What happened? Where am I?
You’re likely standing in the parking lot. Squinting against the harsh sun. Tiptoeing to your car so you can peek over your cart brimming with bulk paper towels, frozen chicken nuggets and animal crackers.
Your stomach probably feels satisfied, too, thanks to the endless free samples.
But you’re feeling pleased because you think you saved money…
Hold on — you did save some cash… right?
It’s simple to get swept up in Costco’s image. It’s a warehouse club, so it carries that whole “save by buying in bulk” reputation.
Yet if you’re not careful, you can walk out of the wormhole having spent far more than you normally would. (Honestly… all those bulk snack choices are dangerously tempting.)
8 Secret Ways to Maximize Your Costco Savings
To help you avoid getting entangled in the wholesale maze, we’ve gathered nine tactics to keep you disciplined and save more money.
1. Compare Prices
Before you even set foot inside Costco, do a little price comparison.
This doesn’t mean you need to dash around town.
Here’s a straightforward starting point: compare prices across warehouse clubs. Surprise: Costco isn’t automatically the lowest-priced option.
You can also search online to compare prices or, if you’re already in the store, use an app like ShopSavvy.
Don’t forget to check unit prices, because that modest two-pack of peanut butter might actually be a better value than the six-pack. Plus, this prevents you from hiding extra peanut butter jars under your bathroom sink.
2. Stop Deleting Your Emails
It turns out deleting your emails could be costing you real money. Curious?
One of our secret tools is calledCapital One Shopping Price Protection — a service that helps you recoup money for certain online buys. It’s free to join, and after signup it will scan your email for receipts. If it finds a purchase from one of its tracked retailers, it will monitor the item’s price and help you secure a refund if the price drops.
Plus, if your guaranteed shipment arrives late, Capital One Shopping Price Protection can assist in getting reimbursement for shipping costs.
Capital One Shopping Price Protection compensates us when you sign up using the links we provide.
3. Look for Membership Sign-Up Deals
If you haven’t yet committed to Costco’s $60 yearly membership, hunt online for promotions or starter deals.
One of our favorite places to search isGroupon, the deals and coupons site. Earlier this year, it ran an offer that included about $155 in freebies. That particular deal is gone now, but it’s worth checking similar promotions.
Also, if you’re a frequent Costco shopper, evaluate the membership tiers to determine which one benefits you most. If you upgrade to the $120 “Gold Star Executive” level, you can earn 2% rewards on qualifying purchases.
4. Use Ibotta for Cash Back
Ibottais an app that gives you actual cash back on purchases from many retailers — including Costco.
How it works: Install the app, find cash-back offers you’re eligible for, snap a photo of your receipt, scan barcodes if required and you’re done!
After you redeem your first offer, you’ll receive a $5 welcome bonus.
At the time this article was written, available cash-back examples included:
- $4 back on a 36-count pack of Scott toilet paper
- $3 back on an 18-pack of Bud Light
- $2 back on Aveeno baby products
- 25 cents back on any type of potatoes
New offers rotate frequently, so it becomes a little cash-back game.
On a personal note, I began using Ibotta about five months ago and have earned nearly $100 back.
5. Understand Costco’s Price Codes
There’s logic behind the pricing quirks, and reporter Len Rapoport laid out what he’s learned over the years in an article on Tough Nickel.
Here are some of Rapoport’s handy insights:
- Regular-priced products usually end in .99, .79, .49, etc. Meanwhile, discounted prices end in .97. Unfortunately, Costco doesn’t display the original price, so the markdown could be marginal. You can ask a store associate to look up the original price to judge whether it’s a true bargain.
- An asterisk on the price tag means the product won’t be restocked, so act quickly if you want it.
- Manager’s specials are indicated by .88 or .00 endings. These items were typically returned but remain in acceptable condition. The packaging may be a bit damaged, but the product should be fine.
7. Pay With a Cash-Back Card
If you’re not using a rewards credit card at Costco, you’re leaving money on the table — especially when charging that enormous 36-pack of toilet paper…
Just be careful not to let spending get out of hand — and be sure the statement is paid off each billing cycle.
One option we like: the Chase Freedom Unlimited card. Its big selling point? You’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Plus, if you spend $500 in the first three months after opening (hello, groceries), you’ll earn a $150 bonus.
There’s no annual fee, and the cash-back rewards don’t expire.
Get signed up — and enjoy 0% intro APR for 15 months — here.
*The information for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card was collected independently by Savinly. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or endorsed by the credit card issuer. Savinly is a partner of Credible.
8. Opt for The Store Brand
Keep an eye out for Kirkland-brand products — Costco’s private label.
We compared prices of Kirkland items and national brands and discovered substantial savings. For instance, the Kirkland 36-pack of toilet paper costs $25.99, while the Scott 36-pack runs $33.49.
9. Fill Up Before Food Shopping
Grocery shopping while hungry is one of the worst Savinly Readers’ mistakes. Why? Because you’ll be tempted to buy everything — from a $35 two-pound tin of cookies to a $37 48-pack of popcorn.
Instead, stroll the aisles and sample the freebies. Or swing by the food court for a $1.50 hot-dog-and-soda combo.
Then shop — with a list in hand!
Carson Mills is a junior writer at Savinly. She wouldn’t mind a hot dog right about now.
If you don’t have a membership but still want to browse, learn how to shop at costco without a membership so you can take advantage of deals without committing.
