Everyone loves a bargain. And when you’re paying a membership fee, it’s tempting to spend as much of your time as possible at Costco or Sam’s Club. However, bigger isn’t always better. Here’s which items to avoid and which items to stock up on.
To start, here are the items to skip at warehouse stores:
1. Bulk perishables
The savings may seem like they are worth it, but think about expiration dates for perishables. Can you really use six tubs of mayonnaise before they go bad? Maybe, but our bet is that you’ll be throwing away more than you use.
2. Books
The selection of books at warehouse stores is impressive, but you might find better options elsewhere. Shop for your favorite titles at a used bookstore or Amazon.com for the best book deals. Your local library may also have a “Fill-A-Bag Sale,” where you pay a single price for an entire book of bags. With summer coming up, be sure to hit yard sales too, where you can find books for pennies on the dollar.
3. Designer clothes
Many fashion designers have deals with warehouse stores, offering a summer line especially for membership shoppers. However, in order to stay affordable, these clothes are usually made with cheaper materials and come from questionable sources. In this case, it’s worth it to save up a little bit of cash and shop for the real deal instead.
4. Mattresses
Considering you spend one-third of your day asleep in bed, the quality of your mattress is of utmost importance. Without a comfortable place to rest, you may experience sleep issues, back pain and more. While the mattresses at warehouse stores are a great deal, there’s no opportunity to try them out when they’re stacked on each other. For such a big purchase, the risk isn’t worth it. Visit a mattress store instead and leave it to the experts.
5. Canned goods
It may be tempting to stock up on dozens of cans, but other grocery stores nearby may offer canned goods for 20 or 30 cents lower a piece. If your grocery store doesn’t have the best deal on cans now, chances are they will soon. In order to keep food moving, grocery stores frequently put canned goods on sale or have a coupon deal.
6. Over-the-counter medicine
If you have a big family, perhaps it seems like the most economical deal to buy a big bottle of Ibuprofen of Tylenol. But unless you’re using them every day (and you absolutely shouldn’t), you may not be able to use them all up before they expire. It’s much safer to buy what you need, as you need it. Please consider at-home remedies for aches and pain, too, like coconut oil muscle balm, headache balm with essential oils or even turmeric. These options are all-natural and contain no harmful side effects. That’s a bargain if we’ve ever heard of one!
7. Toilet paper
You can never have enough toilet paper, right? We agree, but it’s cheaper to buy at the grocery store. You’ll normally find deals on toilet paper during the first and third weeks of every month, according to Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money-saving expert.
8. Laundry detergent
If you have a big family, laundry detergent in bulk seems like a steal. However, these products lose their effectiveness after six months in opened bottles and after nine months in unopened bottles. Can you really use up six or more huge bottles in that short of a timeframe? We think it’s better to buy a bottle as you need it. Or, for a healthier and eco-friendly option, consider using soap nuts for your laundry instead.
9. Ketchup and mustard
If you can really go through a gallon of ketchup or mustard in just one month, consider us impressed. If not, your opened condiments will go bad before you can finish them, which is money down the drain.
10. Coffee
Like other perishable items, coffee loses its fresh taste over time. It may seem like a good idea to buy in bulk now, but when you get to the bottom of the bag, you’ll think twice and probably dump it anyway. Instead, be realistic about how much you go through and buy accordingly.
11. Diapers
With the high cost of diapers, buying in bulk seems like the best option out there. But babies grow fast, often faster than you can use up your supply in one size. Instead, you can find diapers at a cheaper price online through Amazon Family. A diaper subscription can save you 20 percent off of select name brands.
12. Dairy products
You can expect to pay 30 percent less on cheese, eggs and milk at warehouse stores, but is the saved dough really worth it? These products typically come from unhealthy, unhygienic animals living a miserable life. At minimum, look for cage-free eggs, but try to shoot for organic, pasture-raised products. And when it comes to milk, make sure there’s no added preservatives or rGBH (an added growth hormone).
13. Hot dog and a soda deal
it may only cost $1.50 at Costco, and the price hasn’t changed in 27 years, but this special is far from healthy. First of all, soda contains aspartame, a suspected carcinogen. It also confuses the heck of your body and sends insulin production into overdrive. And the processed meat used to make a hot dog is a far the good stuff. For the love of your heart, gut and pancreas, please skip these toxic treats. You really can’t put a price on your good health.
14. Beauty products
Good deals on shampoo, conditioner and soaps are hard to come by, we get it. But KrazyCouponLady.com says that shoppers should avoid purchasing beauty products, dry goods and cleaning supplies from big warehouse stores, since grocery stores offer them for cheaper. To avoid unnatural chemicals altogether, why not make your own? Try this homemade rosemary and peppermint shampoo, apple cider vinegar conditioner and vanilla bean and coffee soap for some all-natural goodness in the shower. Don’t forget homemade toothpaste and DIY deodorant as well.
15. Snacks
Think you’ll really be able to keep your hands off of a family size box of goldfish or variety pack of chips? Unlikely. Research has shown that junk food is eight times more addictive than cocaine, thanks to boatloads of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and other habit-forming ingredients. If you really need to indulge in junk food, stick to smaller quantities. Better yet, choose healthy, high-protein snacks instead, like pumpkin seeds, trail mix or nut butter and celery sticks.
Things to buy at Costco or Sam’s Club
- Organic produce: The Seattle Times reported that Costco is now the leading organic foods grocer in the nation, even over Whole Foods.
- Wine: you’ll find bottles for 30 percent cheaper than grocery stores.
- Prescription drugs: a Consumer Reports study found a 400 percent difference between the highest price stores and warehouse stores for generic medication. Plus, you don’t need a membership to get your prescription filled.
- Gift cards: both Huffington Post and MSN recommend buying gift cards at warehouse stores, since they cost 15 to 30 percent less than retail value.
- Eyeglasses: Consumer Reports found that Costco shoppers spent an average of $186 on a pair of glasses, while independent shoppers spent closer to $300.
- Meat: the grade of meat is typically higher than grocery store products, but you’ll still want to watch for labels like organic and pasture raised.
- Gasoline: expect at least 12 cents savings per gallon compared to gas elsewhere. Using gas prices on GasBuddy.com, we found that our nearby Costco costs $2.67 a gallon, while other gas stations cost $2.77. Savings, indeed!
- Batteries: Huffington Post reports that at batteries in bulk are a good idea, since they take years to expire. And at Sam’s Club, shoppers can expect to pay $1 less than they would at grocery stores.
How to get more savings
Always look at the “price per unit” of a bulk set. This way you’ll be able to see if you’re really getting the best deal or whether to pass it up. When you’re not shopping at Costco or Sam’s Club, here are some apps and websites to help you save money and learn the art of couponing:
- Gas Buddy
- Coupons.com
- Krazy Coupon Lady
- Grocery IQ
- RetailMeNot
- Checkout51
- SavingStar
- SnipSnap
- Coupon Sherpa
— The Alternative Daily