Money Management

Shopping at Costco online has its perks, but for many grocery items you’re better off hitting the store. Read on to learn why. 

Costco is one of my favorite stores, and I shop there so frequently that it’s worth it to me to pay up for an executive membership. While the cost is double the price of a basic membership ($120 versus $60), with an executive membership, you get 2% back on all purchases you make at Costco — and that extends to those made online.

While I do the bulk of my Costco shopping in person, I know a lot of people who spend more time on the retail giant’s website. But is shopping at Costco online worth it? Well, it depends.

The upside of shopping at Costco online

I shop at Costco on a weekly basis, and there are certain grocery items and household staples I can find pretty much all the time. But when it comes to things like apparel, electronics, and furniture, my local warehouse club store’s selection can be hit or miss.

The upside of shopping at Costco online is that you’ll generally get a wider selection of products to choose from. And often, the cost of those products will have your shipping fees already baked in, so you won’t face an extra charge on your credit card.

Another perk of shopping at Costco online? Not having to haul heavy items across a parking lot and into your trunk. Costco items tend to be larger in nature — you know, because of the whole bulk-buying deal. So you might prefer to have a massive pack of paper towels delivered to your door than to have to lug it home yourself.

The downside of shopping at Costco online

You might find a host of great deals on things like electronics and household gadgets when shopping at Costco online. But if you’re looking for fresh food, you’re almost always going to pay a lower price when you shop in stores.

Take cucumbers, for example. At my local Costco, they’re $6 for a pack of three. Online, that same three-pack costs a dollar more.

To me, the whole point of buying groceries at Costco is to spend less and have more money to add to my savings account. I prefer not to negate that savings by paying a premium to buy my groceries online and have them delivered.

Also, when you buy groceries online, you take a risk on the freshness front. Granted, this holds for any store, not just Costco. But I prefer to actually pick up and look at my produce before buying it. When you buy fresh food online, you don’t get that choice.

Should you shop at Costco online?

If you don’t have a car or a warehouse club location nearby, then it could pay to shop for groceries at Costco online, even if it means paying more. Otherwise, buying food at the store might be a better bet (and that way, you can also sample new items to see if you like them).

But when it comes to things like apparel, household goods, and other non-food items, it certainly pays to shop at Costco online and see what deals you can find. The great thing about Costco is that it runs monthly specials on top of its already low prices, which means you might manage to reap a lot of savings in the course of your shopping.

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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.Maurie Backman 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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Travel isn’t as fun without good entertainment. In NYC, that often means Broadway — which also means this popular rewards program. Here’s what to know. 

While New York City certainly has no shortage of things to do, there’s one thing on pretty much every visitor’s list: catching a show. From Broadway to cabaret, there’s a bit of something for everyone on the stages in NYC.

Given its worldwide popularity, it’s no surprise that New York’s entertainment scene has its very own rewards program. Called Audience Rewards, the program lets you earn and redeem points for tickets to any eligible show.

Audience Rewards 101

So, how does it work? Simple. Sign up for the program, then purchase your show tickets. Points per ticket vary depending on the production, from 2 ShowPoints per dollar at the low end, up to 3,000 points per ticket at the high end.

If you can earn 10,000 ShowPoints in a 12-month period, you’ll become a VIP Member. This unlocks a higher earnings rate, preferred pricing, private VIP events, and special birthday perks.

Points can be redeemed for free tickets, or you can pair points and cash for a discounted night out. Audience Rewards members can even participate in special auctions for hard-to-get tickets and event access.

In my opinion, one of the best parts is that it’s a standalone program, not a credit card driven one. This means you can use any card you want to buy your tickets, and the rewards you earn as an Audience Rewards member will stack with what you earn with your rewards credit card. For example, if you use a card with bonus points on entertainment, you could double or triple your return on a single Broadway purchase!

Amex cardholders can get early access

If you have an eligible American Express credit card, you could get even more out of your membership. Amex’s Preferred Access cardholder perk applies to select shows, giving you early access to preferred seating.

Going this route won’t mean you have to skip the rewards, however. You can enjoy your Preferred Access seating while still earning ShowPoints on every ticket. Just make sure to enter your Audience Rewards number when you make your purchase.

Link to United or Amtrak for bonus miles

If you’d rather earn travel rewards than ShowPoints, check out these interesting Audience Rewards crossovers with United MileagePlus and Amtrak Guest Rewards.

For example, if you have a United frequent flyer account, you can use it to earn United miles on your Audience Rewards ticket purchases. At the bottom end, you can earn 50 miles per ticket, but some shows offer 2,000 points or more. Have extra miles laying around? You can even redeem United miles for free tickets to your favorite shows. Use a United credit card to double dip your miles earnings.

If you’d rather ride than fly, you could also choose to earn Amtrak Guest Rewards points on your Audience Rewards ticket purchases. Similar to United miles, how many points you’ll earn will vary by show, with 50 points per ticket at the low end, and 1,900 per ticket at the high end. You can also turn Audience Rewards points into Amtrak Guest Rewards points, though you have to do it by phone.

Entertainment that’s rewarding

Taking in a great Broadway production can already be a rewarding experience in and of itself. But with the programs we’ve mentioned here, you can make those rewards literal as well as figurative.

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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.American Express is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Brittney Myers has positions in American Express. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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I bonds could be a good investment. Read on to see why it pays to scoop them up sooner rather than later. 

Some people are more comfortable with the idea of buying and holding stocks in their brokerage accounts. But if you’re looking for a safer way to invest your money, then you may want to consider buying I bonds.

I bonds are government-backed securities, and this alone makes them a fairly safe investment as far as your principal is concerned. With stocks, the value of your shares could drop days after you buy them. What makes I bonds a good buy right now is that their interest rate is tied to inflation. And because inflation has been surging, I bonds have been paying generously.

But if you’re looking to purchase I bonds, you may want to do so before the end of April. Once May rolls around, the interest rate on I bonds has the potential to drop in a very big way.

Lock in that higher interest rate while you can

I bonds are paying 6.89% interest through the end of April, so if you purchase your bonds in the next two weeks, that’s the rate you’ll be able to lock in. Keep in mind that that’s only your initial interest rate. Interest on I bonds resets every six months based on inflation, so you’ll only be snagging that 6.89% rate for a limited period of time.

But once May 1 rolls around, there’s a good chance I bonds will start paying a lot less interest. The reason? As mentioned, I bonds are pegged to inflation, but inflation has been cooling steadily since peaking in mid-2022. In March, annual inflation was measured at 5%, as per that month’s Consumer Price Index.

This doesn’t automatically mean that I bonds will start paying 5% interest come May. In fact, we’re not sure exactly what interest rate they’ll pay once April wraps up. But if you want to lock in 6.89% on your I bonds for the next six months, buy them before April comes to an end.

Are I bonds a good investment for you?

I bonds come with certain restrictions. You must hold them for at least a year after purchasing them and you’ll be penalized for selling them before having held them for five years. Also, you’re limited to buying $10,000 worth of I bonds per calendar year. If you bought $3,000 worth of I bonds in January, you can’t purchase more than $7,000 worth this month.

That said, if you’re married, that $10,000 limit applies to you and spouse individually. So collectively, you can purchase $20,000 worth of I bonds.

Although your principal is very secure when you purchase I bonds, there’s always the risk that another investment might pay you more than what you’re getting in I bond interest. Plus, having to tie up your money for at least a full year may not sit well with you. But if you’re looking for a fairly stable investment with a decent return, then I bonds could be a great addition to your portfolio — especially if, at this point, you’re mostly invested in riskier assets like stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs).

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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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