1. Books
You can definitely buy books at Costco, it’s just that there are other places where you could find more options instead of making an impulse buy. I would recommend buying books from small businesses, considering that they need a lot of support these days.
“Costco stores can have an OK selection, but you’ll be able to find exactly what you want at Amazon,” says Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with DealNews. “Even better, opt to support a local indie bookstore—you tend to receive better customer service, and you’re supporting local, so it’s a win-win.”
2. Store brand toilet paper
We all know that toilet paper was really hard to get at the beginning of the pandemic across the U.S. However, now that you can find it again, choose one that’s more qualitative.
Tess Robison, who worked for a period of time at the warehouse chain before landing at the personal finance website Money Done Right, explains why it’s actually not a smart buy to opt for Costco’s Kirkland brand when it comes to toilet paper.
“From my time working there I learned a lot about the company and some of the best and worst products,” she says. “One of the worst products, in my opinion as a former Costco employee, was the Costco Kirkland brand toilet paper. It is one of the cheapest toilet papers out there. Even though it seems like it’s priced cheaper than other brands, you will end up using it much much faster than better-quality brands, which makes it not worth the money. I would strongly recommend people pay a few dollars more for the better quality stuff.”
3. Soda
It’s true that you can find good deals on soda at Costco, but it won’t necessarily be a better deal than you could find in other stores.
“Sodas are usually significantly discounted already at the local grocery store, so huge bulk purchases won’t save you much,” explains retail and shopping expert Kristen Gall, from the cash-back service Rakuten.
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