If you want to stock up on food and home necessities without breaking the bank, Costco is a terrific place to shop. However, not everyone who purchases at Costco saves money. If you are not cautious, you may wind up squandering money, especially if these criteria apply to you.
1. You continue to take chances on items in bulk
It’s one thing to purchase in bulk your kids’ favorite granola bars or crackers, but it’s quite another to buy in bulk products you’ve never tried before. Perhaps you’re strolling around your nearby Costco and decide to try one of the store’s soups. You might fall in love with it and decide, “Yeah, I think I’ll purchase five pounds of it at a ridiculously low price.”
In theory, it’s a terrific concept. But what if the rest of your family despises that soup? Then you’re stranded with a lot of soup, which you’ll either have to eat or, quite likely, throw away.
2. You continue to buy an excessive amount of perishables in bulk.
The benefit of purchasing in bulk is that you may pay a low price per ounce or unit for the item in issue. However, the savings are only effective if you consume everything you buy. You may find yourself wasting money at Costco on a regular basis by buying perishable goods that you simply discard before finishing them.
Take, for example, salad or vegetables. A large bag of Costco spinach or salad may cost less per ounce than a comparable item at a conventional grocer. However, if you wind up discarding out 50% of those vegetables because they’ve begun to wilt on you, you may have wasted your money.
3. You are always succumbing to impulse purchases.
Costco frequently has seasonal or rotating products that are highly tempting to purchase. However, if you’re on a limited budget and those goods aren’t on your list, purchasing them might be a waste of money. As a result, if you’re a frequent Costco shopper, you should teach yourself to adhere to your list or restrict yourself to no more than one accidental purchase every excursion.
Another suggestion? Bring just about enough cash to do your purchasing and keep your plastic money at home, essentially eliminating the chance to go off-list.
4. You do not do preliminary research.
It’s natural to believe that Costco always has the greatest prices. However, if you don’t do your homework, you may wind yourself overpaying at Costco.
Before you go shopping, go through the circular at your local supermarket to see what things are on sale. While a six-pack of avocados at Costco for $10 might typically be a terrific deal, it may not be right now because your store offers avocados on discount for $1.25 each.
Many consumers discover that they may save money by shopping at Costco. If you’ve had the opposite Costco experience, make sure you’re making smart choices, avoiding impulsive purchases, and comparative shopping before going to the store.
