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Costco customer reveals how a simple shopping habit can help prevent impulse buying

The creator's simple hack can make sure that people avoid splurging too much on groceries.
PUBLISHED OCT 29, 2025
Screenshots showing the creator sharing the hack (Cover image source: TikTok/@the.hoang.family)
Screenshots showing the creator sharing the hack (Cover image source: TikTok/@the.hoang.family)

Costco shoppers pay for memberships and expect big discounts with quality at par with big brands. They have been very active on social media, calling out the popular retail chain for quality issues and false claims. But one customer has shared a hack that could save people from impulse buying during their grocery runs. The TikTok creator, Danny Hoang (@the.hoang.family), showed his viewers how he shops at his local Costco store, effortlessly saving money by simply not taking a shopping cart. He showed how shoppers can save money by simply holding all their stuff in their hands.

Customer pushing a Trolley in Costco | (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | 	Joe Raedle )
Representative image of a ustomer pushing a Trolley in Costco (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Joe Raedle )

In his video, instead of taking a huge shopping cart, Hoang used a recycled cardboard container to carry the items he was shopping for. He showed how he navigated through the aisles, carrying all the items he needed. He piled all his grocery items on top of each other and balanced everything in his arms while filming. While Hoang only bought what he could hold, he went out of his way to pick up a bouquet of 24 roses for his partner. 

Screenshots showing the creator picking up items (Image source: TikTok/@the.hoang.family)
Screenshots showing the creator picking up items (Image source: TikTok/@the.hoang.family)

His hack was widely appreciated by his viewers in the comments, who jumped in to share their takes. "The cart becomes dangerous for sure," wrote one user, @jennysfindss. "I do this too," added @cecil_beeeeeee. When a user commended him for picking up the flowers, Hoang revealed that it was for a special occasion, “Can’t forget our anniversary, hence her favorite fruit and flowers,” he wrote in the reply to a comment. 

Meanwhile, one user, @realtalk.42,  pointed out that it wasn't practical, saying, "I can’t even carry my food court items."

While Hoang's hack may not be a universal one, another TikTok creator, Mark Tilbury (@marktilbury), previously shared another hack that works almost in every Costco store. In his viral video, the self-made millionaire shared a trick to find the hidden information on store price tags and save the most. Walking through a local store, he explained how the last two digits of a price tag tell a lot about its condition and the discount offered on it. He explained that if the price tag has .99 in the end, that means it is on sale at the standard price. 


@marktilbury

Costco’s DIRTY Secret 😳

♬ original sound - Mark Tilbury

He then shared that if the tag has .97 at the end, it means that the product is on sale. "It could be worth buying," he quipped, before adding that such products are meant for clearance. Coming to the last couple of his tips, he shared that if a price tag features an asterisk, that means the product will go off the shelves soon without being restocked. And, the last hack from Tilbury said was that if a price tag ends in .00, it is a store manager's special and equivalent to a hidden gem. 

More on Market Realist:

Costco recalls over 2 million pounds of popular frozen food product over metal wire risk

Costco customer throws away his receipt before leaving the store — instantly regrets the move

Costco shopper reveals a brilliant way to keep store-bought lettuce fresh for two months

RELATED TOPICS COSTCO
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