Sometimes you can get some of the compost, peat, etc. in broken bags for less. I've purchased some of these at various garden centers. With my new beds I used a lasagna style filling before topping off with the transferred mel's mix from the old beds. I started with leaves we bagged from the fall, green leaves from weeds in the perennials, dried out perennial stems, then a layer of peat, layer of manure, layer of verm, layer of compost, etc until it was filled. I had good production. Getting too lazy (senior) to drag a tarp around to mix it all. The last bed was topped with compost I'd been making for a few years. My plants were amazing. Some of the longer carrot varieties grew straight down and then turned and continued growing sideways when they hit the weedmat. These are concrete block beds that are 8" tall. Keski

I can't comment on Sam's. We don't have any in the region. But we do have a Costco Executive membership (with AmEx card) and have found it cost-effective for us. Costco offers different levels of membership. For years we stuck with the basic and cheapest. But when we bought a computer there the salesperson recommended considering executive because the money back on a big-ticket item would more than cover the cost of membership at a higher level. He was right; the rebate also provided a nice reduction in the cost of the computer. Using the AmEx card also extends the warranty by another year, which is nice for electronics particularly. One salesperson told me a number of members charge everything they can on the AmEx (paying off in full each month so there's no interest) and get very big rebates as a result. There's a Costco rebate and a separate AmEx rebate, so the returns can be very large, especially for those buying for a business. However, obviously there's no benefit if you're overbuying just because the rebate is appealing. There is a pyschological effect there you have to watch out for. I like the fact that Costco's salespeople are not on commission. I think it makes a difference in their reponses to questions about electronics and other pricy goods. Since we live 30 miles away in a rural area, our trips to Costco are not frequent and are normally combined with doctor's appointments or other kinds of errands. I try to schedule those trips just after the new coupon book has come out. Beyond basic goods like TP, some of their coupon book specials are hard to beat. My DH wanted a new scales (determined to lose weight in the new year) and I bought a Taylor digital glass-top for $14.99, which was less than half of the cheapest price anywhere else. Costco stores do vary considerably store to store. For us access is critical. One of our older Costco stores has limited handicapped parking, and if DH goes with me, that's a store we avoid. We have one "upscale" Costco in the area which we go to most often. Very best parking and the one Costco near us that carries Seattle's Best coffee, which we prefer to other brands. We keep a grinder and coffee machine busy most of the day, not just for us but for constant traffic in my DH's shop. I figure just the coffee saves us the cost of the membership. I do think Costco can be an impulse-buyer's paradise and if you're not careful unnecessary purchases can easily suck up any savings. I am now cutting back on Costco purchases. With just the two of us, some foods go to waste before we consume them. In some cases I can still buy the larger product so much more cheaply that a degree of waste is "cost-effective" but I'm constitutionally opposed to buying more than we need and then throwing it away. Some of Costco's prices are unbeatable. I can buy their prepared fresh pineapple for much less than whole pineapple at other stores and be assured of the quality. Dairy products are also very reasonable - Darigold cottage cheese comes to mind. I buy excellent cream cheese and butter at Costco for holiday baking. Sometimes the prices don't beat local loss-leaders, but I like the brands Costco offers and the quality. And lastly, as others have mentioned, Costco has an excellent return policy. A couple of years ago when recalls for pistachios were in the news a Costco employee phoned to let me know because their records showed I'd purchased a trail mix they were pulling off the shelves. No other company has ever called to inform me of a recall. I found that very impressive. Carol

We installed this flooring in our bedroom 2 years ago. Floating application and have had no problems with scratching, etc. Liked it so much that we replaced the carpeting in the hallway with bamboo 16 months ago. We enter the house thru the garage & laundry room, so 90% of our traffic walks down the hall. Have several family gatherings a year (20+ peeps) and had one family reunion in our home (60+ peeps). Everyone walks virtually the entire length of the hall to the bathroom and closer family members also walk thru the master bedroom to the master bath. Living in Michigan our temperatures and humidity levels have a large variance; January averages - Temperature high 31, low 19. Humidity 60-80% August averages - Temperature high 80, low 62. Humidity 90-50% Keep in mind it is not uncommon for the temp to hit mid-90's or below zero. We also have 3 dogs (weights between 12-16 lbs) that love to run up and down the hall playing fetch. They do show fingerprints/footprints. Especially when wearing croc flipflops, you can see the texture of the bottom of the flipflops across the floor. Tried to get my hubby to wear real slippers instead, but just got used to it. Super fast to wipe down tho and I don't notice black in between the grooves that one reviewer mentioned. We are interested in reviews from people who have installed this bamboo in their kitchen. Currently we have a wood laminate product which has water damage by the sink and in front of the fridge water/ice dispenser. Waterproof Vinyl planking seems to buckle in sunlight, hubby doesn't want tile, I don't want wood due to water damage. So now we are considering adding more bamboo and are seeking information from people who have installed the bamboo in "wet" areas.

Maybe I am the only dealer in the world who cares about not charging to much and being in line with the competition but it amazes me that the posts on here state that costcos price is very good or an independent dealer was about the same price! Hello!!!! Allwood is stock cabinet company with not choice in stain color and you are willing to pay the same price for it as woodmark or shennadoah at Lowes or Home Depot? Both those brands have a Limited lifetime warrantee. The book for All wood is about 1/4" thick vs 1-2" thick for woodmark or shennandoah! You pay higher prices for more choices. Honestly Costco is a rip off or any other dealer selling it at the price of costco. Without monthly promotions factored in the price before promtional discount is 100% mark up! That is crazy. They are laughing at you all the way to the bank. I have some of the least expensive brands around to offer to my customers. I have been able to match the price of volume deals in cabinets to beat out Reico selling Merilat cabinets to a 300 unit apartment complex and offer a lifetime warrantee on the cabinets used as well as give painted maple at the price of maple stain in Merilat. I got a 10% discount from the factory and marked it up 10% from the normal price giving me a margin of 20% total. I can mark that same cabinet company up 50% and be about even with shennandoah and woodmark. It is tough to sell a RTA cabinet higher then 50% mark right now stay competitive. 100% on costco is insane! Do not assume that because costco sells it is cheap. Otherwise you are a fool. 6 square has more interesting colors and door styles particularly inset at the lowest prices in the nation. 6 square is a lower priced product as well. Sunco is also another company that sells their cabinets with the same business model.