Even though inflation is falling, you've probably noticed that the cost of your grocery bill is still astoundingly high. If you're looking to save your hard-earned money, buying in bulk at stores like Costco might be just the cash-conserving strategy you need. However, not everything at Costco is top quality, and not everything is a great deal. In fact, there’s an entire Reddit thread devoted to this topic—and frugal customers are calling out the items they say they'll never buy from there again. "I'm not saving money," one shopper said while voicing his grievances. Read on for the full list of Costco buys you may want to avoid.
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1 | Baked goods
ShutterstockOne of the most popularly discussed items on the thread was fresh baked goods such as muffins, croissants, and cookies. Many Costco shoppers agree that because these are packaged in such large quantities, they typically go bad before you can use them all—ultimately negating any potential savings.
"I keep swearing I'll never buy muffins again at Costco because it's always BOGO and they insist you get the second package. My freezer is currently crammed with Costco muffins," said one customer who goes by @mikep4.
"I occasionally make exceptions (like pumpkin pie) but I just can't have 36 enormous delicious cookies around me. I can't have a 9 pound cheesecake," said another.
Aside from just wasting money, some shoppers say they avoid Costco's bakery department for health reasons. "Their baked goods are huge and calorie counts too absurd, compared with other stores'... e.g. their madeleines are 130cal I believe whilst Trader Joe's is 75cal," wrote one shopper.
2 | Fresh produce
Pictures_n_Photos / ShutterstockMany frugal Costco shoppers also agreed that buying fresh produce from the bulk store failed to result in any actual savings.
"It's too much to finish for my family and can most of the time be cheaper at the local grocery stores around me," said a Reddit user.
However, many Costco shoppers avoid produce because they say it's not as fresh. "All their produce... goes bad much more quickly than my local grocery stores," wrote an unhappy shopper, while someone else pointed out that, by comparison, "At a grocery store, produce is fast moving and fresh."
Some shoppers have even seen spoiled produce in the store. "The garlic has been bad every time I buy it. Potatoes always smell of mold so i avoid those now," said one. "Some of the cases of strawberries ALREADY had mold on them," shared another.
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3 | Frozen produce
Kristi Blokhin / ShutterstockOther shoppers say they've overspent on Costco's frozen produce, as well.
"Frozen strawberries. Something like half as much at Aldi," shared one Redditor. "Frozen mixed berries. They are cheaper at Walmart when you calculate per kilo cost," agreed another.
"Recently did a price comparison on some of their frozen vegetables and found other places had lower prices," wrote yet another.
However, a Reddit user pointed out that many other stores' frozen produce is not organic. "The frozen strawberries are organic at Costco, but not at Aldi, hence the price difference," wrote user @Mountainman1980.
4 | Tires
Macky Albor / ShutterstockNot all of the items on the list were food-related. Some customers said they bought a Costco membership in hopes of saving on car repairs, only to find that they couldn't use those services when their vehicle was actually in need.
"Once I noticed they sell tires at costco, I got a membership. Then I needed tires one random day but noticed they actually do not have tires in stock. It takes 3 to 4 days for the tires to show up so I had no choice [but] to go somewhere else," explained Reddit user @joe13869.
"Costco Tire is good for wear-outs, but not so good for blow-outs because of this," agreed another customer.
Redditor @KadesShades shared that they prefer Discount Tire, "because they have more locations and do price matching. The service is good, too."
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5 | Electronics
ShutterstockCostco sells a range of electronics, including TVs, tablets, speakers, headphones, cameras, and more. Many of these items are sold at competitive prices. However, you should do your due diligence before buying electronics at Costco, some customers say.
"Costco seems like a logical choice for electronics. However, when comparing prices for particular electronics items I want to purchase, I've always found lower prices for comparable items elsewhere (after sales)," said Redditor @Key-Ad-8944.
"Their prices aren't any better than amazon," agreed another shopper.
6 | Canned beans
ShutterstockBuying canned beans can help you whip up a high-protein meal in no time, but many shoppers agree that they can find better prices elsewhere.
"Beans I priced out and they are not cheaper than other stores. I think they came out to over $1 a can and you can definitely get even organic beans [for] less than that," said one Redditor.
"We get our dried beans, peas and lentils from the bulk food section at WinCo. It's much cheaper," agreed another. "I can get them cheaper at Aldi," said someone else.
