8 Ways to Get the Most of Your Costco Membership | Credit.com (2024)

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Blog Home > Uncategorized > 8 Ways to Get the Most of Your Costco Membership

PublishedMarch 27, 2016 | min. read

Melissa Neiman

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  • 8 Ways to Get the Most of Your Costco Membership | Credit.com (2)
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  • Stop any fourshoppers on the street, and there is a good chance one of them is heading to Costco. Fully 81 million Americans — one-quarter of the population — belong to the warehouse store,according to the company.

    Costco is filled with ways to save, but it is easy to overlook some of the less obvious perks.

    So, if you are thinking about joining Costco — or if you already are a member who simply needs a refresher about some of the less conspicuous bargains to be found there — here are eightgreat ways to get the most from your Costco membership.

    1. Get Discounted Movie Passes & Gift Cards

    Deals at Costco aren’t limited to buying in bulk. Take their gift card aisle — it offers a swarm of savings on everything from movie tickets and restaurant meals to theme park admission.

    In fact, I recently paid $79.99 for four $25 Build-A-Bear Workshop gift cards. For those of you without young children, this roughly amounts to one extra bear (or other stuffed pal) or a complete ensemble from hat to shoes.

    2. Feed Your Family Dinner on the Cheap

    The Costco food court is a great place to grab an inexpensive bite to eat. Where else can you get a ballpark-worthy hotdog and refillable soda for a mere $1.50?

    My family of four likes to head there on Friday nights to enjoy a large pizza —it’s only $10! Perhaps best of all, you don’t even have to be a Costco member to take advantage of their cheap eats.

    Don’t want to dish out any dough for dinner? Stock up on free food samples instead. The company actually encourages its vendors to offer up as many samples as customers can handle.

    3. Book a Vacation Through the Travel Agency

    Saving on a vacation makes the trip even sweeter. Costco members can rack up such savings when they book their getaway through Costco Travel. Go to CostcoTravel.com to find deep discounts on flights, hotels, rental cars and even cruises.

    Costco Executive Members are eligible for even greater savings. “Special extras might include a room upgrade, a shipboard credit, a spa credit or other value-packed benefit,” according to the Costco site.

    4. Fill Your Prescriptions

    A recent Consumer Reports survey found that Costco had the lowest-priced drugs of any retailer or pharmacy surveyed. Just how cheap are they? According to Consumer Reports: “At Costco … the retail prices were lower for certain drugs than many insurance co-pays.”

    Check out the cost of your medications at the Costco Drug Directory, which “contains pricing details for prescription drugs, plus general information for a wide range of medications.” There’s even a convenient home delivery option.

    5. Get Free Health Care Screenings

    Costco offers free health care screenings to make sure your family remains in tip-top condition. Available screenings include:

    • Osteoporosis: Uses ultrasound technology to assess a member’s risk for the condition.
    • Heart health: Assesses risk for heart disease and includes a lipid-stick profile test and blood pressure check.
    • Lung health: Uses a spirometer to identify member risk for COPD.
    • Diabetes: Screens members through an A1C test.

    You can find a schedule of upcoming screenings at the Costco website.

    6. Buy Lower-Priced Gas

    Being a Costco member also pays at the pump. Many locations have gas stations in their parking lotsthatoffer competitive member prices. Some people buy a Costco membership for the gas savings alone, which can more than offset the membership cost.

    7. Purchase New Tires

    My family buys all of our tires at Costco, and we absolutely love that they throw in free balancing and rotation. Plus, instead of drinking stale coffee while waiting in a stuffy room for our cars to be serviced, we can grab a cheap bite to eat and cross several items off our shopping list.

    And the price of Costco tires can be a bargain. According to GOBankingRates:

    Sometimes Costco discounts name-brand tires by $70 to $80, which is enough savings to cover the cost of a membership and then some.

    8. Tell Nonmember Friends They Can Buy Booze at Costco

    OK, so this one won’t help your own wallet — but it will help your friends and family and maybe boost your Costco karma. Some states require the warehouse giant to pass on alcohol discounts to nonmembers too.

    According to The Penny Hoarder, those states include California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York and Texas, among others.

    Costcoeven offers its own label and hosts events, such as wine tastings, at many locations. Cheers to that!

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    8 Ways to Get the Most of Your Costco Membership | Credit.com (2024)

    FAQs

    How to get the most out of your Costco membership? ›

    9 Ways To Maximize Your Costco Membership
    1. Shop With a Plan. ...
    2. Stock Up on Sale Items. ...
    3. The Best In-Store Deals Tend To Not Be in the Front. ...
    4. Take Advantage of Travel Deals. ...
    5. Get Your Prescriptions Filled There. ...
    6. Fuel Up. ...
    7. Use the Right Credit Card. ...
    8. Go for the Gift Cards.
    Sep 16, 2023

    How do I get a $30 Costco membership online? ›

    When you join as a new member online at costco.com and enroll in auto renewal of your annual membership, you'll receive a free $30 Digital Costco Shop Card.

    How to get a Costco membership for free? ›

    While Costco doesn't offer free or discounted memberships, we do provide an exclusive college student offer to join Costco as a new member and receive a Costco Shop Card!

    What is the Costco membership fee for seniors? ›

    Unfortunately, though, Costco doesn't offer senior discounts. You'll need to prepare to pay $60 for a basic membership or $120 for an Executive membership. You may find, however, that the savings you enjoy can more than make up for those costs.

    Can 2 people split a Costco membership? ›

    If you're the Primary Member or Account Manager, you can assign your free household card to one other person in your home. That way they'll also get the benefits of a Costco membership. To add someone, sign in and head to Account Details in your Costco.com Account.

    How to save money on Costco membership? ›

    And once you spend more than $3,000 in a year at Costco, you've saved money and made back your membership fee upgrade. It costs an extra $60 to pay for Executive membership. But if you end up spending about $100 a week at Costco, or $5,000 in the course of a year, your Executive membership will give you $100 back.

    How to get Costco membership for $20? ›

    Now, you can save even more on an annual membership thanks to a deal through StackSocial. Right now, when you pay $60 for an annual Costco membership on StackSocial, you'll receive a digital $40 Digital Costco Shop Card, bringing the total cost of membership down to an impressive $20.

    Does Costco ever discount memberships? ›

    Costco doesn't offer free or discounted memberships, but rest assured that the cost of membership can be recovered quickly thanks to massive price savings once you start shopping. Not to mention the substantial savings on our many Costco Services, which you can use everyday in your business and personal life.

    How to get Costco $40 gift card? ›

    Join and enroll in auto renewal of your annual membership to receive: A $40 Digital Costco Shop Card* for new Executive Members. Or, a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card* for new Gold Star Members. Use promo code MOVER at checkout.

    Does Costco have a senior discount day? ›

    Costco does not offer "senior discounts." But the same low prices that Costco offers to all shoppers can be an especially good value for retirees on a budget. Enjoying life in retirement depends on how you want to spend your time and money.

    Is there a cheaper way to get a Costco membership? ›

    These memberships come at a price, but if you sign up for Costco's Gold Star annual membership via StackSocial right now, you'll also get a $40 Costco gift card. That means the membership is basically only going to cost you $20.

    Can you go to Costco for free one time? ›

    Costco does not offer free shopping passes.

    What's better, Costco or Sam's? ›

    Costco has more stores across the globe, is expanding rapidly, and generally offers cheaper prices than Sam's Club does, although the latter charges slightly less for membership, has a bigger presence in the U.S., and stocks more name brands.

    How much money do you have to spend at Costco to make a membership worth it? ›

    But if your annual spend regularly tops $3,000, you're better off with the Executive Membership. Every additional dollar you spend after $3,000 will bring your annual fee further and further below $60 and end up saving you money in the long run.

    Can I shop at Costco without a membership? ›

    Costco is a unique store in that you need to pay for a membership to shop there. With a regular supermarket or big-box store, you just walk on in. You don't have to show a membership card at the door.

    How to make money off of Costco membership? ›

    From the first day you sign up as an Executive Member, you are automatically enrolled to start earning toward your annual 2% Reward. Executive Members can earn up to $1,000 every year on qualified Costco, Costco.com and Costco Travel purchases. * See Executive Membership Terms to learn more.

    How much do I have to spend at Costco to make executive membership worth it? ›

    How much you'd need to spend to make Costco Executive Membership worthwhile. In order to receive $60 in reward dollars and recoup the $60 more that an Executive Membership costs, one must spend $3,000 over the course of the year at Costco on eligible purchases, an average of $250 a month.

    How much do you have to buy to make Costco membership worth it? ›

    But if your annual spend regularly tops $3,000, you're better off with the Executive Membership. Every additional dollar you spend after $3,000 will bring your annual fee further and further below $60 and end up saving you money in the long run.

    How many times do you have to go to Costco to make it worth it? ›

    In that case, you should aim to go to Costco at least once every three months, or four times a year, to justify the expense of a membership, because if you're not making that money back, it's probably not worth spending.

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