Amazing Deals: How to Spot the Best Bargains at Costco

Joining Costco could be a smart move for your personal finances. The savings you reap can easily exceed the amount you shell out for an annual membership. But if you really want to score the best deals at Costco, make these important moves.

1. Read through the coupon book

If you're a Costco member, you should get a little booklet in the mail every month highlighting what's on sale in the coming weeks. And if that pamphlet doesn't arrive by mail, you can access it online. There, you'll see which items are discounted, and what each discount entails.

Annoyingly, Costco doesn't print each item's original price in these booklets. And the reason is that it can't, because prices vary from store to store, whereas the discounts on offer each month typically apply universally. But still, that way, you'll at least know what's on sale.

If there are non-perishable items you use regularly available at a discount, those are the ones it's generally worth stocking up on during a sale period. Be careful with on-sale food purchases in the context of items you don't eat regularly. All food has an eventual expiration date -- even boxed items that sit on a shelf. You don't want to buy crackers in bulk when they're on sale only to have half of the package go stale on you.

2. Look for items ending in $0.97

Costco doesn't have a clearance section like some stores do. But throughout the store, you may notice items ending in $0.97. Usually, this means that they're marked down significantly.

What's more, sometimes, you'll see a date on the price tag sticker for a given item. If it's recent, it means the markdown was recent. If it's an item you don't need urgently, you may want to wait a week to see if Costco lowers the price even more. That could happen if the item in question is a tough sell and Costco eventually decides it just wants to get rid of it.

3. Go to the gift card section

Buying gift cards at Costco is almost always a financially sound decision. Costco typically offers gift cards at a price below their face value.

As one example, right now, you can buy $100 worth of Domino's gift cards for just $79.99 at Costco. If you order dinner from Domino's often, a purchase like this is a no-brainer because you're going to reap a lot of savings.

These are only some of the steps you can take to get great deals at Costco. The more you shop there, the more strategies you can develop that lead to the savings you're after.

And if you're fairly new to Costco, ask a seasoned member you know what tactics they utilize to save big. There are certain tricks you're apt to pick up as you go along. But it never hurts to get the inside scoop from your friend or neighbor who's been shopping at Costco every week for the past 10 years.