Follow these tips to relaxation without breaking the bank. Asia Images Group / Shutterstock.com
While I was getting an expensive four-part body treatment at the Four Seasons in Scottsdale — offered to me free of charge — I thought of that saying, “Do more of what you love.” The quote generally applies to work. But as I lay on that massage table for 80 minutes, my masseuse, rubbing the knots out of my back and neck, then covering me up like a burrito for the herbal-infused heat wrap…
No one wants to spend their hard-earned money on cheap-looking items. Read on as we unveil five expensive-looking Costco bargains. [[{“value”:”
Image source: Getty Images
Given the wide range of products Costco carries, it’s no surprise that there are luxurious-looking items to be found. Fortunately, though, the prices are lower at Costco than at most other retail establishments. Here are five items we ran across that look great, but remain relative bargains for your personal finances.
Costco price: $70
Williams-Sonoma price: $120
Are you someone who thinks coffee tastes better when you’re drinking from your favorite mug, or orange juice a little sweeter when served in a lovely glass? If so, you may understand how important the right glass is to a wine lover. This 8-pack of Zwiesel Sensa wine glasses are not only stunning, but they’re practical. You receive four 12.3 oz. white wine glasses, and four 22.3 oz red/Bordeaux glasses. As a bonus, they’re dishwasher safe (and cost 40% less than you’ll find for the same set at Williams-Sonoma).
Costco price: $600
Neiman Marcus price: $1,195
No, this Ferragamo watch is not cheap, but at nearly half the price found at Neiman Marcus for the same piece, it’s quite a bargain. The two-tone, ion-plated, yellow gold stainless steel bracelet watch is Swiss made, with Swiss quartz movement, and a Guilloche dial. Water resistant to 50 meters (164 feet), it’s also quite durable. At this price, it will only look like you have millions of dollars in your bank account.
Costco price: $550 ($62.50/ounce)
Walmart price: $750 ($85.23/ounce)
Granted, not everyone loves caviar, but there’s no denying that it classes up a party. With a reputation for being luxurious, caviar fans will recognize Osetra as one of the finest on the market.
The color of Plaza Golden Osetra Caviar ranges from amber to gold and has a medium to large grain size. Costco calls this their “top grade” caviar, sourced from a partner farm in Greece that responsibly raises ultra-premium sturgeon. One tin serves seven to 12 people.
Costco price: $135
EZ Contacts price: $275 (on sale)
Montblanc model #MB0183S-001 metal frames are shaped in Italy. With gray lenses offering 100% UV protection, you would look right at home in Florence or Milan, or driving the Stelvio Pass. Whether you’re going on a great vacation or staying around the house, $135 is a fair price to pay for quality sunglasses that may last you for years.
Costco price: $800
Zales price: $937 clearance price ($1,339 regular price)
Whether you’re looking for a gift for your significant other, daughter, or some other special person in your life, you’d be hard pressed to find a better deal on this 0.50 carat total weight necklace. Nearly colorless diamonds surround a white gold heart and hang from a delicate 18″ chain. You may want to wait to shell out $800, but if you’re tucking money away in savings for a special occasion, you know where to find quality jewelry.
Costco may not be the first place you think of when you want to buy a high-end gift or luxury item like a hot tub or outdoor sauna, but maybe it should move up the list. Once you’ve shopped around, Costco prices are likely to seem like a virtual bargain.
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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Dana George has positions in Walmart. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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Getting a mortgage? There’s one aspect to keep on your radar beyond the rate you’re offered. Keep reading to learn more. [[{“value”:”
Image source: Getty Images
If you’re in the market for a mortgage today, you may be resigned to the idea of paying a lot to borrow for a home. Mortgage lenders haven’t exactly had many bargains on offer since rates started creeping upward in 2022. As of this writing, the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is 6.9%, according to Freddie Mac.
That said, it never hurts to try to negotiate when you’re looking to sign a mortgage. If you gather a bunch of offers from different lenders, you may end up in a position where you can talk a given lender down to a lower rate, especially if you happen to be a borrower with great credit.
But there’s one mistake you don’t want to make when negotiating mortgage rates. It’s an oversight that could really come back to haunt you.
When you think about signing a mortgage, it’s natural to focus on trying to snag the lowest interest rate possible. But there’s another important factor to look at when evaluating your mortgage offers — closing costs.
Closing costs are the fees lenders charge to finalize a mortgage. They commonly amount to 2% to 5% of the loan amount you’re taking on. But that doesn’t mean your closing costs won’t be higher.
And even within that 2% to 5% range, there’s a lot of room for your costs to vary from one lender to the next. So in the course of negotiating mortgage rates, don’t forget to account for the sum you’re paying to close on your loan.
To be clear, you’re not always required to hand over a giant check for closing costs when you put a mortgage in place. Often, lenders will allow you to roll your closing costs into your mortgage and pay them off over time along with the rest of your loan.
But either way, once you commit to those closing costs, there’s no going back. On the other hand, committing to a given interest rate on your mortgage doesn’t always mean paying that rate for 15 years, 30 years, or whatever the life of your loan entails. It’s often possible to refinance a mortgage at some point in time and snag a lower interest rate in the process.
Let’s say you’re stuck between two lenders — one letting you borrow $200,000 over 30 years at a fixed rate of 6.9% and another giving you that same loan at 7%. At first, the 6.9% offer reads like the better deal. With that offer, you’re paying $1,317 a month for principal and interest. With the second offer, you’re paying $1,330 a month.
But what if the lender offering you a 30-year mortgage at 6.9% is also charging you an extra $3,000 in closing costs? Well, let’s do the math.
With the 7% offer, you’re paying an additional $13 a month. And it takes about 231 monthly payments to equal the $3,000 in extra closing costs you may be looking at. That’s over 19 years’ worth of payments.
A lot might happen in 19 years, though. And there’s a reasonable chance you’ll be able to refinance your mortgage to a lower interest rate within that time frame. As such, it could make financial sense to sign the mortgage that has you paying an extra $13 a month rather than spending an additional $3,000 upfront on closing costs.
It’s always important to shop around when you’re looking for a mortgage, so you can compare different offers and negotiate with lenders. But don’t just negotiate your mortgage rate itself. Try to get your lender to come down on closing costs, too.
All told, when comparing mortgage offers, you need to look at the big picture. Signing on with the lender offering you the lowest rate may not be your best option if its closing costs are higher than what the competition is charging you.
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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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I prefer Costco, but the fact there are no locations near me prompted me to become a Sam’s Club member instead. Learn more about my reasoning here. [[{“value”:”
Image source: Getty Images
I really like Costco. The store’s Kirkland brand products are great, and the $1.50 hot dog and soda combo is one of the most bank-account friendly meals I’ve ever come across (albeit, perhaps not one of the healthiest meal options out there!)
Despite my desire to be a Costco member, I’m not one. Instead, I’m a Sam’s Club member — which is fine. There’s one very simple reason why I’ve opted to be a Sam’s member even though Costco is my true love.
The reason that I’m a Sam’s Club member instead of a Costco member is simply that there are no Costco warehouse clubs within 45 minutes of my house, but there is a Sam’s Club 15 minutes away.
Location is a really important factor when choosing which warehouse club to join. There are around 600 Sam’s Club locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and about 603 Costco locations. But while each warehouse club has a similar number of stores, they tend to be located in different areas.
It can make very little sense to pick the one that’s farther away — even if you do have a preference for it — because the distance may make you visit less. And it will definitely increase the fuel costs you’re charging to your credit cards.
You want to get your money’s worth out of the membership fees you’re paying so your personal finances don’t take a needless hit. Sadly, if you have to take a day-long field trip every time you need a rotisserie chicken or an industrial-size jar of mustard, odds are you’ll skip it and just go to your closest grocery store instead.
This would mean you not only wasted the cost of a membership you don’t use often, but you’re also losing extra money by buying at a local (often more expensive) store if a warehouse club would have had a better deal. You’re far better off joining your closer, less-preferred, club so you can visit more often to take advantage of their deals.
Since I do like Costco better and we do live in the age of the internet, it may seem like I could potentially get away with just shopping online at my preferred club. Sadly, the nature of warehouse shopping means that’s not a good option.
Many of the best deals at these types of clubs are groceries or household items. Things like industrial-size packs of blueberries or extra-large frozen pizzas don’t really tend to ship very well. Plus, Costco charges higher prices online than in store, so I wouldn’t be getting the best deals if I became a member and mostly ordered over the internet.
Since getting discounted gas is another major perk of club membership, passing up that perk would be another downside to just joining Costco and using the internet to buy stuff.
The reality is, when you’re picking a warehouse club, you need to think about where you’re likely to be able to shop in person often and without hassle. That’s true even if you get stuck with one club when you’d have preferred another. Only by picking a club that’s close — and that you’ll actually visit — do you set yourself up for your membership being worth the cash you paid for it.
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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Christy Bieber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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If you’re looking for ways to manage weight, these options may make your life a bit easier. RossHelen / Shutterstock.com
The key to losing weight — and keeping it off — is not skipping meals or starving yourself. Quite the contrary. The real trick is to focus on eating more nutrient-dense foods and fewer energy-dense foods. What’s the difference? Nutrient-dense foods have a hefty supply of vitamins and minerals. But what makes these foods so satisfying is their water, fiber and protein content — all nutrients that…
Patient assistant programs can help patients save money on rising prescription drug costs. Read on to learn more about these, and other, options. [[{“value”:”
Image source: Getty Images
If you’ve been on any prescribed medications for a substantial amount of time, the idea that your medication costs may be increasing this year is probably not news. For instance, among drugs that saw price increases from January 2022 to January 2023, the average increase was 15.2%. So if you paid $100 per month for medication in early 2022, your prices might have gone up to $115 by the same time the next year.
But when those costs rise so high that you’re having trouble paying, it’s best to get creative and find ways to save without compromising your health by skipping doses. Here are three tools you can use to save money on your medications.
If you have Medicare Part D, you can use its assistance program to look up and find assistance programs designed to help address the costs of such drugs, and learn the eligibility requirements associated with those.
For example, if you use the drug Abilify, the tool shows that there is one program available from Rx OUTREACH, and you’d need to meet the program’s financial guidelines, which have been increased beyond 400% of the federal poverty level guidelines. And when you click over to Rx Outreach’s site, you can look up Abilify, which costs $25 for up to 30 tablets, assuming 10-milligram doses. That’s compared to retail prices, which can start at over $500 per month (which is a more than 1,900% increase).
Another place where you may find help with your prescription costs are the manufacturers themselves, who may offer discount cards and patient assistance programs for their products. For instance, the manufacturer card for NovoLog (which provides insulin in a pen or pump form) can save up to $65 per month on a prescription.
You can use the site NeedyMeds.org to find these types of programs for both generic and brand-name medications, or you can visit the manufacturer’s site.
Similarly, you may consider using programs from pharmacies like Walgreens and Walmart, which may provide savings even if you don’t have health insurance. The latter has some prescriptions for as low as $4 for a 30-day supply:
If you need to order your medications online, rather than going into a pharmacy to pick them up, there are several options to save money on those prescriptions:
Mail-order services may provide discounted prescriptions and help you understand the cost savings of ordering online versus going into a participating pharmacy. (However, their prices may be higher than your existing ones, depending on how and where you currently get your medications, so be sure to review that first.) Blink Health is one example. You might also consider Cost Plus Drugs.Insurer mail services may also offer a free way to access your medications, potentially for free. This can be better than going to a pharmacy since it saves you on transportation costs. The key here is to make sure that you order it early enough to avoid skipping doses. And, again, prices vary. So make sure to check those against your other options to make sure you’re saving enough money.
Working prescription prices into your personal finances can be tricky, especially when the costs unexpectedly change. But if you’re able to examine your options and select the one that both meets your needs and delivers the lowest price, it can be well worth the effort.
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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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