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I shop at Costco every week. And for the most part, it’s hard for me to make it through the store without racking up a credit card tab of at least $100.
To be fair, Costco is where I buy a lot of my groceries and household products like toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Since I have a family of five, it costs a fair amount of money to put food on the table — especially with prices being what they are today.
But through the years, I’ve learned some tricks that have helped me reduce my Costco spending. You might manage to cut your Costco spending in half — or at least slash it substantially — by making these moves.
1. Create a system for avoiding impulse buys
Although I still make the occasional Costco impulse purchase, I’ve gotten a lot better. During periods when money is tight and I know I can’t afford the extra spending, I implement a simple system that helps me avoid unplanned purchases.
I make a list of the things I’m buying that day, and then I make sure I only walk down aisles that contain items on my list. If I don’t have any bakery items on my list, I won’t end up impulse-buying a Costco cake if I don’t set foot in that area.
Similarly, I’m not going to find cozy fleece sweatshirts stuffed in between broccoli and spinach in the produce section. So if I don’t want to be tempted to buy one of those, I just need to avoid the apparel area.
2. Split bulk purchases with friends
Some Costco deals can’t be beat. But they’re really only good deals when you can use up an entire supply of whatever it is you bought.
To that end, I’ve started splitting certain purchases with my neighbor instead of having to finish them solo. And that’s helped me avoid food waste. Also, since I’m splitting those items evenly, I’m only spending half on my share.
Take spinach, for example. I like using it as a side dish or as a base for salad, but Costco sells it in really large quantities. My neighbor and I were talking about how our Costco spinach tends to wilt after a few days, and voila — we realized it made more sense to split a package each week than buy a whole one of our own.
If you have a friend or neighbor who’s a fan of Costco, it’s worth comparing your shopping lists and seeing if there’s anything you’re able to split.
3. Avoid bulk buys when they’re not needed
I can easily justify buying items like cheese, berries, and eggs in bulk. We go through a lot of them in my household, and I can’t remember the last time items in these categories went bad on us.
But I’ve learned to avoid buying things in bulk that I should only purchase in smaller quantities. And there’s one simple rule I follow in the context of perishables. If it’s food we eat every week, it’s OK to buy it in bulk. If not, I skip the bulk haul. You may want to implement a similar rule so you don’t end up spending money on bulk items you’re unlikely to use up.
There’s more leeway with non-perishables and you’re less likely to end up having to throw things out. But be careful with non-perishables, too.
I usually evaluate non-perishables on a case-by-case basis. If it’s a baking ingredient that’s far cheaper at Costco but I only expect to use it three times a year, I’ll pass on the bulk option. If I expect to use it every month, I might bring it home.
The right strategy could result in smaller Costco bills — and more savings for you. Follow these rules to cut your Costco spending and free up money for other bills.
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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
