3 Signs You Should Avoid Costco Shopping at All Costs

Shopping at Costco is a great thing — for some people. You can buy Kirkland Signature brand products, which have a devoted following. You can bulk buy household products to pay a lower price. And you can save even more if you pay with a good cash back or rewards credit card.

Unfortunately, not everyone benefits from a Costco trip, though. In fact, you should watch out for these three signs that avoiding Costco is the best idea for your checking account.

1. You save a fortune using coupons

According to a study conducted by CouponFollow, the average U.S. household could save $1,465 per year from coupon use, including $316 in savings on groceries and food at home, and $272 in savings from buying other household items with coupons.

Not everyone uses coupons wisely, however. And some people who do become experts at it likely save a whole lot more. If you fall into the former group and aren’t interested in seeking out coupons, Costco probably provides some of the best deals for you. But if you fall into the latter group, you should not shop at Costco.

Costco does not accept any manufacturer coupons, so you’ll lose the chance to take advantage of a savings technique that’s working for you. Don’t give up your coupon habit, which can sometimes help you get items for free or for pennies on the dollar, just because of the promise of Costco deals. Keep shopping at your current supermarket and drug stores instead.

Missing your savings from coupons, but want to keep shopping at Costco? Click here to apply for one of the cards on our curated list of the best credit cards for Costco shopping to maximize the rewards on your spending.

2. You love to shop online

If you are an online shopper, you might want to avoid Costco.com. The site charges a higher price than you’ll pay when you purchase in-store. There’s very little reason to sign up for a Costco membership, only to negate most or all of the savings that come with it by shopping online.

If you don’t want to give up your online shopping habit in favor of regular trips to the warehouse club to make purchases in person, then you should likely forgo Costco altogether. Buying primarily online simply won’t provide the best deals, and you’re better off with a different merchant designed for the digital experience.

Many of the best credit cards provide strong fraud protections to keep your card safe when used online and also offer generous rewards. Since the Costco warehouse only accepts Visa cards, you’ll have your pick of a broader selection of great rewards cards to sign up for if you pass up Costco in favor of your favorite digital storefronts.

3. You have no storage space

Costco is well known for offering bulk deals, but you’ll need a place at home to put all of that stuff. According to a survey conducted by StorageCafe, 38% of Americans are self-storage users. Those who have homes sized between 1,500 and 3,500 square feet making up the bulk of the clients for self-storage facilities.

If you already have so little room that you have to pay for a separate place to store your possessions, adding 300 rolls of toilet paper or enough canned chili to hold a festival is not going to make your life any better.

If you recognize yourself in these three signs, skip Costco entirely. Your efforts to save money there are likely to backfire and you’re better off sticking with your coupons, continuing to buy at your favorite online merchants, or maintaining enough space to move around your home without knocking over an industrial-sized container of mustard every time you go to the kitchen for a snack.