You may think a Costco membership is only worth it if you have a lot of extra space to store bulk items or if you throw a few giant house parties every year. There are some perks to paying that annual membership fee that doesn't involve a 12-pack of paper towels or a 3-liter bottle of olive oil.
There are two levels of Costco membership: The Gold Star membership or Business membership fee is $60 and the Gold Star Executive membership or Business Executive is $120. The Executive members get additional benefits like 2 percent rewards on some of your Costco purchases as well as extra discounts or benefits. Either the basic membership or the executive membership lets you save money, but in addition to the lower prices, you can find some really great perks that just aren't available to non-members.
Of course, access to a Costco store means you can get a hot dog at the food court anytime you like and stock up on all those great Kirkland items we all love. But being a Costco membership cardholder also means you have access to whole other level of perks. Here are 10 Costco membership benefits you may not know about. No, they aren't just limited to Costco employees who are able to claim their own full list of Costco services and benefits, including even more Costco wholesale and Costco warehouse deals.
1. Mortgages
Looking for a house? Before you fill it up with all the stuff you buy from Costco, check with them for your mortgage. They offer both purchasing and refinancing options with low lender origination fees.
2. Insurance
The warehouse club partners with trusted providers to offer home and renters insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, and dental plans. It's almost a one-stop-shop for everything you need to keep your life in order and protected. Plus you can check out their current deals on Costco.com.
3. Gas
Costco gas stations tend to offer amazingly low prices and the gas stations are built for efficiency with features like one-way traffic (so you never get caught pulling in and meeting another car doing the same from the other direction) and extra-long hoses so it doesn't matter what side of the car your gas tank is on. This makes the membership worth it for those who drive a lot.
4. Health Services
Many Costco locations have hearing and optical services, meaning you can get discounts on your hearing aids, eye exams, and glasses. Plus, they have a prescription program through the Costco pharmacy that offers discounts on prescription drugs. Oh, and your pet can get discounts on their prescriptions, too. All these discounts easily balance out the membership cost.
5. Travel
From cruises to amusement park packages to rental cars to hotel deals to theme park discounts, the Costco Travel program offers great discounts and upfront pricing on vacation packages, plus they often offer some kind of extra perk like a Costco cash card with your Costco travel purchases.
6. Cars
One of the Costco membership benefits you may not know about is their auto program. Costco doesn't sell cars, but they work with dealerships across the country to provide discounts to Costco members. They also offer 15 percent off on parts, service, and accessories for any vehicle in your household.
The wholesale club also offers discounts on rental cars around the world.
7. Ordering checks
(Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
I know, we hardly write checks anymore, right? But that just makes it more difficult to keep track of when you need to reorder them. Costco offers discounts on customized printed checks for you and your business, meaning one less trip to the bank.
8. Gift cards and movie tickets
Costco members get great deals on gift cards, like a pack of four $15 gift cards to Krispy Kreme for $44.99 (which is basically like getting one of those cards for free). They also have packs of movie tickets, amusement park tickets, and other entertainment and restaurant discounts.
9. Identity Protection
If you have a Costco membership, you get credit monitoring, alerts when there is suspicious activity on your accounts, and help with recovery if your identity is stolen.
10. Business Services
A Costco membership may be a good idea for you personally, but if you're a small business owner, it might be an even better idea. Promotional logo products, phone services, bottled water delivery, and even health insurance plans — Costco business members get access to some great deals.
The store also offers a Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi, which has no annual fee when you have a Costco membership. Enjoy perks such as 4% back on gas purchases, 3% on restaurants and travel, 2% on Costco purchases, and 1% on all over purchases. Now that's a credit card I can get behind.
Got questions? Check out the membership counter at your local Costco where you can ask questions or open a new membership.
