Money Management

Costco offers more than just bulk groceries. Read on for some great deals available right now. 

Shopping at Costco can be an adventure of sorts. Not only are those warehouse club stores massive, but you’ll often find new and interesting products on the shelves. And if they’re of the food variety, you might even get to sample some along the way.

But Costco’s inventory extends well beyond groceries. You can buy everything from clothing to furniture to electronics at Costco. And you may want to consider these items that are available now and are great bargains for your personal finances.

1. $30 off of the KRAUS Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet and Soap Dispenser

Kitchen faucets (and all faucets, really) tend to become leaky over time. If yours needs an upgrade, consider this KRAUS faucet model from Costco. It’s marked down by $30 and comes with a spot-free stainless steel finish. It also features a large-capacity soap dispenser you won’t have to constantly refill. Plus, installing it should be a breeze if you’re fairly handy since it comes with pre-attached water supply lines and mounting hardware.

2. $20 off a RIO Swinging Hammock Chair

School will soon be back in session, and that means fall sports and many hours on the soccer field. If you could use a comfortable, portable chair to make spectating easier on your body, then you may want to pick up this hammock chair from Costco. It’s rust-resistant and easy to clean, and it features a foam pillow headrest for maximum comfort. It also comes in its own bag so you can easily carry it. And if you don’t have budding soccer stars at home, this chair is also great to bring to the beach or on a fall camping trip.

3. $10.50 off Huggies Plus Diapers Sizes 3–7

If you have an infant at home, then you no doubt spend your fair share of money on diapers. But now, you can snag a discount of $10.50 off of Huggies Plus Diapers in a range of sizes. These diapers come with a wetness indicator so you’ll know when your little one needs a change. They’re also fragrance-free to accommodate sensitive skin.

4. $150 off the OVE Decors Kaya 36″ Bath Vanity

Looking to remodel your bathroom? If you can’t afford a massive renovation that would otherwise require you to take out a personal loan, you can breathe new life into your bathroom with a new vanity. And right now, this OVE Decors bath vanity is offered by Costco for $150 off. It features a solid wood frame and an engineered quartz countertop, and it’s available in both gray and blue.

5. $200 off a MacBook Air

If you need a new laptop and you’ve been eying a MacBook, now’s the time to jump. Costco is offering a MacBook Air model at a discount of $200 off of the regular price. It comes with an Apple M1 Chip 8-core CPU and 256GB of storage. It also features a really impressive 18-hour battery life, so if you forget to bring your charger one day, it’s no biggie. Plus, when you buy a laptop through Costco, you get a second-year warranty included with your purchase in addition to free tech support.

These are just some of the many deals you’ll find at Costco right now. It pays to browse online and look around your local store to see what other bargains you can snag.

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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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Are you a college student looking to get a deal as you shop for back-to-school supplies? Find out how to get a 20% discount on your next Target haul. 

It’s already back-to-school season! If you have a kid heading off to college soon or are a college student yourself, you know how costly it can be to prepare for the upcoming semester by the time you buy all the essentials. But Target has a promotion that can help college kids and their families save money. Now through Aug. 26, college students can save 20% on a Target haul.

Save 20% at Target with this deal

To help college students better prepare for the school year, Target is offering a one-time 20% discount to college students with valid IDs. If you’re a college student, you can get a one-time 20% discount on your entire Target shopping trip — not just on school supplies. Note that it excludes some items, like gift cards, Apple products, and video games.

If you have not done your back-to-school shopping, this deal can help you keep more money in your checking account as you prepare for the first day of classes. College students currently enrolled at a degree-granting college or university of higher education qualify for this promotion.

The offer is available through Aug. 26 and can be used in-store or online. You must be a Target Circle member and must activate the Target Circle offer in your online account to get the discount. The Target Circle loyalty program has many perks and is free to join.

You must verify student eligibility first to see this Target Circle offer in the mobile app. You can verify that you’re a college student by taking the following steps:

Log into your Target Circle account.Navigate to “Account.”Next, click “Settings.”Finally, select “Verify status” under “Student verification” and follow the prompts to verify your eligibility.

You’ll be asked to submit a copy of your student ID or a school-issued document that verifies your eligibility. After completing the prompts, you should see the offer in your mobile app. You’ll need to activate the offer before shopping to get the discount.

Since this is a one-time discount, you’ll want to plan your shopping trip accordingly to maximize the savings you get. It may be helpful to make a list before you shop so you don’t miss any must-have buys. But make sure you don’t spend beyond your means or rack up credit card debt.

Unlock discounts and earn rewards with Target Circle

As mentioned above, the Target Circle program is a free loyalty program available to all shoppers. You can benefit all school year long by being a member. Every time you shop, you’ll earn 1% in cash back rewards, which can be redeemed as a discount on future Target purchases.

You’ll also find Target Circle offers in the mobile app to earn discounts and gift cards. Just activate the offers that interest you and make eligible purchases based on the offer terms.

Target Circle members also receive a birthday gift each year, so don’t forget to include your birth date in your account settings after signing up so you don’t miss out on your yearly birthday surprise. This free loyalty program offers an easy way to get rewarded for everyday shopping.

Whether you’re a student or not, life feels extra expensive lately. Are you looking for other ways to save money? Check out our free personal finance resources for additional tips.

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

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Want to join Costco? Don’t miss this $60 Costco membership deal through Groupon. Find out how to earn valuable freebies redeemable at Costco. 

As more shoppers look for ways to trim their spending, warehouse clubs like Costco are becoming even more popular. You’ll need to invest in a Costco membership to shop at Costco, though. You’ll pay $60 to $120 to join, depending on your chosen membership type. You can get significant discounts on groceries and other essentials as a member. If you’ve considered becoming a Costco member, you don’t want to miss this membership deal through Groupon.

Earn valuable Costco freebies with this Groupon deal

Many people sign up for a Costco membership at their local club or through the Costco website. But that isn’t the only way to become a Costco member. Sometimes, membership opportunities are available through coupon apps and deal websites like Groupon. A Costco membership package deal is currently available on Groupon through Aug. 20, 2023.

This offer is available to new members and those whose memberships expired before March 31, 2023. By paying $60 to become a Costco member through Groupon, you’ll get the following additional perks as part of the Costco membership package deal:

A one-year Costco Gold Star membership.A $45 Digital Costco Shop card (valid in club or Costco.com).$40 off an order of $250 or more (before taxes and shipping) on Costco.com.A promo code to receive a $100 Digital Costco Shop Card with the purchase of a vacation package of $2,500 or more with Costco Travel.

To take advantage of this deal, you must purchase it by Aug. 20, 2023. The $40 off an order of $250 or more deal expires Oct. 31, 2023. The promo code for a $100 Digital Costco Shop Card with the purchase of a vacation package of $2,500 or more is valid through April 30, 2024 — but travel must be booked by Oct. 31, 2023.

After purchasing this package, you’ll receive a confirmation email from Costco. You can pick up your Costco membership card at any Costco location. Bring a copy of the confirmation email and a photo ID to claim your membership card. The incentives outlined above will be emailed to you within one week of sign-up.

Is this Costco membership deal worth it?

Since a Costco Gold Star membership usually costs $60, this is an excellent deal. By purchasing this membership package deal through Groupon, you’ll get a $60 Costco membership, plus be eligible for the additional incentives included in the offer. That’s up to $185 in freebies.

Even if you don’t book a $2,500 vacation package through Costco Travel, earning a $45 digital shopping card and a discount of $40 off an order of $250 or more is an excellent way to keep more money in your checking account.

Remember that your Costco membership allows you to get an additional household card for anyone ages 16 and up living at the same address. That means you and another household member each get a membership card so either of you can shop the best Costco deals.

Only you can decide if a Costco membership would be a valuable investment for your household. If you like buying products in bulk, have plenty of storage space, and love a great deal — a Costco membership could be ideal for you. To learn more about the benefits of joining, here are some little-known perks of a Costco membership.

For additional ways to save money, check out our personal finance resources.

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 Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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If your local dispensary once accepted debit cards with the Mastercard logo as payment, that has changed. Here’s how. 

Talk about harshing our collective mellow! Mastercard just made it harder for Americans to pay for medical or recreational marijuana with its debit cards. That’s right; the next time you walk into your local dispensary to make a purchase, debit cards with the Mastercard logo on them will have to stay in your pocket. Instead, you should plan on using another form of payment, like a Visa debit card (if your dispensary accepts cards of any kind) or cash.

Mastercard’s reasoning

According to a spokesperson for Mastercard, the company was made aware that Mastercard-branded debit cards were being used to buy marijuana and “quickly investigated it.”

In a statement to a CBS affiliate, a Mastercard representative wrote, “In accordance with our policies, we instructed the financial institutions that offer payments services to cannabis merchants and connects them to Mastercard to terminate the activity. Our rules require our customers to conduct lawful activity where they are licensed to use our brands. The federal government considers cannabis sales illegal, so these purchases are not allowed on our systems.”

In short, Mastercard cannot allow one of its cards to be used in the purchase of marijuana due to federal law that considers such transactions illegal. Although 38 states have legalized the use of marijuana in some form (medical, recreational, or both), Mastercard must comply with existing federal mandates.

Who’s hurt?

It’s difficult to make the argument that American consumers are damaged by losing the ability to pay for their supply with a Mastercard debit card. After all, pulling cash from an ATM to make the purchase will do the trick. The parties that appear to be most injured when debit cards cannot be used are local dispensary owners.

Scores of dispensaries nationwide are — and have always been — cash-only establishments. And when good guys keep cash on the premises, bad guys know where to hit. According to a 2022 NPR report, a surge in robberies of licensed cannabis shops has led to pistol-whippings, gunshots, and killings. And earlier this summer, WBMA in Gadsden, Alabama called the cash-only shops a “lucrative target for thieves.”

Alternate forms of payment

If you’re a regular at your local dispensary, you undoubtedly know which types of payment it accepts. However, if you’re not sure, give it a call to find out. The tricky bit about offering blanket advice regarding cannabis payments is that each state has its own laws and each dispensary has its own preferences. Still, here are a few ways folks are paying for their purchases:

Cash: As mentioned, you can always pay with cash.Non-Mastercard debit card: To date, there’s no indication that Visa has plans to suspend the use of its debit cards in cannabis dispensaries. If your card carries the Visa logo and your dispensary accepts debit cards, it remains a safe way to pay.ACH electronic transfer: ACH stands for Automated Clearing House and refers to transferring funds between banks without using checks, cards, or wire transfers. To be clear, not all dispensaries offer ACH electronic transfers as a payment option, but those that do allow customers to make their purchases by transferring money directly from their bank account to the dispensary’s account, bypassing the need for cash or a debit card.

The long and winding road to a solution

For the past 10 years, Democrats and Republicans have been in a stalemate over a bill called the SAFE Banking Act.

The SAFE Act would make it easier for financial institutions to provide services, including business bank accounts, to cannabis companies. With such accounts in place, dispensary owners could make regular bank deposits, clearing their safes of cash. In addition, allowing dispensaries to accept debit and credit cards would reduce the amount of cash that enters the premises.

Regardless of how a particular cluster of politicians feels about the use of medical or recreational marijuana, the issue is not going away. While most ancient cultures didn’t grow pot to get high, it has been used as a herbal medicine since around 500 BC. According to The History Channel, it wasn’t until the 20th century that political and racial factors led to the criminalization of weed.

The U.S. government says marijuana sales hit $65.7 million between July 1 and July 23, 2023. And those numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. As more states legalize cannabis shops, there will be even more cash sitting in safes. Whether Congress can work together to land a resolution is yet to be determined.

In the meantime, you may want to leave your Mastercard at home as you head to your local dispensary.

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.Dana George has positions in Target. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Mastercard, Target, and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard and short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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