12 Costco Shopping Hacks To Try On Your Next Trip To The Warehouse

If you have ever strolled through a Costco warehouse, it may seem intimidating pushing your cart through the warehouse that is filled with bulk goods and household essentials. But behind the towering shelves is a society of savvy shoppers who are armed with insider knowledge to help fellow consumers shop smarter at Costco by unlocking hidden deals and maximizing membership perks. In fact, there are hundreds of pages worth of Reddit threads and an endless supply of social media posts dedicated to Costco shopping hacks.

Look For Prices That End In .97

If you are looking closely at prices, you’ll notice that regular priced items end in .99 ($15.99, for example), but every so often you will come across a product that isn’t marked as “on sale” but ends in .97 ($14.97, for example). This indicates the product has been marked down from its regular price and is likely a better deal than it already was originally and Costco is trying to move it out.

Look For Other Odd Pricing

Notice that a seasonal snack or clothing item ends in .79 or maybe .49 ($7.79 or $7.49, for example)? This often indicated that Costco got a deal from the manufacturer and is passing those savings down to consumers.

What To Know If You See An Asterisk

For a long time, Reddit users believed that an asterisk beside a price tag was the kiss of death for products and that was the last of the supply, but that theory has been debunked by employees who are active on the social forum. “It could mean a multitude of things,” one employee noted. “Either the item number is changing (or) we’re getting an updated version of the product. It doesn’t entirely mean it’s going away forever.” But – it might – so if it’s something you love, especially a seasonal item, grab a couple.

Buy Gift Cards

Did you know Costco sells gift cards? Sometimes it’s easy to miss the display within the warehouse, but Costco stocks gift cards for everything from travel to restaurants at steep discounts. Think a $500 Southwest gift card for $450 or four $25 Crumbl gift cards for $79.99.

Upgrade Your Membership

Costco’s membership offerings come with two options for personal use: Executive ($120/year) or Gold Star ($60). While at first glance it seems like the Gold Star membership is a better option for warehouse access, the Executive membership comes with a 2% reward on eligible pre-tax purchases, up to $1,000 per 12-month period. If you spend about $250 per month, the added $60 will pay for itself, but let’s be honest – we are all spending more than that.

Look Online

Did you know that Costco offers even more discounted items online? It seems hard to imagine if the thought of a warehouse is already overwhelming, but discounted furniture, outdoor equipment , and other household supplies not found in stores are available at Costco.com. Costco’s website also gives membership holders access to services like home water bottle delivery, budget truck rentals, pet insurance, and more.

Book Travel

Travelers – both novice and seasoned – look to Costco’s travel planning services when they’re ready to take a vacation whether its domestic or international.

“My husband and I went to an all-inclusive in Cancun, Mexico for a week, including airfare through Costco. Cost was about $2000. I would definitely use them again,” one user on a Costco Travel Hacks Reddit thread wrote. Another commenter who has used Costco’s travel planning services to book consecutive trips to the Hawaiian Islands said the prices were “much cheaper” than doing it themselves. 

People who have utilized Costco to book travel also note that there are perks.

“Many trips (booked) through Costco may include extras such as waived resort fees, free parking, free breakfast,” one user wrote. “Many trips also give you a certain percentage of your booking price back as a shop card. This can be a hundred dollars depending on your trip cost.”

Prep Your Barcodes

A shopping trip to Costco can often give you a little whiplash and overwhelm, so when it comes time to leave, you understandably just want to check out ASAP. Help your cashier streamline the process by positioning items in your cart with the barcode facing up, which will expedite the check-out time.

Look For The Kirkland Label

Like other money-saving warehouses, Costco has an in-house brand – Kirkland Signature – they use to sell products at even more affordable prices for consumers. While you’ll no doubt get a great deal on Kirkland Signature paper towels and toilet paper, there are some hidden gems throughout the warehouse that consumers flock to over and over again including sparkling water, olive oil, yogurt, pesto, maple syrup, and more.

Don’t Forget The Return Policy

Costco’s return policy is infamously generous (Reddit reports seeing consumers return dead plants) and 98% of items sold in the warehouse can be returned at any time, no questions asked. And because Costco is always adjusting prices throughout the warehouse, price adjustments are also offered to customers who are able to show a decrease in price when purchased. Just be sure to hang onto your receipt!

Fill Up Your Tank

Anyone trying to fill up their gas tank knows that finding a good deal on gas is sometimes more painful than the actual price of fuel. Despite notoriously long lines, Costco’s gas stations are worth the wait.

“In Vegas, it’s been 70 cents a gallon cheaper for quite some time. Our lines are insane, but worth it. That ends up being around $10-$12 saved per fill up,” one Reddit user wrote. 

Another added, “It’s always 20-30 cents less per gallon than any other gas station.”

Split It Up

One of the top complaints from consumers is that they’re prohibited from buying items they want at Costco based on quantity, especially when it comes to perishables. But savvy shoppers have found that splitting items with friends, neighbors, or relatives solves this conundrum.

“As a single person, my hack is to split items with my neighbors. Less likely to go bad, get lost in the mix, take up too much space in my very small apartment, etc.,” one user on Reddit commented.