Moving to Your First House? Here's Why You May Want a Costco Membership

Moving to your first house is a big deal. You may be going from a small apartment to suddenly having lots of square footage at your disposal.

Having a larger living space can be a good thing. But it can also pose a challenge. If you suddenly have three bathrooms instead of one, you'll need more towels and items like soap dispensers and trash cans. And the more space you have, the more cleaning you'll have to do, which means you'll need more products and supplies for it.

Plus, you might have to purchase certain appliances or furniture pieces for your first house. And if you're looking to cover all of these costs without racking up a massive credit card tab, then you may want to sign up for a Costco membership as you're in the process of getting settled into your new abode.

A host of Costco items to choose from

It's easy to think of Costco as a place to buy things like toilet paper and cereal in bulk. But actually, Costco stocks a world of items that you might need when you're first moving into a house, from furniture to lamps to the kitchen gadgets you finally have room for.

Plus, when you first move into a house, there tends to be a lot of cleaning that needs to get done. You can turn to Costco for everything from a new vacuum cleaner to actual cleaning products. 

Now, you may be hesitant to take on too many extra expenses when you're moving into a house -- especially if you just bought your own place and made a large down payment on a sizable mortgage loan. But the good news is that a Costco membership won't cost a lot.

A basic membership is just $60 a year, while an executive membership costs $120. That upgraded membership comes with the benefit of earning 2% back on all Costco purchases you make, so it may be worth it if you have a house to fill with stuff and expect to do a lot of shopping as you're settling into your new home. 

Take advantage of that extra storage

Another benefit of moving into a house -- aside from having more living space -- is getting additional storage space. Your house might come with a basement, garage, shed, or other areas that are prime spots for storage. And that might enable you to better take advantage of a Costco membership.

As an example, right now, Costco has Bounty Select-A-Size paper towels on sale for $21.49 for a 12-pack. Amazon has an 8-pack of those paper towels for $23.74. With a house full of storage space, you might have room for the extra rolls -- which means you can potentially enjoy the extra savings.

All told, a Costco membership might help you fill and clean your new home affordably. Consider signing up for one and seeing how it goes. You can always cancel at any time if you feel you're not getting good use out of your membership and Costco will refund your membership fee.