Stop wasting your money at Costco and start doing something like this instead

For many people, joining Costco is a smart personal finance decision. The money you spend on your membership ($60 for the basic version and $120 for the Executive version) will pay for itself in the form of savings on groceries throughout the year.

However, your specific habits could cause you to waste money during your Costco shopping process. Here are three ways you can stop and replace it with something better to stay on budget.

1. Instead of buying items you rarely use in bulk, buy them from regular stores.

Costco’s prices often cannot keep up with the price per ounce or per unit. Therefore, it makes sense to buy items you use regularly in bulk. Where you run the risk of wasting money is by purchasing items you rarely use in bulk.

You might think it’s a good idea to buy a bulk bag of pecans before Thanksgiving because, on a cost-per-ounce basis, you’ll pay less at Costco than you would at a regular supermarket. But if you only need pecans to make one pie and you don’t normally eat them, why buy four pounds at once?

Pecans, like other nuts, can go bad after a few months. So, in such cases, don’t pursue mass savings. If you throw away half of your stuff, you won’t save anything.

2. Stop hoarding produce and check out your local discount grocery store first.

Produce tends to have a very limited shelf life. You might buy a box of strawberries that look great on Monday, but on Thursday they might look limp and moldy.

That’s why, to save money on produce, it’s often better to check with a discount grocery store than buy from Costco. It’s one thing if you make a lot of strawberry jam and need a lot of fresh strawberries to use up in a day. But buying a week’s worth of fruit (or vegetables) doesn’t make sense in terms of freshness.

The only reason I buy bulk produce at Costco is because I have a large family. will do Eat all the berries or produce of your choice within about 72 hours.

3. Stop overpaying and request a price adjustment when you miss a deal.

It’s happened to all of us. You buy your favorite crackers, granola bars, or chips at the grocery store, only to open the box and see the same items on sale a week later.

The good news is that you don’t have to pay higher prices when you shop at Costco. Costco offers price adjustments for items purchased within 30 days of sale. But you have to take the time to go to customer service and ask. It’s an easy way to get your money back, so why not give it a try? You can also request a price adjustment for your online purchase by logging into your Costco.com account.

Costco offers many savings opportunities, but certain mistakes can end up wasting your money. Avoiding these three things will help you get the most out of your membership without spending more than you need to.

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