There’s a reason so many loyal Costco customers renew their memberships year after year. Where else can you buy a whole rotisserie chicken for under $5, or fill up your car with the cheapest gas in town?
But while a Costco membership has the potential to offer plenty of value, that doesn’t mean you should keep paying for it. And if you cancel yours now and get refunded the $65 a basic Gold Star membership costs per year or the $130 an Executive membership costs, that’s extra money you can use for holiday purchases. Here are a few signs that it may be best to cut ties with Costco before the end of the year.
1. You overspend every time you go to Costco
Following a budget is tough to do in its own right. But stores like Costco can make it even harder.
It’s one thing to be tempted by a few extra grocery items at your local supermarket. It’s another thing to hit up Costco for milk and eggs only to come out with $100 worth of apparel and household items that caught your eye.
If you overspend pretty much every time you go to Costco, you may want to break that cycle ahead of the holiday season. In the coming weeks, you might spend a lot of extra money on gifts, decorations, and travel. So it’s a bad time to be constantly tempting yourself.
2. You keep throwing away a large portion of your bulk food purchases
Buying groceries in bulk at Costco could help you save more money, especially if you’re using one of the best credit cards for Costco. But that assumes you’re actually eating that food instead of throwing it away.
If you keep having to toss out expired or spoiled food from Costco, perhaps buying in bulk isn’t right for your family. Maybe you have picky eaters who change their minds frequently. Or maybe you have an erratic schedule that makes it harder to plan and cook meals.
But either way, there may be no reason to keep paying for Costco if bulk purchases aren’t a good fit for your family. Instead, stick to a regular supermarket and use the right credit cards to save big on your purchases. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for groceries.
3. You’ve moved, and getting to Costco is no longer convenient
Maybe you used to spend 10 minutes max getting to your nearest Costco store. But if you’ve since moved, and your nearest Costco is now 30 minutes away, getting there might be a huge hassle.
It makes sense to drive a little bit out of your way to enjoy the savings Costco has to offer. But driving for a total of an hour (or more) to get to Costco is less reasonable. In that case, you may want to see if there’s another warehouse club store, like Sam’s Club, in closer proximity.
4. You hate going there
Some people love the experience of shopping at Costco, while others utterly dread it. And it’s easy to see why.
Costco stores tend to be crowded, especially on weekends. And Costco’s sheer size and selection of inventory can be overwhelming.
If you’ve reached the point where you’ll do just about anything to avoid going to Costco, then it’s a sign you should stop paying for a membership. Sometimes, it’s worth spending extra money to preserve your mental health. So if you don’t mind shopping at your local supermarket but you absolutely loathe those Costco visits, it may be worth paying a few dollars more each week to load up your pantry and fridge.
Just because millions of people continue to pay for Costco memberships doesn’t mean you have to. And if these signs apply to you, there’s no reason to continue going there. Instead, cancel in the coming weeks so you can pocket your refund before 2024 comes to an end.
