Most retailers have a membership card, and Costco is no exception. This is why we are here today. We want to tell you about some amazing tricks that can help you get the most out of your Costco membership!
Some people love Costco, some hate it, but most people have a love-hate relationship with this store. Wondering why we say that? Well, as you probably already know, when you shop at Costco, you are going to shop in bulk. This is usually a great way to save money, but at the same time, you might be tempted to spend a lot on items that you don’t really need.
Let’s find out how a Costco membership can help you manage your budget better and how to get the most out of that $60 per year. Get ready to learn about the best Costco membership perks that most people are unaware of!
1. How do I sign up?
Before we dive into all the secrets about it, we think that you should know how to get a Costco membership, right?
First of all, you are allowed to have two memberships. The Gold Star membership costs $60 per year, and the Executive Gold Star membership costs $120 per year.
Now, let’s get to the things that you will need to subscribe to this membership. And the best thing is that you don’t need much. First of all, you will need a membership number that you will get through email once you register, and second, you will need a valid government-issued photo ID. This is all!
If you want to skip the membership number, you can go directly in person to sign up, but remember to do the preliminary scheduling so you won’t waste time standing in line.
After you sign up and it is approved, you may quickly get a Costco card by taking a picture. Additionally, the Executive Gold Star and Gold Star memberships include a free card for any adult residing at the same home who is over the age of 18.
2. Do you have a Costco membership? Try to also have a shopping list (and stick to it!)
As we said earlier, when we go shopping for groceries, it is extremely easy to take stuff that seems attractive from the shelves, put it into your cart, and then, at the check-out, be surprised by how much you are actually going to buy.
This is a major mistake that many of us make too often, and in the end, it leads to us spending more money than we wanted in the first place. This is how we manage to have a lot of stuff in our homes that we don’t really need.
So, next time you go shopping and you want to take advantage of your Costco membership, make a shopping list. If you want to make it easier, you can check what the best offers are online and see if you can put anything you find there on your shopping list. Start shopping smarter today!
3. The hot dog
Next time you are going shopping and you have a Costco membership, don’t skip the famous hot dog and soda combo!
This is the comfort meal of any Costco fan, and it would be a shame not to buy it if you have the chance. Even more amazing is that the price is unbelievable in times like these: $1.50. Where else can you go and buy a hot dog and something to drink for this money?
People like to joke around that this is the combo that defied inflation. And if you were to ask us, we could say that we believe that this is true.
The iconic drink-and-meal combo was first introduced in 1985, and since then it has had the same price: $1.50. According to financial analysts, this combo should cost around $4, but Costoc insists on sticking to tradition and will not raise its price.
4. Fill your tank
Besides filling your belly with the incredible deal we told you about before, if you have a Costco membership, don’t forget to also fill your tank before going home.
Instead of filling up at your local gas station, when shopping at Costco, you can fill your tank at their gas station. We say this because the prices can be significantly lower than in other locations.
According to a recent Oil Price Information Service study, Pennsylvania Costco gas stations offered prices for fuel that were between nine and 22 cents less than the state’s average.
This is a great way to save a few bucks, so why don’t you take advantage of it?
5. Never Costco alone
Next time you feel that the time has come for a new Costco adventure, we have a great suggestion for you. Don’t go alone! If you have a Costco membership, you are allowed to bring one guest with you. And we advise you to do so because you will see that it is extremely helpful.
It is extremely exhausting to go to Costco alone. You have to drive, you have to do all the shopping, and you will have to carry all the things by yourself. Not so much fun. But if you come together with a friend or a neighbor, you can help one another. Also, you can split the gas price in half.
And even if shopping in bulk is incredible for saving money, many times you don’t even have the space in your home to store all the things you have bought. But if you go with someone else, you can even split the groceries. For example, the 24-toilet papper pack . You can take 12 of them, and they can take the rest. This can apply to anything you buy in large quantities.
6. The price tags say more than the price
In case you don’t know this yet, the prices at Costco can give us some clues about the products. This is especially helpful when you are shopping on a budget. The Costco veterans know about this trick, and now they are sharing it all over the internet.
If you have a Costco membership, it is a great idea to use this trick next time you go shopping. As we said, some products at Costco have a separate sign that discreetly highlights a particular aspect of them.
If there is an asterisk next to the price, it means that the product will soon be discontinued at that store. If you love that product, you should stock up on it.
The next one is easy and intuitive; if you see a green sign on the price tag, it means that that specific product is organic.
Look out for prices that end in “.99. If you see them, this means that the product is sold at its full price. So, our advice is to skip those products and return another day to see if the prices are lower.
If you like cooking but feel like you run out of ideas, we think that a cookbook might help you. And if you want to only use products that you can buy from Costco, you are in the right place. Smart Cooking the Costco Way: Delicious Recipes Using Costco Products is an amazing book that you can easily purchase from Amazon.
You should also read: 7 Things You Should Always Buy at Aldi
