Clark Howard is my favorite consumer reporter/advocate. I listen to him in the afternoons if I can. He also has a website that I check. Being a consumer advocate is a professional path I once considered, but did not take. I am still interested in savings money and "not getting ripped off"...to quote Clark Howard.
While I am driving around, I listen to Mr. Howard. This day, He is talking about how expensive prescription drugs are. One way to fight back is to purchase from the big box stores. (Other ways are through the mail , with prescription insurance or as part of a visit to Canada.)
It was a coincidence. I had just switched doctors and my supply of Armour Thyroid was down to the last dose. My new doctor called me in for a blood test to see how much thyroid I should be taking. At the same time, Clark Howard told me via the radio program, that I could purchase my script at Costco without buying their $50 membership. Since I was on the road, I drove to Costco to check the facts. Yes. I do not need a membership to use their pharmacy. The pharmacist gave me the dose/cost information.
#90 Armour Thyroid
cost without membership cost with membership strength
$14.27 $11.60 15mg
17.50 14.78 60mg
16.48 13.77 30mg
Reviewing my checkbook: I've been paying the local pharmacy about $60 to $50 a month for my supplement. At Costco, I paid $46.28 for a 3 months supply.........a savings of about $120 a year.
While waiting for my script, I compared Costco's price for Tums and a generic tums against the price for those items at my local grocery store. (Those items were near the pharmacy, so I chose those items to compare prices.) Costco was significantly cheaper. The cost comparison could only be done by comparing unit pricing, as each store had different sizes of packages. Without unit pricing, I could not compare.
the negative side of this experience is the regimentation....being made to feel as if I was in school. I had to stand in line behind the white line on the floor to get my script. I had to pay in cash. Credit cards and checks are not accepted. To exit the store, I had to stand in another line. At the head of this line, at the door, was an employee who examined customer membership cards and marked my prescription receipt.
I don't like standing in line and having my belongings examined by the school principal/door checker.
I don't like parking in a huge lot. My local drug store is steps away from where I park. I am invited to bring my dog in with me, as she is a well behaved dog. People call me by name at the drug store.
Back at Costco, I see cars lined up six or seven deep to buy gas that is about 3 cents cheaper than the cheap gas station in town. I figure that they must allow at least 2o minutes to get their gas...a savings of about 30 cents a fillup, if they buy 10 gallons.
The store is HUGE. I don't like shopping in a warehouse. This means walking fairly long distances on a concrete floor. If I had purchased anything, I would have had to stand in yet another line.
It seems that I've run into another example of the two basic choices in life: If you want something, you can spend time or money. Those are the only two choices. If you have extra time, you can save some money. If you are short of time, you have to spend money.
I haven't made up my mind. Shall I put up with the regimentation to save a little money? Is this worth it?
While I am driving around, I listen to Mr. Howard. This day, He is talking about how expensive prescription drugs are. One way to fight back is to purchase from the big box stores. (Other ways are through the mail , with prescription insurance or as part of a visit to Canada.)
It was a coincidence. I had just switched doctors and my supply of Armour Thyroid was down to the last dose. My new doctor called me in for a blood test to see how much thyroid I should be taking. At the same time, Clark Howard told me via the radio program, that I could purchase my script at Costco without buying their $50 membership. Since I was on the road, I drove to Costco to check the facts. Yes. I do not need a membership to use their pharmacy. The pharmacist gave me the dose/cost information.
#90 Armour Thyroid
cost without membership cost with membership strength
$14.27 $11.60 15mg
17.50 14.78 60mg
16.48 13.77 30mg
Reviewing my checkbook: I've been paying the local pharmacy about $60 to $50 a month for my supplement. At Costco, I paid $46.28 for a 3 months supply.........a savings of about $120 a year.
While waiting for my script, I compared Costco's price for Tums and a generic tums against the price for those items at my local grocery store. (Those items were near the pharmacy, so I chose those items to compare prices.) Costco was significantly cheaper. The cost comparison could only be done by comparing unit pricing, as each store had different sizes of packages. Without unit pricing, I could not compare.
the negative side of this experience is the regimentation....being made to feel as if I was in school. I had to stand in line behind the white line on the floor to get my script. I had to pay in cash. Credit cards and checks are not accepted. To exit the store, I had to stand in another line. At the head of this line, at the door, was an employee who examined customer membership cards and marked my prescription receipt.
I don't like standing in line and having my belongings examined by the school principal/door checker.
I don't like parking in a huge lot. My local drug store is steps away from where I park. I am invited to bring my dog in with me, as she is a well behaved dog. People call me by name at the drug store.
Back at Costco, I see cars lined up six or seven deep to buy gas that is about 3 cents cheaper than the cheap gas station in town. I figure that they must allow at least 2o minutes to get their gas...a savings of about 30 cents a fillup, if they buy 10 gallons.
The store is HUGE. I don't like shopping in a warehouse. This means walking fairly long distances on a concrete floor. If I had purchased anything, I would have had to stand in yet another line.
It seems that I've run into another example of the two basic choices in life: If you want something, you can spend time or money. Those are the only two choices. If you have extra time, you can save some money. If you are short of time, you have to spend money.
I haven't made up my mind. Shall I put up with the regimentation to save a little money? Is this worth it?
Labels: The Costco experience
posted by gardenbug at Saturday, July 18, 2009
1 Comments:
I totally agree with you. There is a cost to everything. Sometimes, I am perfectly all right to pay for convenience. My time is worth something. At other times, I will jump through the hoops in order to save the money. I like to be flexible about this - I don't think you need to make a decision about Forever. You just need to make the decision at the time of need, and examine each instance as a unique problem. Some days, you will profit by the time saver. On other days, you'll feel better about the monetary savings.
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