13. Salty snacks
“These are probably cheaper at Costco, but are you and your roommate going to finish that giant bag of cheese puffs before they go stale?” Bodge says. “Think about how many people you will be feeding before making that purchase.”
14. Personal care products
The price might be small, but sometimes you have to ask yourself if it’s worth buying personal care products in such large quantities, considering that they have an expiration date as well.
“Personal care products often come in massive bottles or in multi-packs. I prefer multi-packs because the product inside stays fresh, but a general rule is that you should only buy personal care products that you go through quickly,” Bodge notes. “Certain products, like face creams and sunscreen, may spoil or lose their efficacy over time.”
15. Spices
Costco offers great deals on spices, but you might not have the chance to use all of them before they lose their taste, so you’ll end up with large quantities of produce that don’t work at full capacity.
“Buying spices at Costco is generally a fantastic deal, but spices don’t stay fresh for very long,” Bodge says. “Spices are at their freshest within six months. Will you finish that huge container of cumin in that time?”
