I've shopped at Costco for over a decade. Here are the 8 biggest mistakes I see customers make.

Getting the wrong Costco membership

Costco offers different levels of membership, but if you're a frequent shopper who buys most of your household goods at the chain, it may make sense to upgrade to the executive tier.

A Costco executive membership costs $130 a year — an additional $65 from the base option — but it offers an annual 2% reward on qualifying purchases, up to $1,250.

Only buying brand-name products

Costco's Kirkland Signature line offers high-quality products for relatively cheap, often through relationships with large brands.

For example, I've seen some Kirkland Signature house-blend coffee that's roasted by Starbucks (as indicated on the package) but often sold for several dollars less than the name-brand beans.

Other products, like Kirkland Signature batteries, are also reportedly made by a major brand.

To ensure you're getting the best quality, just do your research before you opt for the house label.

Not taking advantage of restaurant gift cards

At the wholesale chain, the restaurant gift cards typically cost less than their value, so you can get more food than you're paying for.

For instance, I've seen a two-pack of California Pizza Kitchen gift cards containing $100 worth of restaurant credit for $80 — leading to about $20 in savings.

Automatically buying precut steaks instead of the whole roast

Even though you can find a pack of precut steaks in the meat section, it's usually cheaper to buy the whole roast.

For example, on one visit, precut New York steak was priced at $15 per pound, but the whole roast costs $12 per pound.

Though having your steaks already cut is convenient, you can easily purchase the whole slab and slice it at home. This tip is especially helpful to save money when feeding a crowd.

This may not always be the case, though, so be sure to check the prices before deciding what to purchase.

Forgetting to carefully read the price tags

Costco's price tags aren't meaningless.

If the price of an item ends in $0.99, then it's being sold at the regular cost. But tags with $0.97 typically indicate the product is discounted or on clearance.

Price tags ending in $0.00 or $0.88 can signal a "manager markdown," which means the product may have been a floor model or return, among other reasons. Closely inspect the item before purchasing it to make sure it's not damaged or missing any parts.

An asterisk next to the price — often referred to as "the death star" by Costco regulars — indicates this item will not be restocked, so you may want to buy more than one.

Improperly storing Costco's baked goods

Costco's bakery offers some great deals — you can find a dozen muffins or bagels for relatively cheap. However, it can be difficult to eat them all before they get stale.

To avoid food waste, individually package each item in plastic wrap as soon as you get home. You can leave some out on the counter to enjoy over the next few days and store the rest in the freezer.

When you want to eat one, simply thaw the frozen muffin, bagel, or croissant in the microwave for 20 seconds, then toast it in the oven or air fryer at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about five minutes to let the outside get nice and crispy.

You can also take it out of the freezer the night before and leave it on the counter to enjoy in the morning.

Not utilizing Costco's internal price-matching policies

If an item goes on sale within 30 days of your purchase from Costco, you can request a refund for the price difference, though there may be some seasonal exceptions.

Although it can be difficult to keep tabs on every product you buy, doing so may be especially helpful for high-cost items.

However, you can't use this policy to compare the price of online orders to in-store warehouse offers.

Shopping on the weekends

If you walk into just about any Costco on a Saturday or Sunday, you're almost sure to find crowds and long lines. You may even have to circle the lot just to snag a parking spot.

This increased foot traffic can also lead to certain items going out of stock and longer waits at the food court.

To avoid this, it's best to go on a weekday. But if you must shop on the weekend, I recommend arriving 30 minutes before opening — there might already be a small line outside the entrance.

This story was originally published in November 2022, and most recently updated on February 4, 2026.