Costco does not have an income cutoff where its bargains suddenly stop making financial sense. A household earning $45,000 might save hundreds on routine purchases, while a household earning $180,000 might spend more than it saves. The difference often comes down to shopping habits, storage space, household size, and whether bulk purchases replace expenses that would happen anyway.
Costco can make a shopping cart look impressively economical while quietly adding things nobody planned to buy. A giant box of trash bags can represent a genuine bargain. A second television purchased because the price looks irresistible represents a different kind of math.
