5 Real-Life Stories of Saving Big at Costco

Shopping at Costco is one of my biggest passions in life. Whether it's enjoying a $1.50 hotdog and nearly-as-cheap frozen yogurt sundae at the Costco snack bar, buying a deliciously seasoned rotisserie chicken for less than it costs to cook my own, or going on "treasure hunts" for surprisingly low-priced big-ticket items, Costco is this middle-aged dad's consumerist playground. I refer to my local Costco warehouse as "the Theater of Dreams."

Let me share a few of my favorite real-life Costco savings stories -- and show how much you'd save at Costco compared to typical retail prices.

(Note: All Costco prices listed are for online purchases as of Feb. 21, 2024 and were available for my nearest Costco warehouse in West Des Moines, Iowa. Prices may vary based on location.)

1. Maple syrup

My kids love to eat pancakes every morning, and that means my family loves to spend lots of money on maple syrup. Costco keeps my family's pancakes adequately coated with sweet mapley goodness with its Costco Kirkland Signature Organic Maple Syrup for $14.03 per 33.8 fluid ounces. My nearest Whole Foods location offers 32 fluid ounces of Organic Maple Syrup for $17.99 -- so the exact same amount of syrup as Costo's bottle would cost $19.00.

Costco savings: $4.97 per bottle (we often buy at least three bottles per month)

2. Dark chocolate and cherry trail mix

I work from home and I'm self-employed, so that means: I'm awake, asleep, working, and eating at weird hours. I don't eat "meals" on a regular "schedule" like normal people; I putter around the house in my slippers and shovel handfuls of food into my mouth while standing over the kitchen sink. None of this is "good" or healthy! But the point is: because of my peculiar lifestyle, I need to eat a lot of trail mix.

Costco sells the best and greatest trail mix that I've ever eaten in my life: Ferris Coffee & Nut Company's Roasted & Salted Cherries, Berries & Nuts with Dark Chocolate. You can buy (if you're lucky and it's in stock) a 28-ounce bag of this life-changingly delicious trail mix at Costco for $11.69. This is cheaper than you can get it on the Ferris Coffee & Nut Company website, where it sells for $16.95 per bag (plus shipping).

True story: You know how Costco sometimes stops keeping your favorite item in stock, and then you feel sad about it for the rest of the day? A few months ago, that happened to me with this trail mix. I searched all over Costco's usual trail mix aisles and couldn't find it anywhere. So I literally went home and ordered four bags directly from Ferris Coffee & Nut Company, and happily paid the shipping fee (I think it was $10) because I needed this trail mix in my life that urgently. On a typical weekday, this trail mix is about 80% of my caloric intake.

Ferris Coffee & Nut Company: The official trail mix of late-sleeping, highly-caffeinated, easily-distractible personal finance bloggers! Made with Michigan cherries!

Costco savings: $5.26 per bag (you're going to need more than one bag)

3. Prescription drugs

Costco has a well-stocked in-house pharmacy at every store, where you can get flu shots and other vaccinations, as well as a wide range of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. The Ascent's research found that, based on a few common prescriptions and OTC medications, the Costco pharmacy could easily help you save hundreds of dollars per year.

Costco savings: $739 per year ($62 per month) (depending on your family's healthcare needs)

4. Discount gift cards (a.k.a. "free money")

Costco offers a wide range of gift cards that are worth more than they cost. For example: Costco offers a Southwest Airlines gift card for $500 worth of air travel on Southwest -- but it only costs you $449.99 at Costco. That's like getting free money! Costco also offers similar "free money" gift card deals for a wide range of restaurants and fun activities like TopGolf and movie theaters.

Costco savings: $50.01

5. Costco Auto -- Costco members-only pricing on cars

The benefits of a Costco membership go beyond the warehouse walls. The Costco Auto Program can help you get special discounts on new or pre-owned vehicles. When you sign up for this program, you start by shopping online for the vehicle you want, and then the website connects you to a participating partner auto dealership that offers you special Costco member pricing on that vehicle. If you then choose to accept that offer, it's a no-haggle, no-fuss sales process to buy a new car.

Costco savings: $1,000 (typical discount per car, based on The Ascent's research)

Bottom line

The lowest-cost Costco membership costs $60 per year, averaging out to $5 per month. Even if you don't buy a car through Costco, just by purchasing the rest of the items on this list and getting the typical Costco savings, you'd save about $122 per month. Especially if you can avoid impulse buys or stocking up on perishable items that you can't consume, shopping at Costco can easily pay for itself. This warehouse club can help you save money on groceries, get surprisingly good deals on big-ticket items, and put more money in your bank account.