Use Shutterfly? Your Costco Membership Could Save You Big Time

When people think about joining Costco, they're commonly lured by the idea of getting to purchase grocery and household items in bulk. That can result in a lot of savings.

But there are benefits to being a Costco member beyond just bulk snacks and paper towels. Costco members can save money on everything from gas to furniture to travel. And if you're a fan of the photo service Shutterfly, you may be able to reap some extra savings there, too, by virtue of being a Costco member.

Get ready to save a bundle

In an age when so many of us can store thousands of photos on our phones, the need to print photos may not be as high as it was years back. But if you're someone who likes the option to print photos, Shutterfly is a great site to use. You can create an account and upload your photos onto Shutterfly, and from there, choose your prints or gift items.

That's right -- Shutterfly is a great source for customized gifts. Not sure what to get your grandmother for her upcoming birthday? Try a mug with your smiling face on it. Have a big event like Father's Day coming up? You can purchase a customized blanket so your partner can nap on the couch with your actual dog and a blanket with your dog's picture on it as well.

Meanwhile, if you're a Costco member, you should know that you're eligible for big savings on Shutterfly purchases. All you need to do is add your Costco member number to your Shutterfly account, and you'll enjoy a 51% discount on what you're buying. Plus, you'll receive free shipping on orders over $49.

A great option to consider

Back in the day, it was possible to walk into your local Costco and get photos printed on the spot. But Costco made the choice to close its photo centers back in early 2021, and it was largely a lack of demand that fueled that decision. By partnering with Shutterfly, Costco is sort of compensating for those closures by giving its members another cost-effective way to access photo prints.

Meanwhile, if you have a Costco Phone Center account, you can follow an easy process to get your photos transferred onto Shutterfly. Keep in mind that it could take 24 to 48 hours, depending on the number of photos, for everything to get moved. An email will be sent to you once the transfer is complete.

But rest assured that even if you're not transferring old photos over to Shutterly, but rather, are uploading new ones from scratch, you can still snag the aforementioned discount as a Costco member. You just need to make sure your Costco membership number is added to your Shutterly account.

Whether you have a need to print photos or order photo-based gifts occasionally or frequently, at a time when inflation is so high, every bit of savings counts. So it definitely pays to take advantage of the partnership Costco has established with Shutterfly.