Costco is a fantastic place from which to buy products, providing a vast array of saving opportunities. However, you will not always save money there. Consider the following factors.
You may buy more than you want and some will go to waste
With a lot of the products at Costco you have to buy in bulk in order to see the savings. If you do not need that much of the item, then you might not end up saving money. This will be especially true if the item is perishable and you literally end up throwing it out because it goes bad or goes beyond its expiration date. Even if you still use it but do not enjoy it as much because it is not as fresh, then that can be a problem. Also, if it is not perishable, you may have it sitting taking up room in your home, which might not be good for you. Also, sometimes you have to buy different products in packages together. For instance, they may have a package with ketchup, mustard, relish and more. You may be paying for an item that you do not want.
They are not cheaper on everything
Although Costco is cheaper than other stores in many different things, they are not cheaper in everything. You are going to need to compare the prices to be sure. Costco will range in price on a lot of items, so you might need to check every time you buy something to make sure that the price has not changed. When doing your comparisons be sure to account for any difference in size. Also, be sure to compare them to online sources for products as well.
They do not accept a lot of coupons
Costco accepts their own coupons but not much more. Sometimes coupons at other stores can be significant. You may save a lot of money with these and some stores will even double certain coupons. You will have to take into account these missed savings when comparing the prices. Also, other stores can have significant sales that you might miss out on.
Costco can save you a lot of money on a lot of products, but you should be a smart shopper. Do not buy things you do not need and look at the prices. By making the effort you will get the most benefits from this discount shopping source.