What NOT to buy at Costco (avoid the “Costco Effect”): Part 2

The last post discussed some products that are not best purchased at Costco (What NOT to buy at Costco (avoid the “Costco Effect”): Part 1). To avoid a ridiculously long post, I decided to save the other half of the items for this post…

Snacks

This tip was one of the few unrelated to pure price point as the article focused on the and health implications/weight gain that likely results from eating junk food out of large containers.  However, weight gain has financial implications as well…you might have to spend money to buy bigger pants!

Flip Flops

Always one to find humor where few (no one?) others do, I think it’s funny that flip flops warranted a specific mention…do *that* many people really buy flip flops at Costco (and more than one pair)? That said, I actually did buy a pair of flip flops at Costco a few years ago (Fila brand) and they were terrific and a great deal (but maybe this article is referring to the very cheap ones, which I tend to buy in every color for about $1.99/pair at Old Navy or even a “junk store”).

Detergent

I didn’t realize that detergent can lose effectiveness, but, like suncreen (What NOT to buy at Costco (avoid the “Costco Effect”): Part 1), it makes sense. I actually have never purchased detergent from Costco as it is another item that is often sold quite cheap at pharmacies with instant savings/coupons. (Side note: given how many bottles we bought a few years ago for about 94 cents/bottle, I am gong to pretend that I didn’t learn that it may not work as well after six months (I’m sure it is good enough!)

Milk

I was surprised to see milk on this list as milk has actually been one of the biggest savings cited by my family (“the savings on the milk alone make the membership worth it!”). Although true that many families cannot finish a gallon of milk before the expiration date, the cost of a gallon at Costco is often around the same price as a half gallon at grocery stories. So, I guess it comes down to (willingness to) waste. It seems that brand also makes a difference in terms of how long the milk lasts once opened and Costco seems to stay fresh for awhile. (When I used to buy milk at Trader Joe’s because it cheap, I did notice that it turned sour fairly quickly. And, one day a cashier actually suggested buying it at a nearby store instead, as it was the same price and stayed fresh longer (maybe not the best advertisement for Trader Joe’s but I certainly appreciated his honesty!)

Soda

I don’t drink soda so I never buy it. However, I do notice that it is often on sale at supermarkets (especially around big sporting events or BBQ season). The article also mentioned that soda can go flat even in the can. Therefore, if not drinking a lot of it, it is probably better to buy it in smaller quantities.

Coffee

I don’t buy coffee but I have mentioned that my parents buy a lot of it and it was actually mentioned in the post about Kirkland products to buy (Kirkland Products: 12 to buy). I think it is funny that the article says that, because coffee can lose freshness over time, it is not an ideal stock-up item because I had mentioned that my parents keep buying it on sale. However, they are definitely not coffee afficionados (basically just drink 1-2 cups in the morning to wake up). Apparently coffee is also often on sale at other places, making it a convenient item to buy in smaller quantities to preserve freshness (and save storage space). Additionally, it seems that many people these days do  not even buy coffee to brew at home as they either stop on the way to work (I cannot get over how much people spend on coffee!) or make it at work in a Keurig machine.

Canned goods

Again, apparently canned goods can lost freshness and are often on sale at supermarkets.

Nuts/Seeds/Spices/Flour/Baking Powder/Yeast/Whole Grains/Jerky/Oil

I am not a big baker so I do not buy many of these products. Although I like to cook, I do not use many spices (I prefer to use sauces or make my own glazes) so I wouldn’t be purchasing them in large quantities. I have purchased big bags of walnuts and they do seem to last in the freezer.

Condiments

I wouldn’t know whether large condiment containers go bad because anytime I have a large container of one (such as ketchup or maple syrup), the bottle either gets extremely sticky or I forget to put it away overnight and have to throw it away…therefore, I never “see them through” to the bottom. (One silly story since I can’t resist…you know those little bear jars of honey? Years ago while visiting my grandmother, someone went to the fridge to get cold water and returned with a few of those old honey jars filled with water. The use of the jars was funny for two reasons. First, honey is probably just about the most difficult substance to clean. Therefore, I can’t imagine spending the time or energy me to clean out the bottle (can you imagine cleaning the little nose and ears?) Second, given my experience with honey (we basically just served honey on Rosh Hashanah with apples so we used about a teaspoon each year), I couldn’t imagine that anyone actually finished a bear jar, let alone multiple jars!  Since that day, I refer to the unit of water at grandma’s as a “bear of water”…ok, back to the post…)

Toothpaste

As with other toiletries, they are often cheaper from pharmacy stores with coupons and added discounts. However, as the article points out, because the brand on sale often changes, if people are rigid about their brand, they may not make use of these additional deals.

Does this list change how you plan to shop at Costco?

Anything with which you agree or disagree? (I have already received comments that people like the produce, the toilet paper, and the books…and believe me, I like the toilet paper and the produce too…I am just commenting on what the articles said). Keep those comments coming!

Any other things you’d add to the list of things NOT to buy at Costco?