What's Happening
9 minutes ago

Lyft Q4 Earnings: Revenue Beat, Gross Bookings Up 15%, New Buyback — 'Our Biggest Competition Is Inertia'

benzingabenzinga.com
13 minutes ago

DoorDash Shares Climb After Solid Q4 Results: Total Orders Grew 19%, GOV Increased 21%

benzingabenzinga.com
18 minutes ago

Super Micro Reports Preliminary Q2 Earnings, Company Expects To File Delayed Reports In Coming Weeks

benzingabenzinga.com
18 minutes ago

Robinhood Q4 Earnings Preview: Can Company Rebound From Q3 Miss? Key Items To Watch

benzingabenzinga.com
21 minutes ago

$1000 Invested In United States Steel 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

benzingabenzinga.com
25 minutes ago

Upstart Shares Soar After Solid Q4 Report, Strong Q1 Guidance

benzingabenzinga.com
33 minutes ago

Interactive Strength Shares Are Trading Lower Today: What's Going On?

benzingabenzinga.com
45 minutes ago

12 Consumer Discretionary Stocks Moving In Tuesday's Pre-Market Session

benzingabenzinga.com
45 minutes ago

12 Health Care Stocks Moving In Tuesday's Pre-Market Session

benzingabenzinga.com
45 minutes ago

12 Industrials Stocks Moving In Tuesday's Pre-Market Session

benzingabenzinga.com
45 minutes ago

12 Information Technology Stocks Moving In Tuesday's Pre-Market Session

benzingabenzinga.com
50 minutes ago

A Glimpse Into The Expert Outlook On Fluence Energy Through 12 Analysts

benzingabenzinga.com
50 minutes ago

The Analyst Verdict: Praxis Precision Medicine In The Eyes Of 4 Experts

benzingabenzinga.com
50 minutes ago

Analyst Expectations For Allstate's Future

benzingabenzinga.com
50 minutes ago

What Analysts Are Saying About ZoomInfo Technologies Stock

benzingabenzinga.com
51 minutes ago

Ukraine Floats Land Swap With Russia As Trump Signals Peace Push

benzingabenzinga.com
51 minutes ago

Baker Hughes Stock: A Deep Dive Into Analyst Perspectives (18 Ratings)

benzingabenzinga.com
59 minutes ago

Why Intel Stock Is Soaring Today

foolfool.com
1 hour ago

A Closer Look at Delta Air Lines's Options Market Dynamics

benzingabenzinga.com
1 hour ago

Cava Group Unusual Options Activity For February 11

benzingabenzinga.com

3 Signs You Should Not Set Foot in Your Local Trader Joe’s

Two paper shopping bags full of food

Image source: Upsplash/The Motley Fool

There’s a reason so many people love Trader Joe’s. Not only is the store known for its fantastic selection of unique products, but the customer service can’t be beat. But if any of these signs apply to you, then you may want to put an end to your Trader Joe’s shopping.

1. You’re on a tight budget

Trader Joe’s is known for offering competitive prices. But that doesn’t mean it has the best prices on every item on your list. And if you have access to a discount grocery store like Aldi, you may find that you’re able to save more money on your groceries by skipping Trader Joe’s.

For example, Trader Joe’s sells a 12-pack of large brown organic eggs for $6.79. But at Aldi, you can buy a dozen large organic brown eggs for $4.79.

Of course, that’s just one example. But it does pay to do some comparison shopping if you can only afford to spend so much on groceries.

You should also know that because Trader Joe’s mostly carries its own store brand, it can sometimes be a bit hard to compare its prices to other stores. That could be a problem if you’re trying to stick to a tight budget for grocery shopping.

2. You’re a savvy coupon-clipper

One nice thing about Trader Joe’s is that the prices it lists are the same in every store. And you also don’t have to worry about clipping coupons from a weekly circular to save money on your purchases, because Trader Joe’s doesn’t do coupons.

But that’s also a bad thing. At a regular supermarket, you can take advantage of sales or coupons and stock up on staple items at a discount. It’s harder to do that at Trader Joe’s because the prices you see are what you’re always going to get. If you rely on coupons for grocery savings, Trader Joe’s may not be the store for you.

That said, if you use the right credit cards at Trader Joe’s, you can enjoy extra cash back on your purchases. Check out our picks for the best credit cards for grocery rewards.

3. You tend to give in to impulse buys

If you have flexibility in your grocery budget, shopping at Trader Joe’s can be a real treat. The store is known for its rotating inventory, new products, and unique buys.

In the fall, for example, you can enjoy a host of pumpkin-flavored products, from savory to sweet. And in the weeks leading up to the holidays, you’ll find festive drinks and desserts (think all things peppermint — yum).

But the problem with Trader Joe’s product lineup is that it might lead you to a world of non-essential purchases. And if money is tight and you’re someone who tends to give into impulse purchases, then you may not want to shop at Trader Joe’s, since doing so could bust your budget.

There are plenty of good reasons to shop at Trader Joe’s. But if any of these signs apply to you, then you may want to do your food shopping elsewhere.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Related Posts

Image source: Getty Images The best credit cards have a lot of perks — cash back, travel rewards, purchase protection, and more. But what happens

Social Security benefits for spouses are a common source of confusion. MassMutual reports that 25% of surveyed adults near retirement age were unaware that spouses

Image source: Getty Images Most people pay their credit card bill once a month, but you’re allowed to pay more frequently. Technically you can pay

The latest cover of Time magazine shows Elon Musk sitting at the historic Resolute Desk in the Oval Office with the U.S. flag and the