There are so many people sharing Costco shopping hacks that could actually change the way that you shop at the wholesale retailer.
Even employees are getting in on it and revealing their recommendations for shoppers!
Someone on Reddit recently asked people to comment on what their Costco life hacks are and there have been more than 1,000 comments about what everyone needs to know when they shop.
These Costco hacks include everything from parking and gas to memberships, travel deals, saving money and everything in between.
If you tend to overshop when you browse the aisles of the warehouse, user julesbluecanoe's hack is to not get a cart so you only get the items that you really need.
Pearlsawisdom also recommended bypassing the shopping carts to "keep you honest."
"I got out of there for under $20 the other day, and only bought for items because I skipped the cart," they shared.
"I time my monthly shopping trip with the monthly circular and the one-week savings circular. Every month there are two days where they overlap that way I get both the savings in one trip," fadinglucidity commented. "You will get the weekly circular in your email the night before the sale."
If you want to save some more money when shopping at Costco, user hawksnest_prez said you should "keep an eye on the gift card discount wall for restaurants or movies."
To save yourself time, under-rated2 suggested going through the self-checkout instead of the cashier lines because it's "way faster" to scan your own items.
Also, FlashGordon451 commented that their favourite hack is buying Costco rotisserie chickens, shredding them and putting them in the freezer.
"Those are cheap, keep a while in the freezer, are super easy to thaw when shredded, and can be added to basically any meal," they said.
Reddit user mmDruhgs commented that as a solo shopper, they buy Costco's premade meals and meal kits so they can get three meals out of one package.
Since Costco's food court is a popular stop for shoppers, many people had hacks for making the most out of the food that's sold there.
That includes user Recover_Adorable who said that you should buy one vanilla soft serve and two drinks to create your own root beer float.
Others said to get a hot dog from the court before you start shopping instead of after you've checked out, so you don't buy more than you actually need just because you're hungry.
Then, user chpsk8 shared that they keep IKEA bags in their trunk and load everything from the shopping cart to the bags, split up by whether the items are for the fridge or the freezer -- making it easier for them to unload what they just bought once they get home.
"I don't give a single hoot about parking as close to the entrance as possible like many people seem to. It's all about parking as close to a cart return as I can for me," tlmr14 said.
A couple of people said that one of the best hacks is going to a Costco Business Centre instead of a regular warehouse.
"Find out if a Costco Business Center is near you," user Schickie commented. "You can get crazy deals on bulk items."
User added_chaos also said that items are "bulkier than bulk" at the business centres and cost less money.
The wholesale retailer is known for its discount prices, bulk-sized items and, of course, Costco gas which means people had a lot of hacks for fueling up.
"Get to the gas pumps in the morning before the store even opens," DarthHarambe666 said.
That can help ensure that you don't have to wait in lines to fuel up and end up wasting gas while you're waiting.
Also, someone commented that another way to hack the system is by getting a specific Costco membership: the Executive membership, rather than the regular Gold Star membership.
In fact, Narcity recently asked people on Facebook if paying for a membership is worth it and a lot of pros and cons were shared.
So many people said that the Executive membership — which has a $120 annual fee but gets you an annual 2% reward on purchases — is worth it because the cashback pays for the membership fee and then some.
Back on Reddit, quite a few users pointed out that Costco Travel is another way to save money for people looking for hacks.
"They have the cheapest car rentals through Costco Travel," gypsysniper9 commented.
User BlazinAzn38 also recommended booking rental cars through Costco because "it's the cheapest by far," and they said to always check the vacation packages that are being offered.
Some people in the Reddit thread said one of the best hacks they know about with the wholesale retailer is Costco online shopping.
User Staceyag commented that you can order items online that aren't sold in-store. The same applies to products you aren't able to locate in the warehouse, but are easily found online.
Also, user GeneKnown said that you can shop online with Costco to buy "easy and affordable gifts" like bouquets of flowers, gift baskets and gift cards.
It wasn't just shoppers that were sharing tips in the Reddit thread, some Costco employees also gave some shopping hacks of their own.
An employee, who goes by yoteachea on Reddit, suggested that you refill your propane on Thursdays, don't ask for boxes you won't take home, have your membership card out or Costco app open before you enter the warehouse, and put your cart back when you're done shopping.
"Don't arrive [at] the warehouse an hour before opening, we will NOT let you in," they added.
User dan2311 commented about what you need to know when it comes to price tags at Costco.
"There's a system of prices that indicate special pricing or sales," they said. "Buy this stuff asap since it’s at the lowest price and won’t return in the near future again."
Items with prices ending in .99 are normal but prices ending in .97 are clearance and prices ending in .88 or .00 are a manager markdown.
Hopefully this will help you make the most out of your next shop at Costco!
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
