Stop Wasting Money at Costco by Doing These 3 Things

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There's a reason so many people love shopping at Costco . Not only can you save money on essentials like groceries, but there are certain items you'll find at Costco that aren't available anywhere else.

But if you're not careful, instead of saving money at Costco, you might end up wasting it. If that's a trap you've fallen into, you can stop wasting money by doing these things.

1. Buying Kirkland Signature products over name brands

Kirkland is Costco's signature store brand, and you'll find the Kirkland label on a host of products. These range from food items to cleaning supplies to clothing.

You may be inclined to load up on the national brands you know and love. And you may find that those items are cheaper to buy at Costco in bulk than at your local supermarket or big-box store.

But you should know that when you buy Kirkland Signature products, you're getting a major discount. Costco specifically prices its Kirkland line so that it's at least 20% cheaper than its name-brand competitors.

In other words, a $10 item with a familiar label at Costco might cost $8 or less if you buy the Kirkland version. Over time, the savings there can really add up.

And if you're worried about quality, well, you shouldn't be. Costco's Kirkland line has a great reputation. And also, Costco guarantees your full satisfaction on any item you purchase. So if a given Kirkland buy doesn't work out so well, you should generally have no problem bringing it back for a refund.

2. Exploring the store in its entirely every time you shop

Shopping at Costco can be a bit of an adventure. The more aisles you hit, the more hidden treasures you might uncover.

But exploring Costco in its entirety could also mean opening the door to lots of impulse purchases. So if you've been known to overspend at Costco for this reason, it's time to break that cycle.

You can do so by making a shopping list each time you visit the store and pledging to stay out of aisles that don't contain a list item. Better yet, bring a shopping buddy along with you to help keep you out of those aisles.

3. Accepting free samples

Getting to chow down on free food samples is a big perk of shopping at Costco. And since you're allowed to try items more than once, you might even, on occasion, sample enough food for a free meal.

But there's a downside to trying those tasty food samples, and it's being tempted to add grocery items to your cart you weren't initially planning to buy. Not only can this add to your tab, but it could put you at risk of wasting money by throwing food away.

It's one thing to enjoy a tasty bite of edamame dumpling while you're doing your Costco shopping. It's another thing to bring home a case of 72 of those that you and your family may or may not end up eating. So be careful with accepting food samples at Costco if they've been known to lead you to extra spending and wasteful purchases in the past.

The whole point of joining Costco is to save money -- not the opposite. These changes could help you stop throwing your money away and make the most of your membership.

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