3 Tricks to Saving Money at Costco During the Holidays

The holidays are pretty wonderful, right? There's festive music playing at the grocery store all the time, and homes tend to be adorned with lights and decorations that are enough to brighten any mood.

But while many people love the holidays, it's hard to overlook the fact that they can be an enormously stressful period. If you're trying to free up money for your savings account, you might resent all of the extra purchases you feel pressured into making.

The good news, though, is that doing a lot of your holiday shopping at Costco could help you steer clear of debt when you're buying food, decor, and gifts. If you use these tricks, you might spend even less when you're shopping at Costco.

1. Do your shopping in stores rather than online

Shopping on Costco.com can be convenient. You don't have to battle crowds at the store, nor do you have to spend time on the road getting to and from your local warehouse club.

But one thing you should know about Costco.com is that while many items ship for free, they also cost more than they would if you were to buy them in person. So if you have access to a Costco location, it pays to head over there this month -- even if that means having to deal with aisles that are a little more packed than you'd like them to be.

If you really can't stand large crowds, aim to shop at off-peak times, such as during weekday evenings rather than on weekends. Getting to Costco as soon as it opens might also work to your benefit if you have flexible work hours.

2. Pay attention to the timing of different deals

Costco tends to run different promotions during the holiday season both online and in stores. But it's important to pay attention to when items are on sale. Some products, for example, may currently be marked down only through early December, while others may be marked down for most of December.

Keep tabs on those dates so you can buy the things on your list at the lowest available prices. You may even want to keep a running tab if you can't afford all of your purchases at once, but rather, need to spread them out over a few weeks.

3. Ask for price adjustments

Don't you just hate it when you buy something at a seemingly low price only to see that price drop further a week or two later? At Costco, that's not a problem, because you can ask for a price adjustment at customer service within 30 days of any purchase. This isn't a rule that's specific to the holiday season -- it's Costco's general policy.

And if you bought something and have since tossed your receipt, worry not. A Costco customer service representative can look up your purchase based on your membership card number and refund you accordingly.

The fact that the holidays are so darn expensive can detract from the otherwise upbeat mood of the season. But if you shop at Costco strategically, you may find that your holiday purchases (and credit card bills) are more affordable than expected.