3 Signs Your Costco Membership Is a Waste of Money

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I know plenty of people who shop at Costco monthly. But I happen to visit Costco almost every week to stock my pantry and fridge with groceries and other products my household goes through regularly.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!For me, a Costco membership more than pays for itself with the money I’m able to save on these weekly shopping runs. And to be clear, I pay extra for Costco access. I have the Executive membership, which costs $130 a year but offers 2% cash back on purchases. You can get in the door for only $65 a year with a basic Gold Star membership, which may be a better move if you don’t shop at Costco all that often. But even $65 is a lot of money to spend on a membership if it doesn’t do you a lot of good. And if these signs apply to you, then it may be time to stop paying for Costco altogether.1. You don’t live anywhere close to a Costco warehouseI’m able to shop at Costco almost every week because my closest store is about 15 minutes away. But if the nearest Costco to where you live is 45 minutes away, shopping there becomes much more difficult. In that case, you’re looking at spending a whopping 90 minutes on the road just to stock up on essential products.If you’re nowhere close to a Costco, one of two things is probably happening. Either you’re not using your membership very often, or you’re spending so much money on gas that it’s seriously eating into your savings.If that’s the situation you’re in, you may want to see if there’s another warehouse club store closer to your home, like Sam’s Club. Or, you may want to consider a program like Walmart+ if you’re in a more rural area where pretty much every store is far away. For $98 a year, you get free shipping on all orders, plus free grocery delivery with just a $35 minimum.2. You have no space to store bulk purchasesIn addition to my regular kitchen fridge, I have a second fridge in my basement plus a chest freezer for storage. My home also has multiple closets. I have plenty of options for storing the large quantities of food and household supplies I typically buy from Costco. But if that’s not the case for you, then you’re probably wasting your money on a Costco membership. It’s true that Costco offers more than just groceries and cleaning products. You can buy apparel, electronics, and a host of other items there. But those are probably items you only buy on a one-off basis. So if you don’t have the room to buy the items Costco is most known for, you may want to stick to a regular supermarket for your weekly shopping.3. You don’t have a carNot having a car could make getting to and from Costco a challenge. Plus, even if you happen to have a Costco warehouse two blocks away from your house, it’s kind of hard to haul bulk items home in your arms. And while you could solve that issue by ordering food and other items on Costco.com, you should know you’ll generally pay a lot less in person. It’s possible to save some money by making online Costco purchases. But whether you save enough to make up for your membership fee is the big question. Also, a Costco membership offers unique value to car owners. So if you don’t have a car, you’re missing out on some key benefits. Costco sells some of the cheapest gas in town. And Costco’s gas is TOP TIER certified, which means it’s associated with better performance. Combining a fill-up at Costco with the right credit card could lead to huge savings on fuel, so it pays to check out this list of the best credit cards for gas if you are a driver. But if that’s not the case, then this is one perk you won’t be getting.Costco can also be a great source for affordable tires that come with free maintenance. And, some customers may find that they’re able to save money by purchasing auto insurance through Costco. But as a non-driver, you don’t get any of that. For me, having a Costco membership makes sense. But that doesn’t mean it’s worth it for you to pay for one. You may be better off canceling and saving your $65 or $130 so you can use it at another store that makes more sense for you.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.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

I know plenty of people who shop at Costco monthly. But I happen to visit Costco almost every week to stock my pantry and fridge with groceries and other products my household goes through regularly.

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!

For me, a Costco membership more than pays for itself with the money I’m able to save on these weekly shopping runs. And to be clear, I pay extra for Costco access.

I have the Executive membership, which costs $130 a year but offers 2% cash back on purchases. You can get in the door for only $65 a year with a basic Gold Star membership, which may be a better move if you don’t shop at Costco all that often.

But even $65 is a lot of money to spend on a membership if it doesn’t do you a lot of good. And if these signs apply to you, then it may be time to stop paying for Costco altogether.

1. You don’t live anywhere close to a Costco warehouse

I’m able to shop at Costco almost every week because my closest store is about 15 minutes away. But if the nearest Costco to where you live is 45 minutes away, shopping there becomes much more difficult. In that case, you’re looking at spending a whopping 90 minutes on the road just to stock up on essential products.

If you’re nowhere close to a Costco, one of two things is probably happening. Either you’re not using your membership very often, or you’re spending so much money on gas that it’s seriously eating into your savings.

If that’s the situation you’re in, you may want to see if there’s another warehouse club store closer to your home, like Sam’s Club. Or, you may want to consider a program like Walmart+ if you’re in a more rural area where pretty much every store is far away. For $98 a year, you get free shipping on all orders, plus free grocery delivery with just a $35 minimum.

2. You have no space to store bulk purchases

In addition to my regular kitchen fridge, I have a second fridge in my basement plus a chest freezer for storage. My home also has multiple closets.

I have plenty of options for storing the large quantities of food and household supplies I typically buy from Costco. But if that’s not the case for you, then you’re probably wasting your money on a Costco membership.

It’s true that Costco offers more than just groceries and cleaning products. You can buy apparel, electronics, and a host of other items there.

But those are probably items you only buy on a one-off basis. So if you don’t have the room to buy the items Costco is most known for, you may want to stick to a regular supermarket for your weekly shopping.

3. You don’t have a car

Not having a car could make getting to and from Costco a challenge. Plus, even if you happen to have a Costco warehouse two blocks away from your house, it’s kind of hard to haul bulk items home in your arms. And while you could solve that issue by ordering food and other items on Costco.com, you should know you’ll generally pay a lot less in person.

It’s possible to save some money by making online Costco purchases. But whether you save enough to make up for your membership fee is the big question.

Also, a Costco membership offers unique value to car owners. So if you don’t have a car, you’re missing out on some key benefits. Costco sells some of the cheapest gas in town. And Costco’s gas is TOP TIER certified, which means it’s associated with better performance.

Combining a fill-up at Costco with the right credit card could lead to huge savings on fuel, so it pays to check out this list of the best credit cards for gas if you are a driver. But if that’s not the case, then this is one perk you won’t be getting.

Costco can also be a great source for affordable tires that come with free maintenance. And, some customers may find that they’re able to save money by purchasing auto insurance through Costco. But as a non-driver, you don’t get any of that.

For me, having a Costco membership makes sense. But that doesn’t mean it’s worth it for you to pay for one. You may be better off canceling and saving your $65 or $130 so you can use it at another store that makes more sense for you.

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.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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