Why I'm Going to Costco to Buy These 7 Big-Ticket Purchases

Costco is not just a great place to buy $1.50 hot dogs and cheap rotisserie chicken: it offers surprising savings on big-ticket purchases like tires, furniture, and even cars. I'm a longtime Costco member and I'm passionate about shopping at Costco. And while no one loves shelling out big money to replace a broken refrigerator or punctured tire, Costco makes the process easy. You can even find good deals on affordable luxuries at Costco.

Next time I'm in the market for any of these higher-priced items, I'm going to check Costco first.

1. Car tires from Costco Tire Center

Along with my unfortunate history of getting into lots of car crashes, I also seem to constantly be running over nails, screws, shards of glass, and hunks of metal. As a result, I frequently have suspiciously low air pressure in my tires, and end up needing to get my tires patched, fixed, and replaced.

Fortunately, the Costco Tire Center gives me great deals on new tires and lifelong maintenance of those tires. You get free tire rotation and other tire-related perks when you buy tires at Costco. It offers a wide range of tires, including specialty tires that you might need for an electric vehicle. And if your local Costco Tire Center doesn't have the right tires in stock, staff can help you order them online to be shipped and installed at your local warehouse.

2. Furniture

Costco offers great deals on living room furniture, outdoor patio furniture, mattresses, and more. You can also order furniture online and have it delivered from the Costco Direct program; you're not limited only to what furniture is available at your local Costco warehouse. For some items, Costco Direct also includes installation or setup.

3. Online shopping for high-end items with Costco Next

A lot of people might not know about this, but along with the "treasure hunts" for affordable luxuries in-store, Costco also has an online shopping program called Costco Next. With Costco Next, you can get members-only pricing on a wide range of high-end items (like luxury skincare products or bicycles) directly from Costco's brand partners.

I've found surprisingly good deals on Costco Next on luggage, bicycles, and other products where you don't always want the "cheapest" price, but are willing to seek out the best fit for your needs. Costco helps you save time (and money) by curating these great deals for you. And you can buy online without going to the local warehouse store.

4. Appliances

Costco offers great deals on refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers, microwaves and more. Sometimes they have members-only pricing with limited time offers to help you save even more money on appliances. Your Costco appliance price also includes free delivery and installation, free disposal of your old appliance, a two-year warranty, and more.

And if you buy appliances that are tagged on the Costco website as "Costco Direct," you can save an extra $100 per additional item you buy. Costco Direct is an online shopping option that lets you buy big-ticket items like appliances directly from the Costco distribution centers, without having to go to your local warehouse. So if you're ever in a situation where you need to buy a new refrigerator and a new stove, or a new TV and a new couch, check out Costco Direct for even bigger savings.

5. International travel

Sometimes the best way to travel, especially if you want to travel to other countries, is to sign up for a travel package or group tour. Costco Travel has great deals on high-end travel such as all-inclusive resort packages, cruises, multi-city tours of Europe and other parts of the world, and more.

One of my friends got a great deal to travel to London for the first time because of Costco Travel; his family had a fantastic experience and it was all made easier for them because Costco Travel found the hotels and recommended the itinerary. In the same way that I trust Costco to "curate" delicious trail mix and good deals on tires, Costco Travel can be your built-in travel agency to arrange an affordable, adventurous vacation for you.

6. Home decorating, home installations, flooring, windows and more

Do you need new carpet, new flooring, new window treatments, new cabinets or countertops? Costco can help. Costco members can sign up for home installation services from approved vendors.

You get members-only pricing from reputable local contractors that are approved by Costco, and you pay the contractor directly. Then you get a 10% Costco gift card based on the price you paid for that home installation project. For example, if you buy new window treatments or new kitchen cabinets that cost a total of $15,000, you get a $1,500 Costco Shop Card.

7. Costco Auto for a new car

I don't intend to buy a new car in 2024, but if I was in the market for a car (new or used), I would definitely check Costco Auto. The Ascent's research found that Costco members can typically save $1,000 on the purchase of a vehicle through Costco. Costco Auto connects you with approved partner dealerships for a no-haggle process. And your Costco savings are in addition to any special dealer discounts, manufacturer rebates, or EV tax credits.

Bottom line

Costco members get the potential for hundreds or thousands of dollars of cost savings and added value per year. Isn't that worth a $60 membership fee? And you get cheap hot dogs! I love being a Costco member, and I hope Costco's great deals can improve your personal finances, too.