Thread: Cost-U-Less & Grand Marche Qs

Hey, I just arrived on the island and have two kinda random questions...

(1) Is Cost-U-Less a Sam's Club/Costco kind of club thing? Where you have to pay a yearly membership fee? If so, how much? And is it worth it?

(2) I think my life almost got threatened when I told the bag boy at Grand Marche that I could push my own cart out to my car and load up my groceries. Then I realized they don't get paid for working there...they only work on tips. Is it rude to not let them do it? And how much is "enough" to give them if they do?

1) no membership

2) i usually give'em a buck. it's not necessary though, i haven't experience any of them getting mad in front of me or anything like that. one of them challenged me to cricket though...are you any good?

Originally Posted by dmb09

Hey, I just arrived on the island and have two kinda random questions...

(1) Is Cost-U-Less a Sam's Club/Costco kind of club thing? Where you have to pay a yearly membership fee? If so, how much? And is it worth it?

(2) I think my life almost got threatened when I told the bag boy at Grand Marche that I could push my own cart out to my car and load up my groceries. Then I realized they don't get paid for working there...they only work on tips. Is it rude to not let them do it? And how much is "enough" to give them if they do?

1) It's more of a ghetto Sam's Club/Costco type of thing, and much smaller than any of the ones in the US. Also far less organized. You have to walk through every aisle and look very carefully if you want something specific. They've got a lot there, but not always in any particular order. No membership fees.

2) You do not have to let them take your stuff to the car. I usually had them bag my stuff and gave them a dollar or two, but I almost never had them take it to the car. I never got any sort of attitude from them, so I'd say that your experience is not the norm.

Here are some random pictures from the web of Cost-U-Less (I don't know who the people pictured are):

Originally Posted by Slaol_121

Here are some random pictures from the web of Cost-U-Less (I don't know who the people pictured are):

Thank GOD for all that SPAM!

(gross)

Yeah, I usually let them bag the stuff and toss them a buck or 2 as well.

Are the prices and supply comparable to those of costco?

Originally Posted by artun

Are the prices and supply comparable to those of costco?

Hell no. Everything is more expensive in SXM!

Originally Posted by slevit1

Hell no. Everything is more expensive in SXM!

It's not THAT bad. Most stuff is maybe $1 or $2 more on average at the grocery store. Random things will be a lot more and random things will be a lot less, but I would say that it comes out to be slightly more than groceries in the US. Things aside from food (appliances, bed and bath, etc) are a lot more though, for sure.

Originally Posted by dmb09

It's not THAT bad. Most stuff is maybe $1 or $2 more on average at the grocery store. Random things will be a lot more and random things will be a lot less, but I would say that it comes out to be slightly more than groceries in the US. Things aside from food (appliances, bed and bath, etc) are a lot more though, for sure.

I've NEVER had anything close to a $250 grocery bill at home, but I did in SXM! $1 or $2 more per item adds up very quickly.