5 Ways I Save Money at Costco -- Without Ever Setting Foot in the Store

If you've ever seen anything from The Ascent about Costco, you know we love the place. And why not? It's got everything you might ever need, and what they don't have, you clearly don't need. But I have a confession to make: I don't like going inside Costco.

I have a membership, and I buy items from Costco, but I'd rather have my teeth drilled without anesthetic than go into a Costco warehouse.

Fortunately for me, I don't have to. I never have to set foot inside Costco in order to save more than enough money to justify my membership fee.

Wondering how you, too, can avoid the crowds and still save a bundle? Here are some tips for you.

1. Use Costco's mail order pharmacy

Costco's mail order pharmacy offers the same discounts to members who use the in-store pharmacy. It's famous for being cheaper than other retail pharmacies, and that's no different for the mail order option. You'll simply register online, transfer your prescriptions, give them your insurance information, and you're off to the races.

Hot tip: This also applies to your pet's prescriptions, so if they have a lot of pharmaceutical needs, you can have Costco handle Fido and Fluffy's meds, as well.

2. Watch for Costco fliers in the mail

Costco sends me a flier every so often with the newest and greatest deals they have to offer. Usually I discard them without even looking at them, but back in January, it caught my eye that the protein powder I buy was on the list of specials. And boy, was it special. At first glance, I thought it was the same price as what I was paying on Amazon, but after looking a little closer, I realized the container was much bigger (a size that's not even available elsewhere).

This is basically all I have for dinner most days, so you can imagine how much of my budget is spent on this product. Being able to get it for 6% less per pound was a huge budget saver, and now that I know it's offered through Costco, I can just order it online and have it delivered. Easy peasy.

3. Use Instacart through Costco.com

Of course, you can mail order most things (though not everything) through Costco.com, but did you know you can also get your groceries (and other items) delivered via Instacart through Costco.com with members-only pricing? It's true. You can even get a rotisserie chicken brought right to your door.

There is a minimum of a $35 order required, and prices are (very) slightly higher than they are in the store, but there are no additional charges from Instacart for Costco Same-Day besides a tip for your driver.

4. Keep an eye on online-only savings

Costco.com is actually a bit of a treasure trove if you have the time to dig through it. Not only does it offer most of the products that are in the warehouse for delivery via either shipping or Instacart, it has specials like its online-only savings that rotate each month.

Though not exclusively, most of these items are big-ticket purchases, with deep discounts for members. For example, in June, you can get an Aquaterra Spa with a $2,000 discount or an 85-inch television for $1,600, both with free delivery.

5. Check out Costco's partner program

Costco has partnerships with all kinds of other companies, through both the Costco Next program and the Costco Services program.

Costco Next connects members with the online shops of some of the company's most reliable brands that literally offer everything from cookware to cosmetics, clothing, sporting goods, and even sheds, and hooks them up with a members-only discount, too.

Costco Services are partner offers specifically geared to members that provide discounts on all sorts of things you might need, from insurance to home improvement to new cars (seriously). Members get access to these relationships established by Costco with providers with exceptional reputations that save you money and time, without ever setting foot inside the warehouse!

You, too, can save money at Costco without ever going inside

It's true -- you never have to go to Costco in person to save money. It's really kind of a great deal for your secret inner introvert, or the outer one that you wear around every day. Although you may pay a tiny bit extra for the convenience of having Costco brought to you, you're still generally going to save money over the competition on a huge range of goods and services simply by being a member.