For families with kids, it seems a membership to Costco would be well worth it in just your savings for disposable diapers and wipes alone! But many people, like my parents, have only one or two people at home and you have to wonder if it is worth the yearly membership price of $60+ to shop there. Here are a few ways you really can save money at Costco and make it well worth the membership price to shop there. 

Split Your Items Like Produce With A Friend

Costco has really high quality produce with great prices, but there is almost no way that one couple or one person can go through a huge four-pound clamshell of grapes or ten pounds of carrots before they go bad! One great idea that plenty of people out there do is to shop with a friend and split some of the items in half. You can get the bulk pricing with regular amounts of produce you can eat while they are fresh. 

Medications and Pharmacy

Buying over the counter medicines at Costco can pay back your membership in no time at all. One woman said she can buy a year’s worth of generic Zyrtec at Costco and save $55 from the equivalent generic she would buy at CVS or Walgreens. That alone would pay for the membership in your savings. I also think these would also be great items to split with a friend, since I don’t think any family can go through two giant bottles of Acetaminophen, let alone one couple. 

By law, you can actually use Costco’s pharmacy for prescriptions even if you don’t have a membership--but not over the counter items like antacids--you need the membership for that. 

Organic Items are Way Cheaper at Costco

If you are someone who makes buying organic items a priority, Costco would save you some serious cash in that department. Costco offers tons of organic items now and buying items like organic milk, eggs, chicken, diced tomatoes, and many others, will save you tons of money instead of buying these same items at a traditional grocery store. 

Gas Prices at Costco

If you live close enough to your Costco to fill up often, that alone would make it worth it! It seems I can save 20-30 cents a gallon in my area at Costco compared to every other gas station around here. Costco usually has the lowest prices for gas in every city it is in. 

Pet Products

If you are the proud owner of a furry friend, the prices for dog and cat food at Costco are probably the best you’ll find anywhere. They have high-quality dry kibble, as well as some raw food if that is what you like to feed your pet. They also have great prices on their really high quality dog beds as well. 

Wine and Other Alcohol 

If you are a wine drinker, Costco has got to be your jam! Did you know that Costco is actually the largest wine retailer in the US? Costco has very competitive prices for alcohol and here’s another fun fact for you that you might not know--just like the pharmacy, in some states you can actually purchase alcohol without a membership. What?! Is it because they think alcohol is as important as…..medicine? Ha! These states you could get lucky and not need a membership are California, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Texas.

Are you a Costco membership holder with only one or two living with you? Do you think it is worth it? It seems to me that if you purchase any number of the items above regularly, it would totally pay for itself--even in just the savings of gas prices alone! Please share any of your thoughts and any tips or tricks you might have in the comments below.