What I don't buy at Costco

Earlier this week, I told you all why I hate Costco

Yesterday, I shared with you some of the things that I do think are a good value to buy at Costco.

Today, I am going to share with you the things I don't buy at Costco.

Some of them might surprise you.

Samples

It's not hard to make a meal out of the samples at Costco if you time it just right.

Most people stop and try the sample.  If you are shopping with kids, your kids will often try the sample too. I've been amazed at some of the samples my kids have willingly tried.

Samples at Costco are like casinos.  

They aren't losing money on them.

Costco provides samples because people buy what they sample.

It's happened to the best of us.

I've even been coerced by my kids to buy an item that has been sampled because they promise they will eat it.  They usually don't.

Most of the samples that are offered are convenience processed foods. These items rarely make it through my front door.

So while it's nice to try them once in awhile, I usually skip on the sample item.

If I really like the item I will make note of the price, compare the item at my regular grocery store, and if it seems like a better deal and I am still craving that item on my next Costco trip, I will pick it up.

Remember, Costco makes its money on your impulsivity.

Milk2 gallons for $4.93I don't know what genius engineer decided to make square milk but whoever it was should be shot.I had a friend tell me that at her local Costco in the Midwest they offered lessons on how to pour milk from a Costco milk jug.Really???  If you need lessons, the design is all wrong.If I buy the milk from Costco, I would venture to guess on the conservative side that at least a quarter of the milk gets spilled while pouring.  While price per gallon it's comparative to our local grocery store, when you spill a good portion of it, it is no longer a good deal.
Eggs24 count for $2.98Do a price comparison at your local grocery store.  This isn't a good deal for our family.

ElectronicsWe rarely buy new electronics, but when we bought our first new TV (we have been married nearly 14 years!...who knew we could go that long without brand new electronics or even a flat screen?!), my husband did his homework.  He compared prices at Costco with those at other big box electronics stores and found the best deal on the highest quality TV in our price range to be had at Video Only.

CerealThe cereal selection is minimal and it is often times twice the price of what you would pay for cereal at your grocery store, even without a coupon.

Shampoo/ConditionerPrice compare, the shampoo and conditioner costs twice as much at Costco as it does at your local drug store.
Health and Beauty itemsDo you really need a 6 month supply of toothpaste?Or a years supply of soap?And while you are at it, do you really want to spend twice as much on it, not to mention the cost of storing it in your home.

Paper GoodsWhile toilet paper and paper towels are usually a staple in Costco carts, I did the math for you and found that buying these items at Costco is not a better deal.Plates/BowlsFor 12 years my husband and I had the same plates and bowls that we had gotten for a wedding present. The plates were starting to get old and scratched, but overall were in good shape.However, I started getting the itch to buy new dinnerware.So when I saw some boxes of plates/bowls that I liked at Costco I bought them.They are the worst!Most of the dinnerware has ended up like this.I don't know what they were made of, but they somehow seem so much more fragile than the dinnerware we had for over a decade.  Learn from our mistake.  Skip it!
Remember, the best way to save money while shopping at a big box warehouse is to know your prices.Know what you spend on the items you regularly buy and quickly do the math to make sure you are getting a good deal, either at Costco or at your regular grocery store.
What do you think?Did I miss anything?What would you add to the list of items not to buy?