- I acquired a Costco membership at the end of 2021 but quickly realized it wasn’t a good fit for me.
- I joined Costco with the intention of saving money, but the bulk-buy structure only encouraged my worst shopping habits.
- Over time, the cost and quantity of items I brought home became overwhelming.
The first time I accompanied a friend on a Costco shopping trip, I was captivated and immediately signed up for a membership.
However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that Costco wasn’t suitable for my household of two. It’s not that I disliked the quality or options at Costco – in fact, I quite liked the products and had minimal complaints.
But I soon discovered that the membership program and bulk-buy structure were enabling my worst shopping tendencies.
I became an impulsive shopper at Costco
Initially, buying in bulk allowed me to plan ahead and stock up on necessary supplies and personal-care items like toilet paper.
However, trying out new products became a commitment due to the large quantities or sizes in which Costco sold them. The financial and spatial costs of exploring new products at Costco exceeded those of regular grocery stores.
I often ended up purchasing items that I thought would be useful but never actually used. For example, I still haven’t touched the large pack of canned Pomodoro tomatoes I bought in 2022, and a jar of capers from Costco remains three-quarters full.
Sarra Sedghi
It was easy to waste food and money
If an item was not immediately visible in my fridge or pantry, I would completely forget about it. This made buying in bulk at Costco problematic.
Although this issue was less prevalent with shelf-stable items, it was still frustrating to realize that I had purchased duplicates of trail mix, trash bags, or Lysol wipes that were already stocked at home.
Additionally, perishable items like salad greens or large packages of chicken thighs often ended up spoiling or getting freezer-burned before I could consume them.
While this wasn’t Costco’s fault, I had never wasted as much food or money before becoming a member.
Buying snacks in bulk led to excessive snacking
Large quantities of snacks, such as trail mix packets, were beneficial for my fiancé due to his physically demanding job. However, working from home meant that large portions combined with boredom resulted in mindless snacking for me.
My partner and I would easily finish a bulk box of Simple Mills crackers within a week of purchasing it, and special treats like Thin Mints pretzels wouldn’t last long either. Because we went through snacks so quickly, I found myself having to buy duplicates at Costco to save myself an extra trip.
My biggest offense was having to replace a massive bag of Halloween candy that I bought in September because we ate through the whole thing before the holiday arrived.
Business Insider/Hayley Peterson
My house became overrun with large items
Considering that I live in an older home with limited pantry space, storing large food items is already a challenge. To overcome the lack of space, I had to place my Costco purchases wherever they could fit.
I ended up storing food among my kitchen supplies and equipment, taking up
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