12 Mistakes We Make When Shopping at Costco

Costco is one of those places you have to see to believe. Since its first store opened in 1983, the retailer has been wowing shoppers.

You can find just about anything at Costco. Office supplies, furniture, groceries, and electronics are just a few categories you’ll find in-store and online. The bonus? They’re priced to save you money.

However, sometimes we make mistakes shopping there that actually cost us more money. We curated some of the best tips online for saving money at the warehouse club.

1. Buying Too Much

Costco is known for its bulk products, it’s why people shop there. However, there is such a thing as buying too much. If you have a toilet paper mountain in your garage, for example, maybe skip that on your next trip. It lasts, but can be a waste of money if you’ve already got plenty on hand.

Be cautious of buying foods that expire or go bad quickly, too. Dairy products and produce are two staples you should buy in lesser quantities if you’re just buying for your household.

2. Not Using Other Membership Perks

Most people buy the Costco membership and fail to take advantage of the other perks. It’s not just for shopping access. For instance, with the Executive Membership, you can get access to services such as savings on travel, bottled water delivery, moving truck rentals, pet insurance, and more.

Additionally, the higher membership tier gives you 2% in rewards, so you’ll earn cash back.

3. Shopping While Hungry

Grocery shopping while you’re hungry is one of the absolute worst things you can do. If you have a list? Out the door it goes, your stomach is now in charge, and it’s telling you that you want everything.

Snack a bit before you go, just enough to tame that hunger, and your wallet will be eternally grateful.

4. Thinking It’s the Cheapest Option

Don’t get me wrong, you can buy a lot at Costco for cheaper than other stores. However, that’s not true of everything. Sometimes, other grocery stores have lower prices on items, whether it’s a sale or promotion, so be sure to shop around.

Walmart and Aldi are a few stores where you might be able to find cheaper prices, especially if you don’t need a dozen of something.

5. Ignoring Store Brands

One of the best ways to save a few bucks, even in Costco, is to buy the store brands, where possible. Sometimes, they’re not exactly equal in taste, but they’re often pretty similar and make good substitutes.

It’s good to shop with an open mind and make sure you’re not being blinded by those shiny brand name tags.

6. Not Getting the App

Chances are you won’t leave home without your phone, but you might leave home without your Costco card. Having the app on your phone will grant you access to the store and allow you to shop. It also helps with tracking — you’ll find all your orders on there — so if you can’t remember that totally delicious dessert you bought last month, the app will.

Inside the app you can also create a shopping list and receive promotions for even more sales, and thus, savings.

7. Not Using the Price Adjustment System

Here’s a bit of a secret I’m going to tell you. Costco competes with itself. You read that right. While the retailer may not price match with its competitors, it will allow you to bring your receipt in and get a price adjustment.

The way it works is if an item you bought goes lower within 30 days after purchase, you can ask customer service to give you the better price. It won’t, however, match prices you find online, only in-store.

8. Not Knowing about Markdown Mondays

Here’s the thing. After a long day of working, you’re probably not in the mood to shop, especially not on a Monday, I get it. However, you could be in for some real savings if you do.

Every fourth Monday, many Costco stores have what they call markdown Monday. The items are not advertised though, you have to go on the hunt for them, but it could add some excitement to your day.

9. Not Using Costco Next

What is Costco Next, you ask? It’s a feature where you can use your membership to shop at other online retailers and receive a discount. All you need to do is enter your Costco information and you can save on furniture, flooring, beauty products, and even sporting goods.

All you need to do to get started and see what’s available is visit the Costco Next website.

10. Skipping the Gift Cards

Gift cards are great to give away for birthdays or holidays, or even use yourself. Yep, I said it. In fact, you can get gift cards for eateries and services at a discount. For example, sometimes you can get $100 worth of Domino’s gift cards for $75 to $80.

You can even save money on gift cards for streaming services or flights.

11. Not Buying Movie Tickets

This is piggybacking off the gift cards mentioned before, but it deserves its own mention. If you love to go to the movies, you can save money doing so by purchasing gift card packs from Costco.

There are gift packs for different theaters, too, such as AMC, Cinemark, Alamo, and Fandango all at a discount. Considering the price it costs to go to movies these days, you’re already winning.

12. Not Bringing a List

It’s easy to get overwhelmed at Costco. There’s a lot to buy there. If you bring a list, or use your app to track the things you want to purchase, you can stay on track easier.

Plus, let’s be honest. Who doesn’t go into Costco and want to throw an extra thing or three in the cart? A list will keep you — and your wallet — on track.