I Regret Buying a Costco Membership — Here’s Why
Most people who pay for a Costco membership have few regrets. From cheap gas prices to high-quality foods, affordable items for the home — and let’s not forget the $5 rotisserie chicken — Costco is a shopper’s paradise.
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However, every once in a while you encounter someone who regrets buying a Costco membership. They are more than happy to share their reasons for feeling that way.
Curious, I polled real people on Facebook and scanned Reddit forums to find out why people might regret buying a Costco membership.
No Stores Nearby
Some members complained that they enjoyed their Costco membership and used it frequently, but then they moved to an area with no stores nearby. Costco might be worth the trip once in a while, but if you would burn up the gas savings with a long drive to get to the store, a membership may not be for you.
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Limited Hours
Store hours vary based on location, but on Long Island, New York, most Costco stores are open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. I’m a late-night shopper. I’m more inclined to visit Target just before its 11 p.m. closing time or even stop into a 24-hour Walmart.
The Store Is Too Overwhelming
“I find the large warehouse store with so many items, people, and even the lighting overwhelming,” said Elana Feinsmith, a certified financial therapist, certified financial planner and money coach at oakfinancialcoaching.com. “I regretted buying the membership at one point a few years ago because my friend who shopped with me moved, so I stopped going.”
The Store Doesn’t Take Mastercard
Lisamarie Arnold of Bay Shore, New York, doesn’t like that Costco refuses Mastercard credit cards — only cash, check, Visa, or debit cards. “I use my credit card for grocery shopping because I get double points and it’s a Mastercard,” she said.
You Spend Too Much Money
Have you ever gone into Costco for one or two items, like a rotisserie chicken for a quick dinner, and spent hundreds of dollars? There is a reason the warehouse club stocks its pre-packaged Kirkland Signature meals, as well as the famed rotisserie chickens, toward the rear of the store.
“If you get triggered at Costco to buy more than you really need, it may not be in your best interest to shop at Costco,” Feinsmith said. “The deals often seem too amazing to pass up, regardless of whether or not you need it.”
Products Get Discontinued Too Frequently
Most Costco shoppers know the disappointment of finding a brand of food, beverage, or household cleaner you love, only to find it’s discontinued. Savvy shoppers know to look for the asterisk on the price tag, indicating that a product won’t be restocked. The promise of new products is part of what makes shopping at Costco so exciting — but not for every shopper.
For Darice Mouquin Lang of Bellport, New York, the frequently rotating stock was a dealbreaker. “Their brands were not consistent. I had items I couldn’t find every visit. I gave up years ago.”
Should You Get a Costco Membership?
Feinsmith pointed out that every situation is different. Whatever your reason to visit or not visit Costco, you should think about the membership in terms of “cost per use.”
Whether or not you’re saving money on every purchase by shopping at Costco, if you enjoy the experience and buy items you love that you can’t find elsewhere, it’s worth the membership fee. “Because I didn’t go to Costco that year, it was wasted money,” Feinsmith said. “I finally found a new friend to go to Costco with and rejoined.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I Regret Buying a Costco Membership — Here’s Why
