4 Tips for Maximizing Your Savings at Costco

A basic membership at Costco costs $60 a year, while an Executive membership costs $120. The more expensive membership scores you 2% cash back on Costco purchases, so if you shop there often enough, the upgrade fee could be worth paying.

But no matter which type of membership you have at Costco, you no doubt want to make the most of it. Here are some steps you can take to eke out more savings during your Costco shopping.

1. Shop at the right time

The less jam-packed it is at Costco, the easier it might be for you to do your shopping calmly and methodically. So it pays to visit the store when it's at its least crowded.

You may be aware that avoiding Costco on weekends is a smart bet. But on top of that, a good time to go to Costco is on a weekday during the store's late afternoon and evening hours.

At that time, parents are busy shuttling their kids to after-school activities and people are generally busy eating dinner. So if you aim to do your Costco shopping between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., you might get much of the store to yourself.

2. Read the coupon book

Costco offers discounts on different items on a rotating basis. And if you're a member, you should get a coupon book in the mail each month highlighting those sales.

Rather than toss that coupon book, read through it and take note of the items you usually buy. If it's something non-perishable like tissues, you might as well stock up while they're $5 off.

And remember, you don't actually need to bring your coupon book with you to Costco. You'll get whatever discount is available automatically when you check out.

3. Return things that don't work out well for you

Costco has an extremely generous return policy. So if you take a chance on an item you don't normally buy and it doesn't meet your expectations, take it back.

It's true that if you abuse Costco's return policy, you might eventually risk getting your membership revoked. But if you're talking about returning one or two items a month out of 30 or 40, that's not unreasonable. And also, if you're reasonable in the course of making your returns, there shouldn't be an issue.

Let's say you decide to give Costco's new chile cornbread a try, only it ends up having too much spice for your taste. If you bring it back with a small chunk missing, you shouldn't have a problem. But if you attempt to make that return once your cornbread is more than half-eaten, you may not get your money back.

4. Pay attention to expiration dates

Getting a bulk discount on grocery items is why many Costco members are able to save money. But if you end up throwing away a portion of your haul due to it going bad, you won't save money -- you'll waste it.

That's why it's so important to pay attention to expiration dates. And one mistake Costco shoppers tend to make is being mindful of expiration dates for perishable items only.

It's true that meat and cheese are going to have a shorter shelf life than items like potato chips and crackers. But while Costco makes a mean potato chip, if you bust open your bag six months after its best-by date, your snack might taste kind of stale. So check the expiration date on all bulk food products you buy.

A Costco membership has the potential to offer you a lot of value. Stick to these tips to help ensure that you're enjoying as much savings as possible.