Money Management

Booking travel through Costco means getting help when your itinerary ends up being a no-go. Read on to learn more. 

Many people think of Costco as the place to go when you need crackers or toilet paper in bulk. But one perk of joining Costco is getting access to its travel services.

If you go to Costco Travel, you’ll be privy to a host of vacation packages that cover all the fine details of your trip so you don’t have to stress about anything. You can even create your own custom package if that’s a route you want to take.

Many Costco vacation packages offer savings beyond what you’d get by booking your plans directly. For example, you might snag a free resort credit by booking a Disney trip through Costco.

But a big reason to use Costco Travel isn’t just the vacation packages you’ll get access to, but also, the excellent customer service. And that service could come in very handy if your vacation ends up getting canceled.

How Costco Travel came to my rescue

My family booked a cruise through Costco that was set to depart in August 2020. We were super excited to take our first family cruise together, and the package we got through Costco not only saved us money but made us eligible for a Costco Shop Card (Costco’s version of a gift card) as an added perk.

Well, as you might imagine, that trip was then canceled due to the pandemic. We knew that since the cruise line itself had canceled our itinerary, we’d be eligible for a full refund. The problem was that the cruise line wasn’t responding to our calls about getting that refund due to being overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, I was worried about our cruise line (and others) being forced into bankruptcy due to the pandemic virtually shutting the industry down for an extended period. So I didn’t want to sit back and wait months for my refund to hit my credit card — I wanted it ASAP.

I called Costco Travel for help, and a representative immediately got on the case. She took it upon herself to contact the cruise line repeatedly on our behalf, and she made sure our refund showed up in a timely fashion. That saved me a lot of time and stress.

A service I’d use again in a heartbeat

Some people use a travel agent to book trips not just for the savings, but the service. In my case, I got both.

The price we paid for our cruise that was supposed to happen was lower than prices for similar itineraries I’d seen elsewhere. But in the end, it was the customer service I received from Costco that made me extra happy about my decision to use it to book my trip.

My family hasn’t taken any big vacations since the pandemic. Rather, we’ve been taking smaller trips we can access by driving. But the next time we’re inspired to take a bigger trip, I wouldn’t hesitate to use Costco Travel. That way, I can rest assured that I have someone in my corner should my plans go awry.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until nearly 2025

If you’re using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our experts love this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee.

In fact, this card is so good that our experts even use it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Read our free review

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.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More 

Love Amazon Prime? Read on to see why your membership just got even better. 

For many people, getting an Amazon Prime membership is an easy call. For $139 a year, you get access to perks like unlimited free two-day shipping on orders of any size and access to loads of streaming content, from music to movies to TV series.

Depending on the area you live in, you can argue that a Prime membership can pay for itself by virtue of savings on gas alone. If you’d normally spend $5 in gas to go back and forth from your closest big-box store, placing about 28 orders on Amazon per year allows you to break even on your $139 outlay. So if you commonly place three orders a month, you’re getting your money’s worth right there.

Meanwhile, Amazon is introducing yet another perk for Prime members that movie and TV fans in particular are apt to be thrilled with. So if you’ve been wondering whether your Prime membership makes sense to retain, you’ll want to consider this latest offering.

How do exclusive screenings sound to you?

Although the main draw of an Amazon Prime membership is often the free two-day shipping, for some people, the streaming content is a really nice perk. Amazon is taking that benefit a big step further by introducing Prime Premiere.

It’s a program that gives Prime members access to early in-person screenings of movies and TV series. Prime Premiere also includes access to photo opportunities at screening events, concessions, and special giveaways.

For each Prime Premiere event, members are allowed one entry. Event tickets are given out on a first come, first served basis. And because of this, it’s unclear as to how easy or difficult tickets will be to snag. It’s also worth noting that Prime Premiere events will only take place in select cities.

If you’re psyched about this new benefit, you should know that the next Prime Premiere event is set to take place in early September. And we can expect details on future events to be announced as the program rolls out.

Should you join Amazon Prime?

While the Prime Premiere program sounds cool in its own right, the reality is that you may not want to bear the cost of a membership for that perk alone. It’s hard to determine how easy or difficult it will be to snag tickets to early TV series and movie screenings. And it would be a shame to have to bear a $139 annual credit card charge for an option you don’t end up getting to take advantage of.

However, if the idea of free two-day shipping appeals to you, and you’re convinced it can help you save money by virtue of getting to make fewer trips to the store, then a Prime membership may be worth it. Plus, you do get the benefit of free streaming content included, among other perks.

If you’re on the fence about a Prime membership, sign up for a free 30-day trial and see how it goes. You can always cancel after a month if you feel that Prime ultimately won’t be worth paying for.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until nearly 2025

If you’re using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our experts love this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee.

In fact, this card is so good that our experts even use it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Read our free review

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.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More 

Taco Tuesday is the perfect time to eat tacos — especially free tacos. Find out how to get a free Taco Bell Doritos taco on Tuesdays through Sept 5. 

Food is one of life’s many joys. But I’d argue that free food tastes even more delicious than food that costs money. If you like tacos, this deal is for you. Through Sept. 5, Taco Bell customers can get one free taco every Tuesday to celebrate Taco Tuesday. Let’s taco ’bout what you need to know about this freebie so you can get your taco fix without breaking the bank.

How to get a free Doritos Taco on Tuesdays

Taco Bell is giving away free tacos to celebrate that “Taco Tuesday” is no longer a trademarked phrase anywhere in the United States — except in New Jersey. Everyone gets free tacos! Now through Sept. 5, you can get one free Doritos Locos Taco on Tuesdays at participating U.S. Taco Bell locations while supplies last.

This offer is limited to one taco, per person, per day. No purchase is required. This deal is unavailable for delivery unless you order directly through the Taco Bell app. Life is busy. Ordering through the mobile app is a great way to save time. When ordering online, you must enter a valid promo code to claim your free taco.

Here’s the promo code for each remaining Taco Tuesday:

Aug. 22: 02TACOTUESDAYAug. 29: 03TACOTUESDAYSept. 5: 04TACOTUESDAY

If you want to keep more cash in your checking account and like tacos, don’t miss out on this free offer. Every bit of money saved adds up and positively impacts your personal finances.

Taco Bell will open a $5 million tab to fuel your taco cravings

But the celebration doesn’t stop there. The above promotion isn’t the only way to score free lunch paid for by Taco Bell. On Sept. 12, the fast food chain is partnering with DoorDash. It will open a $5 million taco tab to cover a portion of taco fans’ orders from any participating vendor selling Mexican cuisine on the DoorDash app. (That’s a lot of free tacos!)

This could be an excellent way to enjoy a delicious meal from a local Mexican restaurant in your area for a more affordable price. However, there’s one catch: Since Taco Tuesday is still trademarked in New Jersey, this DoorDash promotion is only available to customers in 49 states. Sorry, New Jerseyites.

Join rewards programs to score free food

As you plan your upcoming Mexican feast, don’t forget to use restaurant loyalty programs. Many companies have free rewards programs that you can join to earn discounts and freebies. These programs offer loyal customers a way to earn rewards when they spend money with their favorite brands. Most of these programs only take a few moments to join.

The Taco Bell Rewards Program is linked to the brand’s mobile app. When you make eligible purchases, you’ll earn points, and you can later redeem your points for free food. You can also take advantage of members-exclusive in-app offers as a rewards member. Other restaurants you love may also have free loyalty programs worth joining. Using programs like this could help you keep more money in your pocket.

Another way to earn rewards when making everyday purchases is using rewards credit cards. With the right card in your wallet, you can earn cash back rewards when you spend money with your card. Learn how you can benefit by reviewing our list of the best cash back credit cards.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until nearly 2025

If you’re using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our experts love this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee.

In fact, this card is so good that our experts even use it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Read our free review

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.Natasha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends DoorDash. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More