The Secret Costco Price Tags That Save You Hundreds

Most shoppers walk past Costco's price tags without a second glance. That's a mistake worth hundreds of dollars a year. Buried in the tiny print of every sign is a code that tells you exactly what's about to happen to that price. Once you know it, you'll never overpay at the warehouse again. **The asterisk is your best friend** When you see an asterisk (*) in the top-right corner of a price sign, it means the item is discontinued and won't be restocked. This is the single most powerful signal in the store. If it's something you use regularly, buy it now — and consider grabbing extra, because it may never come back. **The magic price endings** Costco prices end in specific digits, and each one tells a story: - **.99** — Full price. Nothing special here. - **.97** — A manager's markdown. This is a deal, often on returned or overstocked items. - **.00 or .88** — Usually a clearance or manager special. These are rare and often the deepest discounts in the store. - **.79, .49, .89** — Typically manufacturer specials or closeouts. The rule of thumb seasoned shoppers swear by: any price ending in .97 means the store is clearing it out. If you see .97 *and* an asterisk, that's the jackpot — a discontinued item at a markdown price. **Timing matters more than you think** Costco marks down inventory on a schedule. The first digit of the price can hint at when a markdown happened, but the more reliable trick is timing your visits. Managers tend to slash prices near the end of a product's life cycle, and those changes often hit the floor early in the week. Wednesday and Thursday mornings are quietly famous among deal hunters. Shelves are restocked, markdowns are fresh, and the crowds haven't arrived yet. **The death star** Employees have a nickname for that asterisk: the "death star." When it appears, the item is on its way out. That's when you'll find the steepest cuts — sometimes 30% to 50% off — because Costco would rather move it than ship it back. **Where the real savings hide** The biggest markdowns usually aren't in groceries. Head to: - Seasonal aisles right after a holiday - Clothing and apparel racks - Home goods and furniture - Electronics accessories These categories rotate fast, which means more asterisks and more .97 endings. **Don't forget the return policy** Here's the safety net that makes hunting these deals low-risk: Costco's return policy is famously generous. If you buy a marked-down item and it doesn't work out, you can usually bring it back. That takes the gamble out of grabbing a deal you're unsure about. **A quick reality check** Not every .97 tag is a steal. Sometimes the "discount" is off an inflated original price, or the item is a dud nobody wanted. Compare against what you'd pay elsewhere before assuming you've won. Still, for shoppers who learn the code, the savings add up fast. A few dollars here and there on items you already buy can quietly total several hundred dollars over a year — no coupons, no apps, no hassle. **The bottom line** Costco isn't hiding these signals on purpose, but it isn't explaining them either. The asterisk and the price endings are right there in plain sight, waiting for anyone curious enough to look. Our take: this is one of the few "money hacks" that actually holds up. It costs nothing to learn, it works on your very next trip, and it turns a routine warehouse run into a genuine treasure hunt. Just remember that a deal only saves you money if you were going to buy the thing anyway.