Each year, more than 94 million people go to Costco for their groceries even though they have to pay $60 or more in annual membership fees! These shoppers enjoy huge discounts, free samples, and the infinite shelves full of anything and everything they can ever want. But the truth is that you should avoid certain items from this store. Do not worry because we are here to help you figure out which ones they are. After all, it is a good idea to stay informed in order to make the best possible choices when you are planning to buy groceries!
Find Out Which Items You Need To Buy And Avoid On Your Next Trip To Costco
Buy: Maple Syrup
As any breakfast food lover will know, real maple syrup does not come cheap. This is why you will find a lot of fake ones made with corn syrup on the market. These things just do not compare to the real deal! Luckily for you, it is possible to buy affordable maple syrup when you go to Costco. Stock up on your next visit.
Buy: Maple Syrup
Buy: Uncooked Cookies
Not a lot of people seem to be aware of the fact that you can buy baked goods for much cheaper. This tip is applicable if you live in Canada. At the Costco stores over there, you can ask for a box of uncooked cookies at the bakery counter. This is a good way to cut down on costs without sacrificing these delicious treats. It is possible to bring home a regular box of 21 cookies for $7.99. However, you can bring home a box of 120 uncooked cookies for only $22.99. How crazy is that?!
Buy: Uncooked Cookies
Don’t Buy: Books
You can’t possibly miss those huge tables full of books at Costco. Unlike most products in the store, they do not really qualify for the typical bulk discount. You should not expect a lot of discounts when it comes to books. You are better off using Amazon or used bookstores if you want bigger discounts and better selections.
Don’t Buy: Books
Buy: Toilet Paper
It is a very good idea to put those huge bags of Kirkland toilet rolls to the cart when you are at Costco! Of course, you need to ensure that you have enough space for these things. Even though this is not always easy to do, you can bet that it is going to be worth the effort! After all, these packs are going to bring you a lot of savings. It is comforting to know that Costco hires toilet paper engineers to test these items for the sake of quality control. The whiteness of the paper is even checked. Rest assured, Costco toilet papers are among the best items in this category that you will find in the market right now.
Buy: Toilet Paper
Buy: Olive Oil
Can you really say that you have a kitchen if there is no olive oil over there? You might as well buy several big containers at once since you can save a lot of money. If you are like us, you will go through them quickly anyway. Not only is it cheaper than competitors, but it is extra virgin, organic, and of good quality. It is going to be more than good enough for your everyday cooking.
Buy: Olive Oil
Don’t Buy: Ground Coffee
If you tend to drink a lot of coffee, you will probably feel the temptation to buy it in bulk. It is true that you can save a lot of money by doing so. However, the fact of the matter is that coffee beans stop being as strong and flavorful once it makes contact with air. This is the reason you will be better off buying small containers. As a matter of fact, you might as well grind the beans yourself if you want more flavor.
Don’t Buy: Ground Coffee
Buy: Gas
Honestly, your Costco membership is already worth it with this entry by itself. You might not care for their grocery items, but you should take advantage of your card when you need to fill up the tank. The gas from the brand is definitely worth it, especially since gas does not usually go for very cheap. When you take out the credit card to pay for it, make sure to show them the membership card too.
Buy: Gas
Don’t Buy: Kirkland Light Beer
What brand do you drink? Regardless of which one is your favorite, you might want to stick to it. Even though you will be able to save some money by trying the in-house brands, you are not going to enjoy the drink. In fact, some customers claimed that it was tasted just like “urine.” Costco has stopped selling the Kirkland Light Beer since 2018. We can’t say that we are all that surprised to hear this turn of events.
Don’t Buy: Kirkland Light Beer
Buy: Frozen Fruits
You will be glad to hear that frozen fruits make for awesome bargains at Costco! The fruits are mostly organic as well. It is helpful that they are placed in resealable bags instead of small disposable ones. You only need to ensure that you have enough space in the freezer for your purchase and you will be good to go. Honestly, it might even be worth it to buy an entirely separate one just for frozen produce.
Buy: Frozen Fruits
Don’t Buy: Fresh Fruits And Veggies
Listen up because this one is a little tricky. It is possible to bring home a bargain by buying your fresh produce at a big store. This is especially true if your household eats a lot of them. However, you will snag better deals at the local grocery store for those in season! On top of that, you really should not buy more than you need since fresh fruits and vegetables will spoil sooner than later.
Don’t Buy: Fresh Fruits And Veggies
Don’t Buy: Spices
Aside from ground coffee, another thing without an indefinite shelf life would be spices. Even though they are not going to grow moldy, seasonings and spices tend to lose flavor after some time. Are you planning to cook a lot of pasta for a huge Italian family? If you just said no, you should probably avoid buying them in bulk. It is wiser to simply buy small jars of spices if you want to cook up better meals.
Don’t Buy: Spices
Buy: Vanilla Extract
Prepared vanilla, however, tends to retain the flavor even after a long time. Unless you are a fancy person who likes to only use fresh vanilla beans, it is a good idea to buy a huge bottle of vanilla extract at Costco. If you ever feel like baking in the middle of the night, you are going to thank yourself for doing this! This should be good enough even if you do not have real vanilla beans on hand.
Buy: Vanilla Extract
Don’t Buy: Tissues
Any brand of tissue will do if you only plan to use it for the occasional sneeze. However, it is a different matter altogether if you have a cold! While it will be easier on your wallet to buy cheap ones in bulk, they are not the best thing for your nose. You might want to invest in better ones to avoid chapping.
Don’t Buy: Tissues
Buy: Tires
You can get tires at awesome prices at Costco! On top of that, you also get to enjoy free high-quality service! We highly recommend going to Costco’s Tire Centre for all your tire needs. We are not at all surprised to hear that non-members go there when they need to replace their current setup as well.
Buy: Tires
Don’t Buy: Soda
If you can’t live without soda, you should at least avoid buying it at Costco. We know that it sounds like a good idea to buy your drinks when you do your groceries, but you should go somewhere else to avail of big discounts. They are widely available in almost all stores. Small shops have them on sale all the time.
Don’t Buy: Soda
Buy: Breakfast Cereal
Do your kids eat a lot of cereal for breakfast? If this is the case, you should buy them in bulk when you go to Costco. It is hard to beat the prices over there for these items. They are usually offered at low prices, and it is hard to beat the quantities as well. You can keep them in the cupboard for the longest time without sacrificing the flavor. The only thing that you need to keep in mind is to avoid opening the bags at the same time. After all, this is a good way to ensure that they will no longer be crunchy.
Buy: Breakfast Cereal
Buy: Plastic Wrap
You can’t go wrong with buying a lot of plastic wrap in one go. Only do this if you have free space in the house to store them. When you need to pack a fragile item, you should first wrap it in plastic wrap! By buying it in bulk, you can save more money. Do this instead of buying them in small amounts.
Buy: Plastic Wrap
Don’t Buy: Shampoo Or Soap
Soap and shampoo are two things that you can find in just about any store. There is no reason for anyone to ever pay for them at full price. We can’t come up with any reason to buy them in bulk since a lot of stores usually have them on sale anyway! Trust us, even cheap ones will get the job done.
Don’t Buy: Shampoo Or Soap
Buy: Oatmeal
Oatmeal is good for you! This should be a breakfast staple in any household. At any rate, you can benefit by buying this item in bulk. Your wallet is going to thank you! When you get 60 individual packets from a regular supermarket, you tend to pay almost $10 more for the same product. Go to Costco instead.
Buy: Oatmeal
Buy: Healthy Bite-Sized Snacks
The sad truth about eating a healthy diet is that it is usually very expensive. Not everyone can afford to switch to such a lifestyle. It is a good thing that you have other options out there. For example, you can get healthy snacks at $12 for 32 bites. Feel free to add as many as you want to your cart!
Buy: Healthy Bite-Sized Snacks
Buy: Cashews
We all love nuts, but they are typically more expensive than we want them to be. Luckily, there are things that you can do to get them for cheaper than usual. If you buy them in bulk, you can save a fair amount of money. On top of that, it has a recloseable lid that will let you store them for a long time!
Buy: Cashews
Don’t Buy: Condiments
It is true that condiments have a pretty long shelf life. In fact, they do not even become less tasty for a long time. However, you will need to store these items in the fridge as soon as you open them. A lot of people already struggle with freeing up some fridge space. If you are one of them, good luck shutting the door with a huge bottle of ketchup and a humongous jar of mustard. Unless you are planning to host a huge garden party, you should probably leave the big jars alone.
Don’t Buy: Condiments
Don’t Buy: Salsa
When it comes to salsa and chips, you can get them in huge sizes at Costco. But you should probably not get these things unless you are thinking of throwing a huge fiesta for the entire neighborhood. In our humble opinion, this is the only reason anyone would ever need that much salsa. If you are only planning to use it with chips every now and then, you should stick to the regular jar. This is a good way to save some of the precious space in your fridge. On top of that, you can finish it before it goes bad!
Don’t Buy: Salsa
Buy: Snacks
Any parent with school-age kids will know the importance of having enough snacks in the kitchen. If you enjoy snacking, this is also true regardless of how old you are. It does not have to break the bank, you know. You can get huge boxes full of individually-wrapped snacks when you shop at Costco. They end up being better for your budget, especially if you happen to buy a lot of nuts, cookies, crackers, and more.
Buy: Snacks
Buy: Vitamins
Did you know that vitamins and other drugs can be so expensive all because of the brand name? It’s true. In reality, however, the generic ones work just as well as those from big names. When you buy huge bottles of Kirkland vitamins, you are essentially getting the same thing for a lower price. On top of saving more money, you will not have to buy them as often anymore.
Buy: Vitamins
Buy: Batteries
Do you have items in the house that need batteries? If so, you must know that it is not exactly cheap to replace them when they run out. When you go to Costco, you might as well buy batteries in bulk. A pack will be enough to keep your electronics powered for a long time. On top of that, the prices are much lower than items from other brands. The Kirkland brand is made by Duracell, so quality is guaranteed!
Buy: Batteries
Buy: Milk
If you have five children and three cats that drink a lot of milk, go ahead and buy those Kirkland gallon jugs of milk. However, you need to ensure that you can finish the entire thing before it goes bad. A lot of websites tell you to avoid it, but there is no harm if it is gone before it spoils. As a matter of fact, this is a good way to keep your bones strong and your wallet fat and full at the same time.
Buy: Milk
Buy: Coffee Cups
Even though we told you to avoid buying single portions of coffee, they probably make more sense if you live alone. This is a great product to buy if you happen to own a coffee machine that goes with this product. You are going to get the best bang for your buck by buying those coffee cups in bulk.
Buy: Coffee Cups
Don’t Buy: Toothpaste
There are items that you can find on sale at local grocery stores nearly every single time. Toothpaste is one of these things. No matter what size you buy, the final price is the deciding factor for this item. Instead of keeping 20 tubes all at once, you are going to be better off being on the lookout for sales.
Don’t Buy: Toothpaste
Buy: Peanut Butter
We are sure that at least one person in your household is a big fan of peanut butter. This is the reason you should always have a big jar on hand! When you buy it from Costco, you can ensure that there will never be a lack of peanut butter in the house. You no longer need to worry about hiding your jar from your roommates. This is also true for almond butter if you like that more than peanut butter.
Buy: Peanut Butter
Buy: Bagel
The Costco bagels are in a league of their own in our books. When you go to the warehouse store, you should get them because they go well with cream cheese, salmon, and whatever you have in mind. They are sold in twos, and you can pick the flavors that you want. You do not need to worry if you do not finish them in one week. After all, you can just freeze the leftovers and heat them up later on.
Buy: Bagel
Buy: Kirkland Almond Milk
There are a lot of differences between almond milk and dairy milk. Aside from the obvious ones, almond milk also has a longer shelf life! It goes well in smoothies, coffee, and baked ones. This explains why it has become so popular now. The Kirkland brand is just as delicious as other brands but much cheaper.
Buy: Kirkland Almond Milk
Buy: Tahini
Do you like to make hummus by hand? If this is the case, you will want to stock up on tahini. They are not usually very cheap. This is why you should go for the jar of pure sesame paste from Costco. It is a good way to spice up your salads and dips on a budget. Make sure not to forget to store it in the fridge!
Buy: Tahini
Don’t Buy: Bicycles
We can see the appeal of getting your bike from Costco. The price is neat, and what could possibly go wrong in this situation? Among other things, Costco employees are not exactly the most reliable source when it comes to bicycles. A specialized shop is going to be able to answer your questions and cater to your concerns much better. You might have to pay more, but we think that it is going to be worth it.
Don’t Buy: Bicycles
Don’t Buy: Mattresses
A lot of people refuse to pay a lot of money for a mattress. This is the same folks who would rather buy these essentials at Costco instead. Considering that we spend 8 hours on it in a day, you should probably invest in a good one. These days, you can always find good deals on mattresses if you go to specialty stores. In fact, you might even find cheaper but better ones over there! Aside from that, there is a better chance that you will find something that really fits your idea of comfort.
Don’t Buy: Mattresses
Buy: Gift Cards
If there is anything that you should buy at Costco, it should be gift cards. This is a great way to save more money. It does not matter if you plan to give it to a loved one or to yourself! There are many different kinds to choose from, and they are usually available for less than the cash value. As a matter of fact, you can save as much as 25% if you buy them in bulk. You can always save them for presents in the future.
Buy: Gift Cards
Buy: Smartphones
Smartphones, regardless of where you buy them, tend to be on the more expensive side. This is even truer if you are planning to get the latest model. However, there are actually benefits when you go to Costco for your mobile phone. You can choose from the latest models and different distributors like Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. But the biggest perk is that you can get more bonuses that you won’t find anywhere else. How awesome would it be to get free gift cards and accessories?
Buy: Smartphones
Buy: Pet Food
Do you have a pet at home? If this is the case, you are probably aware that pet food can be heavy on the wallet. The good news is that you can save more money by buying them at Costco. Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain is your best bet at the warehouse store. The price is very competitive, especially when you consider where this product is made. In reality, Diamond Naturals and other recognized brands make the food. This means that you do not need to worry about the quality of the food!
Buy: Pet Food
Buy: Cheese Wraps
If you want to make cheese wraps, you can’t possibly go without cheese. That’s just plain sad and definitely unsatisfying. We do not recommend settling for mediocre wraps when you can literally buy delicious ones from Costco. You can choose from cheddar cheese, Jarlsberg, and Parmesan. They happen to be gluten-free, lactose-free, and low in carbohydrate as well. Not only that, but they are available in packs of either 4 or 10. We always love having more options when it comes to food!
Buy: Cheese Wraps
Buy: Ready-To-Drink Strawberry Margaritas
When good weather finally rolls in, it is hard to resist the temptation of an aperitif under the sun. We all like to enjoy a fruity alcoholic drink in the summer, right? The good news is that Costco sells margaritas that are going to appeal to just about everyone. You just can’t go wrong when you buy the readymade drink. Made with real lime juice, agave wine, strawberry, and cane sugar, you will not be able to stop at only one glass. The best part is that you can get a 1.5-L bottle with a 12.7% ABV for less than $10. Whoa.
Buy: Ready-To-Drink Strawberry Margaritas
Buy: Pickles
Even though pickles do not appeal to every single person in the world, there are folks who simply adore them with smoked meat and hamburgers. You can have them as a snack as well! Costco might be the best place to buy these things. If you are planning to stock up on them, you can get a 2-L jar from Costco for as low as $4 or $5. The price is already great, but the taste will not disappoint you either.
Buy: Pickles
Buy: Egg’wich Breakfast Sandwiches
Do you want to bring down the amount of carbs in your daily diet? You do not have to be doing the keto diet to love the Egg’wich breakfast sandwiches from Costco. In case you did not know, you can now buy the Red’s All Natural brand ones at the warehouse store. There are two varieties that consumers can choose from: Chicken Apple Egg’wich and Turkey Sausage Egg’wich. Each pack contains 15 grams of protein, so your breakfast will not only be delicious but also nutritious at the same time. On top of that, you can get a box of 8 for only $12.99.
Buy: Egg’wich Breakfast Sandwiches
Buy: Thermacell Mosquito Repellant
Here is one item at Costco that gets great reviews consistently. The Radius Mosquito Repeller by Thermacell is a good product that will not break the bank. The website claims that it can effectively ward off mosquitoes by setting up a 15-foot protection zone. It runs on a lithium-ion battery. If you won’t take our word for it, check out a review by a satisfied customer: “Highly recommended! The Thermacell Radius has given us our deck back in the evenings. We like to grill and eat out on the deck, but we were getting shredded by mosquitoes. The Radius works better than anything else we’ve tried. It’s simple to use, powerful, and small enough to be portable/packable.”
Buy: Thermacell Mosquito Repellant
Buy: Costco Sheet Cakes
If you are going to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or any special event, we highly recommend looking at the sheet cakes available at Costco. First of all, they are cheaper than the ones available at other warehouse stores. There is also a good variety of flavors and designs out there. Costco does not only have chocolate and vanilla options. Taste of Home has reported that you can get a vanilla sheet cake with vanilla cheesecake mousse and white buttercream. Aside from that, there is also a chocolate cake with choco mousse filling and choco buttercream. Those sound so good!
Buy: Costco Sheet Cakes
Don’t Buy: Barbecue Grill
There is nothing better than a cookout in the summer! So many people like to get grills and other big-ticket items from Costco, but you might want to ignore the Urban Islands 4-Burner from Bull. The review by Consumer Reports had a lot of bad things to say about it. For one thing, it is more expensive yet does not perform better or as well as other grills out there. “It’s particularly bad at maintaining even heat at high temperatures, a must for perfectly seared steaks,” said the report. If you are looking for a topnotch grill, you should keep looking because this one just won’t do.
Don’t Buy: Barbecue Grill
Buy: Outdoor Furniture
Aside from a grill, you might want to buy new outdoor furniture as well! There are a lot of items for you to choose from at Costco. We bet that you will be impressed by the price tag and the quality of these products. You are going to find everything you need from outdoor dining tables to patio furniture. These items are both stylish and resistant to the elements, so you can’t go wrong with them. Really, what else can you ask for when you are on the market for outdoor furniture?
Buy: Outdoor Furniture
Buy: Outdoor Playset
Are you looking for an outdoor playset for your kids? If so, you will be delighted to hear that there are great and affordable options a Costco. Mind you, these are not the swing sets of our times. They come with a great number of features from multi-colored rock walls to twisty tunnel slides. The quality is great, and reviewers have been impressed by various models. Here is what a customer had to say about the Cedar Summit from KidKraft Austin Playset: “Instructions are clear and easy to follow. Kids love all the features. Took longer than expected to set up, but worth it at the end.”
Buy: Outdoor Playset
Don’t Buy: Running Shoes
You have probably checked out branded running shoes when you were at Costco. Sorry, but they do not make for good deals because the quality is not as good. You will find a whole RedFlagDeals thread that discusses the running shoes at Costco. Based on the comments, they are simply not good. A commenter said, “Some of you may think you are getting a good deal by buying running shoes at Costco. You would be very wrong. These are Walmart quality running shoes and I think Walmart would sell them for less.” You are better off getting your running shoes from an outlet store or anywhere else!
Don’t Buy: Running Shoes
Buy: Electric Scooter
Again, you can find a lot of big-ticket items at Costco. If you are looking to get an electric scooter, you are in for a great bargain at Costco! We want you to know that you have nothing to worry about if you buy one at the warehouse store. For one thing, Costco sells the Segway Ninebot ES3 KickScooter. The product has been praised by many consumers in the past. “The Segway scooter is just like the ones you rent in downtown, very strong, sturdy and very quiet. It also folds down very quick and easy, so you can put it in the trunk of your car and take it with you,” explained a happy customer.
Buy: Electric Scooter
Buy: Rotisserie Chicken
Where have you been if you have not heard of the famous Costco rotisserie chicken before? This cult favorite goes for $4.99. It is a great bargain because you can feed the entire family and even save leftovers for such a low price. Apparently, the warehouse store sells 157,000 chickens on an average day. Sadly, it is such a popular item that you might have a hard time bringing them home with you. On top of that, be mindful that there are times when they are not as fresh as they could be. To be on the safe side, you should probably wait for the ring of the deli bell. This means that they just finished cooking a fresh batch of rotisserie chicken! We hope that you will put this knowledge to good use.
Buy: Rotisserie Chicken
Buy: Your Grocery Online
Are you aware that you can have groceries delivered to your front step on the same day? This would not have been possible if Costco did not team up with Instacart. You no longer need to head out and bump into other people at the store because you can now shop from the comfort of your home. This service is now available in various locations in Canada. How convenient would it be to get your pantry staples, household essentials, and groceries in only two hours? This is excellent, especially if you just realized that there is a missing ingredient for the dish you are planning to make for dinner that night.
Buy: Your Grocery Online
Don’t Buy: Kirkland Laundry Detergent
You were wrong if you thought that it was a good idea to buy a lot of detergent all at once. It is a good way to save money, but is it actually a smart idea? The truth is that detergent does not have the longest shelf life. In fact, experts believe that it will no longer be super effective six months after you open a pack. Unless you have a huge and messy family, you will actually be better off buying detergent in smaller amounts.
Don’t Buy: Kirkland Laundry Detergent