The 3 Smartest Ways to Save Money at Costco in September

Many people join Costco to cut their grocery bills and save money on household items like tissues and cleaning products. But if you approach your shopping strategically, you can save even more. With that in mind, here are three tactics you can use in September.

1. Plan your meals in advance

The upside to buying food in bulk at Costco is that you save money per ounce or unit. The downside is that you risk the fresh food spoiling before you can eat it. And that can lead to a lot of wasted money.

To save big at Costco this month, plan your meals ahead of time. Think about the recipes you’ll be making so you know if it’s worth buying a certain item in bulk or buying a smaller quantity at your regular supermarket.

It’s also important to plan meals around your bulk purchases at Costco, even if they’re shelf-stable items. Grains, oils, and other such items may last longer than fresh food, but they won’t last forever. Plan your cooking so nothing goes to waste.

2. Get there as early as possible

Costco tends to be a crowded store, no matter when you live. But the later you shop, the more likely it is to be crowded. And if you’re stressed about those crowds, you may make bad shopping decisions because you’re rushing to get to the checkout before the lines get too long.

A better bet? If your schedule allows, try to get to Costco right after it opens. You may notice that the store is less crowded at this point, which will allow you to shop more calmly and evaluate each purchase more thoroughly.

3. Upgrade your membership

Costco recently raised its membership fees. A Gold Star membership now costs $65 per year, while an Executive membership costs twice as much at $130 per year.

But the Executive membership comes with a huge perk: 2% cash back on Costco purchases. And while upgrading to an Executive membership might mean spending extra money this month, you could easily recoup that higher fee and more in the coming year.

You’d have to spend $3,250 a year on Costco purchases to recoup the extra $65 that an Executive membership costs. But if you typically shop at Costco three times a month and spend $150 each time, that’s $5,400 a year.

If you get 2% back on that amount, that’s $108. And when you subtract the $65 it costs to upgrade to an Executive membership, you’re ahead by $43.

Plus, one of the lesser-known benefits of the Executive membership is that you can downgrade to Basic if you find you’re not getting what you’re paying for. At that point, if you don’t earn the $65 in cash, Costco will pay you the difference. So there’s no risk either way.

With the right approach, you can save big at Costco this month. Be intentional about how you use your groceries, shop early, and consider paying more for an Executive membership for cash back.