Featuring a diverse and generous selection of products, Costco is the go-to store whether you need to refill your pantry with your favorite products, get new electronics, or tweak your room decor.
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The retailer offers products to cover many daily needs as well as deals that will enable you to get the items you need without paying the full price. Here is a short list of tips to help you save not only the next time you shop but every time you do so.
Membership Privileges
If you’re a regular shopper at Costco, becoming a member is worth considering as this will help you benefit from members-only savings. Costco releases member-only deals regularly, which provides you with the possibility to get selected merchandise at prices significantly lower than non-members.
Recent examples of such discounts include $100 off a Dyson V11 Animal+ Cordless Stick Vacuum (limit 2), $200 off a Dell Inspiron 24 5000 Series Touchscreen All-in-One Desktop (limit 2), $400 off Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Bundle, and $120 off a Sealy Posturepedic 13″ Mount Auburn Queen Medium Mattress.
Discounts also apply to supplements, groceries, and other product categories, so as a member, you get to benefit from savings on a greater variety of products. You can also share a membership with a friend or someone close to you. You will thus pay less for the membership yet benefit from its many perks.
What If You’re not a Member?
If you shop at Costco only now and then and thus think that becoming a member is unnecessary, you can still benefit from deals, as we will see below.
Thus, you can always accompany a card-carrying member. If there is someone in your family or you have a friend who is a Costco member, then ask them to allow you to accompany them next time they shop so that you can benefit from the membership privileges.
Plus, you can always go for a Costco Shop Card. These reloadable gift cards are accepted at Costco stores and online, on Costco.com. However, even if non-members can use such cards, purchasing them is also restricted to Costco members only. Thus, you can ask for a family member or friend who is a Costco member to buy a Shop Card on your behalf. If they agree, send them enough money to cover your expected next Costco bill.
Buy Kirkland Signature Products
Many grocery retailers have their own brand, which is typically more affordable than big brand products. In Costco’s case, it’s Kirkland Signature products. The great thing about them is that many of them feature the same ingredients and recipes as big brand items, but they’re more affordable.
Check out this section next time you shop at Costco, try the products of interest, and you might find your new favorites at lower prices than name brands.
Shop in Bulk
This is a shopping tip you can apply to any store that offers bulk deals. However, make sure that you only buy if the price per item proves to be indeed lower than if you purchased that item separately and that you only get the products you frequently use and that are safe to store for a longer time.
Costco does offer frequent deals on shelf-stable products, including dry spices, nut butter, snack bars, and similar items; therefore, whenever something you regularly use goes on sale, getting in bulk will help you save in the long run.
Learn to Decipher Pricing Codes
Another simple yet handy way to save when shopping at Costco is to learn to decipher the pricing codes. The last two numbers on the price tag include important information about the product.
Thus, when you see .97 on a price tag, it means that the product was originally priced higher. If you see lower non-round numbers, such as .49 and .74, the item is on clearance sale, is paired with special manufacturer pricing, or even both. Numbers such as .88 and .00 show manager specials, which might mean that the product is priced to sell.
What’s more, some price tags also show an asterisk, which means that the product faces discontinuation. Whenever you see such a symbol on the price tag of an item you’re interested in, it’s best to purchase it as this is likely the liquidation price, and thus once the product is gone, it won’t come back again.
Sign up for Emails
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As is the case with many other retailers, Costco will send you special offers and inform you of the latest deals and promotions if you sign up for emails. You can always unsubscribe if you feel like doing so.