8 Costco Items Retirees Should Avoid Ahead of Spring 2025

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Shopping at Costco can be a great way to save money, but not every bulk buy is a bargain — especially for retirees. 

As spring approaches, it’s important to be mindful of purchases that could lead to wasted money, unnecessary clutter or even health concerns. 

Before your next Costco run, here are eight key items retirees may want to think twice about.

Bulk Perishables That May Go To Waste

While buying in bulk is cost effective if you’re able to store and use everything you buy, bulk perishables can end up going to waste if you’re not careful. Everything from meats and cheeses to prepared foods may not store or freeze well.

For example, this 72-pack of Texas Tamale Co. beef tamales. There’s no argument that they’re delicious, but even frozen, these may not last long enough for you to eat all 72 unless you’re holding a party. That $89.99 can be better spent.

High-Cost Seasonal Purchases

While on the one hand, retirement is often the time for leisure and entertainment, forking out a significant amount of your retirement income at this stage of the game for something like patio furniture might not be realistic. 

Instead of this San Paulo five-piece patio dining set, which sells for $1,899, consider cheaper versions or even shopping second hand.

And while grilling outdoors can be a wonderful way to enjoy the warmer months, consider how often you’re going to use it, and how many bells and whistles you really need. You probably don’t need to spring for this Weber Genesis II S-435 grill bundle for $1,349.99 when you can get a much simpler one for one-third of the price.

Unhealthy or Overpriced Food Items

If you love to keep candy and other treats on hand for when the grandkids come over, think twice before you buy these sweets in bulk — on the days when the kids aren’t around, you might find yourself over-indulging, which can have a negative impact on your health. 

Instead of this 30-count variety pack of M&M’s, Snickers and more chocolate candy bars for $33.99, consider grabbing a handful of things from a local Dollar Tree or similar before a grandkid’s visit. Or better yet, take them out for a treat at a local ice cream parlor or cookie place.

On the same token, something healthy but high priced might not be a good purchase because you might be unlikely to finish it all, such as these vacuum packed bags of Alaska snow crab meat. While one package might be great, six pounds with for almost $300 is more than a retiree needs to spend on.

Expensive Electronics or Tech Subscriptions

While you certainly might find yourself watching more TV and movies in retirement than you did while working, just how sophisticated of a TV do you actually need. There are so many TVs available at a variety of price points, that you probably don’t need to spend almost $1,500 on a Samsung 65-inch Class OLED TV.

Additionally, you might think it’s great to cater to your grandkids by having a gaming console subscription they can use when they come to your house, such as Xbox. While it might seem like a deal to buy this $100 digital download on Xbox games, you want to be sure you or your grandkids will use them. 

Oversized Household Goods 

Many retirees have to, or choose to, downsize in retirement, thus losing space or having to be more efficient in how you store things. If you don’t have a big garage, shed or other storage cabinets, be careful about buying oversized packs of household items (or any other item).For example, you probably can get by with far fewer than 48 rolls of toilet paper, so no matter how good a deal it is for that much Marathon toilet paper — $34.99 — if you have nowhere to store it, it ends up being a hassle, not a savings.

Editor’s note: Pricing is accurate as of March 4, 2025. Prices and availability are subject to change.

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