5 Tricks to Spend Even Less Money at Costco

Many people join Costco for the express purpose of being able to save money on groceries, household essentials, and other purchases. But if you play your cards right, you can lower your Costco tab even more. All you need to do is follow these tricks.

1. Look out for monthly sales

Costco runs different sales each month. It pays to look online or at the deal book members get in the mail to see what's available at a discount.

Now it's generally not a good idea to buy something simply because it happens to be on sale. But if Costco is discounting items you use regularly, then stocking up during sale periods could result in a lot of savings. This especially applies to items that aren't perishable and don't have an expiration date, like toilet paper.

2. Get an Executive membership

An Executive membership at Costco costs $120, which is double the cost of a basic membership for $60. But in exchange for that higher fee, you'll get 2% back on all Costco purchases you make. And if you spend more than $3,000 in a calendar year, you'll come out ahead financially with an Executive membership.

Meanwhile, with an Executive membership, you'll get a yearly rewards certificate in the amount of the cash back you've accrued. You can use that certificate to pay for your Costco purchases instead of handing over cash or whipping out a credit card.

3. Buy Kirkland products instead of brand names

Kirkland is Costco's signature brand. And if you're willing to give it a try, you might end up spending less in the course of your shopping.

Case in point: You can buy a 120-pack of Kirkland coffee pods for $38.99, or $0.33 per pod. A 72-pack of Starbucks coffee pods will usually cost you $42.99, though right now you can snag $6 off. But even so, that brings your cost per pod to $0.51.

4. Shop in stores instead of online

You might find a host of great Costco deals online. But often, prices are lower in stores than what you'll see listed online. This especially applies to groceries.

If you're close enough to your nearest Costco location that shopping in person is feasible, then it could result in a nice amount of savings. Plus, this way, you can hand-pick your produce instead of having someone else do it for you.

5. Fill up on samples instead of springing for a food court lunch

Costco's food court features an array of low-cost meals, including the famed $1.50 hot dog and soda combo. But why spend any money on food you consume on the spot when you can load up on free samples instead?

Granted, this strategy may not work so well if you go to Costco early in the morning, before those samples are ready, or late at night, when they're less likely to be available. But if you go during lunchtime, you may find that after 11 or 12 delicious bites of food, you're full enough to skip the food court trip. Oh, and in case you were wondering, it's totally okay to go back to the same Costco sample area for seconds, provided there's plenty to go around.

Shopping at Costco can be a money-saving endeavor in its own right. But if you follow these tips, you might get away with spending even less than you normally would.