If you wanted to design a Disneyland for adults, it would probably look a lot like Costco. Where else can you order a piping-hot pizza, gaze into the technicolor hyperreality of the latest Ultra HDTV, and plan your next vacation—all while saving money and snacking on free samples? There's only one catch: you gotta pay up. Costco has an up-front annual membership fee of $60.
Groupon Coupons is here to help! First, it's going to save you a ton of time knowing that Costco never discounts its memberships or offers promo codes to join. We know because we asked them personally! Instead, Costco works with organizations, such as teacher's unions and the AARP, and reputable deal sites (*ahem*) to basically discount memberships by tossing in free Costco gift cards and other perks.
But what if you're not a teacher, student, or member of the military? Glad you asked! There are still a ton of ways to save on a Costco membership if you know where to look! In this article, we'll break down how to save on a membership (we even found you an deal for a free $40 Costco Shop gift card), and we'll also share tons of hidden ways you can save once you join the Costco membership ranks.
Gas | Tires | Pharmacy | Travel | Rental Car | Costco Credit Card | Non-Member Savings
Costco Membership
First things first: a Costco membership costs $60 (Gold Star) or $120 (Gold Star Executive) and lasts for 12 months. That means Gold Star members need to save only $1.15 per week and Gold Star Executives need to save $2.30 to make the membership worth the price. Between groceries and gas alone, trust us, it is really easy to do (we'll break it down for you if you keep reading). Besides discounted rates on all types of insurance: home, health, car, life, dental, and vision, Costco members can also really pile on the savings with special Costco programs like financing a mortgage and buying a car with special club pricing.
[Quick side note: we kind of assumed the car-buying site would be … a little janky? We were wrong, like spectacularly wrong! On the contrary, the site is honestly borderline addictive, letting you choose and customize just about any model you can imagine. We strongly recommend taking a whirl.]
Being a Gold Star member will get you in the door, but the extra $60 per year for a Gold Star Executive membership opens up an absolute boatload of extra perks. The biggest benefit of the Gold Star Executive membership is the 2% cash-back bonus on all eligible Costco purchases (up to $1,000 per year). To make up for the extra upfront cost, Gold Star Executive members need to spend about $3,000 a year at Costco. It sounds like a lot, but the average American already spends more than $2,600 on groceries and $1,500 on gas every year. Add in the Costco savings and the cash-back bonus, and a Gold Star Executive membership has already more than paid for itself.
CURRENT COSTCO DEAL: Get a $40 Costco Shop Card With a One-Year Gold Star Membership
Costco Gas
Besides buying in bulk, Costco is probably most famous for its gas. Which makes sense because Costco members can save about 30 cents per gallon! We did the math to find that the average American can save approximately $195 every year at Costco on gas alone. Not only are the savings great, but so is the gasoline itself.
Costco doesn’t disclose the name of its gasoline provider, but it is listed as a TOP TIER–licensed brand, which means the gasoline meets quality standards set forth by auto manufacturers and EPA guidelines. Costco’s own materials say that its regular unleaded- and premium-grade gasoline contain five times the EPA detergent requirement, which helps maintain good engine function and protects against declines in miles per gallon consumption.
How to Get Anything At Costco (Including Gas) Without a Membership:
Advanced Savings Tactic: Get your hands on a gift card! Anyone with a Costco gift card can buy gas or anything else (even if they aren't a member).
The Catch: It can be tricky to find Costco gift cards since you have to be a member to buy one from Costco.
The Solution(s):
- Ask a friend or family member to pick up some gift cards on their next Costco run
- You can also sometimes find Costco gift cards on Amazon or eBay, though our personal favorite is Raise (a business that buys and sells gift cards … genius!)
- Instacart: You pay a little extra in delivery fees, but shopping through Instacart is by far the easiest way to get your hands on metric tons of cheesy poofs without a membership. [Check out the latest Instacart promo codes & deals at our Groupon Coupons page.]
Costco Tires
Buying your tires at Costco might not actually be the cheapest option. Oftentimes you can find a slightly better price online at TireRack.com. But don’t forget to factor in additional costs like installation and disposal of your old tires (usually around $20 per tire). Once those costs are considered, Costco usually comes out on top. Costco tire installation also comes with free five-year road hazard and maintenance services. That includes free tire rotations and balancing and flat repairs for the life of the tires.
One thing to note though, Costco will not do wheel alignments when you get a new set of tires. It’s not a crucial service, but mechanics strongly recommend it to get the most out of your investment.
Costco Pharmacy
A Consumer Reports study found Costco Pharmacy prices are among the best in the United States. In fact, it was rated the best for pricing among walk-in pharmacies. You can potentially save a little more if you order online, but then you have to wait for your prescription to arrive via mail.
Costco’s Pharmacy is a perk for members and non-members alike. Whether you pay for the membership or not, the pharmacy at Costco works exactly the same. When you need a prescription filled, have your doctor call it in to a Costco pharmacy or just bring in the slip yourself. The price will be the same no matter your status.
Costco Travel Benefits
You really can buy anything, including your next vacation, at Costco. Since 2000, Costco has had an in-house travel agency that works just like every other part of the wholesale business. Costco Travel gets great rates on hotels, resorts, cruises, and car rental companies because of its millions-strong customer base. In turn, those savings are passed onto members who book a vacation through Costco Travel.
It’s hard to estimate just how much you can save with Costco Travel. Pricing in the travel industry fluctuates significantly based on a number of factors. But it’s a great place to start your search for a great deal on travel to the Caribbean, Hawaii, or beyond—especially if you're planning to live it up on a budget. Business Insider estimates Costco members can save 10% to 30% on luxury hotel stays.
It used to be that Costco Travel only offered vacation packages, so you’d need to book a 7-day cruise or DisneyWorld vacation to take advantage of the savings. Costco heard the feedback, and now you can book individual hotel rooms or hotel and flight packages. But insiders say one of the best ways to save on travel is using Costco to rent a car.
Executive Member Perk: Save an extra 2% on travel, including flights, hotels, and car rentals.
Costco Rental Cars
Imagine if Hotwire not only found you the cheapest prices but also automatically snatched the best promo codes and applied them to your rental car. That, folks, is precisely what the Costco Travel Low Price Finder does. Thanks to the collective bargaining power of millions of Costco members, Costco is able to partner with major rental car companies—Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise—to offer legitimately exclusive discounts to members. Costco members also get to add an additional driver for free, even if the additional driver isn’t a Costco member.
Shoppers also really like the Low Price Finder and other Costco Travel tools because all taxes and fees are included up front, so the price you’re quoted is the final price. No surprise add-ons ever!
More Ways to Save at Costco
Costco Citi Card
If you really want to rack up the savings, you can double your cash-back rewards with a Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi. You’ll earn 4% cash back rewards on gas for the first $7,000 you spend (it drops to 1% after that), 3% on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% on all other Costco purchases, and 1% on everything else.
Costco Gift Cards
Don’t want to get a membership for yourself? Non-members can still take advantage of many of Costco’s savings with a Costco Shop Card. Essentially a gift card to Costco, anyone (including non-members) can use a Costco Shop Card to stock up on groceries, gas, and more. The only caveat is that Costco members are the only ones who can purchase and load money onto a Shop Card ($25–$1,000). So you’ll have to rely on a friend or family member with a membership to get you in the door.
Non-Members Can Still Save at Costco
- Costco alcohol: It’s not true in all states, but in 14 states, you can buy booze at Costco without a membership. The price club has its own Kirkland Signature private-label spirits, which are offered at 20% to 40% less than top-shelf brands and experts have a hard time telling the difference. Check out this article to learn more about the best Kirkland Signature wines and spirits.
- Fill prescriptions: You can fill a prescription at a Costco pharmacy just like a member would. The non-member pricing is exactly the same, and frankly, the savings are almost literally unbelievable. And the savings really start to add up if you buy pet meds, which can cost up to 75% less at Costco.
- Eye Exams: Costco Optical has a great deal for non-members, especially those without vision insurance. You can make an appointment with a Costco optometrist for an eye exam and it will only cost you $70–$100, no membership required. But you have to be a member (or have a Costco Shop Card) to buy contacts or glasses.
- Eat in the Food Court: We’ve all heard about Costco’s $1.50 hot dog and soda meal, but you can also get a fully-cooked pizza for just $10! You don’t need a membership to eat at the food court, but you will have to enter through the exit because of how Costco stores are set up.
