This Is the Biggest Rule I Set for Myself Before Shopping at Costco or Sam’s Club

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Before I head out to Costco or Sam’s Club, I do this one thing. Find out my rule that I must follow so I don’t end up with unnecessary items. 

I shop at Sam’s Club pretty regularly and I also occasionally shop at Costco. Whenever I go into either of these big-box stores, though, I have a rule for myself that I absolutely will not break.

Here’s my requirement for myself when I shop at a warehouse club store.

I won’t break this rule at Costco or Sam’s Club

Whenever I shop at Sam’s Club or Costco, the unbreakable rule I’ve set is a simple one: I will not buy an item that is not on my shopping list.

See, these warehouse clubs are set up to make you walk through a bunch of different departments to get to the essentials like groceries. And I was finding that whenever I visited, I would get sidetracked by something I didn’t really need. I’d come home with sneakers, a set of new dishes, some cupcakes from the bakery, or a whole host of other items.

I was often able to justify this to myself precisely because the warehouse clubs have good prices — and because their stock of items changes regularly, so I could argue with myself that if I didn’t buy it, it might be gone the next time I came in.

Ultimately, though, this was giving my credit cards a workout and I was ending up spending money on things I didn’t really need. Of course, I’m not alone in that, with a 2022 survey commissioned by Slickdeals indicating that the average person makes up to $314 per month in impulse purchases. But Sam’s Club and Costco seemed to present such a huge temptation for me to buy things that I didn’t need, and I was afraid my spending would end up getting out of control.

I set a rule for myself that if the item is not on my list, I don’t buy it. I can decide to make a new list and come back later to get it — so if it is something I really, genuinely want enough to go back for, then I might end up getting it. But adding this extra obstacle gives me time to think things through — and ensures I only buy things I really want badly enough to make another warehouse club trip.

Don’t let impulse buys eat up the savings your membership should offer

Most people join Sam’s Club or Costco to try to keep more money in their bank account — not to end up spending extra money on all the cool impulse items they have there. So making a list can be a good habit to start with before going to shop at these warehouse club stores.

Sticking to a list can help you stay within budget and avoid making purchases you could end up regretting. And, like me, you could always add items to a list if you genuinely want them and are willing to go the extra mile to get them — which helps ensure the surprise spending you’re doing is valuable to you.

Of course, you may be disciplined enough to steer clear of Sam’s Club and Costco goodies without following this rule — if so, you’re a better shopper than I am!

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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.Christy Bieber 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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