Over the years , big - box retailers likeCostcohave become increasingly popular with families and modest job owners who are looking to carry through superfluous money .
From its much - celebrated$1.50 hot hot dog and tonic combodeal to its affordableprescription drug program , there ’s a lot to appreciate about Costco , especially if you have a turgid household or are trying to puzzle nigh to a budget .
But not everything the retail merchant offers is a great deal . In trueness , there are still some item at the store that you should believably steer clear of . Below , we rounded up some of the products you should consider skipping the next fourth dimension you hit up your neighborhood Costco .
Bagels
Kirkland Signature - brand bagels issue forth in atwo - packmade of two six - bagel sleeves ( 12 in total ) . Unless you have a large sept or you ’re buying these for a work event , chances are that you ’ll never get through all those bagels before they start to get moldy .
Customers who opt to go for these jumbo bags often have to throw out a lot of extra beigel , which neutralize the note value of buying in mass in the first space . In fact , there ’s even aReddit challengefor two - person home , wherein they race to try and finish a two - pack before signs of mold begin to show .
Spices
Spices start to suffer their potency over time , so it ’s unbelievable that buy spices in bulk at Costco would be good for most fair house . Longevity diverge depending on the spice . Fordried herbslike oregano and rosemary , you could get between a yr to three years of quality ledge liveliness . Powdered spices — such as chili powder and ground cinnamon — last a act longer but only up to about three years . give how much you ’ll get at Costco , you should plausibly skip these unless you ’re running a eating house .
Bulk Fresh Produce
You probably already have a tough meter using all of the bags of tater and other veggies you break up up at the grocery store . If you ’re the form of person who rarely gets through a whole software of strawberries before they begin to get icky , the amount of bulk fresh green goods you ’re liable to get at Costco wo n’t make the job any better . chance are , it will make it seem unfit — and more wasteful .
Though you may always suspend ripe strawberry ( and other fruit ) to sustain their lifespan , buying new ( or flash frozen , entail it was quickly freeze ) is always better . So or else , stick to small quantities at your local store or Fannie Farmer ’s market that you know you have a better chance of actually conquering .
Flour
Although most supermarket trade 2 - pound to 5 - pound grip of all - purpose flour , Costco sells Kirkland Signature - brand flour in atwo - pack of 10 - British pound sterling bags , or 20 pounds of flour total . This is far too much flour for the median bread maker to get through before it goes spoilt , which usually happens after a year ( though sometypes of flourexpire faster than others ) . Unless you ’re draw clean wampum on a day-to-day ground , you should probably stick with your local food market memory board rather of Costco .
Cooking Oil
You might think you need a lot of cooking crude oil , especially if you ’re a gourmet who whips up dishes for the whole family on the regular . But you ’re really gettinga lotof oil when you buy at Costco — the retailer sellsolive crude and extra virtuous Olea europaea oilin 2 - l to 3 - liter container . you may also receive 3 - quart bottles of canola oil and vegetable crude .
For an average menage , that ’s just too much . Most cookery oil depart rancid within a yr , so an integral bottle will likelyspoilbefore you even get a chance to put it to use . Do yourself a favor and skip this buy , allure though it may be .
Mattresses
Yes , Costco sells mattress . However , unlike with brick - and - mortar mattress stores , you ca n’t essay before you corrupt . The retailer does n’t have a salesroom floor where you’re able to lay down and test bed until you find the correct one that fits your eternal sleep style .
While you may always buy one and then return it to Costco ( a summons that someRedditors claimis passably easy to do ) , is it really deserving hauling a mattress home , setting it up , deciding against it , re - pack it , and then hale it all the way back to Costco for a refund ? Instead , you could skip the trouble altogether and just go to a proper mattress storehouse .
Something You’ve Never Tried
When you go foodstuff shopping , it ’s always tempting to fling on some things that are not on your tilt . You know — something enticing on an goal cap that you mayhap just feel a sudden impulse to try out . Though devolve a few extra long horse at a supermarket checkout to assay a unexampled candy bar or soda ash is mostly harmless , spend more than a few dollars for something you ’ve never essay in bulk — like , say , Organic Blue Agave — feels like it could potentially be more of a waste matter .
If you end up detest it , then you ’re stuck with something in bulk . Costco does have a90 - day return policyon electronics ( which covers major appliances and small gadgets , like pill and televisions ) , and beyond electronics , some shopper have had good luck withreturningother bulk purchases ( like dog treats ) . But it still produce an extra hassle and if you ’re the form of shopper who does n’t wish to make multiple trips back to the store , there ’s a big hypothesis that that bulk particular will just model around , collecting debris .
In some big - casing scenario , you could stop up throwing something out after it has been sitting in your kitchen storage locker for months . So , a good rule of thumb when you ’re at Costco ? Stick to those tried - and - true products you recognise and love — just as long as it ’s not something we ’ve already mentioned in this article .
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