When you head to shop at Costco, you can get excited about that enormous cart ready to be filled with goodies. First, however, understanding wholesale shopping is essential.
There are great deals to be had and knowing how to look for them is key to your success. Try these tips if you want to learn how to save at Costco.
We have been members of Costco for several months, and I have loved learning about the store. So here are some things I just had to share from my personal experience.
GET THE BEST MEMBERSHIP PRICE
When you enter Costco, you can walk right up to the member service desk to check out their memberships. They have several options for you and will walk you through each one.
Before you head to Costco, I recommend you take advantage of this online Costco membership deal. When I went, I had just missed the deadline, so I intended to get the standard membership for $60.
The customer service at Costco has always been fantastic for our family. The lady who helped us had several special offers which she explained in detail with no pressure.
We ended up going with the Executive membership, which costs $120, and applying for the Citi Costco credit card. Your credit card will be your membership card in one. Right now, when you sign up online here, you will also get a $20 Costco shop card with this membership level.
We paid the $120 membership and received $60 cashback on our first statement for the card.
With the Costco Executive membership, you earn back a 2% rebate annually, and if it does not equal $60 by the end of the year, they round it up to be $60 even.
With the Citi Costco card, you earn an additional 2% cashback. In addition, on sign-up, we received a $20 cash Costco card to use that day.
Add those savings up, we have paid $40 on our membership, and at the end of our year, we will have earned that back, plus more.
The Costco Executive membership includes extra services for members, including Costco travel and extended warranties on electronics and appliances. It was worth it for our family to ask about additional specials, so make sure you ask.
You can sign up and get a discount through our referral link HERE for a Costco Membership.
LIFETIME GUARANTEE
I always trust a store that has a fantastic guarantee. If they can guarantee money back without questions, they are confident in what they have to offer. Your satisfaction is vital to Costco, so they stock brands you can trust and price at what you’re asking for.
If you are unsatisfied with your Costco membership, you can ask for your money back and receive a full cash refund.
In addition, their guarantee applies to their products at any time, except for electronics being within 90 days. You can see the full money-back exclusions right on their website.
UNDERSTAND THE SALE PRICES
Check out the pricing tags. All regular-priced items are priced ending in 99¢. If the item price ends at 97¢, that indicates it is a clearance or discounted item.
Anything outside of this is a local store discount and will vary. In addition, the little star on the price sheet informs you that the item will not be restocked. I have been so thankful to know this while shopping.
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TRAVEL PERKS
That Executive Membership includes all the Costco travel services. So take a second to grab this brochure on your way out next time. Each booklet has reasonably detailed information about vacation offers your eligible with the Executive membership.
Costco has trained travel professionals on staff to help you find and plan the best vacation. Our family loves to travel, and I was excited to see they offered some Disney Vacation specials. The dollar amount listed includes tax, which I found very helpful.
PHOTO DEPARTMENT
If you have personal or business printing needs, you can save some serious cash using the Costco photo department. Downloading the Costco app was super easy, and I could quickly create a personal account and order a few pictures for a business folder I was putting together.
You can upload your pictures to turn into projects, gifts, and more. Create business cards, posters, and flyers and pick up all of these items at your Costco ( if it has a photo department on-site) or have them shipped to your home.
GIFT CARDS
You can expect to save up to 25% when you shop for gift cards at Costco. With many things wholesale, you save big when you buy big, which means a large purchase on multiple gift cards.
Luckily, the variety is enormous, and you can select gift cards used in many areas of daily life that you might be visiting. Our family wasted no time snatching up discounted movie theatre gift cards.
Check out in-store or online to see what they offer and if anything fits your needs.
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SHOP THEIR SALES
One thing I appreciate about Costco is that their coupon book prices come off automatically.
Monthly they mail a little coupon book where you can page through and see all they have to offer discounted that month. We scan that booklet to the site each time it arrives here.
Costco rotates their sales every 3-4 months, so if you see something you use a lot of at a price you love, stock up.
Check out these deals:
- GREAT DEAL Adorable Slumberbags ONLY $29.99 at Costco
- GREAT DEALCostco’s Black Friday Deals for 2019
- GREAT DEAL$3 Cash Back on Butterball Turkeys ( …
TIRE CENTER
If only it were a full-service auto shop, you could spend hours having fun while waiting monthly. But instead, you can only do that when you need to spruce up the tires on your vehicle. Costco is listed as one of the best-priced tire shops, so stop in on your next visit if new tires are on your wish list.
Our van will be due soon, and we will be getting them here after a quick cost check. So tell your friends about the tire center and spread the love.
The savings on tires could easily equal the membership cost and open up the door to all the other incredible savings you are already experiencing.
READY-TO-EAT FOOD
Costco has a vast selection of ready-to-bake or eats fresh foods waiting for your attention. While the prices are all reasonable, they have several items that stand out as exceptional values and make having that membership worthwhile.
Check out the rotisserie chickens for only $4.99, the enormous pies often at $5.99, and their discounted sheet cakes to save big.
Read our 13 Must-Have Thanksgiving Items from Costco here.
Shopping at Costco has been incredibly fun for our family. We are finding many great ways to save on our monthly grocery bills and many other areas of our life.
I had no idea that Costco offered so much, and I am learning more daily. I hope these tips help you get started on your Costco-loving journey.
Don’t forget to grab a deal on your Costco membership online HERE.
Don’t Forget to Pin It!
We get our glasses and contact lenses at a very nice price. Even better, my husband had saved thousands by having his hearing tests done at Costco and buying his hearing aids there. Their return and warranty policies for hearing aids are unmatched anywhere.
Thank you
We have the Costco Visa card and enjoy the cash back feature. We look at it that you have to pay for food, gas and other Bill’s why not make it work for you.
We have the Citibank card membership with Costco for years now and have been racking up the cash back feature. Love it