3 Signs You Should Avoid Costco Shopping at All Costs

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I’ve been a Costco member for about 18 years. And these days, I typically shop at the store once a week to stock up on food and household essentials.Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)
We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco. Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.
Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!Not only does my Costco membership help me save more money, but I enjoy the variety of items the store offers. And there are some products I can only find at Costco, like some of my favorite Kirkland snack mixes that get me through the day. But while a Costco membership makes sense for me, it may not be the smartest thing for you to spend your money on. Here are a few signs you should avoid shopping at Costco. 1. You hate doing your shopping in personDuring the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of people got used to ordering groceries online. And I’ll admit that once I got into that habit, returning to in-person shopping wasn’t so easy. Currently, the only thing I tend to buy in person is food. I buy most of my family’s clothing on Amazon, for example, because I don’t enjoy visiting malls. If you’re not a fan of in-person shopping for anything, I can relate. But in that case, you may not be getting great value out of a Costco membership.Indeed, you can order a variety of goods on Costco.com. And you can even have fresh groceries delivered to your door. But the prices you’ll pay for online orders at Costco are higher than what you’ll pay at the store. And that could negate a lot of your savings.Shopping in stores could save you money in two ways. On top of the lower prices, you might also choose food items with a longer expiration date, thereby reducing the likelihood of waste. And in the context of things like produce, you might choose items that are fresher-looking (and longer-lasting) if you do your shopping yourself. Plus, if you combine savvy choices with the right credit card, you may find that your in-person Costco bills are much lower compared to the cost of ordering online. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for Costco.2. You’re not good about avoiding impulse buysPart of the fun of shopping at Costco is getting to check out the store’s rotating inventory. Costco is constantly introducing new products, from kitchen tools to delicious baked goods. But if you’re on a tight budget, a store like Costco can be dangerous. There’s just too much room for impulse purchases that could leave you unable to pay off your credit cards at the end of the month. If you tend to give into impulse buys, you may want to avoid shopping at Costco and stick to a regular supermarket instead. You still risk making unplanned food purchases at a traditional grocery store. But you probably won’t end up coming home with a giant stuffed animal, a new winter coat, or a new gaming monitor, all of which are possibilities when you buy your groceries at Costco.3. You don’t have a lot of room to store things at homeMuch of the savings that’s available from Costco comes in the form of discounts on bulk quantities of food and household supplies (think toilet paper, laundry detergent, and so forth). But if you live in a smaller home, or you simply don’t have much storage space, your Costco purchases could quickly become an annoyance.Before I moved to the suburbs and joined Costco, I lived in a tiny studio apartment in Manhattan. I barely had room to store a four-pack of toilet paper, let alone 30 rolls at a time. If you’re in a similar boat, it may be best to avoid Costco so your home doesn’t turn into a cluttered nightmare. Be honest with yourselfBecause I’m such a Costco fan, it pains me to tell people not to shop there. But I’m also realistic. I know that I’m able to shop at the store in person, I’m fairly disciplined with impulse buys, and I have decent storage space at home. If that’s not the boat you’re in, then you may want to stick to traditional supermarkets for food and do the rest of your shopping elsewhere. That doesn’t mean you can’t save money, though. If you swipe the right credit card at the supermarket, you can score extra cash back that does your wallet a world of good. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for groceries.And remember, Costco doesn’t take coupons, whereas many other stores do. If you’re a savvy coupon-hunter, you might manage to shave a nice amount of money off of your purchases. That way, you won’t have to stress about storing large quantities of everything you buy.Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)
We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco. Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.
Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

I’ve been a Costco member for about 18 years. And these days, I typically shop at the store once a week to stock up on food and household essentials.

Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)

We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco.

Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.

Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!

Not only does my Costco membership help me save more money, but I enjoy the variety of items the store offers. And there are some products I can only find at Costco, like some of my favorite Kirkland snack mixes that get me through the day.

But while a Costco membership makes sense for me, it may not be the smartest thing for you to spend your money on. Here are a few signs you should avoid shopping at Costco.

1. You hate doing your shopping in person

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of people got used to ordering groceries online. And I’ll admit that once I got into that habit, returning to in-person shopping wasn’t so easy.

Currently, the only thing I tend to buy in person is food. I buy most of my family’s clothing on Amazon, for example, because I don’t enjoy visiting malls.

If you’re not a fan of in-person shopping for anything, I can relate. But in that case, you may not be getting great value out of a Costco membership.

Indeed, you can order a variety of goods on Costco.com. And you can even have fresh groceries delivered to your door. But the prices you’ll pay for online orders at Costco are higher than what you’ll pay at the store. And that could negate a lot of your savings.

Shopping in stores could save you money in two ways. On top of the lower prices, you might also choose food items with a longer expiration date, thereby reducing the likelihood of waste. And in the context of things like produce, you might choose items that are fresher-looking (and longer-lasting) if you do your shopping yourself.

Plus, if you combine savvy choices with the right credit card, you may find that your in-person Costco bills are much lower compared to the cost of ordering online. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for Costco.

2. You’re not good about avoiding impulse buys

Part of the fun of shopping at Costco is getting to check out the store’s rotating inventory. Costco is constantly introducing new products, from kitchen tools to delicious baked goods.

But if you’re on a tight budget, a store like Costco can be dangerous. There’s just too much room for impulse purchases that could leave you unable to pay off your credit cards at the end of the month. If you tend to give into impulse buys, you may want to avoid shopping at Costco and stick to a regular supermarket instead.

You still risk making unplanned food purchases at a traditional grocery store. But you probably won’t end up coming home with a giant stuffed animal, a new winter coat, or a new gaming monitor, all of which are possibilities when you buy your groceries at Costco.

3. You don’t have a lot of room to store things at home

Much of the savings that’s available from Costco comes in the form of discounts on bulk quantities of food and household supplies (think toilet paper, laundry detergent, and so forth). But if you live in a smaller home, or you simply don’t have much storage space, your Costco purchases could quickly become an annoyance.

Before I moved to the suburbs and joined Costco, I lived in a tiny studio apartment in Manhattan. I barely had room to store a four-pack of toilet paper, let alone 30 rolls at a time. If you’re in a similar boat, it may be best to avoid Costco so your home doesn’t turn into a cluttered nightmare.

Be honest with yourself

Because I’m such a Costco fan, it pains me to tell people not to shop there. But I’m also realistic.

I know that I’m able to shop at the store in person, I’m fairly disciplined with impulse buys, and I have decent storage space at home. If that’s not the boat you’re in, then you may want to stick to traditional supermarkets for food and do the rest of your shopping elsewhere.

That doesn’t mean you can’t save money, though. If you swipe the right credit card at the supermarket, you can score extra cash back that does your wallet a world of good. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for groceries.

And remember, Costco doesn’t take coupons, whereas many other stores do. If you’re a savvy coupon-hunter, you might manage to shave a nice amount of money off of your purchases. That way, you won’t have to stress about storing large quantities of everything you buy.

Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)

We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco.

Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.

Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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