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12 Costco Money-Saving Hacks You Can Do With a Friend or Neighbor

Squeeze every penny of savings out of your membership.

By Cassandra Yorgey

Edited by Amanda Machado

Updated May 20, 2025

A Costco membership has become increasingly appealing for families struggling under the weight of economic stress, offering bulk savings on family-sized groceries and household staples.

The fear of rising grocery prices is only increasing under the constant threat of tariffs, which is driving more people to maximize their Costco savings. Taking advantage of all the benefits Costco offers can unlock the true value of membership. And doing it with a friend or neighbor? That could save you even more.

Learn the best hidden savings hacks that will help you stretch your Costco budget further with the helpof a friend.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

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1. Make a plan using the Costco Savings Booklet

Each month, Costco sends out a Savings Booklet full of secret savings for members only. This often includes some of the best deals and prices that non-members are unable to view because they are priced so far below the suggested retail price.

The savings are on a variety of household items, from groceries to cleaning products. You and your friend can divide and conquer the coupon offerings and budget around them. Best of all? There's no coupon-clipping involved.

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Shopping pro tip: This month's best deals

May brings both warmer weather and major sales with the combo of Mother's Day (May 11) and Memorial Day (May 26). Here are some of the best deals to watch for:

Mattresses, furniture, and large appliances
Spring clothing clearance
Garden plants and outdoor furniture
For grocery savings, consider seasonal produce like strawberries, artichokes, and cherries.

Retailers are already prepping for summer while you're just enjoying spring, making May perfect to save money at your favorite retailers.

2. Check the instant rebates

Costco makes rebates easier by keeping the coupon at registers, so when you purchase an item with an instant rebate, it will automatically be applied to your total at checkout. These rebates are often found in the coupon book or through the Costco shopping app. Trade rebates with neighbors or friends so savings are maximised and money isn't wasted.

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3. Discounted Costco Shop Cards

A Costco Shop Card is like a gift card, and you can get an immediate savings of 5% on all warehouse purchases because the card gives a store value slightly higher than the cash cost of the card. These cards can also be used by non-members, so they make a great gift for people close to you who don't have their own Costco membership.

4. Check the Costco Gas Station prices from your phone

Members can refuel their cars for lower prices at Costco pumps, sometimes saving as much as $0.70 per gallon on gasoline. That can be a $10 to $12 savings on every fill-up. The prices are easy to check from your phone, with the most up-to-date information being on the Costco app. Alternate Costco runs so each person can take advantage of these savings.

Another bonus from Costco pumps is that you can refuel your car from either side because they use extra-long hoses, allowing you to pick the shortest line regardless of which side has your tank access.

5. Keep an eye on odd pricing

Prices that end in .49, .79, or .89 indicate special deals Costco has with the manufacturer for lower-priced items, leveraging their behemoth buying power to guarantee more sales for a lower per-unit price. Items with a price ending in .88 or .00 are manager markdowns and could be store-specific.

Tackle two sides of the store by splitting up and taking note of these deals. Meet up at the Costco food court and discuss your plan for sharing and taking advantage of these prices.

Costco Secrets: 7 genius hacks Costco shoppers should know

6. Split the perishables

The bulk sizing can sometimes be a deterrent to perishables if they can't be consumed fast enough. Still, some household staples, such as eggs, milk, or produce, can be easily split with a neighbor for convenience and savings for both of you.

Splitting the price of shared items can bring down your total bill and still be less than what you would pay at a traditional grocery store.

Quick tips: How to save on your grocery bill

Grocery shopping doesn't have to break the bank when you use the right strategies. Here are three quick tips for reducing food expenses:

Buy store brands instead of name brands whenever possible.
Always make sure to compare unit prices, not just sticker prices.
Join your store's loyalty program so you don’t miss out on member discounts.

Even though something like choosing coupons in your grocery store app can feel like an annoying task, the savings can really add up.

7. Buy (and share) a vacuum sealer

The next best trick to splitting perishables is to vacuum seal them and extend their shelf life. This is great for freezing meats or seafood and can extend the storage life for a year or two. It also works on snacks like dried fruits or nuts, and baking staples like flour or sugar.

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8. Share a car rental

Between planes falling apart, crashing, and the Federal Aviation Administration cuts impacting the commercial flight industry, there are a lot of folks reconsidering their travel plans that involve airplanes.

Alternate transportation to flying can add a few days onto travel time, but many are deciding that it is suddenly worth it when considering their bodily safety. Costco's Travel program offers seriously discounted rental cars, with customers saying it was $250 cheaper than other companies. Split the costs with a travel buddy (and driving time) and you'll save even more.

9. Split the benefits of an Executive Membership

The Executive level membership comes with an annual 2% reward up to $1,250 on qualified Costco purchases. Most members apply this to their purchase, but you can also cash them out and split the earnings. This leaves the opportunity for the money to go towards your next annual return on your purchases instead of not counting because it was used as store credit.

10. Save your receipts for 30 days

Don't you hate that feeling of buying something just to see it go on sale a few days later? Costco feels your pain and will retroactively honor a discount up to 30 days prior. Just bring your receipt to a supervisor and ask for a price adjustment to reflect the sale. This hack works both in person and for online sales.

11. Get yourself some gift cards

Costco gift cards are basically just giving free extra money to the value of the card, so it's a secret hack to save money on other places you know you will spend money.

Restaurant offers typically are $100 value for a $79.99 price tag, so you essentially get a free extra $20 worth of food. It's not just restaurants, there are steep discounts on other fun activities such as Dave & Buster's, movie tickets, sporting events, and even theme park tickets.

They often also come with several cards, so you can split them with someone for truly practical savings.

12. Buy and split prepared meals

If you hate to cook, it's easy to slide into expensive food habits of ordering delivery or wasting food you never got around to cooking. Grabbing Costco's prepared meals is a great way to solve that problem, and they each contain about 3 to 4 servings, so it's easy to split evenly without anything going to waste.

Bottom line

Costco has found ways to add discounts to several different aspects of life beyond groceries and home goods, and customers have found great ways to stack all the benefits of a membership with a friend or neighbor.

Many also upgrade to the Executive Membership to earn cash back rewards and combine that with credit cards that offer rewards to squeeze every penny of savings possible on groceries.

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