I’m a Shopping Expert: 4 Home Items Retirees Must Buy at Costco
Written by
J. Arky
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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By shopping for groceries and ingredients at Costco, the average shopper knows that they have the ability to save big on prices and get plenty of bang for buying in bulk. Same goes for home items at Costco, where one group should really stock up on the essentials: retirees. Anyone who is retired is stretching a fixed income. By shopping at Costco for home goods, retirees are able to get what they need and still stay on budget.
GOBankingRates reached out to some shopping experts who shared the following budget-friendly home items retirees must buy at Costco.
Also here are the top Costco items retirees should avoid.
Laundry Detergent
- Price: $21.49
Looking to do up to 146 loads of laundry before having to restock on detergent? If you are a retiree you’ll definitely want to have the Kirkland Signature ultra clean laundry detergent in your Costco cart.
“It lowers the per-use cost of a necessary household item, allowing that savings to accumulate and providing more financial flexibility elsewhere in the monthly budget,” explained Robin Valadares, certified financial counselor (CFC) and founder of Financially Fulfilled Pro. “We all do laundry regularly, ensuring that you’re getting the best bang for your buck for each load.”
Bath Tissue
- Price: $24.99
As a retiree, you don’t want to make multiple trips to the store every time you need toilet paper. That’s why picking up a 36-roll package of Kirkland Signature bath tissue at Costco is an essential buy.
“High quality, long-lasting and far cheaper per roll than name brands,” said Lynn Toomey, founder of Her Retirement. “[It’s] a household staple that saves money over time.”
LED Light Bulbs
- Price: $20 to $50
This is a classic “save money without thinking about it” strategy, according to Valadares. “Retirees are typically spending more time at home, which means higher utility bills. Switching to LED bulbs is one of the easiest ways to drop electricity consumption immediately,” Valadares added.
Based on Valadares’ calculations, Costco’s massive bulk bulb packs with 16 to 24 LEDs each bring the per-bulb cost way down and since LEDs last for years, you eliminate the hassle and cost of replacement bulbs for a very long time.
Kitchen Appliances
- Price: $99.99
Gadgets like the Instant Pot RIO gourmet 6-quart multi-cooker from Costco save retirees both time and money. “[It is] energy-efficient and easy to use for batch cooking or preparing healthy meals at home,” Toomey added.
“Costco sells a lot of appliances and they include a two-year warranty (Costco adds one year to the manufacturer’s warranty), haul away of old appliances and free installation,” said Jim Wang of Wallet Hacks, a personal finance blog. “Be sure to comparison shop around because Costco may not always be the cheapest option, but haul away and installation are included (some places charge extra for it).”
Editor’s note: Pricing and availability may vary depending on location.
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