10 Things You Must Buy at Costco and Not Waste Your Paycheck

It’s no secret that Costco often beats the prices (and quality) of many traditional grocery stores. Although you’ll need to purchase a membership to shop there, shoppers say the amount they save on groceries and household products during the year more than makes up the membership fee cost.

If you don’t want to waste your paycheck, stock up on these items on your next Costco shopping trip.

Not only does Costco sell gift cards, but the retailer also sells them at a discount. For example, you can buy a five-pack of $15 Subway gift cards for only $60, which means you’re basically getting one for free. You can also score deals on airline tickets, such as the $500 Southwest Airlines e-gift card that Costco sells for $450, movie tickets and more.

Costco sells a large selection of heat-and-eat meals in the deli area, and in some cases, these are even cheaper than making them yourself. According to Krazy Coupon Lady, these meals range from $3.49 to $5.99 per pound, and you’ll likely spend around $20 on most meals. This works out to be $5 per serving for a family of four. Some packaged meals that are absolutely worth buying are Costco’s mac and cheese, which costs only $2.99 per pound, and meatloaf with mashed Yukon potatoes and glaze for $3.99 per pound.

Shoppers can save on both prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines at Costco. According to The Motley Fool, buying five commonly prescribed drugs and OTC medications at Costco can help you save nearly $740 annually. You can save more by purchasing bulk or using Costco’s private-label Kirkland Signature brand.

Costco usually has a pretty good deal on its organic frozen berries, but prices just dropped even further. Thanks to a slowing inflation rate, Business Insider reported that Costco recently lowered the price of several items. For example, a bag of mixed frozen berries dropped from $14.99 to $10.99.

Batteries were also among the retailer’s price reductions earlier this year. According to Business Insider, a pack of 48 Kirkland batteries now costs $15.99, down from $17.99. These prices are similar to Amazon, which sells a 48-pack of Amazon Basics AA batteries for around $16.

Costco also dropped prices on reading glasses. A pair now costs about $16.99, down from $18.99, Business Insider reported. 

Not only is Costco’s gas typically higher quality than its competitors, but it’s also cheaper. The exact amount of savings varies depending on where you live and the specific club, but The Motley Fool said you can usually save around $0.20 per gallon.

According to Chowhound, Costco’s bakery items are usually cheaper than other grocery stores. You can get the best price by buying Costco’s frozen baked goods and baking them yourself when you’re ready. One of the best deals is Costco’s pumpkin pie in autumn, and it also freezes really well if you want to stock up.

A 33.8-ounce jug of Costco’s Kirkland Signature organic maple syrup costs just $14.99 compared to $28.46 for 32 ounces of NOW brand at Walmart, As previously reported by GOBankingRates. That’s 44 cents per ounce at Costco and 89 cents per ounce at Walmart.

Buying chips, nuts, pretzels, cheese curls and other salty snacks in bulk at Costco can definitely save you some money. When you pick up some of these items at the grocery store, especially nuts, they can quickly break your budget. However, the Fool reported that a three-pound bag of shelled walnuts costs about $9, but some grocery stores charge this same amount per pound. Shelled pistachios are also pricey, costing about $20 per pound at grocery stores, but you can buy them for around $11 per pound at Costco, The Fool added.