You can save a lot of money at Costco warehouses. However, it is important to know these different Costco tips and tricks.
You’ll also discover the best credit cards for Costco in Canada. Remember that you can use any Mastercard in the warehouse.
Note, however, that no credit card considers Costco a grocery store. So you’ll always have the basic accumulation for the basic or “Other” category of your credit card.
There are two types of membership:
*The cost of annual membership will increase from September 1, 2024. It will be $65 for Privilege members and $130 for Executive Privilege members.
Executive Privilege Membership gives you a 2% annual cash back on most of your purchases (up to a maximum of $1,000 – or $50,000 in annual purchases).
A Costco membership pays for itself if you spend more than $3,000 per year at Costco (a $60 rebate), and is fully refunded if you make $6,000 in purchases per year (a $120 rebate).
Costco Tip: You may be able to get a refund on the difference between the $120 Executive Privilege Membership card and the $60 Privilege Membership card if you don’t fit in!
If you do not expect to spend more than $3,000 per year at Costco, perhaps it might be helpful to ask a friend or family member to provide you with a Costco Shop Card.
Don’t forget! Your Costco membership card allows you to visit a Costco Business Centre, even if you are a private individual.
With the Costco Shop Card, anyone can shop at Costco, member or non-member. To buy it, however, you must be a Costco member.
Non-Costco members must register for a one-day shopping pass at the Membership Counter each time they access a warehouse to use a Costco Shop Card.
While for a Costco member, there is an advantage to getting a Costco Shop Card online : to pay with a Visa credit card instead of a Mastercard credit card! Read the end of this article to know more about this tip.
Many people may think that Costco is only for large families. In fact, everything at Costco is in large quantities.
However, if done properly, it is possible for even a childless couple to shop at Costco and still save money.
Long before we had our children, we were already shopping at Costco. For example, buying meat and then separating it into freezer bags. The price per kilo is unbeatable and the quality is there. Practical for barbecues!
Costco tip: Buy Kirkland products – Costco’s house brand – which are a great value. Very often, it will be big brands that will be behind the Kirkland products (like Duracell for batteries, Huggies for diapers or Danone for yoghurts)!
If you can’t find discounts at the grocery store, Kirkland’s tissue boxes are of much better quality:
Here are most of the products that are often less expensive in Costco stores than in grocery stores:
Not to mention: gas at unbeatable prices!
On the other hand, there are things we don’t buy or buy very little of at Costco like :
In general, we avoid buying too much food (that cannot be frozen). Sometimes it’s best to pick up specials at your local grocery store!
Also avoid anything in the warehouse center: prices will often not be competitive! And avoid going with your children 😉
Only Costco experts – and employees – know the Costco price tag trick.
Costco price labels help distinguish real bargains from regular rates. Here are the 5 types of prices indicated by these labels:
Costco Tip: As long as you don’t buy products ending in xx.99, you know you’re getting a great deal!
Nevertheless, even the products at xx.99 already have excellent prices compared to the competition!
How many times have you bought a product and then seen it discounted the following week?
Fortunately, Costco Canada offers a price adjustment: you can request a refund of the difference up to 30 days after purchase. To do so, go to the Membership Counter.
Costco’s website, Costco.ca, often offers the same products as in the warehouse (and there’s even a grocery section).
However, prices will often be higher than those you can find in the warehouse, as they include delivery charges.
However, it’s an almost obligatory step when buying household appliances online! Costco’s prices are often very competitive for these reasons:
The advantage of shopping at Costco for your appliances: there is often a 2-year warranty included. Ditto for televisions!
What’s more, the extended warranty (up to 5 years) that can come in handy costs up to $129 for a TV.
In addition, Costco is known for having the best refund policy in the country. This extends to 90 days for most products, even electronics! Clothes can be returned within 30 days.
This refund policy even extended to 2 years a few years ago, but abuse has forced Costco to lower this to 90 days.
Your Canadian Costco membership card allows you to shop at Costco in the United States (and around the world too!).
We’ve used it frequently in the U.S., particularly in Hawaii: handy for filling up with gas or buying camping gear.
By the way, the Canadian CIBC Costco Mastercard is the only Mastercard that works in a Costco warehouse in the U.S.! However, a foreign currency conversion fee of 2.5% is added.
Otherwise, you will have to pay in cash or with a Visa credit card. For this reason, we recommend paying with the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card, which charges no foreign currency conversion fees.
Here’s another option: Before you leave on your trip, purchase a Costco Purchase Card in Canada with a Mastercard or Visa credit card. Then use your Costco Shop Card at a Costco warehouse in the United States. Conversion to U.S. dollars is instantaneous and free of charge.
Costco for Business is open to all Costco members! Even people who do not have a business.
In Quebec, there is a Costco Business Centre in Saint-Hubert and another in Anjou.
To find out what’s going on at Costco stores in Quebec, check out the Facebook group Les Accros du Costco. Almost 400,000 subscribers comment on new items, discuss discounts, post their finds and ask questions.
They are mailed out a few times a year.
Costco coupons for Executive members are also available here on the Costco website or at the warehouse customer service desk.
The mobile app keeps everything in one place:
It is available on the App Store and Google Play.
Costco tip: you can use any Mastercard in Costco warehouses! Then, at Costco.ca, you can use both Mastercard and Visa.
Costco is not considered a grocery store! So, you won’t get the accelerated credit card accumulation of supermarkets, if any.
To shop at Costco, we recommend one of these cards Mastercard credit cards, depending on the points you would like to earn.
If you want the complete list per program (AIR MILES, Cash Back, travel points, hotel points), see this article on the best credit cards for Costco.
Discover below a selection of the best credit cards for your purchases at Costco, such as :
In fact, the BMO® AIR MILES® World Elite Mastercard is the only one with a special category for warehouses or wholesale clubs.
The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card is a great way to earn cash back on all your purchases at Costco. You can use it for all your Costco.ca purchases.
The trick is to buy a Shop card, which you can then use in the warehouse. Handy if you don’t have a Mastercard!
With this credit card you earn:
American Express credit card holders can also shop at Costco (in a way).
The Instacart website includes a large majority of grocery chains, including Costco. Costco offers on this site the products found in its warehouses and delivers them to your home, but at an additional cost.
Instacart accepts American Express cards for purchases made at Costco and even accepts non-Costco customers!
On the Instacart site, you select the items you want, buy them using your American Express credit card, and they’re delivered on time.
With this trick, you can earn 5 times the points for the American Express Cobalt® Card and Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card! In fact, Instacart is considered an eligible grocery store or food delivery service.
However, the cost to use this service is higher than a store purchase.
Here are the disadvantages of Instacart:
To lower the cost, Instacart has an Instacart Express subscription for $99 per year. This eliminates delivery charges and reduces service fees.
Costco tip: Instead of signing up for a $60 or $120 Costco membership, you can sign up for Instacart Express. It can be useful for people who want to save time, while making the most of the return on their American Express credit card.
Many seasonal items are so popular that they go off the shelves very quickly. When you see them, enjoy them now! If not, they may not be there the next time you visit.
Happy shopping!
Your Costco membership card can be used at any of Costco’s 700+ warehouses worldwide and online at costco.ca.
On Costco.ca:
Yes, it’s possible! With the Costco Shop Card, anyone can shop at Costco, member or non-member. To buy it, however, you must be a Costco member.
You may return an item purchased from the warehouse or at Costco.ca to any Costco warehouse for a refund. The return of the item must be done:
If you don’t have a receipt, Costco will be able to trace your purchase through your Costco membership card.
Call 1-800-463-3783 or visit Costco.ca. Member services are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
There are many credit cards you can use to pay at Costco. Check out our ranking of the best credit cards for Costco.
They are only for Executive members:
There are two ways to purchase a Costco membership:
Costco was founded by Jim Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman in 1983.
Costco’s main shareholder is The Vanguard Group.
Savings are here:
