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Money Management

Is Sam’s Club Travel Actually Cheaper? 3 Real Itineraries Put to the Test

By Money Management No Comments

Travel portals often advertise steep discounts. Is Sam’s Club’s portal really worth it? Here’s how it looks in the real world. [[{“value”:”

Image source: Getty Images

Our favorite wholesale clubs aren’t just great for your budget on everyday goods. Costco and Sam’s Club both offer their own travel portals where you can get discounted travel.

However, Sam’s Club Travel differs from Costco Travel quite a lot. Instead of booking travel packages, you book pieces of your trip individually. Also, Sam’s Club Travel doesn’t include flights, but it does include many attractions, including theme parks and even shows.

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To put Sam’s Club Travel to the test, I researched three destinations and Sam’s Clubs offerings for them. I then looked up the same hotels, rental cars, and attractions to compare real-world prices. Here’s what I found.

Trip 1: New York City, New York

When: Jul. 15, 2024 through July 19, 2024

Who: 2 adults and 1 teen

Hotel: Paramount Times Square

Which room: Superior Two Double

Sam’s Club Travel: $1,089.24 ($928.60, plus a $160.64 resort fee)Direct Booking: $1,130.54Difference: $41.30 (3%)

Rental car: Thrifty Car Rental

Which vehicle: Compact car

Sam’s Club Travel: $499.29Direct Booking: $524.80Difference: $25.51 (5%)

Attraction 1: New York CityPASS

What’s included: Prepaid admission to five popular attractions

Sam’s Club Travel: $400.22Direct Booking: $422.00Difference: $21.78 (5%)

Attraction 2: Lion King on Broadway

What’s included: Orchestra tickets, Row R

Sam’s Club Travel: $638.25Direct Booking: $775.50Difference: $137.25 (18%)

Trip 2: Chicago, Illinois

When: Dec. 22, 2024, through Dec. 29, 2024

Who: 1 adult and 2 children

Hotel: Hilton Chicago

Which room: 2 Double Beds

Sam’s Club Travel: $1,289.92 ($1,149.71, plus $140.21 resort fee)Direct Booking: $1,293.92 (Hilton Honors rate, membership is free)Difference: $4.00 (0.3%)

Rental car: Budget

Which vehicle: Economy car

Sam’s Club Travel: $452.18Direct Booking: $492.92Difference: $40.74 (8%)

Attraction 1: Big Bus Tours Chicago (Essential)

What’s included: Two-day hop-on-hop-off tour passes

Sam’s Club Travel: $104.00Direct Booking: $138.70Difference: $34.70 (25%)

Attraction 2: Go City Chicago Explorer Pass (3 Choice)

What’s included: Prepaid admission to three popular attractions

Sam’s Club Travel: $219.75Direct Booking: $280.00Difference: $60.25 (22%)

Trip 3: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

When: Feb. 7, 2025, through Feb. 10, 2025

Who: 2 adults

Hotel: Hotel Blu Vancouver

Which room: Loft king suite with terrace

Sam’s Club Travel: $950.41 USD ($1,309.71 CAD)Direct Booking: $1,110.96 USD ($1,516.94 CAD)Difference: $160.55 (15%)

Rental car: Hertz

Which vehicle: Mid-size SUV

Sam’s Club Travel: $284.91 USD ($392.62 CAD)Direct Booking: $298.83 USD ($411.80 CAD)Difference: $13.92 (5%)

Attractions

There was a very limited array of attractions available for Vancouver, none of which were available during my test itinerary. Sam’s Club Travel does include tickets to various sporting events — the Canucks are in the NHL playoffs as of writing — so presumably you could find those during the regular season. If the typical discounts applied, this could be a nice way to score cheaper hockey tickets. Your mileage may vary.

Saves money, but not the best interface

All in all, I can definitely say that Sam’s Club Travel saves you money. It’s not always a lot of money, but savings is savings, eh?

One big annoyance I want to point out is that the interface for the site is junk. It’s hard to navigate. It’s very hard to find what you need. Fees are tucked into fine print everywhere (hotel resort fees particularly).

Perhaps the most egregious issue was the lack of a map option when searching for hotels. You may need to look up hotels in your location through Google Maps (or a similar site) and then look those hotels up in Sam’s Club Travel for deals.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you won’t get your typical travel perks. You won’t get hotel status points, and your booking may not code as travel on your credit cards. If you can get past the drawbacks, however, there is a lot of potential for saving money on travel with Sam’s Club.

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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.Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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What Is Costco Next — and Should You Use It?

By Money Management No Comments

Costco offers a ton of money-saving perks. This may be the least well-known one. Take a look at the details. [[{“value”:”

Image source: Getty Images

If you’re a Costco member and you’ve never heard of Costco Next, you’re not alone. (I didn’t even know about it until a few months ago, and I write about Costco all the time!) This is likely the least-known Costco perk that could be saving you a ton of money.

Curiosity piqued? Here’s what you need to know.

It’s a shopping portal with discounts for Costco members

Essnetially, Costco Next is a shopping portal, similar to those offered by a lot of credit card issuers. You use Costco’s link to get to a special page for each manufacturer. There, you’ll see a variety of its products listed with special discounts just for Costco members.

You’ll need to log into your Costco account to access the deals, but this isn’t some sort of extension of Costco. Once you click the links, you’re dealing with the manufacturer or retailer.

There are a few pros and cons to consider before using Costco Next. Let’s take a look.

Pro: Discounts can be steep (up to 40% off!)

The most impressive reason to shop Costco Next is the serious discounts. All of the items I looked up offered great discounts compared to the regular retail prices on the manufacturer’s direct website.

For example, Viking offered a lot of their popular cookware sets for up to 40% off through Costco Next. Alder & Oak, a plant nursery, has fruit trees that are 20% off. Nomatic backpacks were 25% off. And so on.

Con: Prices don’t reflect regular sales

Although I found some great prices through Costco Next, it would be a mistake to assume you’re getting the best price. When the retailer’s regular website has extra sales, those may not be reflected on the Costco Next pages.

For example, the Anker 747 (150W) Charger is listed on Costco Next for $87.99. It’s listed on Anker’s website for $109.99 — with a $34 promo code. So, buying it directly from Anker would actually save you $12 over the discounted Costco Next price.

Pro: You can find hidden and out-of-stock items

Another interesting quirk of shopping Costco Next is that I found items for sale that were listed as out of stock on the retailer’s regular website. Even more interesting, there were times when the items weren’t listed on the retailer’s regular website at all.

Alder & Oak, for instance, were selling two types of cherry trees through Costco Next, while its regular website doesn’t even list cherry trees as a product. This could mean the retailer sets aside certain inventory just for Costco Next shoppers.

Con: The selection may not include everything

The downside to the different inventories is that you may only have access to a subsection of the retailer’s items through Costco Next. Or products may look similar, but actually be different models. If you’re looking for a very specific item, you may strike out if you search through Costco Next.

Pro: Costco’s silly credit card restrictions don’t apply

One thing that always irritates me about shopping at Costco is I can’t use any credit card I want. In the stores, I’m limited to Visa credit cards. Online, I can only use Visa or Mastercard credit cards. As someone with a full lineup of cards from all networks, this is a real pain in the…neck.

With Costco Next, you’re checking out with the specific retailer, not with Costco. So Costco’s silly card policies won’t limit which cards you can use on your Costco Next purchase.

Con: Costco’s awesome return policy doesn’t apply

Costco Next is a Costco program, but it doesn’t handle the selling, shipping, or customer service. More importantly, Costco’s return policy doesn’t apply. Any issues would need to be handled by the retailer, and you’ll need to read each retailer’s return policy carefully before you buy.

Worth a look, but do your due diligence

Overall, I definitely think there is some great potential hidden in the Costco Next portal. If I’m going to buy a name-brand item that isn’t available through regular Costco shopping, then I’d definitely look it up on Costco Next to see if there is a deal to be had.

Just make sure you’re keeping the drawbacks in mind. Read the retailer’s specific return policies and compare prices before you buy.

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If you’re shopping with a debit card, you could be missing out on hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. These versatile credit cards offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco, and are rated the best cards of 2024 by our experts because they offer hefty sign-up bonuses and outstanding cash rewards. Plus, you’ll save on credit card interest because all of these recommendations include a competitive 0% interest period.

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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.Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale, Mastercard, 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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Why Are So Many Banks Offering New Account Bonuses?

By Money Management No Comments

Have you ever wondered why banks offer cash in exchange for opening an account? See why banks’ competition for deposits is good news for your money. [[{“value”:”

Image source: Upsplash/The Motley Fool

Do you ever get the feeling that every bank is offering a new account bonus? Whether it’s a checking account or savings account, many banks and credit unions are now promising to give you cash if you…give them your cash. Banks want deposits. And they’re willing to pay money for them.

Let’s look at a few reasons why banks are shelling out money for new customers, and how you can use this situation to your best advantage.

Banks compete for your deposits

If you’re a longtime customer of your bank and you haven’t opened a new account in several years, you might not realize this, but money moves. People have the right and the opportunity to switch banks or open new accounts at other financial institutions. Your bank is not the only place on Earth where you can keep your money.

When interest rates were near-zero, and banks were barely paying interest on savings accounts, many bank customers got a little complacent. “Oh well,” you might have thought. “I can’t earn any yield on my savings anywhere, so there’s no point in shopping around for a better bank account.”

That’s all different now. When the Fed aggressively raised interest rates during 2021 and 2022, it created a whole new interest rate landscape for bank customers and CD investors. Now the best savings accounts are paying 5.00% APY (or more). The best CD rates are in that same ballpark. Your money can actually earn money now, and banks are scrambling to keep up.

Deposits have gotten more expensive for banks

Because interest rates are higher, banks have to work harder to get people to deposit their money. After all, if you can earn 5.00% APY on a CD or one of the best money market accounts, why bother leaving your money in a 0.01% APY savings account? (Yes, some of the biggest banks are still paying that puny amount of interest.)

To stay profitable, banks need to collect deposits and make loans. Bank regulations and standards require banks to have a certain amount of deposits and capital vs. the amount of loans they’re allowed to make. So when bank customers are more eager to move their money, banks have to pay more for those deposits.

When banks pay more for deposits, it can take the form of higher yields on CDs and savings accounts, or higher APYs on interest-bearing checking accounts, or creative new rewards checking accounts. And sometimes, banks just “pay” for deposits by giving people cash bonuses for opening new accounts.

Don’t feel bad for banks — they’re still (usually) making plenty of profit. But the banks’ profit problem is your opportunity as a bank customer!

Why you might want a new bank account bonus

Because of this stiff competition for deposits, many banks are now offering new account bonuses. Some of the best bank bonuses right now are in the range of $300 for opening a new checking account, or $200 for a new savings account. Some banks also will give you a cash bonus if you refer a friend or family member to open a new account.

There are a few good reasons to open a new bank account and get that cash bonus:

You’re dissatisfied with your current bank and want to move your money to a new financial institutionYou want to keep your longtime bank, but open a high-yield savings account with a better APY than your current bank offersYou just need or want another bank account for other financial goals

You don’t always have to move your entire financial life (or as banks call it, “your full banking relationship”) to a new bank. Sometimes you might just want a new checking account or savings account to manage your money differently, get a better yield on your savings, or set money aside in a separate account for specific goals.

As long as you understand the rules for how to earn your cash bonus, and you can manage multiple accounts, you’re all good — go get that cash bonus!

Why new bank account bonuses aren’t always a great deal

But before you sign up for a new account cash bonus, be aware of the possible risks, costs, and downsides. Most of these new bank account cash bonus offers have special rules and requirements. For example, for a new checking account bonus, you typically will have to make minimum direct deposits into the account, or use your debit card for a certain number of transactions within a certain time period.

Make sure you’re really prepared to use your new bank account in the ways that the bank wants you to use it, in order to maximize your cash bonus. Another possible downside: some banks charge monthly account maintenance fees. If you open a new checking account, make sure that you can follow the bank’s account requirements to avoid any fees. If a bank gives you $200 to open an account, but then charges you $12 per month in fees, you’re not much better off.

Bottom line

Banks competing harder for deposits is good news for bank customers. You don’t have to leave your money in a near-zero-interest bank account any more — you have better options for savings accounts, money market accounts, and CDs that actually pay decent yield. Cash bonuses for opening new bank accounts can be fun, but be aware of the rules and limitations. Ideally, more bank customers can find a better deal for their deposits in 2024 and beyond.

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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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2 Pros and 2 Cons to Having a One-Credit-Card Wallet

By Money Management No Comments

One credit card or many? It depends on how much time you want to spend managing the accounts. Read on for the benefits and drawbacks of sticking to one card. [[{“value”:”

Image source: Getty Images

Credit cards are a big topic ’round these parts, and with good reason — when used responsibly, credit cards can do a lot of good for your finances. But how many should you actually have?

Research from The Motley Fool Ascent found that the majority of Americans have just one or two credit cards. If you’re wondering whether a one-card wallet is right for you, keep reading — I’ll break down the perks and drawbacks of limiting your credit card spending to a single card.

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Pro No.1: Streamlining your finances

Anytime you have only one of something to manage, your life is likely to be a lot simpler than if you were managing multiple somethings. In this case, I’m talking about credit cards. To use myself as an example, I have a double-digit number of active credit cards in my name, and among those are three to five that I use weekly to charge some of my monthly bills, buy groceries, pay for dining out, and cover other expenses. It’s a lot to manage, but that time spent is worth it to me to maximize my points and cash back earnings (more on this below).

With just one credit card at your disposal, you won’t spend nearly as much time as I do checking credit card balances, making payments, and assessing rewards earnings. You can use your credit card for most (or all) of your expenses and watch the points or cash back roll in.

Pro No. 2: Less temptation to overspend

Having multiple credit cards could present a problem for some people — if you have a lot of credit at your disposal, it could lead you to spend more than you can afford to pay back in a timely manner. Ideally, you’re paying off credit card charges every month (unless you are using a 0% APR intro offer to finance a big purchase over time). If you’re not, you’re incurring interest — and credit card interest rates are no joke.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, in February 2024, the average rate on credit cards assessed interest was almost 23%. If you have to carry credit card balances forward, they can grow quickly, putting your finances into a world of hurt. Having just one credit card could make this easier to avoid.

Con No.1: Not as much reward potential

Now we come to the downsides of a one-card wallet. Remember how I said above that in any given week, I use a small handful of credit cards? Using more than one card means I can earn a decent rewards rate (points or cash back, depending on the card) on nearly everything I buy. I have a grocery rewards credit card that saved me $400 on food last year. I earn 5% back on Amazon shopping, and 3% back on other online shopping. I earn 3 points per $1 on dining out. And my base earnings rate for all credit card purchases is 1.5%, which is pretty decent.

If you elect to stick with a one-card wallet, you can avoid some of this drawback by choosing the right card. A cash back card with a solid flat-rate rewards program is one option, and you can open one paying as much as 2% across the board on all purchases. The other option is to choose a card with a fairly high base rate (like my card that pays 1.5%) that also includes bonus categories you’ll spend in for a higher rate, like groceries, warehouse clubs, gas, or dining out.

Con No. 2: Risk to your credit

If you have just one credit card, you’ll need to be careful about managing your spending within your credit limit (known as your credit utilization ratio). Specifically, spending more than 30% of your available credit poses a risk to your credit score — credit utilization ratio is reflected in 30% of your FICO® Score, so it’s a significant piece of the credit score puzzle.

If you have more than one card and already have a balance nearing 30% of the credit limit on one of your cards, you have the option to use a different card for another purchase. With a one-card wallet, you’ll be risking your credit score if you need to continue charging on that card.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. I respect the simplicity and ease of a one-card wallet. The people in my life sometimes laugh at me for hemming and hawing when I pull out my multi-card wallet and decide which card to use for a given purchase (it’s gentle laughter!). Now you have more information and can make the right call for your finances.

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

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This Economic News Could Be Good for Your Savings Account — and Your Paycheck

By Money Management No Comments

Recent economic data shows that job growth is strong and people are earning higher wages. See why this is good news for your savings account! [[{“value”:”

Image source: Getty Images

One of the biggest questions on the minds of investors is: “When will the Fed cut interest rates?” If the Fed cuts interest rates, it could be good news for the stock market, for small business owners, and for anyone who needs to borrow money to buy a house or car. But the latest economic data is suggesting that the Fed might not cut interest rates anytime soon.

According to new survey data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released on April 30, 2024, during the first quarter (January-March) of 2024, Americans earned slightly higher wages than expected — civilian workers’ compensation costs increased by 1.2%. When people are making more money on the job, that’s good news for those workers’ bank accounts — but bad news for anyone who’s hoping for interest rate cuts.

Let’s look at a few reasons why interest rates staying higher for longer could be good news for your paycheck and your savings account.

Despite stubborn inflation, the job market is strong

After many years of near-zero interest rates following the Great Recession of 2008, the Federal Reserve aggressively raised interest rates during 2022 to fight high inflation after the pandemic. Although inflation has come down since its 2022 highs, it’s still not as low as the Fed wants it to be — at the Fed’s target of 2% annual inflation.

Usually when the Fed hikes interest rates, this leads to higher unemployment. When companies and consumers have to pay more to borrow money, this leads to a reduction in the money supply. Less money to go around means less hiring, less investment by businesses, slower job growth, and more people filing for unemployment. However, the U.S. economy is currently doing something that doesn’t line up with traditional economic theories: Inflation has come down, but unemployment has not gone up.

As of April 2024, the unemployment rate was only 3.9%. Almost everyone in America who wants a job can get a job. It’s true that many people are still struggling with higher prices on everything from groceries to car insurance. But the fact that wages are still rising — higher than expected — is another sign that the job market is strong, and there is strong demand for people’s labor and talents. Even if interest rates stay high, there are optimistic signs that the economy can keep performing well and many people can get extra money in their paychecks.

If interest rates stay at 5%, that’s good news for savings accounts

If the economy is “too good” for the Fed to cut interest rates, what does that mean for your savings account? In the short run, higher interest rates are good news for savers. The best savings accounts and money market accounts are currently paying 5.00% APY (or higher), in line with the effective federal funds rate of 5.25-5.50%.

New inflation data, job market data, and economic data is constantly coming out. Investors, bank executives, and Wall Street experts are always trying to read the latest economic tea leaves to see what moves the Fed might make next on interest rates. The situation could change suddenly — for example, there might be a new economic crisis, companies might announce big layoffs, or there could be other ominous signs emerging of an economic slowdown. These types of changes could make the Fed want to cut interest rates sooner.

But as of this writing (May 9, 2024), the broad consensus seems to be that the Fed is not going to cut interest rates anytime soon. Your savings account could keep earning 5.00% APY until the Fed says otherwise.

Bottom line

The current U.S. economy is bogged down by slightly higher inflation than anyone wants, but it’s also delivering lots of jobs and bigger paychecks. People might be hoping for lower interest rates in 2024, so their borrowing costs go down. But if inflation stays a little “too high,” the Fed will likely leave interest rates at their current level.

And 5% (or higher) interest rates could also be good news for your personal finances. If unemployment stays low, job growth stays strong, your wages keep rising higher than the cost of living, and your savings account is still earning 5.00% APY or higher, those are reasons to celebrate.

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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.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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The Surprising Reason Costco Might Lower Prices

By Money Management No Comments

Costco may soon offer even lower prices if it expands its revenue from retail media and advertising. Find out what this means for you. [[{“value”:”

Image source: Getty Images

If you’re a Costco member, you know that the warehouse club already offers decent prices on a lot of household products and grocery items. But some changes may be coming that could give you the chance to get even better deals and keep even more money in your bank account. Here’s why.

Costco could soon be tapping into a new revenue source

Costco may soon be able to offer even better prices to its members because the warehouse club will start earning additional revenue in a new way. The now-former CFO Richard Galanti discussed this new potential source of cash in the final earnings call before he stepped down.

Galanti indicated that Costco has been missing out on retail media and advertising dollars, which competitors like Walmart, Amazon, and Target are already making big bucks on. And he suggested that this will be a “point of focus” going forward because “we know there’s money out there.”

Galanti said Costco is bringing in some experts to help it expand into retail media and advertising, which basically means consumers could soon be seeing more ads for other manufacturer products in Costco stores and on Costco’s online site. While Costco is already doing some of this type of ad advertising, Galanti said “there’s a lot more that can be done there.”

More ads could mean lower prices — but consumers will need to be careful

The good news is, as Costco expands this revenue stream and collects more money from marketers, this could lead to more savings opportunities for consumers in the form of lower prices. Galanti made that clear in the same earnings call.

“Rest assured, whatever it is, we’re going to use it to — just like when we always said, if we can save $1 on buying something, we’re going to give $0.80 or $0.90 to the customer. I think that mantra will continue on this side as well.”

Of course, the bad news is that retailers are willing to pay for ads in Costco (and on sites like Amazon and Walmart) because those ads work. And it doesn’t do you a whole lot of good to pay less for items if you end up being swayed by flashy in-store or online ads and buying stuff you don’t really need.

The best way to beat the system and avoid this is to have a plan so you don’t fall victim to effective marketing. And there are a few ways to do that, depending just how tempted you tend to be. You could:

Shop with a list. Make a plan before any Costco trip and write down exactly what you want to buy. If something isn’t on your list, don’t purchase it. You can always put it on your list for the next time if you still really want the item in a few days or a few weeks when you’re heading back to the club.Bring only enough cash to cover what you plan to buy. If you really can’t stop yourself from being influenced by all of Costco’s ad trappings, then limit the damage you can do by only bringing as much cash to the store as you can afford to spend on each trip.

If you can avoid the impulse buys these retail ads are designed to inspire, you can benefit from the lower prices they bring to the store without seeing that savings eaten up by the extra items retailers are hoping you’ll charge on your credit cards.

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

If you’re shopping with a debit card, you could be missing out on hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. These versatile credit cards offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco, and are rated the best cards of 2024 by our experts because they offer hefty sign-up bonuses and outstanding cash rewards. Plus, you’ll save on credit card interest because all of these recommendations include a competitive 0% interest period.

Click here to read our expert recommendations for free!

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. Christy Bieber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Costco Wholesale, Gala, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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