Should you buy your mayo in bulk, or get a TV from Costco? Just because something is available, doesn’t necessarily mean you should buy it. Grocery store workers know what’s worth spending money on, and what isn’t—and just because something is cheap doesn’t mean it makes financial sense to stock up on it. Sometimes, buying a cheap item can actually cost you more money in the long run if you don’t end up using it or it spoils before you have a chance to eat it. Here are 6 items grocery store workers say you should never buy.
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Buying Produce In Bulk
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One Costco worker warned against buying certain items in bulk. “I’d say some of the WORST are fruits and veggies,” the worker said on Reddit. “We sell them in packs that aren’t HUGE, but still, it’s probably going to go bad unless you eat a lot of that fruit or have a big family or something. Best thing I guess would be cigarettes or stamps, because we sell those at cost and make no money from them.”
Fruit From the Front
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The freshest fruit tends to be at the back, one worker tellsBuzzFeed. “I work at a grocery store that has fresh produce prepared in the store, and we’re always rotating the fruits and veggies around. If you want something fresh, it’s usually at the back of the display or kind of hidden. If you see one of us with a produce cart and we’re stocking and you want something fresh, we can give it to you right off the cart. All you have to do is ask.”
A Giant Mayonnaise
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One Costco worker told Business Insider they would never buy gallon-jar mayonnaise in bulk. Unless you’re supplying a restaurant, chances are your mayo will go off before you ever get a chance to eat it.
Costco TVs
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Another worker told Business Insider they wouldn’t buy a TV from Costco. Why? You can probably get a better deal online these days, with plenty of internet retailers offering competitive prices and deals. Books and DVDs are also considered “expensive”.
Bakery Products
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The Costco bakery products are too big to store at home, one worker told Business Insider. While you certainly get a lot of bang for your buck, the worker from Pennsylvania says they simply don’t have the storage space needed for those huge containers.
Candy From Dispensers
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Workers warn against candy that comes from dispensers. “Candy store employee here. We left chocolate out in display cases for months on end,” one employee said on Reddit. “When my friends came by to the store I told them to avoid it at all costs.”