Question about Purchasing Alcohol at Costco

FSForever

Last week WA state changed the way that we purchase Liquor. We can now purchase it in supermarkets and Costco/Sams but with it comes a large tax, $6.60 surcharge for over a liter plus 20%. As an example, 1.75 L of Bacardi was $18.99 at Costco but buy the time you check out it comes to $30.71. Pretty big jump with taxes. Especially when you are planning a Welcome BBQ, Rehearsal Dinner and Wedding Reception. 

My question is, does Maui (HI) have a large tax on alcohol or any other food items that we should prepare for? I could probably look online but I figure those of us that are planning on purchasing our alcohol might want to have a heads up. 

kimmykupcakes

Not that I noticed when we bought alcohol from Costco in January.

mauigirl2012

Nope! I just got back from Maui and we purchased alcohol from Costco and there were no large surcharges/taxes added on.

FSForever

Ok thank you. This is good to know. We were thinking based on what we are planning on purchasing that it could run a few hundred dollars in taxes and charges and I wanted to be prepared. 

@Kimmy, we are already talking about buying a stock when we are in OR for the 4th of July. The only thing we gained by this change was more store selections and longer hours. 

destiny1108

there was a "bottle" tax but nothing major, I think .5 cents each

carrieoz_76

They had huge bottles for pretty cheap, no big markup beyond the usual sales tax.

WA's taxes are higher because that's how our initiative was written in order to get buyoff from local governments to support the initiative.  Some people just didn't pay attention to it when they voted for it.

FSForever

Carrie, 

I agree and its amazing how many people did not pay attention. We have bbq's and softball gatherings all summer and we always pay for the food and alcohol but with the wedding bugdet FH and I are seriously rethinking some of our summer spending. BYO people. Lol

carrieoz_76

@FS - I totally know what it's like to save like that.  We did it for the wedding (totally worth it), and since then have been saving for a home (almost there!).  I cannot wait to finally have a little more money for discretionary spending again, although I still don't know that I'll spend it on jugs of Costco liquor (even if it was great to have for the wedding - the rum jug was much appreciated!).