• I've been shopping at the store for about 10 years, so I know what to look out for.

  • Buying gift cards for restaurants could save you money.

  • If you know how to read the price tags, you can make better buying decisions.

The person is getting the wrong membership.

Membership counter at Costco with computers and red sign against brick wall
There are different tiers of membership at Costco.gg5795/Shutterstock

If you buy most of your household goods at the chain, it makes sense to upgrade to the executive tier.

There is an annual 2% reward on eligible purchases of up to $1,000 for the executive membership.

If you spend $250 a month, you'll get $60 back by the end of the year.

Buy brand-name products.

On the left, hand holding silver and brown bag of starbucks coffee in front of $19.99 price tag. On the right, hand holding blue and beige bag of kirkland coffee
Kirkland's house-blend coffee is roasted by Starbucks.Olivia Yi

High-quality products for cheap can be found in the Kirkland Signature line of products.

The house-blend coffee is roasted by Starbucks but can be found for less than the name-brand beans. A major brand is said to make other products, like Kirkland's batteries.

Do your research before you choose the bargain brand.

Not using restaurant gift cards for purchases.

Yellow and white california pizza kitchen gift card pack at costco
You can buy $100 worth of California Pizza Kitchen gift cards for $79.99 at Costco.Olivia Yi

The restaurant gift cards at the wholesale chain can be used to get more food than you pay for.

A two-pack of California Pizza Kitchen gift cards contains $100 worth of restaurant credit, but costs $79.99, so they can be used for less than that.

Not paying attention to the price tags.

If a price tag ends in $0.99, then the item is being sold at the regular price.Olivia Yi

The price tags are important.

The item is being sold at the regular cost if the price ends in 99 cents. The product may be discounted or on clearance.

The product may have been a floor model or return if the price tags end in $0 or $0.88. Make sure to inspect the item before you buy it.

The item will not be restocked, so you may want to purchase more than one.

Not knowing about price matching.

Keep an eye on Costco's new discounts.Graham Drew Photography/Shutterstock

If an item goes on sale within 30 days of your purchase, you can ask for a refund.

It can be hard to keep track of every product you buy, but this may be helpful for high cost items.

It's not possible to compare the price of online orders to in-store warehouse offers.

I put the baked goods in the wrong place.

You can freeze most of Costco's baked goods.Olivia Yi

You can find a dozen muffins or bagels for a low price at the bakery at the warehouse club. It can be hard to eat all of them.

Each item should be packaged in plastic wrap as soon as possible. You can leave some out on the counter and keep the rest in the freezer.

If you want to eat a frozen muffin, bagel, or croissant, you can thaw it in the microwave for 20 seconds, then toast it in the oven or air fryer for about five minutes.

It can be taken out of the freezer the night before and left on the counter in the morning.

Precut steaks are better than the whole roast.

The whole roast is often cheaper at Costco.Olivia Yi

Buying the whole roast is usually cheaper than buying a pack of precut steaks.

The price of precut New York steak is less than the price of the whole roast.

You can slice your steaks at home even though they are already cut. Saving money when feeding a crowd is important.

On Saturdays and Sundays, you can shop on the weekends.

Customers will often get in line before Costco even opens on weekends.J.Emilio Flores/Shutterstock

On a Saturday or Sunday, you're almost certain to find crowds and long lines at any of the stores. To get a parking spot, you might have to circle the lot.

Increased foot traffic can cause certain items in the food court to go out of stock.

It's a good idea to go on a weekday. If you have to shop on the weekend, I recommend you arrive 30 minutes before the store opens.

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