found that the raw Great Value compares favorably to the Sam’s raw bacon.
LUCKY CHARMS
Sam’s: 46 oz Lucky Charms $8.22, or 17.86 cents per ounce
Walmart: 29.1 oz Lucky Charms for $6.48, or 22.27 cents per ounce
Walmart: 48 oz Marshmallow Matey’s for $7.98, or 16.63 cents per ounce
Verdict: Walmart
Walmart? Walmart? But Sam’s is cheaper per ounce, I see some of you saying. While that is true, I recommend Walmart over Sam’s for cereal for two reasons. First, Sam’s does not accept manufacturer coupons, and if you are a cereal shopper, you know that coupons are essential if you are purchasing name brands. Second, Walmart has superior Great Value and cheaper brands. Great Value Magic Treasures are usually around 16 cents per ounce, and Marshmallow Matey’s are better and cheaper than them all. It is not unusual for me to sit down and in several large mixing bowls, go through 48 ounces of them in a sitting. Plus they are themed with pirates, not mythical, racist miniature Irish men.
FRESH MOZZARELLA
Sam’s: 32 oz BelGioso fresh mozzarella for $8.28, or 25.86 cents per ounce
Walmart: 16 oz BelGioso fresh mozzarella for $7.74, or 48.36 cents per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
No one is going to confuse BelGioso fresh mozz, which I now pronounce “Moozt” and “Mootz-ah-rell” rather than “Mahtz,” which is a source of unending frustration and annoyance to Mother, not to mention confusion to local cheese purveyors, with Casa Della Mozzarella. Because we do not have any nearby quality cheesemakers, as they do in so many New York neighborhoods, we are pinched to use BelGioso for our fresh mozz. If you are buying fresh mozz, there is no better place in Louisiana to buy it than at Sam’s. It is significantly cheaper than everywhere else. It is 87% cheaper than Walmart! This item has the third biggest of all price differences between the two stores.
CHEDDAR CHEESE
Sam’s: 32 oz Members Mark mild cheddar for $6.98, or 21.81 cents per ounce
Walmart: 32 oz Great Value mild cheddar for $7.48, or 23.38 cents per ounce
Walmart: 32 oz Great Value mild cheddar for $7.32, or 22.86 cents per ounce
Verdict:
Sam’s. I believe this cheese product is a new offering at Sam’s. I have never seen the dual one pound bags for sale. Not only is the Sam’s cheese cheaper, while having the same great quality as that of Great Value, I would strongly suggest Sam’s here because this pre-cut cheese quickly begins to grow mold. Sure, you could purchase a one pound bag of the GV for $4, but then you are spending 50 cents more per pound.
This post was edited on 6/13/23 at 2:39 pm
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:32 pm to TulaneLSU
BANANAS
Sam’s: 3 lbs Chaquita bananas for $1.41, or 2.94 cents per ounce
Walmart: 1 lb Chaquita bananas for 58 cents, or 3.63 cents per ounce
Verdict: Toss-up
If you have never read Rich Cohen’s The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King, you will never understand New Orleans. It is an expertly told tale of the central role New Orleans played in taming the jungles of Central America and transforming America from an apple nation into a banana republic. How are bananas grown across an sea and then sold here for less than three cents per ounce? Read the story. I say bananas are a toss-up because whenever I buy bananas in bulk from Sam’s at least a few of them over-ripen before I finish them.
STRAWBERRIES
Sam’s: 32 oz strawberries for $3.98, or 12.44 cents per ounce
Walmart: 16 oz strawberries for $2.24, or 14 cents per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
Today, Sam’s wins. However, in the past, I have often gotten strawberries cheaper per ounce at Walmart. I have also found that Sam’s gets a higher quality fruit product than Walmart. This trend goes for strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. I find raspberries, quality wise, to be a wash. On the whole, Sam’s has excellent fruit.
CHERUB TOMATOES
Sam’s: 32 oz cherub tomatoes for $4.98, or 15.56 cents per ounce
Walmart: 10 oz cherub tomatoes for $2.98, or 29.8 cents per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
The mozzarella was 87% cheaper at Sam’s, but the second place winner for today’s largest discount is Sam’s with an astounding 91.5% cheaper cherub tomato package. While these tomatoes make decent snacking food, I like throwing a full two pound package into a backing plate while adding a light cheese like feta or fresh mozzarella, spices, olive oil and pasta. I mix them and then set in a 350 oven for 45 minutes. It makes for a very nice baked dish similar to baked ziti.
CAULIFLOWER
Sam’s: $3.74 for a cauliflower head
Walmart: $3.24 for a cauliflower head
Verdict: Sam’s
Another head scratcher if you are just looking at price, which is what most people do, if they look at all. But the cauliflower underscores the absolute importance of something I have been telling you, my dear friends, for years. If you are going shopping for anything, whether it is groceries or pizzas or jewelry or mulch, you must, you absolutely must carry a scale with you. Scales even the field between purchaser and buyer. In today’s world, where corporations are not held to the same laws as individuals, and big companies can blatantly steal from individuals, we must protect ourselves. There is no greater defense to injustice in today’s world than carrying a Bible, a Book of Common Prayer, and a scale.
Take today’s cauliflower.
Sam’s cauliflower weighed 60.6 ounces, or 6.17 cents per ounce.
Walmart’s cauliflower weighed 24.64 ounces, or 13.15 cents per ounce.
Yes, Walmart’s cauliflower ends up costing 113% more than Sam’s. But you would not know that without weighing them. And it is clear Sam’s nor Walmart expects you to be a scale warrior. Sam’s does not even offer scales and Walmart keeps its cauliflower far from its scales, likely hoping you do not weigh it since its weight will not affect its price, as it is packaged with a base, non-weight dependant price.
ARTICHOKE HEARTS
Sam’s: 33.5 oz Members Mark artichoke hearts for $7.34, or 21.91 cents per ounce
Walmart: 13.75 oz Great Value artichoke heart quarters for $2.42, or 17.6 cents per ounce
Walmart: 12 oz Vigo marinated artichoke heart quarters for $2.62, 26.2 cents per ounce
Verdict: Walmart
Although the Sam’s product is bottled rather than canned, and you get whole hearts rather than quarters, I do not find an appreciable difference between the taste or function of either. Thus, Walmart, which sells a smaller package at a lower cost per ounce, is the winner. Keep in mind, these are wet weights, which includes the liquid, which, like people who do not remain with Jesus (St. John 15:6), is thrown away.
AVOCADOS
Sam’s: Five avocados for $3.93, or 78.6 cents per avocado
Walmart: 68 cents per avocado
Verdict: Walmart
Avocados are a difficulty product to buy, especially in bulk. I find that individual avocados are preferable. Walmart makes this one an easy decision because not only can you buy them individually, they are also cheaper. As for weights randomly, one Walmart avocado was 8.2 ounces (12.1 cents per ounce). One Sam’s avocado was 9.3 ounces (11.8 cents per ounce). It is worth the extra 0.3 cents per ounce to buy avocados individually.
ROMAINE LETTUCE
Sam’s: Six Romaine lettuce hearts for $3.98, or 66.3 cents per head
Walmart: Three Romaine lettuce hearts for $3.44, or $1.15 per head
Verdict: Sam’s
Walmart nearly went undefeated in the vegetable department against Sam’s, but Sam’s is saved from the shutout by the Romaine. Sam’s is deserving of compliments here, as the Romaine package is listed as 32 oz. My trusty scale, however, showed a total weight of 43 ounces! Sam’s produce department needs to teach Sam’s seafood how to weigh products.
Sam’s: 3 lbs Chaquita bananas for $1.41, or 2.94 cents per ounce
Walmart: 1 lb Chaquita bananas for 58 cents, or 3.63 cents per ounce
Verdict: Toss-up
If you have never read Rich Cohen’s The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King, you will never understand New Orleans. It is an expertly told tale of the central role New Orleans played in taming the jungles of Central America and transforming America from an apple nation into a banana republic. How are bananas grown across an sea and then sold here for less than three cents per ounce? Read the story. I say bananas are a toss-up because whenever I buy bananas in bulk from Sam’s at least a few of them over-ripen before I finish them.
STRAWBERRIES
Sam’s: 32 oz strawberries for $3.98, or 12.44 cents per ounce
Walmart: 16 oz strawberries for $2.24, or 14 cents per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
Today, Sam’s wins. However, in the past, I have often gotten strawberries cheaper per ounce at Walmart. I have also found that Sam’s gets a higher quality fruit product than Walmart. This trend goes for strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. I find raspberries, quality wise, to be a wash. On the whole, Sam’s has excellent fruit.
CHERUB TOMATOES
Sam’s: 32 oz cherub tomatoes for $4.98, or 15.56 cents per ounce
Walmart: 10 oz cherub tomatoes for $2.98, or 29.8 cents per ounce
Verdict: Sam’s
The mozzarella was 87% cheaper at Sam’s, but the second place winner for today’s largest discount is Sam’s with an astounding 91.5% cheaper cherub tomato package. While these tomatoes make decent snacking food, I like throwing a full two pound package into a backing plate while adding a light cheese like feta or fresh mozzarella, spices, olive oil and pasta. I mix them and then set in a 350 oven for 45 minutes. It makes for a very nice baked dish similar to baked ziti.
CAULIFLOWER
Sam’s: $3.74 for a cauliflower head
Walmart: $3.24 for a cauliflower head
Verdict: Sam’s
Another head scratcher if you are just looking at price, which is what most people do, if they look at all. But the cauliflower underscores the absolute importance of something I have been telling you, my dear friends, for years. If you are going shopping for anything, whether it is groceries or pizzas or jewelry or mulch, you must, you absolutely must carry a scale with you. Scales even the field between purchaser and buyer. In today’s world, where corporations are not held to the same laws as individuals, and big companies can blatantly steal from individuals, we must protect ourselves. There is no greater defense to injustice in today’s world than carrying a Bible, a Book of Common Prayer, and a scale.
Take today’s cauliflower.
Sam’s cauliflower weighed 60.6 ounces, or 6.17 cents per ounce.
Walmart’s cauliflower weighed 24.64 ounces, or 13.15 cents per ounce.
Yes, Walmart’s cauliflower ends up costing 113% more than Sam’s. But you would not know that without weighing them. And it is clear Sam’s nor Walmart expects you to be a scale warrior. Sam’s does not even offer scales and Walmart keeps its cauliflower far from its scales, likely hoping you do not weigh it since its weight will not affect its price, as it is packaged with a base, non-weight dependant price.
ARTICHOKE HEARTS
Sam’s: 33.5 oz Members Mark artichoke hearts for $7.34, or 21.91 cents per ounce
Walmart: 13.75 oz Great Value artichoke heart quarters for $2.42, or 17.6 cents per ounce
Walmart: 12 oz Vigo marinated artichoke heart quarters for $2.62, 26.2 cents per ounce
Verdict: Walmart
Although the Sam’s product is bottled rather than canned, and you get whole hearts rather than quarters, I do not find an appreciable difference between the taste or function of either. Thus, Walmart, which sells a smaller package at a lower cost per ounce, is the winner. Keep in mind, these are wet weights, which includes the liquid, which, like people who do not remain with Jesus (St. John 15:6), is thrown away.
AVOCADOS
Sam’s: Five avocados for $3.93, or 78.6 cents per avocado
Walmart: 68 cents per avocado
Verdict: Walmart
Avocados are a difficulty product to buy, especially in bulk. I find that individual avocados are preferable. Walmart makes this one an easy decision because not only can you buy them individually, they are also cheaper. As for weights randomly, one Walmart avocado was 8.2 ounces (12.1 cents per ounce). One Sam’s avocado was 9.3 ounces (11.8 cents per ounce). It is worth the extra 0.3 cents per ounce to buy avocados individually.
ROMAINE LETTUCE
Sam’s: Six Romaine lettuce hearts for $3.98, or 66.3 cents per head
Walmart: Three Romaine lettuce hearts for $3.44, or $1.15 per head
Verdict: Sam’s
Walmart nearly went undefeated in the vegetable department against Sam’s, but Sam’s is saved from the shutout by the Romaine. Sam’s is deserving of compliments here, as the Romaine package is listed as 32 oz. My trusty scale, however, showed a total weight of 43 ounces! Sam’s produce department needs to teach Sam’s seafood how to weigh products.
This post was edited on 6/13/23 at 2:53 pm
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:32 pm to TulaneLSU
SALSA
76 oz Pace chunky salsa for $7.32, or 9.63 cents per ounce
24 oz of Pace salsa for $3.48, or 14.5 cents per ounce
70 oz of Great Value picante salsa for $5.98, or 8.54 cents per ounce
Verdict: Walmart
I was happy to see that Woman, Infants, and Children are able to use WIC vouchers to get salsa. Mother always told me that salsa is healthy. While we were driving to Sam’s, NPR broadcast a story about the connection between dollar stores and food deserts. The rationale for limiting dollar stores in certain neighborhoods, at least one proponent argued, was that dollar stores kill local groceries and lead to bad health. Thus, it is government’s duty to step in and stop the dollar stores, as a matter of public health. If that is the role of government, to step in for public health, why do we not require food stamps to be used only for healthy foods, as we do WIC? Regardless of your beliefs about food stamps and WIC, I think we can all agree it is way past time to ban the sale of alcohol in America. It is the most destructive of all drugs. And Big Alcohol keeps forcing it down the public’s throat.
I prefer Walmart’s salsa because it is better than Pace and Walmart has a much greater selection of salsas. I counted 32 salsa choices, whereas Sam’s had two.
BREAST OF CHICKEN
Sam’s: One pound of Members Mark chicken breast for $2.68, or 16.75 cents per ounce
Walmart: One pound of nameless chicken breast for $2.97, or 18.56 cents per ounce
Walmart: One pound of Sanderson Farms chicken breast for $3.97, or 24.81 cents per ounce
Verdict: Neither
The chicken at Sam’s and Walmart is terrible. While you pay a low price, you will find the precooked weight is greatly inflated, as the chicken sold are pumped with fluids. I challenge anyone here to do a precook and postcook weight. Free range chicken is the way to go. It tastes better, it is not injected with fluid filler, and the chickens have at least a somewhat humane existence.
93/7 HAMBURGER MEAT
Sam’s: $4.78 per pound
Walmart: $6.64 per pound
Verdict: Sam’s
Sam’s beef is usually much better quality than Walmart. I think the hamburger meats are on par with each other, but Sam’s has both a better price per pound and better packaging, with convenient one to 1.25 pound packages. These come in quite handy. Just yesterday I found a package of Sam’s 93/7 meat from 2020 that was frozen solid in the back of the freezer. The vacuum seal protected it well from freezer burn, which I am not convinced the bigger, more thinly covered Walmart package would have.
Some people love fatty burgers, even as fatty as 80/20. As for me and my house, we only eat lean. Why pay for fat that is going to clog your arteries and does not taste as good as the powerful muscle?
GINGER ALE
Sam’s: 24 twelve oz cans for $12.62, or 52.58 cents per can
Walmart: 24 twelve oz cans for $12.38, or 51.58 cents per can
Verdict: Walmart
Walmart walks away with drinks, and it is not just Canada Dry. It is Coke Zero, Mountain Dew, all of them. Sam’s is one of the most expensive places to buy drinks other than Great Value bottled water. Moreover, Walmart has a greater variety of drinks, including its Great Value line of carbonated beverages.
Most of you know I do not often drink carbonated beverages, eschewing those sugar and chemical enriched drinks for the fine purity of a glass of New Orleans Sewage and Water Board tap water. But from time to time, I have been known to have a two liter or two of DDT, or as most call it, Diet Dr. Thunder, the finest carbonated drink on Earth. It really is a road trip special of mine, so if you ever see someone on the road chugging a two liter of DDT while driving, do flag me and hopefully we can arrange to meet each other at the next gas station exit, so long as it is not a Buc-ee’s. I was disappointed to see that the DDT price has increased from 72 cents two years ago to $1.42.
Good friends, thank you for joining me in another journey. May you shop wisely and thriftly, and use that extra money to help those in need, perhaps those who have recently been released from prison, as our society often rejects them. Perhaps you know a widow or an orphan who could use financial assistance. We save money not so that we can hoard it where the moth destroys. No! We save so that we can be generous to those who need it.
And now, I will enjoy a fresh bottle of DDT with some smoked GV oysters on GV Cantina tortilla chips. May all of your days be filled with the joy and love of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus!
Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU
P.S. I will try this new ICEE cereal for my dessert.
If you kept score, Sam's Club won this battle, going 10-6-3 against Walmart.
76 oz Pace chunky salsa for $7.32, or 9.63 cents per ounce
24 oz of Pace salsa for $3.48, or 14.5 cents per ounce
70 oz of Great Value picante salsa for $5.98, or 8.54 cents per ounce
Verdict: Walmart
I was happy to see that Woman, Infants, and Children are able to use WIC vouchers to get salsa. Mother always told me that salsa is healthy. While we were driving to Sam’s, NPR broadcast a story about the connection between dollar stores and food deserts. The rationale for limiting dollar stores in certain neighborhoods, at least one proponent argued, was that dollar stores kill local groceries and lead to bad health. Thus, it is government’s duty to step in and stop the dollar stores, as a matter of public health. If that is the role of government, to step in for public health, why do we not require food stamps to be used only for healthy foods, as we do WIC? Regardless of your beliefs about food stamps and WIC, I think we can all agree it is way past time to ban the sale of alcohol in America. It is the most destructive of all drugs. And Big Alcohol keeps forcing it down the public’s throat.
I prefer Walmart’s salsa because it is better than Pace and Walmart has a much greater selection of salsas. I counted 32 salsa choices, whereas Sam’s had two.
BREAST OF CHICKEN
Sam’s: One pound of Members Mark chicken breast for $2.68, or 16.75 cents per ounce
Walmart: One pound of nameless chicken breast for $2.97, or 18.56 cents per ounce
Walmart: One pound of Sanderson Farms chicken breast for $3.97, or 24.81 cents per ounce
Verdict: Neither
The chicken at Sam’s and Walmart is terrible. While you pay a low price, you will find the precooked weight is greatly inflated, as the chicken sold are pumped with fluids. I challenge anyone here to do a precook and postcook weight. Free range chicken is the way to go. It tastes better, it is not injected with fluid filler, and the chickens have at least a somewhat humane existence.
93/7 HAMBURGER MEAT
Sam’s: $4.78 per pound
Walmart: $6.64 per pound
Verdict: Sam’s
Sam’s beef is usually much better quality than Walmart. I think the hamburger meats are on par with each other, but Sam’s has both a better price per pound and better packaging, with convenient one to 1.25 pound packages. These come in quite handy. Just yesterday I found a package of Sam’s 93/7 meat from 2020 that was frozen solid in the back of the freezer. The vacuum seal protected it well from freezer burn, which I am not convinced the bigger, more thinly covered Walmart package would have.
Some people love fatty burgers, even as fatty as 80/20. As for me and my house, we only eat lean. Why pay for fat that is going to clog your arteries and does not taste as good as the powerful muscle?
GINGER ALE
Sam’s: 24 twelve oz cans for $12.62, or 52.58 cents per can
Walmart: 24 twelve oz cans for $12.38, or 51.58 cents per can
Verdict: Walmart
Walmart walks away with drinks, and it is not just Canada Dry. It is Coke Zero, Mountain Dew, all of them. Sam’s is one of the most expensive places to buy drinks other than Great Value bottled water. Moreover, Walmart has a greater variety of drinks, including its Great Value line of carbonated beverages.
Most of you know I do not often drink carbonated beverages, eschewing those sugar and chemical enriched drinks for the fine purity of a glass of New Orleans Sewage and Water Board tap water. But from time to time, I have been known to have a two liter or two of DDT, or as most call it, Diet Dr. Thunder, the finest carbonated drink on Earth. It really is a road trip special of mine, so if you ever see someone on the road chugging a two liter of DDT while driving, do flag me and hopefully we can arrange to meet each other at the next gas station exit, so long as it is not a Buc-ee’s. I was disappointed to see that the DDT price has increased from 72 cents two years ago to $1.42.
Good friends, thank you for joining me in another journey. May you shop wisely and thriftly, and use that extra money to help those in need, perhaps those who have recently been released from prison, as our society often rejects them. Perhaps you know a widow or an orphan who could use financial assistance. We save money not so that we can hoard it where the moth destroys. No! We save so that we can be generous to those who need it.
And now, I will enjoy a fresh bottle of DDT with some smoked GV oysters on GV Cantina tortilla chips. May all of your days be filled with the joy and love of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus!
Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU
P.S. I will try this new ICEE cereal for my dessert.
If you kept score, Sam's Club won this battle, going 10-6-3 against Walmart.
This post was edited on 6/13/23 at 2:47 pm
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:33 pm to TulaneLSU
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:34 pm to TulaneLSU
Interesting way you started the thread and reserved the first spots: What does this tell us about you?
This post was edited on 6/13/23 at 2:45 pm
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:34 pm to TulaneLSU
Are you still butthurt your gun store shooting fantasy didn't come true?
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:36 pm to TulaneLSU
I'll share your tips with the butler so they can make smart choices when shopping.
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:36 pm to TulaneLSU
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:37 pm to TulaneLSU
quote:
guide to purchasing at Sam's Club versus Walmart
Things I care less than pride month for $600, corpse of Alex
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:37 pm to TulaneLSU
Man of the people
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:37 pm to TulaneLSU
quote:
guide to purchasing
Have some respect
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:37 pm to TulaneLSU
quote:
“Mother, consider how I am currently working on the undercover weighing operation, the one that will expose Sam’s unethical snow and king crab weighing system.”
She responded, “Are you still emailing Dateline NBC about them selling you 2.3 pounds of snow crabs with 2.7 pounds of water weight, packaged as five pounds of snow crab?”
“Yes, and the same thing happened with last week’s king crab weight. I bought 1.6 pounds of king crab to the tune of $48. When I took the legs out of the packaging, there were only 9 ounces of legs. Sam’s is stealing from us, the consumers, potentially millions every year.
You're doing the Lord's work
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:38 pm to Kcrad
quote:
Are you still butthurt your gun store shooting fantasy didn't come true?
A Tulane alum with white guilt, classic
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:39 pm to TulaneLSU
TL, I can roll into Sams @ 8 am, use the app, get steaks, paper products, and maybe some booze, and roll out in 30 mins and pay via the app.
I can't go into Walmart.
plz spell my name right and tyfys.
I can't go into Walmart.
plz spell my name right and tyfys.
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:39 pm to TulaneLSU
Love it. Thanks for sharing.
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:40 pm to TulaneLSU
Friend,
Whilst others find your fascinations and hobbies to be worthy of placement on government lists, i personally find them to be quite congenial and homespun.
The book according to Luke,
S
Whilst others find your fascinations and hobbies to be worthy of placement on government lists, i personally find them to be quite congenial and homespun.
The book according to Luke,
S
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:41 pm to Kcrad
I remember! He couldn’t help himself and had to break character.
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:43 pm to TulaneLSU
Posted on 6/13/23 at 2:45 pm to lsuguy84
Looks like Kige has some competition.
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