Money Management

Buying gift cards at Costco could save you between $10 and $30 each. Learn which gift cards have the best value. [[{“value”:”

Buying gift cards at Costco is one of its best savings opportunities. While Costco occasionally sells gift cards for restaurants or entertainment venues you might never visit, every so often it throws up a deal that’s really hard to resist. If you, like me, pinch pennies for your budget, here are five gift cards you should always buy at Costco.

1. Southwest Airlines

Costco frequently sells $500 Southwest e-gift cards for $449.99. I’ve even seen Costco selling the same valued gift card for $429.99 — a savings of $70 just by purchasing it through your warehouse membership.

These gift cards can save you money if Southwest is your preferred airline. But keep in mind you can only redeem these through Southwest, such as on its website, mobile app, or over the phone. If you find a great price on a Southwest flight through a third-party website, you won’t be able to use your gift card unless you book it directly through Southwest.

You can purchase one Southwest gift card per transaction, with a total of five gift cards per membership.

2. Instacart

In my opinion, this is one of the best gift card deals you’ll find on Costco. Your Costco membership entitles you to two $100 Instacart gift cards at a price of $79.99 a piece. You can save $40 on Instacart groceries just by buying your gift cards through Costco.

The best part is that you can use these gift cards on Costco Same-Day deliveries. So, even if you’re not a loyal Instacart user, you could still save up to $40 on your next few Costco deliveries. Of course, buying items on Costco.com is a little more expensive than purchasing them at your local warehouse. So, it’s hard to say how much you’re actually saving. But if you were already going to order Costco items online, buying these Instacart gift cards could be a smart decision for your budget.

3. Cinemark

Costco members can save $10 at Cinemark when they purchase a $50 eGift Card for $39.99.

The gift cards have no expiration date and can be used at any Cinemark theater in the U.S. for most purchases, including movie tickets, food, and drinks. To use them at the theater, just open the Cinemark app and register the card within the “My Gifts Page” section of your account. These cards can also be used at any Cinemark property, including Tinseltown, Century Theaters, CineArts, Rave, and XD.

Better yet, members can purchase up to 10 Cinemark eGift Cards at this price, for a total savings of about $100.

4. Subway

Costco sells $75 worth of Subway gift cards for $59.99 (package of five e-gift cards; $15 a piece). That’s about 20% of value added into your gift cards, just for buying them at Costco. Although the gift cards are virtual, you can upload them to your Subway mobile app, or scan the QR code at checkout.

5. Spafinder

Finally, Costco sells two $50 Spafinder gift cards for an online price of $79.99. You can buy five per Costco membership and use them at thousands of participating spas, wellness centers, and yoga studios. That’s $20 in savings just for buying your gift cards on Costco’s website.

All in all, if you’re already shopping at these places, Costco’s gift cards could give your credit card some relief. And if these don’t appeal to you, don’t give up just yet. Costco sells different gift cards in its warehouse locations than it does online, plus it frequently adds new online gift cards to the mix. Check your warehouse to see if it has a more lucrative offer for you, and keep tabs on its websites for gift card deals you don’t want to miss out on.

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

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Credit card surcharges are a frustrating and increasingly common practice. Find out why you may want to stop shopping at businesses that do this. [[{“value”:”

Credit card surcharges have become a controversial practice. Many restaurants and small businesses now tack on an extra 3% or more for credit card payments. People who prefer to pay this way are understandably frustrated.

If you’re tired of getting dinged with extra fees, the best way to handle it is to vote with your wallet. That’s my approach. If I see that a business charges a credit card fee, I won’t go there. If a surcharge is tacked on by surprise, I’ll pay it, but I won’t be back. It’s something I feel strongly about, for a few reasons.

Credit card payments have benefits for both sides

Business owners argue that they need to charge extra because of credit card processing fees, which normally range from 1.3% to 3.5%. Those fees cut into their profit margins every time a customer pays by credit card. It’s a convenient way to pay for the customer, but it’s supposedly bad for the business.

What doesn’t get mentioned is all the ways that credit card payments benefit businesses. They’re not just paying a transaction fee for nothing, as it’s often framed. Here are some important points that get left out:

Businesses that accept credit cards can serve more customers. People want to be able to pay by credit card — Americans spent $5.6 trillion on their credit cards in 2022. If a business doesn’t accept credit cards, it won’t get nearly as many orders.People spend more on average when paying by credit card. Multiple studies have come to this conclusion. So even though businesses pay a fee for credit card transactions, they also tend to make more money on those purchases.Cash transactions have a cost, too. Cash payments may not have a processing fee, but handling cash takes time, it needs to be securely transported to the bank, and there’s the risk of theft. Research from the IHL Group estimates that the real cost of cash ranges from 4.7% to over 15% for some retail segments.

I like earning rewards on my purchases

I put all my purchases on travel credit cards. I’ve been doing it for years, and I’ve saved quite a bit of money on airfare and hotels with the travel points I’ve earned. So for me, there’s a financial incentive to pay by credit card.

There’s been some backlash over credit card rewards recently. Some have argued that people who use rewards cards are getting ahead at the expense of businesses and their fellow customers. The businesses pay processing fees that help fund those credit card rewards programs. They need to charge higher prices to cover those fees, and that affects other customers who aren’t earning any rewards.

But ultimately, credit card companies pay for their rewards programs. And they offer rewards to attract clients — specifically, clients with high credit scores.

I wasn’t always eligible for rewards credit cards. When I started out, I didn’t have any credit history. I had to learn how to improve my credit score. Once I did, I got rewarded for it. I’m not part of some chosen few. Anyone who wants to do this and is willing to put in the work could do the same.

I’m not going to pay a business’s swipe fees

Credit card surcharges are a pet peeve of mine. If a business owner really doesn’t want to pay the processing fees, there’s a simple solution: Don’t accept credit cards. Go cash-only, or only accept cash and debit cards, and make that clear to everyone.

Instead, more and more businesses have been opting to charge extra to credit card users. For me, that’s a sign they want to reap the benefits of accepting credit cards while passing the cost onto the customer.

They attract all the people who wouldn’t bother going to a cash-only business. They get the convenience of electronic payments instead of cash. And they make larger sales on average. All that, and they still make their customers foot the bill.

There are lots of places to shop and go out to eat. I don’t mind if a business owner charges whatever prices they need to make a profit. But if my bill has extra charges on it because of how I paid, I’ll just go somewhere else in the future.

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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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Sometimes, spending less boils down to setting rules for yourself. Read on to learn more. [[{“value”:”

TransUnion reports that as of the fourth quarter of 2023, Americans owed $1.05 trillion in credit card debt. Now, the reality is that credit card debt doesn’t always come as the result of overspending. You might lose your job for a period of time and be forced to charge basic expenses until you’re employed again.

But it is fair to say that some credit card debt can come as a result of spending too much. And since I’m not a fan of losing money to interest, I try to do what I can to avoid overspending and risking debt. Here are some steps I take to keep my spending in check.

1. Automating savings

Most banks these days let you set up automatic transfers for different purposes. What I have set up is an automatic transfer from my checking account to my savings account each month. This helps me avoid overspending because I’m left with less money in my checking account to tap.

You might think, “Well, couldn’t you just raid your savings if you need or want access to more money?” And that’s true. Savings accounts are unrestricted, and you can tap yours at any time.

But in my brain, once money lands in my savings, it means it’s untouchable barring an emergency expense situation, like a home repair I couldn’t have anticipated. So if you think similarly, then automating your savings might help you better manage your spending, too.

2. Checking my credit card balance every week

Some people don’t check their credit card balances until their monthly statements come in. But I like to log into my credit card accounts to see what my tab looks like on a weekly basis. This is helpful because if I see that I’m at a high number by the midpoint of the month, I can scale back my spending for the rest of the month to avoid ending up with a balance I can’t pay in full.

It’s a good idea to set up a recurring appointment on your calendar that blocks out time for this task. If you only have a few credit cards, it should take 15 minutes or less. But spending those 15 minutes could do good things for your personal finances.

3. Using the 24-hour rule for impulse buys

I’ll admit that I don’t tend to be very hard on myself when it comes to small impulsive purchases. If a friend texts and asks me to grab coffee, I’ll say yes if I have the time and won’t really stress the fact that the $5 latte wasn’t originally in my budget.

However, I do try to be much stricter when it comes to larger unplanned purchases, so I impose what I call the 24-hour rule. Basically, if I’m tempted to buy something on a whim, I force myself to wait 24 hours to complete the transaction.

Often, I’ll come to the realization that the item in question isn’t one I need. Or, if I decide to make the purchase, I’ll feel better about it knowing that it was at least thought out. If you’ve been known to give into impulse purchases, you may want to set a similar rule.

We’re all human, and sometimes, our brains push us to spend money we know we shouldn’t part with. But if you take the same steps I did, you may find that you’re able to reduce your spending considerably. This doesn’t mean that you’ll never fall victim to an impulse buy or you’ll never have a larger credit card bill than usual. But over time, these habits could lead to less spending and more savings.

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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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Buying Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand isn’t the only way to reap savings. Look to these five brand-name health and beauty products for a bargain at Costco. [[{“value”:”

When most folks think of Costco, they think of the excellent deals customers can reap on its Kirkland Signature brand, gas purchases, and even scrumptious goodies at its food court. What often slips people’s minds is that Costco offers great deals on brand-name products that we all know and love, too.

As the weather gets warmer and days get longer, it’s a great time to stock up on products that will benefit our skin and bodies. You can save over $60 on the following five brand-name health and beauty items by purchasing from Costco at today’s prices, compared to even the cheapest big-box retailers. That’s enough savings to recoup the cost of Costco’s basic membership ($60 annually), and even get you halfway to an Executive membership ($120 annually). Don’t overlook these deals!

1. Olay Pro Advanced Retinol Complex. 1.7 oz, 2-pack

Costco price: $36.99 (limited time – through May 5, 2024)

Walmart price: $63.99

This product offers the biggest savings of the bunch, with an extra $15 discount available through May 5. After that date, the price will go back to its regular Costco price of $51.99. You’ll save $27 on this product by buying before the sale expires. But even if you don’t get to it in time, you’ll still save $12 compared to Walmart.

This Olay Pro Advanced Retinol Complex Moisturizer hydrates and revitalizes. It contains collagen peptides and retinoids to boost the look and feel of your skin, and boasts brighter and smoother skin, overnight! This product is great for all ages. I love it, and so does my 68-year-old mother.

2. Sun Bum Original SPF 50, 5 oz, 2-pack

Costco price: $21.99

Walmart price: $33.81 (sale price, originally $39)

Sticking with the theme of skin care, protect your skin from the sun’s harsh rays with this Sun Bum spray-on sunscreen. Get a pack of two for just $21.99 and save $11.82 compared to Walmart’s sale price.

This sunscreen isn’t cheap, but it’s great! I used it for my recent trip to Aruba and didn’t get even the slightest hint of a sunburn during my entire vacation. The scent is pleasant, and it has a moisturizing formula with Vitamin E. This particular brand of sunscreen is also reef safe and perfect for ocean use, without harmful ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate that can harm our ocean’s coral reefs. Another perk? It’s FSA eligible for those of you with flexible spending accounts looking for a way to spend funds before they expire.

3. Secret Outlast Antiperspirant Deodorant, 2.6 oz, 4-pack

Costco price: $18.99

Walmart price: $23.88 ($5.97 each)

This pack of heavy-duty Secret Outlast deodorant comes in an invisible solid, Completely Clean scent. It’s refreshing, and let me tell you, it works! At the risk of telling you too much about myself, I’ll just say that this brand and style of deodorant is the first I’ve come across in my adult life that truly keeps me fresh all day long, no matter what I put it through.

Your savings here aren’t as impressive ($4.89) compared to the first two products. But you’ll still save by stocking up, and trust me, this is the type of product you don’t want to run out of. Think ahead: it makes a great stocking stuffer for adults, as well!

4. Crest Pro-Health Advanced Mouthwash, 33.8 fl oz, 3-pack

Costco price: $12.99
Walmart price: $25.92

Now our skin is smooth and protected, our pits are fresh and smell fabulous, so what’s left? Don’t forget to keep your mouth fresh, too! This Crest Pro-Health Advanced Complete Care mouthwash comes in a three-pack of 33.8 fluid ounce bottles. It’s alcohol-free and has a refreshing clean mint flavor. It offers six benefits, including enamel protection, strengthening teeth, and of course freshening breath. A three-pack of the same size bottles from Walmart will cost you $12.93 more, so do your personal finances a favor and stock up at Costco instead!

5. Tylenol PM Extra Strength Acetaminophen 500 mg Pain Reliever & Sleep Aid, 225 Caplets

Costco price: $24.99

Walmart price: $29.96

Is there a better way to close out a long summer day full of excitement and activity than by soothing away those lingering aches and pains and ensuring you can do it all again tomorrow with the help of some Tylenol PM? Generally, you’ll find larger bottles of OTC medications at warehouse clubs like Costco. The largest bottle I could find for comparison at Walmart was just 150 caplets for $19.97. But by calculating the per-unit price and multiplying that number by 225 (the number of caplets in Costco’s bottle), we learn that we can save $4.97 by buying from Costco.

Now, it’s worth mentioning that medications can lose efficacy if they sit unused for long periods. But for larger families, or even just a household that goes through a lot of Tylenol, buying in bulk can provide decent savings on this product.

Don’t overlook Costco’s brand-name deals

Some quick calculations show that buying these five brand-name health and beauty products from Costco will save shoppers approximately $61.61 compared to Walmart’s low prices. Keep in mind too, that Costco prices used here are all online prices. Costco’s online prices are higher than its store prices to account for built-in shipping and handling. So visiting your nearest warehouse club and picking these items up in store could save you even more!

Give your credit card tab a break and take advantage of these products from Costco that will keep you fresh, healthy, and happy all spring and summer long!

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

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Going to Costco often enough to cover your membership fee is important, but you don’t want to go too often. Here’s how to find a balance. [[{“value”:”

If you join Costco, you should know that you’ll likely want to visit the warehouse club regularly.

Going in person makes good sense to get the best deals, especially since items bought from Costco.com tend to cost more than those purchased in-store. But, you also don’t want to visit too often, because every trip creates new temptations to spend — which could lead to big credit card bills.

So, how often should you go to Costco? Here are three possible scenarios to help decide which option (or combination of options) works best for you.

Go when you need gas

One good rule of thumb is to time your Costco visits when you need to fill up your gas tank.

Costco gas tends to cost around $0.20 less per gallon than competing brands in most parts of the country. If you need a tank refill, it can pay to do it at Costco and also take care of your shopping at the same time. With the average family spending about 2.24% of their monthly income on gas, the savings on fuel alone could be well worth the visit.

Studies have shown the typical driver fills up their tank around once a week. If you refuel this often, you may not need to buy tons of bulk items on every Costco trip. But, the store also offers good deals on smaller items, like its $4.99 rotisserie chicken, as well as other perishable items.

If you make it a point to visit the warehouse club regularly for gas refills, you can pop in a few times a month and pick up these items each time to help make the most of your membership.

Go often enough to make back your membership fee

Another good rule of thumb is to make sure you’re going often enough to make back your membership fee, which starts at $60 a year. However, how often you actually need to visit your store to do that depends on how much you save when you go.

In some cases, if you buy a big-ticket item, you can visit once a year and still justify the cost of being a member. For example, Costco is selling the Eureka OmniVerse Multi-Function Upright Vacuum for $134.99 as of mid-April. The same vacuum is $219.99 at Walmart. So purchasing that item alone would justify your Costco membership and it wouldn’t really matter if you never visited again for the entire year.

If you aren’t buying big-ticket items, make sure you’re going often enough to save $60 a year or more. Typically, Costco saves you about 10% on groceries compared to your local supermarket. So, if you’d normally spend $100 at your local market but you spend $90 at Costco, you’d need to make at least six Costco grocery runs a year for your $10 in savings each trip to cover the membership cost

Of course, you’ll want to keep track of your own savings since you might save more or less than the typical shopper. If you find you’re only saving $5 on each Costco visit compared to buying groceries at the market, then unless you’re going to Costco at least 12 times a year, it may not be worth maintaining your membership.

Go based on the store’s markdown schedule

Costco typically offers deals that run for around a month at a time. For example, the current in-warehouse and online savings offers run from April 10 to May 5, 2024. If you want to make sure you aren’t missing a deal, it often pays to check out the sales soon after they come out so you can snag the items before they’re gone.

Costco also tends to put holiday items on sale soon after the end of the festive event, and puts seasonal items, like patio furniture, on sale midway through the season (think early July for summer gear). If you want to take advantage of these deals, you’d want to visit at least once during the months when an inventory changeover is likely to occur.

Each of these approaches to deciding how often to visit Costco can make sense. The bottom line is, if you go often enough to justify the $60 membership fee and you aren’t overspending on your visits or finding yourself with a bunch of wasted groceries each time, then the details of exactly how often you visit don’t matter much in the end.

And remember, if you aren’t able to maximize your Costco visits to at least recoup what you’re paying to be a member, Costco offers a refund for membership fees if you’re dissatisfied.

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

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