The ChatGPT Costco Hacks That Could Save the Middle Class $100 or More per Month
Written by
Seychelle Thomas
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
If you’re part of America’s middle class, you know every dollar counts, especially with grocery bills, gas prices and healthcare eating into your family budget.
ChatGPT is like your own personal assistant when it comes to finding the best deals and developing your shopping list for the week with your budget in mind. But do all of its suggestions make sense? There are some winners and some duds.
So we asked ChatGPT which Costco hacks could actually save you at least $100 and double checked the math, logic, and feasibility to make sure it works.
Buy Bulk Meat for Meal Prepping
If you’ve only been buying bulk meats at Costco for cookouts, you’re doing it wrong. You could be saving a ton of money by buying your meat in bulk and portioning it out for meal prepping and freezing.
It’s a strategy that ChatGPT says could save you 20% to 30% on your grocery bill each month compared to non-warehouse supermarkets. So does the math check out?
It’s one of the main reasons the 10-pound Costco ground beef tube had a viral moment not long ago. Not familiar? You’ll have to ask the meat counter at Costco for their 10-pound tube of lean (90/10) ground beef, which is priced at $4.89 per pound. Meanwhile, at Giant, you’d pay $9.67 per pound or over $96 for the same amount of ground beef. With one item, you just saved over $48.
You’ll find similar savings on other Costco meats too. For example, an 8.4-pound package of chicken breasts is $3.99 per pound or about $28.48. At Safeway, however, you’d pay $6.49 per pound or $54.51 for the same amount of chicken. That’s another savings of over $26. So between two bulk packages of ground beef and chicken breasts, you’d save $74. Plus, if the meals you prepped shave off just two $25 takeout nights a month, you just saved another $50.
The only downside is you’ll have to divide your ground beef into smaller portions and freeze some of it, which takes time, but the savings are still worth it.
Leverage the Executive Membership — If You Actually Break Even
The next tip ChatGPT had was to get the Costco Executive Membership for $130 annually. This membership tier has an annual 2% reward on Costco purchases of up to $1,250 per year.
If you max out that benefit alone, you’d save over $104 monthly. As long as your Costco budget meets about $550 per month, you’ll earn back enough to recoup the fee. Plus, there’s a $10 monthly credit towards SameDay.Costco.com or on Costco through Instacart. As a bonus, you’ll also get to skip the crowds with earlier Executive Member shopping hours.
While ChatGPT was generally correct on this one, it’s worth noting that it misquoted the annual fee as being $120 and didn’t include the other new features and changes on the Costco Executive Membership that rolled out last year.
Buying Costco Gas
If high gas prices have been cutting into your budget, ChatGPT suggests saving money by filling up with Costco gas strategically. Costco gas typically averages 20 to 30 cents cheaper than its competitors. ChatGPT estimates that this Costco hack might save you an extra $20 to $25. According to WalletHub data, consumers spend an average $2,449 on gas each year with an average per-gallon price of $3.28.
That’s about $204 a month. At Costco, you may be able to score a cheaper price on gas, but it may not be worth it if you have to idle in long lines or drive a while to get there. ChatGPT recognized that savings might not always be possible with this unless you’re strategic. It offered this note on what strategy to take:
“Combine Costco gas fill-ups with your regular shopping trip, avoid peak times, and always pay with a cashback card. That way, the $20 [to] $25 monthly savings are truly ‘net’ and not eaten up by lost time or extra miles,” the AI tool said.
Assuming that you’re following the average gas spending and per-gallon price minus the 20 to 30 cents discount, it would only save you about $12 a month. A far cry from the $20 to $25 that ChatGPT estimates.
Bottom Line
The trick to winning at Costco is knowing which perks actually pay off. By stacking membership rewards, taking advantage of cheaper gas and prescriptions, bulk meats, a middle-class family can comfortably pocket roughly $250 a month in savings.
That’s money that can cover a utility bill, pad your emergency fund or even fund a few guilt-free splurges. Although ChatGPT can be a huge help in streamlining household management like groceries, it’s important to consider how those suggestions would play out in real life.
Editor’s note: Prices are accurate as of Sept. 17, 2025. Prices and availability may vary by location.
More From GOBankingRates
