12 Overpriced Items at Costco (Yes, Costco!)

Costco is a great option if you want to load up on non-perishables, are having a party, or have a large family.

However, buying in bulk isn’t always the best deal. Some items you typically buy at Costco may be cheaper at your local supermarket. 

And even if the deal is unbelievable, it’s important to consider if you’ll be able to use all of it before the expiration date.

To help you fight the high cost of groceries and other goods, here are 12 Costco items you can skip.

Sure, getting two bags of bagels for under $10 seems like a good idea, but unless you’re having several people over for breakfast, these baked goods will likely go bad before you can finish them. 

The same goes for many other bakery items Costco offers in bulk (like their double loaves of bread).

If you’re buying for an event where many people will be eating together, Costco can offer great bargains. If not, you’re probably spending more than you would at your local grocery or bagel shop.

Costco also offers enormous bags of shredded cheese at what may seem like bargain prices — like $17 for two 2.5-pound bags of a shredded Mexican-style blend. But dairy products go bad quickly — especially a bag that requires only a powerlifter can carry.

Unless you’re having a dozen people (probably more) over for tacos, it’s unlikely that you’ll use even one of these massive bags of cheese before it begins to grow mold.

If you do decide to get shredded cheese in bulk, keep the excess in the freezer.

Parents with young children have to buy a lot of diapers, so buying in bulk may seem like a smart financial choice. But Costco may not offer the best price here.

Costco members can buy a 192-pack of size 1 Kirkland diapers for just under $40, but Walmart offers 198 Pampers diapers for about 1 cent less per diaper.

 To shop smart, parents may have to do a bit of shopping around.

Costco members can regularly score decent deals on boxes of pasta. For example, a four-pack of two-pound boxes of Barilla spaghetti is less than $13. 

But keep in mind that grocery stores often run deals on boxes of pasta as well, sometimes selling one-pound boxes for less than a dollar.

So if you don’t need eight pounds of pasta right now, waiting for a sale at the grocery store — and nabbing just what you need — may be the best bet.

A common complaint among Costco customers is that they can’t get far into their bulk bag of Costco avocados without the rotting beginning.

The smarter move may be to wait for a deal at your local grocery and pick a few avocados yourself to get the right level of ripeness.

However, if you happen to be making a vat of guacamole, Costco’s bag of six avocados for around $6 may be worth it.

If you’re looking to create a cozy corner for your furry friend without breaking the bank, Costco may not be the best place to shop. 

They have plenty of options online, and except for very tiny beds, most cost between $50 to $100 or more.

By comparison, Chewy — a favorite among pet parents — offers many bed options in the $20 to $50 range.

Believe it or not, laundry detergent does expire. If you open a bottle of detergent, it’s best to use it all within six months or risk it losing some of its effectiveness.

So a 237-ounce jug of laundry detergent for around $24 is only really a great deal if you plan to do 158 loads of laundry over the next six months.

Costco is also not the best place to shop if you’re potty training a pup. While you can nab a 100-count box of absorbent pads from Costco for about $22, Amazon offers a box of 100 for $19.99.

However, do note that Costco’s puppy pads are a bit larger than the Amazon option.

If you want to be environmentally conscious while training your pup, Chewy and Amazon both have several options for washable pee pads. These will likely save you more in the long run as well.

Since Amazon offers most of its big discounts on bulk products, members shouldn’t expect to save on items like books. 

While you certainly can pick some up during a Costco haul, the financially savvy move would be to check other sellers like Amazon, Target, or even your local bookstore before spending the extra cash at Costco.

The prepared meat items may seem like a great deal. However, grocery giants rely on their customers’ willingness to jump at impulse buys like these.

These prepared foods are also often marked up a great deal, so don’t expect Costco to be any more of a bargain than your local grocery store.

Costco makes its money by buying in bulk and passing off some of those discounts on to customers. So if you purchase a single item, you’re likely not getting a better deal than you would from any other retailer.

For example, one gallon of low-fat milk at Costco is $3.38. A gallon of skim milk at Walmart, meanwhile, is $2.86.

Costco prides itself on being a place that has everything — and in many ways, it is. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should buy everything there.

Members have taken to online communities to complain about the prices of holiday decorations at the wholesale retailer. There are plenty of other stores — particularly Amazon — that offer cheaper festive decor.

Of course, there's the question of quality. But since holiday decor spends so little time each year on display, the cheaper option may be the smarter one.

While Costco has no shortage of amazing deals (some of which are hard to turn down), not everything the wholesale retailer has to offer is a must-buy. 

Those on a budget should compare price, quantity, and quality before assuming bulk buys will save more money.

Before you shop, it also might be worth grabbing a Costco credit card — that way, you could save even more money in the long run.