4 Strategies to Slash Your Costco Spending

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Many people join Costco to save money on everyday items like groceries and cleaning supplies. But that doesn't mean you're happy with the amount you're spending at the store. If you're eager to slash your Costco bills, here are some tactics to employ.

1. Make a list -- and only enter aisles with items on your list

It's not uncommon to make a shopping list before you head out to buy groceries. But at a store like Costco with so much inventory, you need to take that concept a bit further.

Not only should you try to avoid straying from your list, but you should also make a point not to enter Costco aisles that don't contain a list item. If your list consists of nothing but food and paper products like plates and napkins, there's no reason for you to be in the apparel section of the store.

And it's not as if you're going to find cozy fleece jackets or comfy lounge pants amidst broccoli and tomatoes in the produce area, so staying out of that area is likely to prevent you from buying them.

2. See what's on sale before you go

Each month, Costco sends out a deal book that highlights the items it has on sale. You can find this information online if you don't get a physical mailer, or if yours goes missing.

It pays to see what's on sale because if a given item is discounted one month, it may not go back on sale for another three or four months. So if Costco is offering $5 off of your laundry detergent or go-to spray cleaner, you may want to buy it now, even if you're not set to run out for another few weeks.

It's not as if these items can't last for many months. And this way, you're buying them at a lower cost rather than waiting and paying more.

3. Do your shopping in stores

Many Costco stores are perpetually crowded, and the checkout lines can be long even when you go at off-peak times. For this reason, you may prefer to do your shopping on Costco.com. That's understandable, but it's probably costing you money.

Costco marks up the cost of its online inventory to account for the expense of shipping it out to you. A $23 case of chips might cost $20 in the store because you're hauling it home yourself. And there's usually an even greater markup on Costco's same-day delivery service for fresh groceries.

If you want to cut your Costco spending, psych yourself up to hit the store and do your shopping in person. Also, aim to go at times when the store may be a touch less busy, such as when it first opens or later at night.

If you don't have children yourself, another good bet may be to go during the late afternoon -- when many parents are busy picking their kids up from school and shuttling them around to activities.

4. Allow yourself one impulse buy per trip with a spending limit

Many people overspend at Costco because they're tempted by impulse purchases. So you may be wondering how it is that allowing yourself one per trip will save you money.

There's a logic to this tip, though. If you allow yourself a single unplanned buy per trip with a cost limit attached to it, that may be enough to satisfy that itch and keep you from buying multiple items on a whim.

Say you set a $15 limit for a single Costco impulse purchase per trip, and you shop at Costco twice a month. That's an extra $30 a month to work into your budget . But if you've been in the habit of spending $40 to $50 extra per Costco trip on impulse purchases, then this system actually reduces your costs substantially.

Of course, in an ideal world, you'd put the kibosh on impulse purchases at Costco, period. But we're all human, and that may be a struggle. So rather than ignore that urge completely, try giving into it in a manner that won't send your credit card bills soaring.

Cutting your Costco spending may not be as tough as you thought. Try these tactics and see if they work for you. You may find that your bills shrink.

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