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Costco Gas Station Hours of Operation

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costco gas station hours
Costco gasoline stations are known for offering members a great value on high-quality fuel. Among their advertised advantages are stations designed for fast refueling and the best prices on gas. Wondering if your local gas station is open? Here are Costco gas station hours.

Costco Gas Station Hours

So, when are Costco gas stations open? On weekdays Costco gas stations are typically open from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. (and some even at 5 a.m.). They typically close between 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. These extended opening hours appeal to everyday commuters who drive to and from work every day, but who only shop at Costco Warehouse once in a while.

Costco weekend gas hours are shorter than they are during the week, but the hours of operation are still longer for the stations than for the stores. Pump hours begin at between 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and close between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Some stations will close a bit earlier on Sundays than on Saturdays.

Store and gas station hours can change throughout the year, particularly during holiday seasons. Costco gas stations and stores are often open longer Monday through Friday. It is important to call the local Costco store and verify exact hours that they are open on a particular day, especially during the holidays. You can also check the Costco holiday schedule.

Costco gas station hours are usually:

  • Monday: 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday: 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
  • Thursday: 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
  • Friday: 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
  • Saturday: 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Sunday: 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.

When Are Costco Gas Stations Closed?

Costco Gas stations are closed on the following days:

Independence Day
Labor Day
Easter Sunday
Memorial Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
New Years Day

Costco Gas Prices

Costco can typically offer gasoline for about 6 to 12 cents a gallon below local competitors’ prices, which is one reason why the gasoline sales account for 10 percent of the company’s revenue. The company does not show their gas prices on their website, partly because gas prices are subject to a high degree of market fluctuation as well as differences in local taxation structures.

Do I need a Costco Membership to Buy Costco Gas?

Only Costco members or Costco Cash Card customers can make purchases at Costco stations.

Types of Gas at Costco Gas Stations

Regular Unleaded (typically 87 octane), Premium Unleaded (typically 91 octane). Diesel fuel is available in some locations. Octane requirements can vary by state. Costco buys fuel from major refineries and distributors in each area. All of Costco’s gasoline is fully guaranteed, just like the merchandise they sell in their warehouses. (Read more about Costco gas quality and type here.)

Is Costco Gas the Cheapest?

Your local Costco gas station will typically offer the lowest gas prices in the immediate area. However, when evaluating whether or not Costco gas is a good deal, you will need to compare prices in your area. For example, many supermarkets such as Safeway or Fred Meyer offer per-gallon discounts on a particular brand of gas based on what you spend on groceries. So if you are buying gas after you shop, the amount you save could be substantially more per gallon than the discount Costco offers. You will also need to factor in the cash back rewards on any credit card you might be using.

To make a better decision on this, check Costco’s official U.S. homepage and Canadian homepage. If Costco isn’t providing enough information you can use Priceviewer.com or Yelp.com to search for individual gas station hours in your state. We recommend using the GasBuddy App for updated Costco gas prices, or visit www.gasbuddy.com and search for your local city.

In general, if you’re an all-around savvy shopper, you should approach every gas run as strategically as you would any other shopping. First, consult GasBuddy to find the least-expensive gas prices around and plan on filling up at a time and place where you know you’ll be near cheap fuel. Also by using grocery-chain gas discounts wherever you can snag them, you’ll be able to save more cash at the pump.

You can also use this handy calculator to estimate your Costco gas savings.

As always, if you know the local hours of your Costco gas station, please feel free to leave a comment.

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You can check out our articles for Target as well.

Target Christmas Store Hours

Target Holiday Schedule and Store Hours

15 of the Best Dollar Store Secret Santa Gifts

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dollar store secret santa giftsIt’s Secret Santa time again, and that means you’ll need to find some inexpensive gifts for the secret recipient(s) in your life. Did you forget and you need something fast? Or, are you short on cash this year? Fortunately, you don’t have to bust your budget, and you can get inexpensive Secret Santa gifts from the dollar store. Here are 15 of the best dollar store Secret Santa gifts to pick up

15 Great Secret Santa Gifts at the Dollar Store

Cheap gifts don’t have to be terrible and useless. Whether you need to pick one up for someone you work with or go to school with, the dollar store is perfect for Secret Santa gifts. Plus, you can grab anything you need for your own celebration while you’re there, usually for just a dollar or less.

1) Christmas Ornaments

Every dollar store in the country has plenty of Christmas ornaments in stock right now, and what better gift for your Secret Santa partner than an ornament for their tree?

2) Luxury Soap

Buy a bottle of nicely scented hand soap or some scented bar soap and pop it into a gift bag with some tissue paper and ribbon. Voilà, the perfect Secret Santa gift!

3) Decorative Candles

Every dollar store sells scented candles. Brighten up your secret recipient’s holiday with a lovely scented candle.

4) Tire Pressure Gauge

Does your recipient check his or her tire pressure regularly? Inspire him or her with a tire pressure gauge to make sure he or she is optimizing his or her tire pressure and fuel efficiency.

5) Fluffy Socks

fuzzy socks from the dollar store

Nothing makes the winter months quite as cozy as a thick, soft, fuzzy pair of socks. Grab a pair of one-size-fits-all fluffy socks for your secret Santa partner this year.

6) Spa Gift Box

Grab some dollar-store soaps, facial masks, lotions, and bath salts to put together a spa gift box or bag. Who couldn’t use a little pampering these days, after all?

7) Nail Polish Set

Are you buying a Secret Santa gift for a person of the feminine persuasion this year? Grab a few colors of coordinating nail polish to bring some color to your recipient’s life. Throw in some nail polish remover, a toe separator, and some nail files, too.

8) Candy

dollar store candy canes

Candy makes life a little sweeter. Grab some chocolate, candy canes, or other sweets to treat your Secret Santa partner. Don’t be afraid to repackage some wrapped sweets in a personalized bag with a cute message.

9) Bath Bombs

Bath bombs are a great, relaxing gift for anyone who loves to pamper themselves. Throw them in with the spa gift box, or give them separately in a gift bag with some tissue paper.

10) Winter-Themed Kitchen Towels

At this time of year, your local dollar store will be a treasure trove of winter- and holiday-themed kitchen towels, oven mitts, aprons, and assorted linens. Go crazy!

11) Christmas Gift Basket

Got a few bucks to spend? Trying to reach that $10 limit? Your nearest dollar store will have everything you need to put together a Christmas gift basket, including the basket. Look for chocolates, hot cocoa mix, candles, bath bombs, Christmas ornaments, or other knickknacks and doo-dads to fill your recipient’s basket.

12) Desk Sets

Notepads, calendars, pens, and desk sets are popular gifts for Secret Santa exchanges. Everyone could use a notepad, daybook, or set of colored pens or Sharpie markers.

13) Holiday Potpourri

Tie a festive ribbon around a bag of cinnamon potpourri, or choose some other holiday-themed scent for your Secret Santa gift. Other options include essential oils, room sprays, scent diffuser sticks, or incense.

14) Wrapping Paper and Tape

This is a practical Secret Santa gift that your recipient will be glad to have when it’s 2:00 a.m. on Christmas Eve, they’re dog-tired, and three of the kids’ gifts haven’t been wrapped yet. Even if they don’t get around to using it this year, there’s a good chance it’ll come in handy someday.

15) Kitchen Utensils

kitchen utensils

Every dollar store keeps a display chock full of whisks, slotted spoons, measuring cups, and other kitchen brick-a-brack. Tie a ribbon around that spatula or stuff that whisk full of chocolate kisses or Reese’s cups. Now you’ve got a Secret Santa gift!

The worst part of participating in a Secret Santa gift exchange is trying to pick out a gift for your recipient – you don’t want to disappoint them, but you also don’t want to spend a ton of money either. Hit up your local dollar store for gifts that will cost just a few bucks. Worried you’ll seem cheap? No problem – just throw a few gifts together for a gift box or basket. Not sure? Here are some things you should never buy from the dollar store.

What’s your favorite dollar store gift idea? Share with us in the comments below!

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Shop Now or Wait? Here’s What to Buy In After Christmas Sales

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after christmas sales

After the holiday shopping season ends, retailers around the country hold sales to get shoppers spending. However, not all after Christmas sales are great deals. Knowing what to buy now (and what you should skip until later) can help you save a ton of cash.

What to Buy in After Christmas Sales

Certain items almost always go on sale after Christmas. Many stores consider this time of year the start of a transition away from winter items. Because of this transition, many stores offer deeply discounted goods.

Christmas Decorations

When it comes to Christmas decorating, you should never buy before or during the actual holiday. December 26 marks the start of clearances on Christmas decorations and other holiday décor. Ornaments, artificial trees, holiday string lights, holiday inflatables, and similar goods will all end up on sale for pennies. These discounts are predominately a means of clearing out space and encouraging shoppers to purchase out of season.

By shopping for holiday décor in after Christmas sales, you save money and get a head start on Christmas 2019. However, before you make a purchase, make sure you have space to store your new items. Clean out what you have and make a list of what you need for next year.

Holiday Food and Drinks

Items like eggnog, turkeys, summer sausages, and similarly seasonally popular food and drink products lose their appeal after Christmas. To get the items off their shelves, retailers offer discounts to entice people to buy them quickly.

This is also true for regular food and drink items that had seasonal flavors for the holidays. After Christmas, some shoppers have burned out on flavors like peppermint mocha and pumpkin spice. Stores offer them for less to get them to sell.

New Cars, Trucks, and SUVs

Many car dealerships offer big discounts at the ends of months, quarters, and years. Once Christmas is over, dealers are looking to sell off as much inventory as possible, leading to stellar after Christmas sales and potentially increased bargaining power.

By waiting to buy until after Christmas, you could be making an incredibly smart decision. Just make sure you only buy a vehicle if you genuinely need one, as something at this price point typically shouldn’t be an impulse purchase.

Clothing and Outerwear

Many retailers include shirts, pants, and coats in their after Christmas sales. As mentioned above, the end of December often marks the beginning of a transition as retailers prepare for the coming spring. This means heavier clothing items might be available at deep discounts, especially if they have patterns and colors that distinctly align with winter.

Exercise Equipment

After Christmas is when many people begin planning their New Years resolutions. Getting fit and losing weight are two of the most common, and stores look to cash in on the upward trend in interest by discounting their exercise equipment.

By adding exercise equipment to their after Christmas sales, retailers connect with shoppers who want to have items on hand before January 1st. However, it is important to note that these sales often continue into January, so, if you don’t find a great deal, consider waiting a week or two and searching again.

Video Games and Toys

Since people spend so much on video games and toys in preparation for Christmas, retailers know that they have to entice shoppers with great prices if they are going to shop more in these categories. You can find exceptional prices on popular video game titles as well as some of the hottest toys from the Christmas season, potentially allowing you to save big.

Plus, some stores use these after Christmas sales to reduce their toy and video game inventories. Since shoppers are going to be spending at levels that are more average, they don’t need to keep the same level of stock. Additionally, they are working to capitalize on video game consoles people received as gifts, encouraging them to buy new games for their consoles.

Gift Sets

Gift sets are a Christmas staple. However, once the gift-giving season passes, interest declines dramatically. This is especially true since many pre-packaged options feature holiday packaging.

Since stores don’t want to keep these items in inventory for long, they offer deep discounts to get them off shelves. Anything from food items to personal care products can be found for less, as long as you don’t mind the holiday packaging and buying items as a group.

What Not to Buy in After Christmas Sales

While tons of other items go on sale after Christmas, not all of them present great deals. In some cases, waiting just a few more weeks can make a massive difference, so bypassing these products now is a wise choice.

Televisions

In many cases, waiting until closer to the end of January is best if you need a television. Sales connected to the upcoming Super Bowl usually result in better discounts, especially if you are looking for a high-end, big screen tv.

Electronics

New models of certain electronics are revealed in January, so waiting until that happens can help you save big on older models. This is especially true for desktop computers and laptops, two high-cost items where buying during a great sale can really make a difference.

Wait until after the International Consumer Electronics Show in January before shopping for electronics. In 2019, International CES runs from Tuesday, January 8, through Friday, January 11, so expect big sales during the next sale cycle.

Jewelry

While there can be respectable after Christmas sales on jewelry, waiting until closer to Valentine’s Day may help you spend less. Most jewelry and department stores are competing for business as February 14th draws near, so they will slash prices to catch shoppers’ interest.

Fragrances

Unless you are buying gift sets, which can be cheaper during after Christmas sales, perfumes and colognes are usually available at deeper discounts closer to Valentine’s Day. In fact, February can be a great time to buy fragrances for certain spring and summer occasions, like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, as high-end perfumes and colognes will maintain their quality during the wait.

Bedding and Linens

Most stores hold their “white sales” in January, usually near the Martin Luther King Day holiday. By waiting, you can find better prices on sheets, towels, pillows, comforters, and more at most major retailers.

Calendars and Dated Planners

Waiting until after the new year starts can help you save on calendars and day planners with printed dates. Around mid-January, the discounts start to emerge as the peak buying season is over. By holding off for just a few weeks, you can save up to 50 percent, making it worth the wait.

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Feed a Family of Four For Less than $65 With This Emergency Frugal Menu

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emergency frugal menu

The USDA estimates that a family of four spends between $128 and $147 on groceries each week. More liberal spenders will spend as much as $300 a week on groceries. Those numbers are astounding, especially when you have kids. Emergencies can come up and then you are in a crunch. It’s crucial to have a go-to emergency frugal menu.

How to Plan an Emergency Menu

Establishing an emergency menu is a good idea because sometimes you need to adjust your budget when an emergency or unexpected cost arises. For instance, if your child needs money for a field trip, you’ll feel good knowing you have a backup menu that can save you $70 to $100 that will go toward their needs. The same can be said of an emergency. If you get a flat tire, you’ll have no worries about feeding your family because you can trim your grocery budget significantly by hitting up your emergency menu.

To have a successful backup grocery list you need to determine what foods your family will and will not eat. If you have any picky eaters in your house, you’ll want to ensure any foods they won’t eat aren’t included in your plan.

Then you’ll need to set a budget for your emergency menu. The most frugal menus for a family of four normally land between $50 and $100.

Once you have a frugal menu planned out, add up the different items you’ll need to pull the meals together. If you shop sales or use coupons, be sure to include those when tallying up the cost. Once you’ve done the math, if your menu doesn’t land within the budget you set, you’ll need to rework it. To do this, consider removing the most expensive meals on your list and replacing them with something cheaper.

The emergency frugal menu below will feed a family of four for around $65.

A Frugal Emergency Menu for 4

Prices listed below are from Aldi in Charlotte, NC. You may need to make some adjustments for your family’s needs and location. Below is the “shopping list” for a complete menu. The total cost for this specific meal plan is between $55 and $65.

Download a copy of the entire menu here.

Breakfast

You can narrow your breakfast budget down to about $10 for the week if you purchase the following items.

  • Oatmeal $2.29
  • Pancakes $1.89
  • Syrup $1.59
  • Eggs $1.29
  • Juice $1.19
  • Milk $1.79

Lunch

You can always serve up leftovers for lunch. However, if you have kids in school you may need to pack lunch for them. If that’s the case, you can keep things to about $10 for the week by buying the items below.

  • Raw carrots $0.89
  • Apples $2
  • Bananas $0.89
  • Peanut butter $1.49
  • Jelly $1.49
  • Two loaves of bread $3

Snacks

Depending on your family’s preference, fruit is always a great, low-cost snack. You’ll already have apples and bananas for your kid’s lunches but you may want to grab an extra bag for snacks. Another great, low-cost snack is yogurt! You can pick these items up for the prices listed below. Overall, snacks will only take about $5 of your emergency menu budget.

  • Apples $2
  • Bananas $0.89
  • Yogurt $0.40 each or $1.89 for a large container of plain yogurt

Dinner

Dinner will require some planning, of course. One of the things most people don’t realize is that they can plan multiple meals around the same meat purchase. For instance, when you roast a chicken, you can use the leftovers to make chicken and dumplings. Here are just a few frugal dinner menu items and how much each cost.

  • Roasted chicken with broccoli and potatoes ($8)
  • Chicken and dumplings (Using leftover chicken and pancake mix, this costs nothing additional)
  • Pork chops with broccoli and potatoes ($6)
  • Meatloaf with potatoes and carrots ($5)
  • Tacos ($8)
  • Black bean chili ($8)
  • Hot dogs ($4)

With this plan, you can feed your family dinner for an entire week for around $39. Below are the individual items you’ll need to pick up to pull it off.

  • Whole chicken $5
  • Two heads of broccoli $2.50
  • Bag of potatoes $1.99
  • Pork chops $5
  • Ground beef $12
  • Bag of raw carrots $0.89
  • Tortillas $1.50
  • Taco seasoning $0.50
  • Shredded cheese $1.69
  • Iceberg lettuce $0.99
  • Two cans of black beans $0.50 each
  • Two large cans of diced tomatoes $0.55 each
  • One can of tomato paste $0.25
  • Hot dogs $0.99
  • Hot dog buns $1.39
  • Ketchup $1.49
  • Mustard $0.79

This is just one of many combinations you can come up with when crafting your emergency frugal menu. Depending on your family’s preferences and your willingness to trim your regular eating habits, you can probably get out of the grocery store even cheaper! To download a FREE copy of this meal plan, click here.

Readers, do you have a go-to emergency frugal menu? What does it include?

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How to Get a Free Christmas Tree

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free christmas tree

Thanksgiving has come and gone and most people have begun preparing for the next holiday: Christmas. One of the key pieces of a great Christmas celebration is a tree. The average Christmas tree can cost anywhere from $25 to $100 (and more if you are looking for something fancy and artificial). However, there are a few ways you can score a free Christmas tree. 

Free Christmas Trees For Military & Military Families

Families of active-duty military members can get a free, live Christmas tree through the Christmas Spirit Foundation. To get a free tree, you and your family must live on a military base. Those interested in receiving a free Christmas tree through the foundation will also need to check this list to see if your installation is receiving Christmas trees. If the Christmas Spirit Foundation is delivering trees to your unit, you should check your base’s communication channels for additional information on next steps. You can also contact your family service center or call the foundation at 800-965-1653.

The Christmas Tree Project

Another great organization giving away free Christmas trees this year is The Christmas Tree Project. This outfit gives away trees to families in need throughout the holiday season. The project began in 2010 after a husband and wife gave away a Christmas tree on Craigslist. Since then they’ve given away more than 2,000 fully decorated Christmas trees across the United States. You can request a tree on the organization’s website.

Local Programs

Outside of the national and international organizations listed above, there are also a plethora of local programs willing to hook you up with a free Christmas tree. Keep an eye out in your local newspaper and on community bulletin boards for additional information on locally run programs.

Be a Fourth Grader (or Have One)

Fourth graders can get a free Christmas tree every year through the Every Kid in a Park initiative. This program runs through Christmas Eve and gives fourth graders a free voucher for a permit to harvest their own tree from one of the 17 national parks (Eastern Region). To get your tree, just present the voucher. Then you’ll be given information on what types of trees you cut and what area you can harvest from.

Christmas can be tough financially. Between the decorations, food, gifts, and other costs, it can be overwhelming. However, if you qualify to get a free Christmas tree, you can get into the holiday spirit without spending much at all.

Readers, do you know of any other ways to get a free Christmas tree? Let us know in the comments!

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Save Money With These Frugal Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

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frugal thanksgiving menu ideas

Thanksgiving is days away and many people are pulling together the menus for their feast. The average American family spends around $50 on their Thanksgiving Day meal. If you’re trying to trim the cost of yours, here are a few frugal Thanksgiving menu ideas.

Frugal Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

First, it is possible to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal on a budget. You don’t have to skip on the turkey or other fixings to keep it budget-friendly. At our home this year, the Thanksgiving menu is as follows:

  • 15 lb. turkey: We paid $4.10 for our Thanksgiving turkey this year with a deal at Food Lion. All you needed to do was purchase $35 worth of groceries and you got your turkey for $0.27 per pound. Look out for deals near you!
  • Stuffing: You can get a box of StoveTop stuffing for $2.
  • Gravy: Gravy, if you have flour on hand, won’t cost a dime. Simply use the drippings from your turkey, flour, salt, and pepper. Mix it together over medium heat until the desired consistency.
  • Dinner rolls: You can grab pre-made dinner rolls for around $3. However, if you have some flour, yeast, milk, sugar, and margarine on hand you can make them from scratch without spending any extra money!
  • Mashed potatoes: The number of potatoes you’ll use to make mashed potatoes for the family will cost around $1.50.
  • Green bean casserole: If you want green bean casserole on the table, you can pick up the necessary items for about $5.50. Those shopping at Aldi may be able to get it even cheaper.
  • Sweet potato casserole: Use canned sweet potatoes and make a sweet potato casserole for around $8.
  • Mac and cheese: Homemade mac n’ cheese is a must on our table. It costs about $8 for a HUGE batch and we always have leftovers.
  • Dessert: Depending on what you’re looking for, you can get most desserts done for under $5. Our homemade pumpkin pie costs about $4.

All in all, Thanksgiving is going to cost our family $36 and we will have a TON of leftovers. If the frugal Thanksgiving menu above doesn’t suit you, you may also consider some of these ways to save on the Turkey Day meal.

More Ways to Save on Thanksgiving

  1. Skip turkey: Although turkey is much more affordable at this time of year, you may want to consider a new main dish to save money. Some families have decided to make a big batch of spaghetti instead of the traditional Thanksgiving meal.
  2. Use canned and frozen: As you probably know, fresh veggies can be expensive. When at all possible, use canned and frozen when prepping for Thanksgiving.
  3. Only make one: A lot of the time people tend to go overboard when it comes to the holidays. This leads to going over budget and spending way more than necessary. If you’ve planned to make more than one of anything, don’t. You only need one!
  4. Skim the sides: In all reality, do you really need five different carb-based sides on the table? Consider skimming the sides down to two or three of your favorites.
  5. Casseroles: Don’t underestimate the power of a good casserole! Because they are typically recipes that you dump ingredients into and bake, you can usually get these done quickly with little money spent.

One of the easiest ways to save is to plan ahead, make a budget, and stick to it. This year, we budgeted $40 for the holiday. As you can see, we are spending less than we initially planned. Careful planning and shopping around is the best way to keep your Thanksgiving feast affordable.

Readers, do you have any frugal Thanksgiving menu items you’d add to the list? 

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