3 Signs You Should Be Shopping at Costco Every Week

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Some people shop at Costco once a month. Read on to see why a weekly Costco run may be a better bet for you. [[{“value”:”

Many people who join Costco visit the store every month to stock up on bulk food purchases and household necessities. But then there are people like me who visit Costco weekly. If you’re wondering whether you should do the same, here are a few signs that a weekly Costco trip is a good idea for you.

1. You’re constantly running out of fresh food from the regular supermarket

If I were to buy things like vegetables, fruit, and eggs from my local supermarket, I’d probably have to make a return trip every two days. My family tends to go through these items quickly. A dozen eggs, for example, might be just enough to cover a single breakfast if all five of us are having omelets.

Buying things like produce and eggs in bulk makes not just good financial sense for my household, but logistical sense — as in, it saves me from making multiple repeat trips a week. If you’re constantly running out of perishable items you buy from your regular grocery store, then it may be time to incorporate a weekly Costco run into your routine so you can load up on those items in bulk instead.

And yes, you could simply buy more of those items at the grocery store. But if you’re going to load up in bulk, then you might as well take advantage of Costco’s bulk prices.

2. You’re great at budgeting and managing your bills

The problem with hitting up Costco every week is that you might shell out more money at once than at a regular supermarket. For example, let’s say you start buying not just more of your food at Costco, but also, things like toilet paper. Even though you can typically save on a per-roll basis at Costco, if you normally buy four rolls a week at your grocery store and you’re now buying 24 rolls at a time (albeit not as often), you’ll need to make sure you can cover that higher cost.

If you’re someone who’s good at budgeting and managing your household’s finances, though, then this shouldn’t be a problem. But if you switch to weekly Costco trips, make sure to keep tabs on your spending, especially in the beginning as you adjust to that routine. You don’t want to end up with credit card bills you can’t pay off in full by the time they’re due.

3. You’re very good at saying no to impulse buys

If there’s one pitfall I tend to encounter during my Costco shopping, it’s impulse purchases. It can be hard to say no to some of Costco’s tempting deals. And it’s hard to overlook them when they’re right there in front of you all over the store.

To be clear, I’ve been known to make impulsive purchases at the supermarket, too. But in that case, I’ll maybe buy a carton of ice cream on a whim for $4. At Costco, I might buy a $24 fleece jacket or a $30 kitchen gadget, which is apt to have a much larger impact on my budget.

But if you’re someone who’s good at saying no to impulse buys, then shopping at Costco on a weekly basis might benefit you financially. If you’re not spending on extras, you can enjoy the savings the store has to offer.

Thankfully, I don’t make impulsive purchases at Costco every time I shop there. And I actually build a little money into my budget for Costco extras so that I’m OK to spend a modest sum each month on things that weren’t on my list originally. You may want to use a similar system if you’re going to increase your Costco trips — even if you’re usually good at saying no to unplanned purchases.

Shopping at Costco every week isn’t necessarily something you need to do. It may not even be beneficial to you. But if these signs apply to you, then a weekly Costco run may be good for your wallet — and your schedule.

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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.JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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