4 Inside Secrets That Can Save You Money at Costco

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You could really enjoy the additional savings.

Key points

• Costco’s low prices make it a great source for groceries and household essentials.
• Knowing the right tricks could help you save even more money on your Costco purchases.
• Shopping in person instead of online can save you more, as can looking for items that have been on sale that end at $0.97.

costco is known as a source for inexpensive bulk groceries, household essentials, and sundries. Just look around your local warehouse club store and you’ll probably find hundreds of great deals in a single shopping trip.

But while the act of shopping at Costco alone can save you money, there are certain tricks you can employ to get even more savings. Here are a few you should know about.

1. Buy in stores instead of online

The fact that Costco offers a wide range of products online is a good thing. It means you can stock up on the things you want without ever leaving the house.

But shopping on Costco’s website isn’t necessarily the most profitable bet. In some cases, not only can you be stuck paying for shipping, but Costco commonly offers even lower prices on its line of regular products in stores than online. So if you want to save money, make a plan to visit your nearest warehouse club store. And if you live far from your nearest Costco, try to buy a lot of items at once to minimize the number of trips you have to make.

2. Upgrade to an executive membership

An executive membership at Costco will earn you 2% cash back on your purchases, while a standard membership will earn you no cash back, even though the credit card you use to pay for your purchases could. Now, an executive membership has a cost. That’s $60 more than a standard membership per year. But if you do the math and see that you spend enough at Costco, an executive membership could make a lot of financial sense.

In fact, if you spend $3,000 a year at Costco, that’s your breakeven point as far as an executive membership goes. So if you typically spend more than that over the course of a year, it’s worth upgrading for additional savings.

3. Return items you are not satisfied with, including food.

One really good thing about Costco is that they have a generous return policy. If you are not satisfied with a certain item, you can remove it. That includes electronics you’ve already worn, clothes you’ve already worn, and food you’ve already opened.

Now for the latter, you’ll usually need to give a reason other than you don’t like something. But suppose he bought a bulk pack of sliced ​​cheese thinking it would last four weeks, only to have it go moldy after two weeks. Rather than lose money by throwing it away, he can most likely take it to Costco for a full refund.

4. Keep an eye out for sale items

Costco commonly prices items to finish at $0.99. But if you see an item that ends at $0.97, that usually indicates you’re looking at a markdown. If the item in question is something you want or can take advantage of, it’s probably worth buying.

The mere act of shopping at Costco can often result in a world of savings. And following these tips could really help you take that concept to the next level.