16 Items Frugal People Never Buy at Costco

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There are a lot of great things to buy at Costco- hot dogs anyone? But there are also a lot of items that people try not to buy at Costco. Many people avoid certain items for some reason.

These are a few things that people avoid buying at Costco.

Bakery Goods

Close up of young happy smiling caucasian woman baker putting the fresh bread on the shelves/rack at baking manufacture factory. Tasty bread bakery
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Yes, their bakery items are great. After all, Costco cakes are legendary. However, many people don’t want the temptation of the huge bakery items the store sells. From cakes to massive batches of cookies, they can be a lot to handle and hard to resist.

Bananas

Raw Organic Bunch of Bananas Ready to Eat
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These come in enormous bunches, but they only tend to stay good for a few days. There’s seemingly no way for many people to eat them all before they go bad and get mushy.

Milk

Jugs of fresh milk in supermarket
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If you buy ilk from Costco, you must like milk. It’s sold in such bulk that it will likely go bad before you can drink it. If you have a lot of children, this may be ideal, But if you don’t, you may end up having to freeze some milk to keep it.

Frozen Vegetables

A view of several packages of Kirkland Signature frozen broccoli florets, on display at a local Costco.
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Many people avoid buying these at Costco, but not just because of the portions you have to buy. They avoid them because they find that other grocery stores have their vegetables for less, particularly at Aldi and other discount grocery stores.

Hair Care Products

Young woman washing her head in the shower by shampoo
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While they do have a small section for these, it doesn’t have much variety. There are a lot of hair products you simply can’t find there, and when you do, you may be locked into buying several while you aren’t yet sure that the product will work for you.

Tires

Car tires at warehouse
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The selection they have on hand isn’t great. You’ll likely have to order the tires you need and wait for them to come in. Many people also report that their Costco tires have good prices but they wear out too quickly.

Sodas

aluminum cans of soda background
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So many items at Costco have great prices, but the sodas mysteriously don’t. They’re generally cheaper at a regular grocery store. It’s often best to skip buying them at Costco and pick them up at any other grocery store.

Beans

Red Kidney bean spilling out of a sack
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The prices of beans don’t tend to be very good. Not only are you locked into buying many of them at a time, but the price per package is often higher than at a standard grocery store.

Kirkland Diapers

A happy, content baby girl lying on her stomach doing tummy time to strengthen her back muscles. She is wearing a modern, reusable cloth diaper.
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The price of these at Costco isn’t great, but perhaps more importantly, they aren’t of very good quality. Diapers are one thing that you don’t want to buy if it’s of lesser quality and puts you in danger of blowouts.

Kirkland Toilet Paper

Young woman with a pile of toilet paper.
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Toilet paper is another place that you don’t want to skimp. The store-brand toilet paper at Costco is flimsy at best and tears easily. Many people avoid buying it to avoid a mess.

General Produce

Healthy woman washing an apple above kitchen sink while preparing fresh breakfast with fruit
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Costco isn’t known for the best produce. It tends to be overripe and goes bad quickly. Many shoppers avoid buying fruit there and get their produce at various grocery stores for better quality

Dog Food

A dog eating dry food from its bowl. A metal bowl stands on the floor, the dog eats proper and balanced food. Dietary advice for dogs from a veterinarian.
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There isn’t a lot of variety when it comes to dog food at Costco. It does carry some good brands, but much of what it sells isn’t of very good quality, especially the store-brand foods.

Paper Towels

Woman wiping plate with paper towel in kitchen
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Though there’s nothing wrong with their paper towels, they are big, bulky products that you’ll have to store in your home. An enormous package of them from Costco can take up a lot of space.

Bread

Whole grain bread put on kitchen wood plate with a chef holding gold knife for cut. Fresh bread on table close-up. Fresh bread on the kitchen table The healthy eating and traditional bakery concept
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Bread is another item that you have to buy a lot of and just hope it can go the distance. Bread does tend to get moldy after a while, and many households just can’t go through it fast enough to make the purchase worth it.

Linens

Neatly folded linen cupboard shelves storage at eco friendly straw basket placed closet organizer drawer divider. Stacks towels pillows plaids soft sheets bedding cabinet filling Nordic organization
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Many people are picky about the quality of their linens, and they’re not impressed by the ones that come from Costco. Linens are a very personal item, and it can pay to go somewhere with better quality and a larger selection.

Canned Foods

Young woman buying canned food at grocery store.
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The prices of canned foods at Costco don’t tend to be any lower than the prices at a regular or discount grocery store, and they’re often higher. It might be better to buy those elsewhere.

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Author: Lizz Shepherd

Bio:

Lizz Shepherd is a freelance writer living in Alabama.

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