Stuff I Didn't Know I Needed… Until I Went to Costco
I love Costco, but I have one bone to pick with it: it's incredibly good at separating me from my money.
Something about walking through those doors makes me suddenly "need" a new cookbook, a knife set, or a giant jug of something. Nobody just pops into Costco. You settle in for the afternoon.
So instead of pretending I'm immune, let's own it. Here's a lighthearted walk through the kinds of things that tempt me every single trip, followed by the tricks I use to keep the damage under control.
The Temptations
Tires. Yes, Costco sells them, and they're often parked suspiciously close to the entrance. Coincidence? Nothing at Costco is a coincidence.
Books. The book tables are dangerous. Bestsellers at a discount, right at cart height.
Seasonal "happy lights." Here in the Pacific Northwest, I'm guessing these fly off the shelves every winter.
Interlocking foam flooring. I nearly grabbed this for under the puppy pen. Nearly.
Multipacks of gadgets, like three headlamps with batteries for barely more than the price of one elsewhere.
Garden gloves. This one got me. A six-pack of women's gloves for a few dollars? I wear out a pair every year, so into the cart they went.
Fruit trees. Because nothing says "quick grocery run" like coming home with a cherry tree.
A stainless steel cooler on wheels. No idea what I'd use it for. Still wanted it.
The bakery. A three-pack of pound cakes. Enough said.
And the samples. They're designed to make everything sound delicious. (And why do sample lines turn everyone so competitive?)
What I Actually Bought
My haul: dog food, toilet paper, those garden gloves, a rotisserie chicken, mac and cheese, and Goldfish crackers. About half wasn't on my list, but the rotisserie chicken made dinner cheaper than eating out, so I'm calling it a win.
How to Keep Costco Trips on Budget
- Bring a list and a number. Decide what you're buying and your spending limit before you walk in.
- Eat first. Shopping hungry (even with samples) leads to bigger carts.
- Give yourself one "fun buy." Allow a single unplanned item per trip so you don't feel deprived.
- Walk away and come back. If something tempts you, leave it and see if you still want it at the end of the trip. Usually you won't.
- Do the unit-price math. Bulk isn't always cheaper, and it's never a deal if half of it spoils.
- Check the monthly coupon book and plan around items you already use.
- Skip the aisles you don't need. The center aisles are where the impulse buys live.
For more ways to save, see our insider Costco shopping tips.
What section of Costco tempts you the most?
