Should You Use Costco’s Coupon Book To Find the Best Deals?
Written by
Kristopher Kane
Edited by
Renee Ross
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As part of the benefits offered to Costco members, the members-only retailer provides a kind of “coupon book” for their customers featuring exclusive savings on items from brands from Apple to Vitamix and many more. Most savings are applicable whether you do your shopping in-store or online, and all of these deals are valid for discounts and rebates at the time of purchase.
See: How To Get Cash Back on Your Everyday Purchases
So, how can you get the best deals at Costco, and should you use their coupon book? Keep reading for a look at how Costco’s coupon book works, examples of typical values you can find, and some important pricing policies to be aware of.
Costco Pricing Policies
One important thing to note: Costco’s online pricing tends to be higher compared to in-store prices, so even a great deal coupon won’t go quite as far for web-based purchases. On the plus side, Costco is one of the many retailers that offer delivery via Instacart for any order over $35.
However, the online pricing difference may get you twice here: prices on Instacart can be higher than those on Costco.com, which means they’re even higher than in-store prices. Another caveat: Costco’s policy is not to price match with competitors.
Do You Need the Coupon Book at Costco?
What people are calling the Costco coupon booklet is, officially, the Costco Savings Booklet, and it features deals on many different items. Store-only sales won’t have the bright red banner reading “+ Costco.com,” but most deals are good for both online and in-person purchases.
The best part? You can enjoy all the fantastic deals from Costco’s “coupon book” without the hassle of carrying it around or fumbling with clipped-out coupons at the checkout. Gone are the days of forgetting your coupons at home or misplacing that one significant discount you were eager to use.
How Does the Costco Coupon Book Work?
Each month, Costco enhances its members’ shopping experience by sending out the Savings Booklet. It’s not your usual coupon book; no scissors are required here. It’s more like a roadmap to fantastic deals. The beauty of it is that these discounts happen entirely automatically.
As a Costco member, all of the deals featured in the Savings Booklet are automatically applied to your purchases when you checkout. That means the moment you add the eligible item to your cart, whether online or in-store, the discount is already in effect.
You have the flexibility to use the coupon book both in-store and online at Costco.com, making savings attainable no matter how you prefer to shop. To reap the benefits of these monthly deals, you must be a registered Costco member, and bear in mind the Savings Booklets are only mailed to the primary or “executive” member on the account.
How Often Do Costco Coupon Books Come Out?
Costco sends members the Costco Savings Booklet about once a month, and prices are usually good for a three- or four-week period. When you’re shopping online at Costco.com, and you see a product with instant savings, don’t worry about hunting for a coupon code. The discount takes care of itself.
As you proceed through checkout, the discount amount will be automatically subtracted from the total, and the deduction will show in your cart. This streamlined process makes saving money straightforward and hassle-free.
Does Costco Honor Coupons?
Though learning how to coupon can be a great way to start seeing significant savings at the checkout, fans of the practice might be disappointed with Costco. Costco sets itself apart from other retailers in its approach to coupons. While most brick-and-mortar retailers accept many types of coupons, Costco doesn’t. There’s a good reason for this: Costco’s retail model is all about direct savings.
Throughout the year, Costco provides its own exclusive deals and offers to its members, delivered by mail or available right in their stores. A large part of Costco’s success in delivering prices that are consistently low is that it negotiates the best possible prices directly with its vendors.
When manufacturers issue coupons, they often incorporate the costs of the coupon into the product’s original pricing. While you might feel like you’re saving at the checkout, you could be paying more upfront.
Costco’s philosophy is that manufacturer’s coupons don’t offer any real savings advantages to its members. Because of this, Costco doesn’t allow its vendors to use “manufacturer coupon” pricing practices to avoid any hidden costs.
Typical Costco Savings Booklet Deals
As a Costco member, you’re privy to a host of benefits — one of the most attractive being the members-only Costco Savings Booklet. This unique coupon book that’s sent out each month provides exclusive savings on a wide variety of brands and products. Current deals include as much as $200 off laptops, $40 off a 12-piece stainless steel cookware set, and even as much as $1,300 off a Samsung refrigerator.
And it’s great for both in-store shopping and online browsing, as most deals featured within the booklet are good for both. With the savings from the booklet applying automatically at checkout, there’s little with which to find fault.
Final Take To GO: Costco’s Savings Booklet
The Costco Savings Booklet is one of the significant perks of Costco membership, and it’s one of the ways Costco fulfills its commitment to passing savings directly to its members throughout the year. It’s good to remember that while Costco’s coupon book brings considerable savings, their web prices tend to be higher than in-store prices, and coupon savings won’t be as great online.
Costco’s unusual policy of not honoring general manufacturer coupons is all part of the bigger plan. By negotiating the best possible prices directly with its vendors, Costco sidesteps the common model of manufacturers loading coupon costs onto the product’s original price in order to maintain consistently low costs.
Delivery options like Instacart bring added convenience but can cost you more due to elevated pricing on the platform. It’s also worth remembering that Costco doesn’t engage in price matching with its competitors, so for Costco pricing information, what you see is what you get.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.
