Transcription
If you have a Costco membership, pay attention. There is a very good chance your membership covers things that you don't even know about, and I'm talking real things, things that could save your family hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars every single year.
Sadly, most members have no idea. So, today we're counting down 14 Costco shopping secrets, and by the time we get to number one, you're going to look at your membership completely different. So, let's get started.
Number 14, the alcohol loophole. In many states, you do not need a Costco membership to buy alcohol there. State laws in places like California, Texas, and Michigan, they require that alcohol sales cannot be restricted to members only. So, if you have a friend or a family member without a membership, they can walk straight to the liquor section and buy. No card, no problem.
And Costco's alcohol prices are extremely competitive, often well below what you pay at the regular liquor store. It's definitely worth knowing and sharing.
Number 13, the return policy hack. At Costco, you don't need a receipt to make a return because every purchase is tied to your membership card. They can just pull up your entire purchase history right at the desk. If you bought it at Costco, they can still find it. So, bring the item in and your membership card and they'll take care of it for you. Electronics and a few categories have a 90-day return window, but for most things, that policy is essentially unlimited.
And while you're at the service desk, if something you bought drops in price within 30 days, they'll refund you the difference on the spot. You don't even have to return the item. You just show them what you paid and they'll make it right.
Number 12, discount gift cards. Costco sells gift cards to restaurants, movie theaters, and other retailers below face value. It's in the warehouse and at Costco.com. A $100 gift card to a place your family already goes to, you can get for $79 or less.
And this wouldn't be just good for your regular nights out, but think of holidays, Christmas, birthday parties, graduations. If you're giving gift cards anyway, buying them through Costco means you're getting way more for every dollar you spend on gifts. It is one of the easiest ways to stretch a gift budget that most people completely overlook. And also they come in different increments. When you buy $100 gift cards, you get four $25 ones, so you can give four people $25 gift cards.
Number 11, read the price tag. Most shoppers have never been told the price tag is a code. Prices ending in 97 cents, that's a clearance item. Corporate has marked it down and it may not come back. If you needed it anyway, you might want to grab it now. But prices ending in 00 or 88 cents, that's a manager markdown. It could be a return, a floor model, or the last few in stock. Inspect it before you buy it, but the savings can be significant. And also look at the top right corner of that price tag. If you see a little asterisk or a small star, that item is being discontinued at that location. And when it's gone, it's gone. If it's something you buy regularly, you might want to grab a little extra. Most people walk past these signs every single week without knowing what they mean.
Number 10, the lost leader strategy. Costco is famous for the rotisserie chicken for $4.99 since 2009. Costco sells over 157 million of them every single year at a loss. They built their own poultry operation in Nebraska just to keep the price where it's at. We grab one of these every time we're in. Dinner that night, then you can make into soups or sandwiches. One chicken, you can get like three meals out for a family. They do strategically put it at the back of the store, so you have to walk past everything else to on the way to get it. They also have the food court hot dog. It's been a dollar fifty since 1985. That's my daughter's favorite. All beef hot dog and a drink all for a buck fifty. But none of this is an accident. These loss leaders keep you coming back for more at the store. They're great deals. Just don't load up your cart with more things that you don't need.
Number nine, the Kirkland truth. Kirkland signature is not a generic brand. Many Kirkland products are made from the same exact manufacturers behind the name brands you're already buying. The olive oil, the nuts, the vitamins, they're often the same source, just a different label. So don't skip Kirkland just because the logo is unfamiliar. You're almost always getting the same quality for significantly less money.
Number eight, Costco sells caskets. I know, this one's weird, but hear me out. They start at thirteen hundred dollars, but funeral homes, they charge two thousand to ten thousand dollars for the exact same thing. And federal law requires funeral homes to accept a casket purchase from an outside source. They literally can't say no. It's on Costco.com right now. It sounds insane, but planning ahead could save your family thousands of dollars on the one of the hardest purchases they'll ever have to make.
Number seven, the gas station. Members consistently pay ten to twenty cents less per gallon than nearby gas stations. And on a regular family vehicle, over a full year, that adds up to real money. And while you're there, the air for your tires is free, too. Now, lines, they can get long on weekends, so go on a weekday morning. Weekend lines at Costco pump can stretch around the building. Tuesday mornings, you're in and out in 5 minutes.
Number six, the tire center. Competitive prices, yes, but what most people are never factoring in is what comes with the purchase. Free installation, free lifetime rotation, free flat repair, free balancing. You pay once and Costco handles those tires for the life of the set. Add up what you would pay for all of that at a tire shop over several years and it's not even close.
Number five, the appliance advantage. Every major appliance purchase comes with a free 2-year warranty, extending the manufacturer's coverage. Free haul away of your old appliances are on delivery and you can also look for marked Costco direct and they ship from the manufacturer, but sometimes priced even lower than the warehouse. So, before you buy a refrigerator or a washer or a dishwasher anywhere else, price it at Costco first. The sticker price is rarely the whole story.
Number four, the cashback card. The Costco Anywhere Visa, you get 5% back on gas at Costco pumps, you get 4% on gas everywhere else and EV charging up to $7,000 a year. You get 3% on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% on anything at Costco warehouse or online and 1% on everything else. There's no annual fee with your membership. Rewards pay out every February as a certificate, but here's what they don't tell you. You can take that certificate and say it's $100. You can buy something for $25 and they give you cash back. So, you'll have $75 cash in your pocket. But, one important thing, this card only makes sense if you pay the balance in full every single month. If you carry a balance, definitely skip this. The interest will erase every reward you've earned.
Number three, the executive upgrade. The executive membership is $65 more than the basic Gold Star, but here's what you get. 2% cash back on most Costco purchases, you get early shopping hours into the warehouse before it opens to everyone else, and a $10 a month credit on same-day delivery. That's $120 a year just sitting there. Also, additional value at Costco Travel, and if your household spends $500 a month at Costco, the 2% reward alone is $120 back at year end. That more than covers the cost of the upgrade. So, pull out your receipts, add up what you actually spend, and if the math works, make the switch. You won't regret it.
Number two, costco.com is different than the store. Items you never find in the warehouse, like furniture, appliances, mattresses, electronics, way more selection. They run a clothing promotion fairly regularly that is buy 10 or more items and get $50 off. You get kids clothes, basic seasonal pieces. It's worth checking out before you stock up. You can get pieces for under $5. Now, it used to work for clearance prices, but unfortunately, they discontinued that recently. And then there is Costco Direct. Items ship from the manufacturer per item savings, and you get free shipping to your door. But, fair warning, prices can run slightly higher than what you find in the warehouse, and that's the trade-off for delivery. But, if you're buying a sectional sofa or a large appliance, having it show up to your door versus hauling it yourself, that difference in price might be worth every penny.
Okay, before we get to number one, if you want more tips and frugal living and real money-saving strategies, hit the subscribe button and turn on the notifications. All right, let's get back to it.
Okay, number one, the big one, your membership card is also a healthcare savings card. You got Costco pharmacy where prescription prices are consistently lower than major chains. And in most states, no membership required to even use the pharmacy. They also have the optical department where glasses, contacts, and eye exams are a fraction of what other places charge. And then they have the hearing aids. Most people pay like $3 to $7,000. Through Costco, it's closer to half of that. And fittings and follow-up care is included. That single purchase alone can pay for years of memberships. Also, most people don't know that through their official partnership with Sesame, a Costco member can get a virtual primary care visit for $29. A full health checkup with lab work and a follow-up consultation is only $72. Mental health therapy, $79. And you get 10% off all the other Sesame services, including person appointments. There's no insurance needed. And it's available in all 50 states. So, your prescriptions, your family's glasses, hearing aids, and a doctor whenever you need one. All of it under one membership. So, the next time someone asks you if the Costco membership is worth it, you tell them about the healthcare savings. You can tell them about the hearing aids, the optical. You can tell them about the price tag codes. And they'll probably have a membership by the end of the week.
Oh, and a bonus one. I totally forgot to add this to the list, but Costco cake is amazing. It's cheap. It's like $28 and it feeds 48 people. So, if you have graduation parties, birthday parties, anything like that, Costco cake is definitely worth looking at. They have vanilla and chocolate. Amazing. They might even have marble. Not sure. Somebody let me know. YouTube thinks you'll like this video next, so definitely check it out and I'll see you in the next episode.