I’m on a tighter budget these days thanks to persistently high inflation. Since I’m paying more for everything from clothing to groceries to utilities, I have to be careful with how I spend. And that extends to Costco, a store I shop at almost every week.
It’s true that buying products at Costco can be a money-saving endeavor by itself. But here are some specific ways you can save extra at Costco this month when you do your shopping.
1. Choose the Kirkland brand whenever possible
Kirkland is Costco’s signature brand, and you’ll find it on everything from clothing to baked goods. You may be someone who usually walks past the Kirkland products on the shelves in favor of brands you know or recognize. And I wouldn’t totally blame you, because I used to do that myself. But loading up on Kirkland products this month instead of your usual name brands could save you a lot of money.
During Costco’s most recent earnings call, CFO Gary Millerchip said, “We evaluate the potential for new high-quality Kirkland Signature items with a goal of providing at least 20% value versus what we would sell the national brand item as.”
In other words, if you buy the Kirkland version of a given item, you’re looking at saving 20% or more on its cost. I’d say that’s a pretty great deal.
Better yet, you don’t have to worry about getting stuck with a Kirkland purchase you aren’t happy with. Costco will take back just about any item for any reason (some exclusions apply to things like electronics). And if there’s something about a Kirkland product that doesn’t meet your needs or seems off (such as if you buy a food item and there’s an issue with its taste), you can generally get a full refund without a hassle.
2. Split bulk food purchases with friends or neighbors to avoid waste
Buying food from Costco in bulk can leave you paying less per ounce or unit. The problem, though, is that you risk letting some of your food spoil before you’ve gotten a chance to eat it — especially meats, dairy products, and produce items, all of which have a limited shelf life.
If you want to save more during your Costco shopping this month, make a plan to split perishable items with neighbors or friends ahead of time.
Just last week, I bought a massive container of strawberries for $2.79. My local supermarket had a container half that size for almost $4. However, there were a lot of strawberries, so I asked my neighbor if she wanted some for her kids. And OK, I didn’t ask for the $1.40 because we’re friends and my kids have raided her fridge to the tune of well more than $1.40 on numerous occasions.
The point, however, is that you can talk to friends and neighbors to see which items it makes sense to split down the middle. That way, you both save without risking food waste.
The one thing that bugs me about Costco is that it’s always crowded. (And yes, I know to steer clear on weekends.) Because of this, I’m sometimes inclined to order from Costco.com instead of visiting the store.
But the reason I almost never order from the website is because there’s a markup on the site due to having the cost of shipping and handling built into each order. If you want to save money at Costco this month, resist the urge to shop online and head to the store. In my experience, in-store prices are easily 5% to 10% less compared to what I see online, though keep in mind that Costco’s prices vary by location.
One trick that usually works for me is getting to Costco a few minutes before it opens. In my area, Costco opens at 10:00 a.m., but I often show up at 9:50 a.m. and I’m still allowed in. This gives me a chance to get through some of my shopping before other customers even think to arrive.
Because it’s gotten so disgustingly expensive to exist, saving even just a few dollars this month could work wonders for your financial picture. These moves could save you big money at Costco when you add them all up, so it pays to incorporate them into your June shopping plans.
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