3 Ways to Score Cash Back on Your Costco Purchases

Many people join Costco for the express purpose of saving money. And you can do so in a couple of ways.

First, loading up on bulk or discounted items could result in a lower credit card tab than shopping at a standard supermarket or big-box store. But also, if you play your cards right, you can score your share of cash back in the course of your Costco shopping. Here's how.

1. Upgrade to an executive membership

A basic Costco membership currently costs $60 a year, while an executive membership costs $120. But with the latter, you get 2% back on all Costco purchases you make both in stores and online. And that cash back can really add up if you shop at Costco on a regular basis, or if you use services like Costco Travel.

Of course, you will need to consider the added cost of an executive membership when making your decision. But think of it this way: You'll need to spend $3,000 a year at Costco to compensate for the extra $60 you're spending to upgrade your membership (as 2% of $3,000 comes to $60).

If you book a single vacation through Costco, you might hit that threshold with just that one purchase. So you might easily come out ahead financially with an executive membership.

Plus, here's a secret you may not have known. If you don't end up snagging $60 worth of cash back in a single year from your executive membership, you can downgrade to a basic one and Costco will refund you the difference.

2. Use a credit card with a generous cash back program

It's common for credit cards to offer cash back on purchases across the board. But if yours offers bonus cash back on groceries, and Costco is part of that category, then instead of getting, say, 1% back, you might end up with 2% or 3% back on the items you buy at Costco.

And don't forget that gas is a purchase you might make at Costco, too. In fact, many Costco members specifically aim to fill up their cars at Costco because gas there is cheaper. If you do the same, you might end up with more cash back in your pocket.

3. Apply for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

You don't need to have a Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi to shop at Costco with a credit card. The warehouse club giant will accept any Visa card you want to pay with.

But applying for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi could work to your benefit as a Costco member. Not only does it offer a very generous 4% back on gas, but it also offers 2% on all Costco purchases you make.

And to be clear, you can double up on cash back by using your Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi along with an executive membership. In that case, you'll effectively get 4% back on anything you buy at Costco.

Scoring extra cash back at Costco is definitely a nice perk. Use these tricks to boost your cash back -- and give yourself more money to spend on the things you need and love.