Shopping Habits That Don't Align with Costco Membership

3 Shopping Habits Making Costco Membership Not Ideal for Everyone

Costco is a great option for some people to save money, but warehouse shopping won't work for everyone. Don't join if these are your buying preferences.

1. Using manufacturer coupons

Manufacturer coupons can help you keep more money in your bank account by reducing the prices of things you buy. But not at Costco. The store accepts no manufacturer coupons at all.

If you regularly bring a handful of coupons from the newspaper or printed manufacturer coupons to your local grocery store, then you'll likely be disappointed when this strategy doesn't work and you're turned down at the Costco register. Since coupons, when used properly, can save you a lot of money, you're most likely better off just sticking to what you're currently doing at your local grocery or drugstore.

2. Mostly shopping online

If the idea of getting up, leaving your house, and going to a warehouse club to pick up all of your items leaves you feeling a sense of dread, you should not even consider joining Costco.

See, while you can shop at Costco.com, doing so will cost you more. Costo's online prices are higher than those in the warehouse club, and there isn't even an option for free grocery pickup or delivery without paying markups through Instacart.

3. Buying small amounts of fresh food regularly

If you tend to be a person who regularly purchases small amounts of fresh food rather than stocking up on frozen or non-perishable items, then Costco may not provide enough value to make a membership worth it.

Costco items tend to come in very large packages, and while the store does sell produce like fresh fruits and veggies, you'll usually need to buy a lot at once -- like three pounds of apples or a two-pack of cantaloupes. If you typically figure out what you want to eat on the day of and stop at the store on your way home, Costco's large sizes may not mesh well with your lifestyle.