Over the past five years, the Polaris area in Columbus, OH has exploded.  You can get anything that you want here.  There are more stores within 2 miles than I have ever seen anywhere.

The newest addition is Costco.  A quadrabillion square foot warehouse club selling anything from wine to TV's to clothing.  There are multiple membership types (membership is a requirement to shop here) starting at $50 a year.

Good Buys:

Meat and wine are priced at the low end of the scale here compared to the other stores in the area.  On opening day, gas was $2.07 a gallon compared to $2.19 at the other 3 stations in the immediate area.  Also good buys on opening day were Tide Liquid Laundry Soap and Starbucks Coffee at about $6.50 a pound.

Bad Buys:

LCD TV's were priced well above the deals available at other local stores.  For example HHGregg had a 40" Sony HDTV for $999 while the same unit at Costco was $1799.  The case prices on soda (pop to some of you) are traditionally higher than buying at the local grocery stores.  I say typcially since I have shopped at Costco's in multiple states and this trend follows store to store.  In fact, the Good Buys - Bad Buys have been the same in all the locations where I have shopped.

Long story short, since there are so many stores in the local area, it is easy to be able to price shop and get good deals.  With the opening of Costco, it is easier.

Just some quick math.  I use 2 tanks of gas every week + 1 for my wife.  That is about 42 gallons.  If gas is $.12 a gallon chaper at Costco the $50 membership pays for itself in gas savings in about 10 weeks.