Money Management

A little planning can lead to a lot of savings. See how going into your Costco visit with intention can leave you with a lot more cash in your wallet. [[{“value”:”

I have rarely, if ever, flown by the seat of my pants. I’m a planner by nature. I make lists, I weigh options, I do research. While this doesn’t exactly make me the life of the party, it does lead to significant savings when I shop, whether it’s finding a flight deal, like-new secondhand clothing, or major grocery savings.

Recently, I applied this mindset (skill? superpower?) to my first shopping trip at Costco, and it saved me a staggering 50% on my grocery total. Here’s how I did it, and how I’ll plan all my future shopping trips to Costco.

I also made sure to use a rewards credit card at checkout to earn cash back on my total. Check out these great credit cards if you’re looking for a card to shop at Costco.

Build a spreadsheet

Or, in my case, marry someone who is really good at building spreadsheets. When my husband and I started seriously considering becoming Costco members, we started writing down any items we thought of that might be good contenders to buy at the warehouse giant. Bulk dry goods like rolled oats, pantry staples like olive oil, and cleaning supplies like dish soap all went on the list.

Once we had a pretty thorough collection of items, we plugged them all into a spreadsheet and started looking up the prices we normally paid for each item, along with the sizes we usually buy them in. This gave us the per-unit price for each one.

Compare prices

Next, we went on Costco’s website to check what items from our list were available to buy in store. Some things got cut immediately — we eat a lot of rice, but as a two-person household, we don’t need a 25-lb bag of it. Others didn’t have comparable enough items at Costco — the brand of dog food our pup likes isn’t sold there.

For everything else, we entered Costco’s prices into the spreadsheet and did the same per-unit math that we did for the grocery store items. Bing, bang, boom, we had our answer as to which items were actually more affordable to buy at Costco.

A few examples: Coffee beans were $0.32 per ounce compared to the $0.70 per ounce we were paying. Dishwasher detergent pods were $0.12 per ounce rather than $0.39. And toothpaste was $1.23 per ounce instead of $2.03. But some items, including peanut butter and all-purpose flour, were actually more affordable at our regular grocery store.

One tip: Prices on Costco’s website may actually be a bit higher than the in-store prices, so your savings could be even more substantial on your final receipt.

Keep a running list

Now that we have this spreadsheet built up, we can add to it when we think of new items we want to buy (chocolate chips and face wash are running low around here!). And we can always refer back to it when we plan our next Costco trip, whether it’s in a few weeks or a few months, so we know we’re getting the lowest price possible for all of our groceries.

I know that doing homework is no fun, and it’d be more enjoyable to roam free in a Costco warehouse and go wherever the bulk-discount wind takes you. But if you can maximize your savings while shopping at Costco by doing a little research ahead of time, isn’t that worth it?

Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)

We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco.

Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.

Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!

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 positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool recommends Flow. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Want to get $100 to spend on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders for $75? Find out how this limited-time Costco gift card deal can save you $25 on Uber purchases. [[{“value”:”

Ride-hailing and food delivery apps make life easier. But the cost of using these services can add up fast. If you’re an Uber or Uber Eats customer, you may not realize how much you spend each year for added convenience.

But I have good news: You can get a discount on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders — without being an Uber One subscriber. Costco members can buy discounted Uber gift cards.

Even better, Uber gift cards are on sale at Costco for a limited time. Want to save $25 on Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases? Find out more about this deal.

You can save $25 on Uber gift cards

Costco has discounted prices on essentials like groceries, household goods, toiletries, clothes, electronics, and much more. But did you know that you can also buy gift cards for less than face value? You can maximize your Costco membership by taking advantage of members-only deals like this.

If you have a Costco card in your wallet and also use Uber, you may want to take advantage of this offer. The retailer is selling two $50 Uber gift cards for $74.99 through Oct. 30, 2024. This is an additional $5 off the typical discounted price. With this buy, you’ll receive $100 to spend on Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases.

Here’s what you need to know about this offer: Shoppers are limited to two units per membership with one transaction every 14 days. You will receive digital codes for each $50 gift card via email. These gift cards aren’t redeemable outside of the United States.

Here’s how to redeem your Uber gift cards

Follow these steps:

Log in to the Uber or Uber Eats appClick “Account”Select “Wallet”Tap on “Add Funds”Select “Gift card”Enter the digital gift card code

If you use Uber services, this deal makes for a simple way to save money on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders. After Oct. 30, 2024, these gift cards will return to the standard $79.99 price — so don’t delay.

Love to save money when you shop? You can save even more by earning rewards when you swipe your credit card at checkout. Click here to review our curated list of the top credit cards that offer big rewards on your Costco spending.

Save with these gift card purchases from Costco

While this is a fantastic deal, you can scoop up other gift cards at Costco, too. You’ll find restaurant, entertainment, and travel gift cards for sale at affordable prices.

Here are a few highlights:

Four electronic $25 Domino’s gift cards for $74.99$50 electronic Cinemark Theatres gift card for $39.99$500 electronic Southwest Airlines gift card for $449.99Two $50 electronic Topgolf gift cards for $79.99$100 electronic Instacart gift card for $79.99

Whether you’re looking to save money on everyday purchases or get a deal when buying a gift for someone you love, Costco can help you keep more money in your checking account. Pay attention to additional sale opportunities (like this Uber gift card deal) to maximize your savings.

Get rewarded when you shop

Shopping at retailers like Costco is a great strategy to reduce your spending while buying the essentials you need. Another way to save big is by earning rewards. You can earn cash back with the right credit card in your wallet. Ready to get rewarded when you shop? Check out our list of the best cash back credit cards to see how easy it is to earn cash back rewards.

Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)

We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco.

Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.

Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!

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 and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Southwest Airlines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Should you pay extra for an upgraded Sam’s Club membership? Here’s what you need to know before signing up. [[{“value”:”

Joining a warehouse club like Sam’s Club could save you big money on things like groceries and household essentials. And if you have a larger household, paying for Sam’s Club may be an easy call.

Now, as is the case at Costco, you have choices if you’re joining Sam’s Club. A basic club membership costs $50 per year and includes perks like a free second membership card for someone in your household and free curbside pickup for orders. A Plus membership at Sam’s Club costs a lot more — $110 per year.

But the upgraded membership offers a host of valuable perks. You may want to consider a Plus membership despite the higher fee.

It could pay to upgrade your Sam’s Club membership

At first, you may be hesitant to spend an extra $60 a year to join Sam’s Club. But you should know that the store’s Plus membership offers a host of benefits that regular members don’t have access to.

Let’s talk about the most significant one first — 2% cash back on your purchases. That’s huge.

If you go to Sam’s Club 50 weeks out of the year and spend $100 per visit on groceries and everyday products, that $5,000 in annual spending earns you $100. So right there, not only are you making up for the $60 upgrade cost, but you’re also pocketing $40.

And here’s a trick to score even more cash back at Sam’s Club: Pair a Plus membership with a cash back credit card. Check out this list of our favorite credit cards that pay cash back rewards.

A Plus membership also gives you access to free shipping on eligible orders of $50 or more. If you don’t want to haul out to Sam’s Club to do your shopping in person, you won’t have to spend extra to have your purchases delivered to your door. (And hey, that’s another way to save money on gas.)

And if the reason you don’t like to shop in person at Sam’s Club is that you don’t enjoy battling crowds, here’s another benefit of getting a Plus membership: At select locations, you can get into the store earlier than regular members. That could change your shopping experience for the better.

Should you pay for a Plus membership?

If you’re not sure whether a Plus membership at Sam’s Club is worth it, all you need to do is ask yourself how often you expect to shop there and how much you expect to spend each year. If you’re a member already, but you haven’t upgraded your membership, take a look at your credit card statements from the past year and see what your Sam’s Club spending came to. If it’s at least $3,000, then it pays to get the Plus membership.

At $3,000 in spending per year, you’re earning $60 back from your Plus membership. That covers your $60 upgrade cost. So even if you don’t spend a dollar more, you still get the perks of free shipping on orders and early access to the store. And if you spend even a tiny bit extra, guess what? That’s extra cash in your pocket.

If you only go to Sam’s Club on occasion and you don’t tend to spend a lot, then a basic club membership may be more suitable for you. But remember, if you plan to make a few larger one-off purchases at Sam’s Club in the coming year, like a new laptop or TV, then that changes your numbers. Consider the big picture when making your choice so you don’t miss out on the many perks a Plus membership could give you.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

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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