Costco membership

The Ins and Outs of Costco Travel

August 16, 2017 By Mary Newton Leave a Comment

Costco is a wonderful store for buying items in bulk at a lower price. But did you know your membership also allows you access to discount vacations? From a Caribbean cruise to family fun at Disney World, Costco Travel’s member-exclusive vacation plans let you plan the trip of your dreams for prices that are far less likely to break the bank.

How Does Costco Travel Work?

Costco Travel is for members only, and most vacation packages can be accessed either by simply inputting your membership number or by creating a Costco Travel account linked to your membership. Costco finds you the best deals on whatever type of travel you are looking for. This includes working with rental car companies such as Enterprise to help you find the best deals on rental cars and finding hotels where you are traveling. Some vacation packages even add in a plane ticket if the destination is far enough away.

Booking your vacation is straightforward and simple. You select the type of trip or item you want – a vacation package, a cruise, a rental car, or a hotel – and input your destination and trip dates, as well as the number of adults and children who will be on the trip. Based on this criteria, Costco’s travel database pulls up the best options for you, which you can then select to see prices and included amenities.

Your options are also adjustable within each purchase. For example, if the cheapest flight is American Airlines at 5:30 AM, but you would rather have a midday flight, you can select it from the list of other available flights. You can select a different hotel option or transportation accommodation as well. The site also allows you to see how much money would be added to your total cost for each alternative option.

Where Can I Go With Costco Travel?

The short answer is anywhere. Vacation packages include such locations as Cancun, Jamaica, Las Vegas, and Orlando. Cruises are offered to Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico, and several other locations. Cruise purchases also allow you to select shore excursions ahead of time, as well as schedule group cruises. If you are new to cruising, Costco Travel even offers a simple guide to taking a cruise.

Costco also has specific travel partners to assist in getting you better travel deals. They partner with the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts for resort vacation packages, as well as Universal Orlando and Hard Rock Hotel. They are also partnered with Adventures by Disney. Furthermore, Costco Travel is partnered with other travel providers such as Trafalgar Guided Vacations, which offer tours of vacation destinations around the world. Finally, Costco Travel also offers trip insurance through Travel Guard, to help protect you in case your travel plans are disrupted.

Is Costco Travel Better Than Other Travel Services?

The answer to this question is a soft yes. If you are a Costco member with no travel rewards cards – meaning hotel rewards, airline rewards, etc. – then Costco’s travel options are probably best. This is especially true if you are a Costco Executive member, as travel rewards earn you 2% back on your first $1,000 in travel purchases per year. In addition, many major travel services already partner with Costco Travel, meaning you are getting the best deals directly from the source. In some areas such as hotel and rental cars, you may be able to find a more inexpensive option outside of Costco Travel simply because their partners can be limited. However, the amenities offered with each vacation package are a great deal given their discounted member-exclusive price.

In all, if you are looking to travel and you love your Costco membership, start with Costco Travel. Chances are, you’ll find the best travel option for you.

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Photo: Rosie Host

Can You Get a Costco Membership Coupon?

July 3, 2017 By Alexa Mason Leave a Comment

Great savings can happen at Costco. Families are able to buy items in bulk at discounted prices and make their dollar stretch even farther. The fact that you have to pay for a Costco membership is a turn off for many people though. If you’ve been interested in checking out Costco but don’t have the $60 to shell out for a membership, don’t worry. There are plenty of Costco membership coupons out there.

Where to Find a Costco Membership Coupon

Costco membership coupons aren’t terribly hard to find. Many large coupon companies, like Groupon and Living Social, offer coupons for the wholesale retailer’s membership fees. Here are some of the best Costco membership coupons and deals found on the internet…

Groupon

First, Groupon is a great place to find deals. Whether you are searching for something to do over the weekend, planning a vacation or just wanting a meal out, Groupon can save you quite a bit of money. The website is trying to help Costco members save too. You can access a $10 Costco membership coupon through the website or the Groupon app ($50 instead of $60). Groupon is also offering a One-Year Costco Gold Star Membership with $20 Costco Cash Card and Exclusive Coupons for $60 ($215 value).

RetailMeNot

Similar to Groupon’s Costco membership coupon, RetailMeNot is offering users $10 off a regular Costco membership. You simply have to go to RetailMeNot.com or download the app and use the coupon code to get your discount.

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Online Codes

In addition to the apps that can help you save money on Costco’s membership fees you can also find plenty of online codes to get more money off. Coupons.com, for instance, has a plethora of Costco membership coupons. The website also has some new member promotions mentioned and other great Costco deals.

Promotional Codes

Look for bulk Costco promo codes online. Sites, like GivingAssistant.Org, give users multiple promo codes for the wholesale retailer (including a membership coupon). The site also mentions a number of other coupons and promo codes, such as $25 off department store items, $10 off your purchase and even $60 off tires.

Costco Membership Hacks

If you don’t want to go searching for promotional codes, coupons and other online codes you can try to hack you Costco membership. Plenty of people have been able to do so. Here are just a few ways to hack your membership:

Costco Cash Cards: You can shop at Costco without a membership if you have a Costco gift card (cash card). Anyone can purchase a Costco gift card online or you can get a friend who has a membership to exchange one with you for cash. Then you can shop Costco prices without paying the membership fee at all.
Take Advantage of Specific Services: There are some Costco services that are available to everyone (not just members). You can use the Costco eye doctor, pharmacy and food court without a membership. In some states you may also be able to buy alcohol at Costco without a membership.
Split the Cost: Lastly, you can choose to get two Costco cards with your membership. Instead of paying the full $60 for your Costco membership you and a friend can split the cost (cutting your share to $30).

If you are interested in finding even more coupons, freebies and ways to save join the Saving Advice forums.

Photo: Costco.com

A Review of Costco Cakes

January 20, 2017 By Tyler Philbrook 9 Comments

Everyone loves cake. At a birthday party you bring a present and enjoy the festivities but all along you are waiting for the moment the cake is cut. The same goes for graduation parties, retirement parties, anniversaries, weddings and basically any other occasion where a cake is present.

But, like everything else, the cost of cakes is getting higher and it seems the quality is getting lower. Is there anywhere you can get a delicious cake at a low cost? Short of making the cake ourselves, which fewer and fewer people know how to do, where can you go to get a decent deal on a cake?

Costco could be the answer.

If you have purchased store-made cakes before, you know that many are dry and loaded down with heavy overly sweet frosting. They often go bad within a day or two of you buying them. Because of this it’s best to get them the day they are made and most stores are charging far too much for custom-made cakes from the bakery. However, Costco cakes can easily feed 48 people and costs only $18.99.

A Review of Costco Cakes

Costco cakes taste just as good as they look. The cake itself has a very light taste. Even after taking several bites there was still little taste to it.

The frosting more than makes up for the lack of taste though. Instead of being a rich chocolate frosting Costco uses a mousse, which is significantly lighter than a traditional frosting. It also adds a level of flavor that isn’t seen on many other cakes I’ve had. It is very light and not too sweet so you won’t feel sick after eating a piece (or two). After trying it my wife and I both agreed it has the best frosting that we have ever had.

After you’ve tasted the delicious frosting you realize that there is even more to Costco cakes. Each has a filling that adds to the taste. It isn’t overwhelming though. There is just enough filling there to enjoy it.

How Many People Do Costco Cakes Feed?

Costco cakes taste great but how many people does each cake feed?According to Costco, you can get 48 pieces from one standard cake and I think that’s doable. The Costco bakery even sets it up for you to easily cut into 48 slices.

If you are having a large party, however, there may be some individuals that will want a larger piece or more than one. If that’s the case I wouldn’t count on it feeding 48 people. You can get 48 decent sized slices from the cake but make sure a “decent” slice of cake is big enough for you.

How Do You Order Costco Cakes?

Ordering Costco cakes is a simple process. Go into your local Costco and find the “Cake Order Selection.” There will be a form there for you to fill out. Make sure to include the day you want to pick it up on the form.

There are currently two options for Costco cakes in the United States: white and chocolate. The white cakes have a vanilla mousse filling with white buttercream frosting. The chocolate cake has a chocolate mousse filling and a buttercream chocolate frosting. In the UK, Japan and Australia frosting and filling types may be different but the cake type (white or chocolate) remains the same.

Costco also has several designs for its cakes as well, which you will be able to choose on your order form. In the United States Costco locations have 27 year-round designs. In the United Kingdom they offer 20 different designs. Australia and Japan locations have about 19 different designs.

Turnaround time for Costco cakes (in the US) isn’t that long. Most stores ask for a minimum of 24 hours notice for each cake.If you don’t have time to wait or need a last-minute cake, don’t worry. Costco has plenty of ready made cakes and it seems like most stores have some that are ready made for birthdays at all times. Around graduation time they will have cakes for that ready too, though I still think if you need a cake make sure you put in a request for one to guarantee that you get it.

How Much Do Costco Cakes Cost?

Costco does not yet offer cake ordering online, however, ordering a Costco cake is fairly easy and really cheap! Below is a list of Costco cake prices from around the world, linked to the ordering form for printing:

Costco US: 48 pieces for $18.99, order 24 hours in advance
Costco UK: 48 pieces for £13.99 or £12.99 undecorated, order 72 hours in advance
Costco Australia: 48 pieces $25.99, order 24 hours in advance
Costco Japan: 48 pieces for ¥2380, order 48 hours in advance

Costco Cakes Price Comparison

Costco cakes prices seem good but how do they stack up to the competition? Here are some of Costco’s lead competitors and their individual cake prices:

Walmart cake prices: $24.98
Sam’s Club cake prices: $21.48
Cake prices at BJ’s: $23.99

It should also be noted that most Costco cakes can be frozen and they maintain their great taste. So, you get a great tasting cake for pretty cheap and you can store your leftovers too!

If you don’t have time to wait the 24 to 72 hours it takes Costco to get your cake ready, don’t worry! The Costco bakery has pre-made cakes available for its customers. Although they aren’t customized, you’ll be able to pick up a cake at any time and, if you’re handy with decorative frosting, you can write your own message on the cake.

Things To Keep In Mind About Costco Cakes

In order to try Costco cakes you’ll have to have a membership (currently $55 a year) or know someone who is a member who can accompany you to get the cake. Another thing to keep in mind is that Costco only accepts Visa credit cards. The discount retailer will accept any debit payment, however, if you want to use your American Express, Discover, or even Mastercard to get points you won’t be able to. Make sure that you plan accordingly.

It seems that the huge discount retailer is able to dominate many competitors on price AND quality. Where Costco cakes are concerned this is no different.

For more info on Costco check out these articles.

Is the Costco Membership Fee Worth it?

Is a Costco Executive Membership Worth the Price?
Costco Gas Calculator: Will I Save Money Buying a Membership if All I Buy is Fuel?

Costco Return Policy

Costco Holiday Schedule

Costco Tires

You can check out our articles for Target as well.

Target Christmas Store Hours

Target Holiday Schedule and Store Hours

Have you tried a Costco cake? What did you think?

Costco Could Raise Its Membership Fees

April 27, 2016 By Alexa Mason 1 Comment

Costco (COST) members everywhere may be surprised to see their membership rates rise in 2017. Wall Street UBS analyst Michael Lasser is predicting the warehouse giant to increase the cost of becoming a member of the club in 2017. Lasser says that the conditions are right for Costco to bump up its membership fees.

Price jumps are expected to be $10 to $15 a year for Costco customers, according to Lasser. The recent partnership with Visa as well as the expected rise in membership have created the ideal conditions for a price hike. What does the price hike mean for Costco customers?

Costco charges its customers membership fees to shop in its stores. Customers can expect to see the Gold Star Membership to jump from $55 to $60, Lasser predicts. The company’s Executive Membership price is expected to jump from $110 to $120.

Gold Star Membership is the most common membership at Costco and the cheapest. This membership offers a second card for someone else residing in the same household as the person who started the membership. Executive members pay the most expensive membership fees and receive a 2 percent reward on most their purchases.

However much the price hike may be, one thing is for sure, Costco members will continue to pay the fees to shop at the warehouse giant because many customers find that the amount of money they save at the wholesale retailer exceeds the amount of money spent on membership.

According to CNN Money, Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said that the company has not announced if, or when, it plans to increase the membership fee. Currently, Costco has not confirmed or denied any plans to increase fees for customers.

The price jumps that Lasser is referring to are not set in stone, however, he says that the conditions are right for an increase (for now). “If its [competition] were to dramatically slow in the meantime or if there were some major macro disruption, it might delay this increase. But, it sounds like that’s not likely,” said Lasser.

Lasser also noted that Costco has raised its membership fees every five to six years. The last increase was in November of 2011 so, staying true to its pattern, Costco is overdue for a membership price increase.

Costco membership has increased by 6 percent in the last year. The company claims a membership base of 81 million people. Of those members, Costco finds that many of them are loyal customers. Ninety-one percent of the Costco customers in the United States renewed their memberships in 2015. UBS analysts expect the membership numbers to rise with recent changes Costco has made to its way of doing business.

The company ended a longtime partnership with American Express last year and announced that it would switch to Visa. Starting June 20, Costco customers will be able to pay with their Visa cards at checkout. Also, any cobranded Costco cardholders will have the option to switch to the new cobranded Costco-Visa card. According to UBS, this switch is likely to add an additional two million members to Costco’s already huge customer base.

For more info on Costco check out these articles.

Is the Costco Membership Fee Worth it?

Is a Costco Executive Membership Worth the Price?
Costco Gas Calculator: Will I Save Money Buying a Membership if All I Buy is Fuel?

Costco Return Policy

Costco Holiday Schedule

Costco Tires

You can check out our articles for Target as well.

Target Christmas Store Hours

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Photo: Flickr: Mike Mozart

Costco Delays Switch to Visa

February 23, 2016 By Amanda Blankenship 1 Comment

Visa users and Costco members will reportedly have to wait a little bit longer than they thought for the switch to Visa.

Costco’s announcement that they would switch from American Express to Visa in 2015 was a bit surprising for many people. The two companies had paired together before the year 2000 and seemed to be holding strong. However, Costco made the announcement that they would no longer be accepting AmEx and that their co-branded credit cards would switch to Visa.

Initially, Costco announced that the change would take place on April 1, 2016. However, they’ve now announced that the switch is going to be pushed back until the summer of 2016. They are hoping that the switch will occur in June or midsummer. This may be good for some Costco customers that haven’t decided what they are going to do regarding the switch to Visa.

According to American Express, the change is occurring because the two companies were not able to negotiate terms that made sense for the credit card company. After 16 years of partnership, the two companies decided that it may be time to make a split. However, for 16 years, Costco co-branded cards made up about 10 percent of the company’s users. They will likely have to scout a deal with another large company to make up for the loss.

When the companies announced the change last year, Costco made it clear that their would be options for its customers that currently hold Costco’s co-branded credit cards. Now, the contract with AmEx (which was supposed to end on March 31) is going to be extended until the start date of the Visa cards.

Costco’s chief financial officer Richard Galanti said that there is a ton of information from the Costco cardholders that has to be switched over. Millions of people will be affected by the switch to Visa. It is just taking a little bit longer than any of the companies involved had initially planned.

Galanti is hoping that pushing the switch back until the summer will help the transition be more fluid for the wholesale retailer’s customers. Of course, Costco has only a little bit of say in that. The two credit card companies (American Express and Citigroup) have to make the final negotiations as to when one will stop and the other will pick up. Galanti said that Costco customers can expect to have no gap in the middle (between AmEx and Visa).

The wholesale retailer is reportedly getting the deal of a lifetime by switching to Visa. It has barely any expenses by switching to Visa while its deal with American Express charged the company 0.6 percent of each purchase. Costco will have the co-branded credit card with Visa and has announced that it will also be taking all other Visa credit cards as well. Its 688 warehouses will greatly benefit from the deal.

In August 2015, the company reportedly had over 81 million cardholders and they collected $593 million in membership fees during the last quarter of the year. With memberships continuing to rise, Costco isn’t likely to slow down any time soon.

For more info on Costco check out these articles.

Is the Costco Membership Fee Worth it?

Is a Costco Executive Membership Worth the Price?
Costco Gas Calculator: Will I Save Money Buying a Membership if All I Buy is Fuel?

Costco Return Policy

Costco Holiday Schedule

Costco Tires

You can check out our articles for Target as well.

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Photo: Flickr: Images Money

Ways to Save More at Costco

February 2, 2016 By Jennifer Clark 1 Comment

You already likely know that having a Costco membership means receiving major discounts on a variety of items including alcohol, groceries (yes, even organic fruits and vegetables), electronics and more. However, here are some ways to save even more at Costco that you may not have known:

Men’s clothing items and accessories. From leather belts to wool socks and underwear, Costco seems like your go-to to purchase quality undershirts and accessories at a lower cost. For example, the Kirkland Signature Men’s Outdoor Trail Sock pack of four is $12 while comparable brands like Smartwool offer them at $19 for one pair. Talk about a difference.
Dinner and a movie. You can save up to 35% with Costco’s discounted movie gift cards as well as from some well-known restaurants like Olive Garden and Red Lobster.
Study the price tags. Items with a price ending in $0.97 are national markdowns and are in need of being cleared out. If they end in $0.00 they are local-level markdowns. In addition, when the product ends in $0.79 or $0.49, these manufacture deals are typically at the lowest retail cost available.
Look for the asterisk. Be sure to also note when the sales sign has an asterisk; this means there is a limited quantity and the item is not being restocked. Thus, when you see this on discounted merchandise, you should consider filling up due to its upcoming unavailability.
An extremely inexpensive lunch. Did you forget to pack lunch for the day? Worry not if you live near a Costco and own a member card. You can easily grab a quick bite to eat for as little as $1.50. Plus, the food samples are always free. It may not be the healthiest choice, but it’s better than continuing the work day on an empty stomach.
Live on the edge. Peruse around the edges or to the back of the store to find the best bargains at this warehouse discount store.
Download the app. With the Costco mobile app, you’ll receive the latest offers right to your phone. Furthermore, you can create a shopping list and keep track of the items you want to purchase during your next visit. If you’re extra busy, you are able to even upload photos from your devise to the Costco Photo Center to order prints for pickup.
Benefits extending beyond the store. It’s amazing what you can do with a Costco membership, including book a vacation. With Costco Travel, you can build your own trip with their travel package options as well as rent a car or plan a cruise. Additionally, you can purchase auto and home insurance, dental plans, and even bottled water delivery.

Even without a membership, Costco does offer some great non-member benefits such as having your eyes checked, utilizing the pharmacy services or eating at the food court. In certain states, you can purchase their discounted alcohol from the warehouse company.

However, despite all these savings, the best way to ensure you are getting your money’s worth from a Costco membership is to, of course, actually use it.

For more info on Costco check out these articles.

Is the Costco Membership Fee Worth it?

Is a Costco Executive Membership Worth the Price?
Costco Gas Calculator: Will I Save Money Buying a Membership if All I Buy is Fuel?

Costco Return Policy

Costco Holiday Schedule

Costco Tires

You can check out our articles for Target as well.

Target Christmas Store Hours

Target Holiday Schedule and Store Hours

Photo: Flickr: Mike Mozart