As someone who’s always looking for ways to save money, I often hear how a Costco membership can lead to big savings through bulk purchases. But walking out of Costco without spending at least $100 is rare; in fact, we usually end up spending between $200 and $300 per visit. Everything seems like a great deal! However, when I realized how much money we were actually spending on each trip, I started to wonder if we were really saving. Here’s what I found out:
OVERBUYING
One of the downsides of Costco is the tendency to buy more than you need. You can’t just buy single items; you end up with years’ worth of ketchup all at once. Even though the price seems unbeatable, I’d often forget about the large stash in the garage and end up buying a smaller bottle from a local store. This is a common problem with non-perishables. They have a long shelf life, so it feels like savings, but you have to pay a lot upfront for huge quantities.
PURCHASING UNNECESSARY GOODS
It’s hard to leave Costco without picking up at least one item you don’t actually need. As a busy working mom, I often give in to their clothing deals because it’s convenient. Whether it’s a shirt, yoga pants, or work clothes labeled as a “great deal,” I feel less guilty about buying it. But under normal circumstances, would I have even thought about buying it? Probably not. This is the classic Costco dilemma: how often do you buy something simply because the deal seems too good, not because you actually need it?
BREACHING BUDGET
I used to visit Costco once a week or feel good about going every other week. It became my regular grocery shopping spot. But the reality is, Costco shouldn’t be your primary grocery store. We set aside $500 for monthly groceries, and a single Costco visit would take half of that. Going twice a month would obviously blow our budget.
DOES COSTCO REALLY LEAD TO SAVINGS?
For a while, I took a break from Costco. I let my membership lapse and, even though I missed the convenience and the great prices, I found that I was actually saving money! It sounds counter-intuitive, but I saved more by doing my weekly grocery shopping at local stores. I shopped smarter within my budget, and only bought what I really needed, reducing waste.
While Costco has a loyal following, for us, not having a membership helped us save more. We eventually went back to Costco, but with a more cautious approach, visiting every other month to stock up on essentials. The key to shopping at Costco is to carefully consider if the membership is genuinely saving you money. Do you shop at Costco?