Plan your wedding with a warehouse clubI snickered when I got an e-mail promoting "Weddings by Costco." But once I looked at the selection, I was impressed.

Who knew that Costco offers invitations and announcements, bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages and centerpieces, bulk glass vases, rings, honeymoon travel and food for the rehearsal or reception, including caviar, Chateaubriand roasts, Alaskan king crab, lobster and petit fours? It even sells wedding dresses, but only in California. Check the entire selection at www.startribune.com/a239.

Couples should always shop around for price and features in their budget, but I can't think of another retailer besides Costco that I'd rather have standing behind its merchandise if something goes wrong.

The wedding choices are somewhat lesser at Sam's Club, but many choices for wedding flowers and rings are listed online (www.samsclub.com).

Reminder: If you're heading to Costco or Sam's Club with your annual rebate rewards check, it doesn't have to be spent as store credit. Just go to the service desk and ask for your Costco/American Express credit or Sam's Club/Discover credit to be given in cash on the spot.

Shopping for a new car? If a vehicle is on your shopping list, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better resource than the annual car issue from Consumer Reports (April, $7), now on newsstands. It takes a comprehensive look at more than 270 vehicles, including the best values under $20,000, the best and worst used cars, and safety information. Every parent who's helping a child buy an inexpensive vehicle (and probably helping with gas, maintenance and insurance, too) should check the reliability history and the list of "used cars to avoid." The issue includes reliability info only for 2005-10 models, so check a public library for previous April issues that include older cars.

Provided image, Star Tribune
Consumer Reports April 2011

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/dealspotter.