Shopping at warehouse clubs like Costco is a good way to go about saving some money because they offer low per unit prices on a lot of the items that they sell. But there are also some things that you should avoid buying because you can more than often find it for a better deal elsewhere. Check out the list below to get an idea of what you should steer clear of when shopping at warehouse clubs.
Canned Goods
Stocking up on canned goods is a smart thing to do because they last forever in the pantry. But the mistake is people often stock up on canned goods at warehouse clubs when you can score better deals at the supermarket. You can actually save 20%-40% less per unit at the supermarket than at the warehouse club.
Books And DVD’s
It can be very tempting to see books and DVD’s and want to pick up a couple of those items for the kids while you are doing the monthly grocery shopping, but again these deals are usually not as good as you can find somewhere else. For instance you can find books and movies for 15% less online at Amazon and eBay.
Generic Diapers
Generic diapers are actually a great deal at warehouse clubs but if you are really on a tight budget then the best deals on generic diapers is actually at Walmart or Target. They are bout 4 cents less per diaper.
Condiments
Costco or Sams club can always has large bulk on condiments and it may seem like a good buy, but only if you are having a large cookout or throwing a party. Otherwise, condiments don’t have that long of a shelf life after they’ve been opened. Purchasing bundled condiments isn’t the best idea from a pricing standpoint because you end up not using all of it. If you don’t ever end up using them, then you aren’t really saving any money.
Cooking Oils
Cooking oils go bad faster than you realize, usually about 3 to 5 months after opening it. Therefore buying olive oil or vegetable oil in bulk could be a bad decision especially if you don’t use all of it before it expires. You can find deals on oils at the local grocery store which lessens the risk of spoilage.
Electronics
Electronics at warehouses clubs are great a lot of the times but usually you can find better deals on coupon sites. You can likely find something similar for at least 10% to 15% less.
