Many shoppers invest in warehouse club memberships to get better deals on essentials like groceries, housewares and clothing. If you are a Costco member or considering joining, you should use the benefits offered to maximize the value you get. Read on to learn about five Costco membership benefits that could save you hundreds of dollars a year.
1. Shop at Costco Next for member-exclusive deals
Some members don’t realize that their membership benefits include access to Costco Next, an online shopping portal featuring deals from popular retailers. Items you’ll find on Costco Next aren’t found in Costco stores and currently include clothing, appliances, pet products, patio furniture and more.
2. Save Money on Moving Truck Rental Fees
Are you planning a move soon? If you need to rent a moving truck, you can get a discount from Costco. Costco is partnering with Budget Truck Rental to offer 25% off retail truck rental rates. This membership benefit can save you money and help ensure your next move goes smoothly.
I looked at truck rental prices in the Chicago area to determine how much you could save on this expense. Renting a 26-foot truck from Budget Truck Rental would normally cost $39.99 per day, with an additional $0.79 per mile charged. But with a Costco card, you’ll pay $29.09 per day plus an additional $0.57 per mile. This represents a savings of at least $10 per day on moving costs.
3. Find Insurance Discounts
Did you know that your Costco membership can unlock discounts on insurance? Whether you are looking for a new home or car insurance or if you want to compare rates to see if it’s better to switch insurers, see if you can get a deal with your Costco card.
Costco partners with select insurance companies to offer members in most states discounted home, auto, life and pet insurance coverage. According to Costco, its members reported saving an average of nearly $600 by switching their auto insurance coverage to one of its partners, CONNECT, powered by American Family Insurance.
4. Add an additional driver for free on eligible car rental bookings
When planning a trip through Costco Travel, members can receive many discounts. But that’s not all. For eligible car rental reservations, you can add an additional driver to your reservation for free.
When you use your Costco membership benefits to rent a car with Alamo or Enterprise, the additional driver fee is waived for rentals in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland and in Spain. Fees are also waived for Avis and Budget car rental reservations in the United States.
Additional driver fees cost between $13 and $15 per driver per day, so the savings can be substantial, especially if you’re planning a long road trip.
5. Get a discount on gift cards from popular retailers
Before purchasing gift cards for yourself or those you love, check to see if Costco sells gift cards from your favorite retailers. The warehouse club sells discounted gift cards for tons of popular brands and experiences, including restaurants, airlines, movie theaters, sporting events, and more.
You can save even more money by purchasing certain gift cards during sales. Keep an eye out during the holidays for additional gift card savings opportunities.
Get the Most Out of Your Costco Card
Enjoy the valuable benefits included with your Costco membership. The above benefits are just a sample of the benefits available to members. If you’re new to Costco, check out our ultimate Costco guide to stretch your money further.
Here is one last tip: Consider using a credit card that earns rewards when paying for your next Costco trip. You can redeem your rewards for cash back or statement credit to save even more money. Check out our list of the best credit cards for Costco shoppers.
Best Credit Card to Use at Costco (and Everywhere Else!)
If you shop with a debit card, you could lose hundreds or even thousands of dollars every year. These versatile credit cards offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco, and are rated the best cards of 2024 by our experts because they offer big sign-up bonuses and great cash rewards. Plus, you’ll save on credit card interest because all of these recommendations include a competitive 0% interest period.
Click here to read our expert recommendations free!
We strongly believe in the Golden Rule, so editorial opinions are our own and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by included advertisers. Ascent does not cover all market offers. Editorial content on The Ascent is separate from editorial content on The Motley Fool and is created by a different team of analysts.Natacha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool holds positions at and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
5 Costco Perks You’re Not Taking Advantage of — But You Should was originally published by The Motley Fool
