I'm Still Kicking Myself Over This Horrible Costco Fail. Don't Make the Same Mistake

When you're new to any given experience, whether it's a job, sport, or hobby, you may fall into certain traps you learn to bust out of over time. Such was the case for me with my Costco shopping.

When I was a Costco newbie, I made certain mistakes that I now know to avoid. But one of those mistakes was refusing to buy Kirkland products for basically no good reason. And I'm still mad at myself for giving up the savings I would've enjoyed. 

When being stubborn costs you money

The reason I refused to buy Kirkland products as a new Costco member was that I was convinced they would somehow be of lesser quality. I've since learned how silly that line of thinking was.

I'm also surprised at myself, because I've never been the sort of person to focus on brand names. I've long purchased the bulk of my wardrobe on Amazon. And if you show off your latest handbag, I can pretty much guarantee that I won't be able to identify the brand based on its logo. 

But back in the day, I was a bit pickier when it came to food than I am today (and I wonder where my kids get it from). I avoided Kirkland food products because I somehow convinced myself my groceries would taste different. 

Then something amazing happened. On one Costco trip, I decided to keep an open mind and bring home a few Kirkland products. And lo and behold, I enjoyed every one of them.

These days, I buy Kirkland products at almost every opportunity, whether it's cheese, chips, or baked goods. And I'm able to spend less on food as a result. Not only that, but some of my favorite food items are of the Kirkland variety, like the muffins we eat in my household every weekend. I'm really not just saying this -- they're better than bakery muffins and cost way less. 

How does a risk-free 20% savings sound to you?

You may be hesitant to try Kirkland products due to the same concerns I once had. But choosing them instead of name-brand products could leave you spending much less.

As Costco CFO Gary Millerchip said during the company's most recent earnings call, "We evaluate the potential for new high-quality Kirkland Signature items with a goal of providing at least 20% value versus what we would sell the national brand item as."

So basically, if you'd normally spend $100 on brand-name products at Costco, choosing the Kirkland version could leave you spending just $80 instead. That's a big deal at a time like this, when everything is so expensive.

You should also know that as a matter of policy, Costco stands behind every Kirkland item it sells. So let's say you try a given food product whose taste just doesn't do it for you. You can bring your opened product back to Costco for a full refund as long as the bulk of it is uneaten. Because of this, there's really no risk in giving Kirkland products a try. (Incidentally, this is Costco's general return policy -- it's not limited to Kirkland items.)

I wish I would've realized back in the day that buying Kirkland products at Costco was a smart move. I can't go back in time and change things. But you can bet that from this point onward, I'll be sure to keep an open mind when it comes to store brands, whether it's Costco or another store with a less expensive line of house-brand products. I highly recommend that you do the same -- at least at Costco, where you can get your money back if a purchase doesn't work out.