5 Ways to Save $50 at Costco

Costco is great for finding good deals on bulk food items, but there are many more ways to help your monthly budget than grocery shopping.

The longer I have my Costco membership, the more I realize how many ways there are to save money that don't involve canned goods or boxes of cereal. Here are five quick ways to save $50 at Costco.

1. Buy furniture online and have it delivered

Savings: More than $100

I recently spent some time looking at furniture on Costco's website and was surprised to see that Costco doesn't charge a delivery fee for online furniture purchases.

Costco's website says there's free delivery, set-up, and packaging removal for a leather sofa I was looking at. Free delivery and set-up is a great deal and will save you far more than $50, considering that some online retailers, like Room and Board, charge $119, and many stores charge much more.

Tip: You have to buy your Costco furniture online to have it delivered. The company currently doesn't offer a delivery service for in-store furniture purchases.

2. Buy your prescriptions at Costco

Savings: More than $50

Costco gives its members access to the Costco Membership Prescription Program (CMPP), which has discounts of 2% to 40% on medications across 19,000 participating pharmacies.

Considering the average American spends more than $1,200 on prescriptions yearly, a discount on even one medication could save Costco members more than $50. For the five most common prescriptions, Costco members could save up to $739 or more annually.

3. Buy a Southwest Airlines gift card

Savings: $50

If you're looking for some easy savings while booking your next vacation, Costco is your best bet. A $500 Southwest Airlines gift card is currently just $449.99, saving you $50.01.

Of course, there are plenty of other gift card deals at Costco as well. You can buy discounted gift cards for everything from restaurants to Xbox video games. If you frequently go to the movies, you can save $50 by purchasing five $50 Cinemark gift cards for just $40 each.

4. Buy a new Apple MacBook Air computer

Savings: $50

My current computer is burning through its battery much faster than it used to, which isn't great for me as a freelance writer who's often writing away from home. I've been eyeing the latest 13-inch MacBook Air, which costs $1,099 on Apple's website, but I've been shopping around for a better deal.

Costco is selling the same model for $1,049.99, which would instantly save me $50. But there are also some hidden savings in this price. Costco's free two-year warranty applies to all electronics, including Apple computers. That extends the warranty an additional year compared to Apple's standard warranty.

If I decide to buy the AppleCare+ three-year warranty through Costco, I'll save $39 compared to buying it through Apple, which could boost my total savings to $89.

5. Get your tires installed

Savings: $100

Many Costco stores have a tire center where you can buy tires, have your oil changed, or have a battery replaced. You may not know that if you buy a set of four tires at Costco, you can have them put on your vehicle free of charge.

Many automotive shops charge about $100 to install four tires. With Costco selling name-brand tires at its stores with free installation, there's no reason not to take advantage of that savings.

With all the potential ways to save $50 or more at Costco, members will quickly earn back the $60 they'll pay for the Gold membership or the $120 for the Executive Membership. The latter gives you 2% cash back on Costco purchases, so you'll rack up the savings the more you shop.