Yahoo Finance 9 Things To Avoid Buying at Walmart and Target
If you’re heading on a Walmart or Target shopping trip, chances are pretty high you might end up purchasing something which wasn’t originally on your list. This may seem like a good purchase to make at the moment, but what if it isn’t really worth it?
Check Out: 7 Things You Must Buy at Costco While on a Retirement Budget
Be Aware: Owe Money to the IRS? Most People Don’t Realize They Should Do This One Thing
GOBankingRates spoke to several shopping experts to find out which items sold at Walmart and Target aren’t worth your money and their top reasons why these items aren’t good deals.
Don’t Buy: Generic Trash Bags
Shop instead: name brand trash bags
Many money experts often recommend purchasing generic trash bags over name brands. Often, this advice is meant to help shoppers save a few extra dollars.
But not everyone thinks inexpensive trash bags get the job done more effectively than brand names.
Kyle James, founder of coupon and deal website Rather-Be-Shopping, said that small savings provided by Target’s in-house up & up isn’t worth it once the bag breaks and your trash ends up on the kitchen floor. James recommends picking up a brand name, like Glad, instead when you shop for kitchen trash bags.
Learn More: 8 Aldi Meals That Are Cheaper Than Buying Takeout
Read Next: I’m a Shopping Expert: 9 Items I’d Never Put in My Grocery Cart
Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief.
Don’t Buy: Plastic Wrap at Target
Shop instead: Kirkland Signature plastic wrap (available at Costco)
If you’re thinking about purchasing up & up plastic wrap at Target, Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst at DealNews.com, said shoppers might want to stick to name brands whenever possible.
“It seems plastic wrap is one of those things you should always buy name brands in, as the complaints about this one is that it doesn’t stick, even to itself, and comes in a flimsy box with a dull cutter, which can lead to injury,” said Ramhold.
Looking for the best name brand for buying plastic wrap? Ramhold recommends picking out a brand like Glad or heading to Costco to buy Kirkland Signature plastic wrap which gives shoppers 3,000 feet of wrap for just $20.
View More: 7 Best Kirkland Brand Pantry Products To Pick Up at Costco
Don’t Buy: Maple Syrup
Shop instead: Kirkland Signature maple syrup (available at Costco)
It may seem like it’s cheaper to shop for maple syrup with an in-house brand at Target or Walmart, but Ramhold said shoppers are still paying more than they would if they shopped at Costco.
At Costco, Ramhold said shoppers can purchase 33.8 fluid ounces of Kirkland Signature organic maple syrup for about $14.99, or about 44 cents per ounce. For comparison, Target’s Good & Gather brand sells 12 fluid ounces of maple syrup for $9.29. This comes out to paying 77 cents per ounce.
Don’t Buy: Gift Cards Sold at Walmart or Target
Shop instead: Gift cards sold at warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club
Although it may seem like a good idea to get gift cards during a Target or Walmart shopping run, Ramhold said shoppers that do so end up paying list price most of the time.
While there can be exceptions to this rule, such as Target occasionally offering BOGO 30% promotions for Apple gift cards during Black Friday, the better alternative according to Ramhold is to shop for gift cards at warehouse clubs. Members at Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club pay discounted rates year-round.
Don’t Buy: Furniture
Shop instead: Select home goods, like bathroom linens and small kitchen appliances
If you need to outfit a new apartment during or just after college, Ramhold said it can be good to shop at Target or Walmart for affordable pieces of furniture. Just be prepared as these pieces often don’t survive big moves.
Those that need to buy furniture and have the budget for it are recommended by Ramhold to look at stores dedicated to selling furniture.
In the meantime, shoppers can turn to Walmart and Target to supply them with the necessary select home goods — such as bathroom linens, bakeware and tabletop kitchen appliances — which often provide great value.
For You: 14 Best New Aldi Products That Are Worth Every Penny
Don’t Buy: Walmart’s Vanilla Extract
Shop instead: Pure vanilla extract (available at Costco)
There aren’t a lot of deals to be found when buying Great Value pure vanilla extract at Walmart. Ramhold uses the example of a bottle which contains four fluid ounces. Currently, it’s priced at $11.32, which comes out to $2.83 per ounce.
The best approach is to shop for vanilla extract at Costco. Ramhold said a 16 fluid ounce bottle retails for around $16.99, which is about $1.06 per ounce.
Don’t Buy: Target’s Solar Lights
Shop instead: Solar path lights (available at Lowe’s)
If you’re looking to light up the path to your home’s entrance, Ramhold recommends staying away from the Room Essentials solar lights sold at Target.
“The Room Essentials brand is one of Target’s more affordable brands, so might be okay for a temporary solution, but you may be better off heading to Lowe’s and picking up a four pack of solar path lights for the better quality.”
Don’t Buy: Target’s up & up Diapers
Buy this instead: Name brand diapers
Not sure whether to shop for name brand diapers or cheaper ones sold through the up & up brand?
There’s a loophole shoppers need to know about to make this decision. Ramhold recommends shopping for name brand diapers at Target and then using your Target RedCard to save 5% during checkout.
Read More: 10 Things You Should Always Buy at Trader Joe’s
Don’t Buy: Walmart’s onn. TVs
Shop instead: Mid-priced TVs (available at Best Buy or Amazon)
If you need to buy a new TV, Ramhold recommends consumers bypass the onn. TVs sold at Walmart.
“While the price might be good, the quality is not,” she said. “There are plenty of mid-tier brands you can find good deals on at stores like Best Buy or Amazon, so don’t waste your money on these cheap sets that you’ll just be looking to replace long before you should have to.”
Heather Taylor, Jami Farkas, Taylor Bell, and Andrew Lisa contributed to the reporting for this article.
More From GOBankingRates
What Makes a Good Bank in 2024, According to a Banking Expert
I'm a Personal Finance Writer: These Are the Worst Money Mistakes I Made in 2023
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 9 Things To Avoid Buying at Walmart and Target
