Don't Make These 22 Mistakes When Shopping At Costco

Is Costco one of your favorite places to shop to get the best deals on everything from fresh fruit, frozen meals, personal care items, products for your home, and so much more? Or are you contemplating signing up for a membership to the wholesale club for the first time? The club is known for having a wide selection of products from a range of national manufacturers available in bulk quantities. When you make the right choices shopping at Costco, you can save a lot of money.

However, not everyone makes the right choices when they shop at Costco. Whether you're gearing up for your first shopping trip there or you shop on a weekly basis, you'll want to avoid making some of the most common mistakes that many shoppers make. These mistakes could not only cause you to spend more money than is necessary on your shopping trip, but they could also prevent you from taking advantage of everything that Costco has to offer.

Beyond simply signing up for a membership to Costco, you also won't want to try shopping at the club without your membership card. You will not be able to check out at the registers if you do not have your card for them to scan. Costco employees will not be able to look up your account using your driver's license or another form of ID. You can visit the customer service counter to request a temporary replacement for your card. However, if you don't realize you're missing your membership card until you're ready to check out, it will be a huge hassle to leave the checkout area with your cart and items to grab a new one.

It is always a good idea to check on the current sales being offered by Costco before shopping in the club. Every few weeks, the items that are on sale will change, and a new ad will be released highlighting the new savings opportunities. You can find deals in nearly every department, helping you maximize your savings on Costco's already low prices. Many of these specials are available both in-store and online. 

However, some of the online prices may be a bit higher than what you'll find in the club. If one of the items you regularly purchase goes on sale, it might be a good idea to stock up and save even more in the long term. You could also be close to running out of something and miss getting it on sale by waiting until the next time you shop, when the sale may have changed.

While Costco's prices are often the best, that is not always the case. It is always a good idea to do some price comparisons between the club and your local grocery stores to make sure you are getting the best deal. There may be times that select products that are less expensive to purchase in the grocery store, especially if they are on sale. A few products that are often less expensive in a grocery store include laundry detergent, organic milk, certain produce items, and some cereals. Especially when they are marked way down at the grocery store. Just keep your phone with you to compare prices when shopping, and you'll always be able to get the best deal.

Shopping without a list isn't a good idea at any grocery store, but it is an especially bad idea at Costco. If you don't have a list, you're going to have a hard time remembering everything you need. The store is so large that it isn't realistic to say that you'll just walk down every aisle to jog your memory about what you want to purchase. Another downside of not bringing a list with you to Costco is that you won't have anything to help temper your purchases. You may make more impulse buys, making your shopping trip more expensive and potentially leaving you with more items that you won't really want once you get home and think about it more. When you have a list, you'll at least be able to help curb impulse buys.

Buying grocery staples in bulk can offer significant savings. That is unless you end up wasting part of the purchase. Some products available in bulk from Costco, such as toilet paper, won't expire. So, you're fine purchasing ahead and letting the extras sit in a closet until you need them. This is not the case with food items. Consider this example. If a 1-pound package of strawberries costs $3.50 at the grocery store and Costco were to sell a 2-pound pack for $5, the Costco package would be the better deal because you're getting twice as many strawberries for only $1.50 more. However, if you are only going to be able to eat about half of the strawberries before they spoil and end up throwing out the rest, you would be better off buying just 1 pound at the grocery store for $3.50.

Once you've gotten a taste of shopping at Costco, it is easy to become addicted. And, with all the money you can save on products that you and your family need anyway, it can be a good financial decision to do as much of your shopping at Costco as possible. If you find yourself shopping at the club frequently, then you'll definitely want to consider signing up for an Executive Membership. 

While you will need to pay an additional $60 per year for an Executive Membership, you can quickly recoup the investment — and then some — with all of the membership perks that are offered. The biggest perk that executive members receive is a 2% back on all qualified Costco, Costco.com, and Costco Travel purchases. This works out to $2 back for each $100 you spend, which can add up over the course of a year. Executive Members are the only ones who can earn rewards on Costco Travel purchases. So, if you're planning any travel through the club, that right there should be reason enough to sign up.

Costco's return policy is simply amazing. As a Costco customer, you won't need to worry about fighting to get your money back for a damaged product or even one that you decided you didn't like after trying. The club offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on nearly everything it offers. This means that if you try something out and it isn't for you, you can simply return it to the club for a refund. This goes for opened food items, even those that you may have eaten a large portion of. 

The return policy simply can't be beaten. Just bring the items you purchased to your local warehouse as well as the receipt if you have it. In most cases, the money for the refund will be credited to the same method of payment you used to make the purchase. If you purchased something online, you can also request a return through the website and receive a return label to ship the items back.

Shopping at Costco on an empty stomach is not a good idea. You're just setting yourself up to walk out with a cart full of stuff that you may or may not actually want. There are just so many delicious foods at Costco, not to mention the samples that might taste extra amazing if you're already hungry. Making an impulse buy at Costco because you feel hungry can be more costly than doing so at a regular grocery store. Instead of getting a single serving of cake, for example, you could end up with an entire sheet cake that you'll be eating for days. Take a few minutes to grab a meal or at least a snack before you head into the wholesale club. Your wallet will thank you later.

There are several other perks of being a Costco member beyond the savings on food, personal care, and home items sold in the clubs. One of these perks is the ability to save on travel. Costco Travel offers great deals on vacation packages, hotels, rental cars, and cruises. Costco also works with many different service providers to offer its customers savings on homeowners insurance, auto insurance, pet insurance, identity protection, and various home improvement projects. 

As a Costco customer, you can also work with the Costco Auto Program to save on a new or pre-owned vehicle or get discounted tires for your current car. Costco recently got rid of its Photo Center but has partnered with Shutterfly to offer customers a 51% discount on all orders.

Unless you like paying more for gas, driving by the gas station at your local Costco warehouse without filling up is going to be a mistake. Gas at Costco is often the cheapest option, sometimes $0.25 less than other gas stations. With gas prices as high as they are, even saving a few cents per gallon can make a difference. Saving up to a quarter per gallon — or a full dollar for every 4 gallons — puts real money back in your pocket. 

Part of the reason Costco's gas prices are so low is that it's trying to get more customers into its stores. If people stop for gas at Costco, they're more likely to head into the warehouse to spend more money. Another reason the gas is so cheap is that Costco wants to maintain its reputation of offering great deals to its customers — and you have to be a member to fill up at a Costco gas station.

There are Costco warehouse locations, and then there are Costco Business Centers. If there is a Costco Business Center in your area, you'll definitely want to make a point of checking it out. You do not need to have a business membership to shop at a Costco Business Center; it's open to all club members. Compared to what you'll find in a typical warehouse location, the Business Centers offer a larger selection of bulk snacks, drinks, and candy. These locations also stock various commercial supplies. There are not as many Business Centers as standard Costco warehouses. In fact, there are only 23 in the United States, 10 of which are in California. But, if you're lucky enough to live close to one or happen to pass by one during your travels, make sure to stop in to shop.