These Are Best And Worst Deals To Be Had At Costco In 2024

Updated: Feb 7, 2024By Matt SklarFood

This article originally appeared on Investing.com. It has been republished here with permission.

Costco ©Adriana/stock.adobe.com

Some may scoff at those who are thrifty– coupon clippers, bulk buyers, people in search of any deal they can find, but what we all must accept is that the idea of supply and demand is so prevalent in our everyday life that we are naturally wired to think economically. No matter how much or how little you care about saving money, we all must make small choices every day that impact how we make the most of the resources we have.

Shopping at Costco is a good example of how small choices add up. You can save a lot of money if you know which bargains to go for (and which to avoid). Costco has been around since 1983, and it has gotten a reputation for wholesale prices on many great brands. Its own brand, Kirkland, is also well-liked.

Scarcity is inevitable, especially in today’s world. So whether or not you are looking to save five cents on milk, or shy away from being suckered into a giant bag of pretzels, let’s look at these Costco products holistically, as a metaphor for humanity’s inevitable need to make economic choices.

1. Laundry Detergent

Average Price: $18 per 200 oz*
Verdict: Skip it

Did you know that laundry detergent has a shelf life? Yep. That’s correct. The magical cleaning liquid only lasts about 6 months once opened, according to most experts. Even the top-of-the-line Tide bottles have a rather short shelf life. So one or two bottles may suit you, but don’t buy too much in bulk unless you plan to go through it all.

Laundry Detergent ©David Tonelson / Shutterstock.com

Costco’s Kirkland brand of Ultra Clean, “Free and Clear,” detergent has received some troubling reviews, including some users reporting a bit of skin irritation or contact dermatitis after washing their clothes. So, you may gather that this detergent is neither free nor clear.

Though most laundry detergents have at least a little shelf life beyond their expiration date, you should be careful. Expired detergents are less effective, and they often lose their scene. Expired detergents also can become clumpy, clogging up your washing machine (an expensive inconvenience) if you use an automatic dispenser.

2. Unbaked Pastries

Average Price: $0.20 per cookie based on a 22.99 pack of 120 balls of cookie dough*
Verdict: Buy it

Let’s face it. We all need a cookie every now and then. But do we really want to spend any more than 2 cents per cookie? Maybe we would. That said, who doesn’t love the idea of having a whole bunch of frozen cookies on standby for whenever your, “cookie moment” arises?

Unbaked Pies @renacorwin / Twitter.com | Cookie Dough ©Rosdaniar / Shutterstock.com

A little known Costco hack: ask the bakery counter for unbaked cookie dough balls. For only $22.99, you get a big ol’ box of cookie dough, enough to make 120 cookies! That comes out to two cents a cookie. Simply, wow. Not even the Hershey Company can offer a deal like that. Watch out Costco, the Cookie Monster might be coming to visit soon.

You can also ask for other unbaked goods, including uncooked pastries, croissants, and anything your sweet tooth might desire. A quick tip for unbaked cookie dough is that placing it in your fridge for at least thirty minutes before baking will make it spread less during baking. That way, your cookies will be richer.

3. Books

Average Price: $14.99*
Verdict: Skip it

Books are an ancient form of entertainment and throughout history have been influential in shaping our culture, personal identities, world politics, and much more. Books are really important. All that aside, from a purely economic standpoint, our research has led us to believe that the books offered at Costco are not really any better of a deal than you can find elsewhere.

Books @drdominee / Twitter.com

You can get them on Amazon pretty cheap and you can also get audiobooks and digital e-books there. You can even get used books. When it comes to Costco, if you’re looking for some page-turners, maybe it’s best to look elsewhere. Stay away from airport books, however, where they are most overpriced.

Additionally, it doesn’t make sense to buy books in bulk, unless you’re a speed reader. What may have caught your eye one day in the book section of Costco might no longer be interesting a few weeks later. Buying second-hand (or even going to the good ol’ library) is the best option.

4. Toilet Paper

Average Price: $0.50 – $0.75* per roll
Verdict: Buy it

Essentials like toilet paper are perhaps the most coveted items on any average day of the week, but especially so in the times of a global pandemic. We all want to make sure we keep things sanitary and Costco is one of the most efficient places to procure the rolled papyrus at its lowest available price.

Toilet Paper @Sterling W / Youtube.com

Though Costco is one of the most cost-effective places to buy toilet paper in bulk (particularly their Kirkland brand, which is the cheapest), you’ll likely be subject to purchasing restrictions. Right now, Costco limits their toilet paper quantities to one package per person. This is pretty on par with everywhere else, so don’t let that discourage you.

Did you know that toilet paper was actually invented in China in the year 1391 for the family of the Chinese Emperor? Little did they know it would one day be used by teenage pranksters to decorate their school principal’s yard.

5. Coffee

Average Price: $5.50/lb.*
Verdict: Skip it

Not all coffee is created equal. This makes determining the value of a particular brand of coffee extremely difficult. The Kirkland brand of ground Columbian coffee only comes in a three-pound tin. Most coffee connoisseurs agree that coffee does not stay fresh as fast as you can consume three pounds of it.

Coffee ©David Tonelson / Shutterstock.com

Because of this relatively short shelf life, it might be better to stick to smaller bags of beans, or perhaps even find yourself a coffee grinder and purchase whole beans that will stay fresh longer and therefore make for better coffee. Or find yourself a cup of Joe from the Starbucks.

For people who aren’t expert-level coffee connoisseurs, you can tell when your coffee has gone stale if it tastes bland. Though you can usually brew coffee up to six months after it has been roasted, it won’t taste as good as it did when you brew it while it’s fresh.

6. Blender

Average Price: $69.99
Verdict: Buy it

Consumers can often find pretty good deals on single appliance items when shopping at Costco. This is because they use these items as incentives to keep you shopping there and buying bulk items. So why not take advantage of their little tricks?

Blender @ExploresRetail / Twitter.com

Next time you need a new blender you may want to consider checking the Costco prices because you could find a pretty good deal, and deals are important in today’s day and age. Currently, Costco has a good variety of blenders of different price points, most of them more affordable than what you’ll find at Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores.

An example of the variety of blenders that Costco has includes the Nutribullet, Wolf High Performance, and Ninja. Basically, if you’re in need of blending or juicing something, there’s a very likely chance that you’ll find the perfect appliance for your needs at Costco. Costco also sells toasters, microwaves, coffeemakers, and other kitchen must-haves.

7. Fresh Fruit

Average Price: Between $1.05 to $1.56/lb*
Verdict: Skip it

If you are an avid compost bin user and want to keep your bin plenty full of old rotting produce that you didn’t use because you bought too much at a time, then Costco is the perfect place for you. However, if you don’t like wasting food, buying fresh fruit and vegetables in bulk may not be your best bet.

Fresh Fruit ©mokjc / Shutterstock.com

Insider listed some of the potential dangers of eating food past its expiration date, and they are not pretty. You could develop food poisoning symptoms, according to nutritionist Summer Yule, M.S. These include fever, chills, nausea, stomach cramps, and even vomiting. It’s best to play it safe and never eat anything expired.

Costco keeps their prices low by procuring massive amounts of produce from large corporate farms, and most of what you will find will be your average varietals and most commonly purchased goods. If you want some real variety and don’t mind spending a little more, check out your local farmers market!

8. Frozen Fruit

Average Price: $1.50/lb*
Verdict: Buy it

You can pretty freeze any kind of fruit and it will stay good for a really really long time. That’s why it’s a great idea to take advantage of Costco’s perennial low prices on frozen fruit. If you found a good deal on a nice new blender, maybe it’s the perfect time to pick up some frozen fruit.

Frozen Fruit @Big Tent Vegan / Pinterest.com

Frozen fruit is a different story than thawed fruit. CNN stated that it might be time to “favor frozen” over regular. There are a lot of benefits to frozen fruits and veggies, and a main one is that you can enjoy your favorite foods even in their off-season (usually wintertime).

In addition to being great for smoothies, frozen fruit can be enjoyed as a healthy afternoon snack as well. Whether its bananas, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, a mix of berries, pineapple, or peaches, frozen fruit can benefit your life in countless ways. And with a selection that rivals General Mills Inc, the deals are definitely worth your tummy.

9. Spices

Average Price: $5.49*
Verdict: Skip it

You may be easily tempted by a massive container of onion powder but a word of the wise, don’t buy a massive container of onion powder. Many people believe that spices have an infinite shelf life, but they really only stay fresh for 6 months to a year. How often do you really need to whip out the coriander?

Spices @ Corona Communications, Marketing & Design / Pinterest.com

Eat This Not That actually went so far as to say you should “never” buy spices in bulk. The website pointed out that spices go stale rapidly. The more refined and processed a spice is, the quicker it will lose flavor. Ground spices have half a year before they lose potency. Whole spices have a year.

Another reason not to buy spices in bulk is that often there is a reason those spices are cheap. You can often find better tasting and more potent spices in smaller containers from your local grocery store, such as Safeway or VONS (both owned by Albertsons).

10. Gasoline

Average Price: Between $2.53 and $2.66 per gallon*
Verdict: Buy it

If there’s any clear-cut, hands-down, battle-proven example of Costco’s membership incentive, it’s the gas. Once you have a Costco membership you will automatically be able to get gas at Costco stations for about twenty percent less than the average station in the neighborhood.

Apartment Therapy did the math on Costco’s gas prices back in 2019, and it found that the mega-store’s gas is about 21 cents less per gallon when compared to direct competitors (sorry, Chevron Corp). This means that Costco is among the top lowest-priced brands for fuel in the nation. Kirkland Signature’s fuel conforms to “Top Tier” standards.

The only downside to this price advantage is the cost of your time. Since the lines are long for gas, you may want to drop off a significant other or grumpy teenager at the front of Costco to get a head start on shopping while you wait in line to fill up.

11. Milk

Average Price: $3.65 per gallon*
Verdict: Skip it

The milk at Costco is fine. Just fine. It tastes fine, it looks fine and it is priced fine. Why shouldn’t you buy it? The jug. The jugs that Costco uses for its one-gallon containers have taken the internet by storm because of a serious design flaw.

Many users report an unsatisfactory loss of milk when it spills around, claiming its spout dribbles milk all over. That’s very frustrating for any milk drinker, especially milk drinkers who are serious enough about their milk drinking to report milk jug design flaw findings on the internet.

The Kitchn called Costco’s milk jugs “abysmal,” while another review site simply said that the jugs “Stink!” While Costco might have been trying to be original with the square shape of the jug, it simply hasn’t worked out. The jug is way too hard to pour, leaking the majority of the time.

12. Cereal

Average Price: $8.99 for 61.9 oz box of Frosted Flakes*
Verdict: Buy it

Cereal was built for one reason and one reason only. To be affordable and last a while. That’s why cereal ranks highly on our list of things best suited for Costco’s business model as well as for consumer’s pocketbooks.

Whether you like Frosted Flakes, Frosted Mini-Wheats, anything frosted really, or Kirkland’s infamous Ancient Grains Granola, you really are doing a service to your bank account by choosing wisely to procure a large amount at a low price. No question about it, if you like Costco, Cereal, and low prices, you’ve come to the right place.

The difference between other products we’ve cautioned against buying in bulk and cereal is that you likely eat cereal in high quantities. It’s America’s favorite breakfast food. According to Insider, cereal stays fresh after opening for four to six months (if it is unopened, it will last six to eight months past the expiration date on the box).

13. Canned Vegetables

Average Price: $5.99/12, 6 oz. cans*
Verdict: Skip it

You would think canned vegetables would be a great Costco purchase since they have such a long shelf life. That said, the shelf life of canned goods is only very long before the cans are opened. So if you open a giant bulk-sized can of corn, you’re gonna have like a week or so to finish that corn.

Canned Vegetables ©David Tonelson / Shutterstock.com

Dummies.com listed some of the warning signs of expired canned food. These include a broken seal or lid deformity, a corroded can, tiny bubbles in the jar, food that looks cloudy or mushy, and a bad smell. You can definitely get sick from eating expired canned food, so buying in bulk might be a bad idea unless you finish it ASAP.

Also, canned goods are one of the most couponed items since couponing began. Since Costco doesn’t really do coupons in the same way as regular grocery stores, it’s probably worth keeping an eye out at your neighborhood shop. Chances are, you’ll find cheaper prices than Costco.

14. Eggs

Average Price: $3.09 per dozen*
Verdict: Buy it

If you’re a daily egg eater or an avid baker, you’ll probably want to pay attention closely here. Even if you’re not one of those things, you may want to consider reading on. The prices on eggs at Costco are excellent.

Eggs ©Badon Hill Studio / Shutterstock.com

Another reason you may find the act of purchasing eggs at Costco desirable is the variety among the selection of eggs they have available. You can get brown eggs, free-range eggs, brown free-range eggs, organic eggs, and even your basic conventional white eggs.

Fun fact: brown eggs are more expensive than white eggs (but still a good buy at Costco) because of the chicken. Brown eggs are laid by red chickens with red earlobes, while white-feathered chickens lay white eggs. Despite this difference, there isn’t much of a nutritional variation between the two.