Most Costco members walk in for paper towels and walk out $300 lighter.
But a growing group of shoppers say they've cracked a simple system that trims real money off every trip without giving up the bulk buys they love.
Costco managers slash prices on items nearing their sell-by or seasonal end, and those cuts show up as prices ending in .97, .00, or an asterisk on the sign.
An asterisk means the item is discontinued and won't be restocked.
Shoppers who track these codes report saving $60 to $80 a month on groceries and household staples alone.
The catch: you have to know when your local warehouse marks things down.
Most stores do it on weekday mornings, often Tuesday through Thursday, before the weekend crowds hit.
The other half of the strategy is knowing what to skip.
Costco's per-unit pricing isn't always cheapest.
A 2024 Consumer Reports analysis found that bulk sizes at warehouse clubs sometimes cost more per ounce than sale prices at regular supermarkets.
Produce and fresh meat are frequent offenders because they can spoil before you finish them.
Smart members keep a running price-per-unit note on their phones for the ten items they buy most.
That way a "deal" that isn't actually a deal doesn't fool them.
Then there's the executive membership math.
The $65 upgrade fee sounds steep, but it pays 2% back on most purchases.
If you spend $3,250 a year at Costco — about $270 a month — the reward covers the upgrade and then some.
The Costco Anywhere Visa pays 4% on gas, 3% on restaurants and travel, and 2% on Costco purchases.
Combined with executive rewards, that's 4% back on warehouse spending, which adds up fast for families buying in bulk.
One more move that gets overlooked: the price adjustment window.
If an item you bought drops in price within 30 days, Costco will refund the difference at the membership desk.
Fewer still keep their receipts organized enough to catch it.
None of this requires clipping, apps, or a spreadsheet obsession.
It just means reading the signs, knowing your unit prices, and asking for the adjustment when it applies.
The savings are modest per trip, but they compound over a year.
Our take: warehouse clubs are built to make you overspend, and the markdown game is one of the few levers shoppers actually control.
Final Thoughts
If you're already paying the membership fee, you may as well use the tools that come with it — just don't let a .97 ending talk you into buying something you never needed.