3 Reasons a Costco Membership May Not Be Right for You

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Costco is wonderful, but it isn’t for everyone. 

As someone who shops at Costco on a regular basis, I can say with certainty that my credit card bills would be much higher if I didn’t have a membership. In fact, my family has an executive membership at Costco, which is double the price of a basic membership. But that executive membership more than pays for itself the form of cash back based on the amount of Costco shopping I do.

But even though I’m a huge fan of Costco, I do recognize that it doesn’t make sense for everyone to have a membership. And if these factors apply to you, a membership could end up being a big waste of money.

1. You don’t have a car

It’s one thing to pick up a handful of grocery items at the supermarket and walk them back to your home a few blocks away. But to shop at Costco, you pretty much need a car.

Even smaller staple items at Costco are heavy to carry because you’re buying things in bulk. And to really get the most out of your membership, you’ll want to buy multiple items when you shop there. If you don’t have a way to transport those items home, it really doesn’t make sense to join Costco.

2. You live alone

In my household, we go through two to three gallons of milk every week. We also tend to consume things like berries by the case. And for this reason, it makes sense for us to buy those things at Costco.

But in my household, there are five humans who need to be fed. And three of those humans are children, which means we tend to need a lot of paper towels to clean up the messes they commonly make. If you live alone, buying groceries in bulk could result in food waste. And you may not feel the need to buy 12 giant rolls of paper towels at a time when you only tend to go through one roll every two weeks.

3. You have little storage space

Even if you don’t buy perishable items at Costco, you’ll need room to store things like bulk packages of pasta, toilet paper, tissue boxes, and massive jugs of cleaning solution. If your home doesn’t have much storage space, then you may be better off skipping the bulk buying.

After all, the last thing you want is to have to stash stacks of paper plates in your hallway that you risk tripping over every time you walk down it. Also, living with clutter can mess with your wellbeing, and having to stick Costco purchases in random corners of your home could make your living space feel even more cramped.

Costco is a great place to shop if the circumstances warrant it. But a Costco membership really isn’t for everyone. And if you don’t have a car, housemates, or a decent amount of storage, then you may want to save your money on a membership and instead seek out deals at your local supermarket instead.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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