In the time I’ve been a Costco member, I’ve discovered three ways to save money:
-
You can buy household supplies in bulk at a lower price per unit.
-
You can take advantage of Costco discounts on services (auto insurance, home improvement, pharmacy).
-
You can buy certain products when they are on sale.
As for the latter, Costco is very, terribly predictable about which products it promotes through a sale. The promotions are so predictable that it would even be foolish to buy certain Costco products at full price. Like these four.
1. Southwest Gift Cards
Costco likes to sell its Southwest gift cards at a discount. You’ll normally pay $449.99 for a $500 e-gift card, which is a steal in itself. But if you wait until Costco has a promotion, you can snag this gift card for $429.99 — a savings of $70.
You have to be quick, because the promotion usually only lasts a few days. For example, the last time this promotion ran was from June 22 to 23: no less than two days to receive your gift voucher. Before that it was May 2 to 5.
Remark: Costco members can purchase up to five Southwest gift cards, but this is limited to An transaction. If you have already purchased this gift card, you are not eligible to make a second purchase. If you have the means, you will save approximately $350 if you buy five gift cards for $429.99.
2. Macbook professionals
Costco may not have the widest selection of laptops, but it does sell the latest Apple MacBook Pro. While prices are usually on par (or slightly lower than) other vendors, MacBook promotions can make it the best price around.
Let’s say you’re looking for a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the following specs: M3 chip, 8GB of memory, 10-core GPU, 1TB of SSD storage, and the color Gray. Both Apple and Best Buy are selling this exact model for $1,799, while Costco normally (i.e., without promotions) lists it on its website for $1,749. That’s an instant savings of $50 — and that is without a promotion.
With a promotion, you can easily save $200 on your MacBook. For example, from now until July 21, 2024, Costco has a variety of MacBooks on sale, with discounts ranging from $150 to $200. For example, the 14-inch model above is currently priced at $1,599.99, saving you $200. Since this is a hefty purchase, you can also earn significant cash back by using one of the best credit cards for Costco.
3. Any brand of tire
Costco regularly offers deals on sets of four tires. These promotions are usually on a specific brand, such as Michelin or Bridgestone, and can range from $50 to $100. Additionally, Costco typically applies the rebate directly to your purchase. This direct savings is different from other tire stores, which often give you a mail-in rebate or prepaid card.
To be fair, the deals are usually offered by the manufacturer and can be found at other tire stores as well. However, Costco has an advantage in that it waives installation fees. Considering that these fees can run upwards of $80 for a set of four at other tire stores, you can save more by buying from Costco, even if you can find the same tire deal elsewhere.
4. Tempur-Pedic mattresses
Costco also likes to promote Tempur-Pedic mattresses. While Costco doesn’t always give you a discount on the mattress price itself, Costco typically issues store cards when you purchase certain mattresses. For example, you can now get a $300 Costco Shop Card when you buy a Tempur-Pedic mattress online. This deal is valid until July 7, 2024 and your Shop Card will ship within four to six weeks of your purchase.
How to stay informed about new Costco deals
To stay on top of deals on a regular basis, download the Costco shopping app and turn on push notifications. This means you’ll get a ping whenever Costco has new deals. The app has improved significantly over the past year and can keep sales at the top of your list so you don’t buy something at full price.
Top Credit Card to Use at Costco (and Everywhere Else!)
If you shop with a debit card, you could be missing out on hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year. These versatile credit cards offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco, and are rated by our experts as the best cards of 2024 because they offer hefty sign-up bonuses and excellent cash rewards. Plus, you’ll save on credit card interest because all of these recommendations include a competitive 0% interest period.
Click here and read our expert recommendations for free!
We are firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by the included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offerings on the market. The Ascent editorial content is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team. The Motley Fool holds positions in and recommends Apple, Best Buy, and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
4 Costco Products You Should Never Buy at Full Price was originally published by The Motley Fool
