I've Been a Costco Executive Member for Years, and I Just Discovered This Perk

Years ago, I made the decision to upgrade my basic Costco membership to an executive membership. And I haven't gone back since.

What drew me to the executive membership is the fact that I get 2% back on all of my Costco purchases. This includes any Costco purchases I make online. When I add that to the cash back my credit card gives me, shopping at Costco puts a lot of money back in my pocket.

But while I've had an executive membership at Costco for many years now, it was only recently that I discovered a perk I never knew existed. Not only can you order checks through Costco, but if you have an executive membership, you can save an additional 20% compared to what people with a basic membership pay. I only wish I'd known that before ordering a whole batch of checks from my bank.

Another way to save at Costco

Costco prides itself on offering members ways to save money on a host of products and services, from prescriptions to travel. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I realized that ordering checks at a discount through Costco was a possibility.

And we're not talking about boring checks, either. Costco offers a host of fun designs you can choose from, like Disney characters. 

Now, it happened to be that a short while ago, I had to write out a check to the landscaper I use for lawn care, and I realized I was pretty much out of checks that day. Because I make so many payments via credit card or Venmo, I just didn't notice I was running low. So I logged into my online bank account and ordered a batch without shopping around for options. 

I paid $11 for 100 checks through Capital One, which is where I have an online checking and savings account. But at Costco, you can order 400 checks for $41.06 if you have a basic membership. And the cost with an executive membership is $32.85, which is a much better deal.

A good thing to know

All told, I could've saved myself a bit of money by ordering my checks through Costco. At Costco, my cost per 100 checks would've been $8.21, as opposed to the $11 I paid. 

Thankfully, it's not a huge difference. I can't pretend that the roughly $3 extra I spent by ordering checks through my bank is something I'm going to get upset over (not when I probably throw $3 into the trash every day in the form of wasted food that my picky eater kids refuse to consume). But still, it's good to know that the option to order low-cost checks through Costco is available. And it's also nice to see that executive members get to enjoy added savings on this expense.

Granted, I wouldn't recommend getting an executive membership at Costco for the express purpose of saving money on checks. But if you're already paying for that upgraded membership like I am, then you might as well make the most of it.