Costco is known for being the best place to save on your family’s food, medication, and other household needs, but did you know that Costco also offers an array of other less-obvious services?
As a Costco member, you can access various savings on other products and services. Most of the time, these savings will save you the cost of your yearly membership and then some. For example, I saved about $500 on my car insurance and $400 on my home insurance by switching over to Costco.
Not in the market for a new insurance provider? No problem — there are likely other Costco services that you can benefit from. Let’s go through some of our favorites.
Costco Secrets: 7 genius hacks all Costco shoppers should know
Pet insurance
Pet insurance is gaining in popularity among owners who are looking for ways to protect themselves and their beloved pets from high veterinary costs.
Here's a great Costco membership perk : Costco members receive 15% discount on pet insurance!
The pet insurance is provided through Figo, which is considered one of the best pet insurance companies.
One great thing about this service is that it also offers the opportunity to talk to a live vet online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Own a car? Here's 7 warning signs you're paying too much for car insurance. Home and installation services
Costco offers some services that could help you with your renovation needs. If you’re shopping around to find an installer for your new flooring, windows, or even an HVAC system, don’t forget to also obtain a quote through your local Costco warehouse.
Costco partners with local installers to offer its customers great deals on what are often the most expensive parts of any home renovation.
Also, if you’re planning to buy a major appliance at Costco, remember that they offer installation, too. This includes dishwashers, fridges, freezers, stoves, hoods, and more.
Hearing tests and aids
Here’s something that might surprise you: Costco is the most popular individual retailer of hearing aids in the United States.
So, what makes Costco customers so happy with their hearing aids? For one thing, the in-house Kirkland brand of hearing aids is renowned for its sound clarity and overall quality.
What’s even more important is the brand’s affordability. Cost is especially key since many insurance plans do not offer any funding help for hearing aids.
Are you a homeowner? Discover 8 savvy money moves to stretch your budget
Checks
A check remains one of the safest ways to make a big purchase, even though the world is becoming increasingly less dependent on cash and checks.
The only problem is that obtaining checks from our home banking institution is often expensive. Luckily, Costco offers check services through their provider Harland Clarke.
Costco members can save an average of 50% on the cost of checks and can easily order them online without leaving the house.
Auto and home insurance
Most Americans spend big bucks on auto and home insurance. It costs the average American over $5,000 a year to cover these two expenses. Saving money on auto insurance alone is one of the best car owner moves you can make.
Costco offers car insurance, home insurance, bundles, and other insurance plans, such as renter’s insurance. American Family Insurance underwrites it and receives rave reviews from consumers, with 90% of respondents reporting feeling “highly satisfied.”
Life insurance
Your home and car aren’t the only things that need to be insured. If you’re on the hunt for affordable life insurance, don’t forget that there are options available through Costco.
Costco offers life insurance exclusively to its members through Protective. It's very easy to adjust your policy as necessary, and customers report saving an average of 15% on their life insurance costs.
Costco Insider's Guide: 12 little clever ways to get more out of your Costco membership Auto buying program
Costco’s auto buying program may be little known, but it’s certainly not new and has in fact been around for 30 years.
Costco itself doesn’t buy cars. Instead, they offer cars through select franchised car sellers at a reduced cost to their members.
Many shoppers who buy a car through this program enjoy the fact that they don’t have to get tangled up in negotiation as they would through the traditional buying process.
Garage doors
We are living in an age when you can learn how to do just about anything yourself on YouTube, but one thing most people should never try to DIY is a garage door installation.
Not only is it incredibly hard to do, but it also has a high failure rate, which can result in negative consequences.
Fortunately, Costco offers garage door installations through Amarr and LiftMaster. It’s easy to purchase a garage door installation; the first step is to call in and request a free at-home installation quote.
Costco offers a special incentive through its Executive Member program that allows cardholders to gain 2% cash back on all purchases.
Home solar panels
There are many reasons to install solar panels on your home, and whether your motivating factor is the environment or your monthly budget, Costco can help you with custom installation.
Costco offers solar panels through Sunrun, which is notable for being the biggest solar panel provider in the country. Costco offers its members a 10% Shop Card to purchase Sunrun equipment.
Make Money: 8 things to do if you’re barely scraping by financially Travel
This is one of the more well-known services on this list, but if you’re not aware that Costco has a travel program, welcome to the first day of the rest of your life.
Costco offers its members exclusive pricing on package vacations, as well as hotel bookings, rental cars, and even cruises.
Not only do users report excellent savings, but they also give Costco travel customer service rave reviews — a must-have when you’re traveling because you never know what kind of unexpected hiccups you can encounter.
Be sure to use one of the top travel credit cards on your trip to make the most of your spending.
Bottom line
No matter what brings you to Costco, we’re sure that you can find one or two (or three!) other reasons to renew your membership.
Remember to check out the best Costco shopping hacks before you visit your local warehouse to keep optimizing your membership's savings.
Money tips that can work for everyone
No matter what your bank account balance is, there's always an opportunity to optimize and improve your finances. Here's a quick checklist of things you can look at today.
Focus on paying off your debt. Debt can hold you back from making progress with your overall financial well-being. Aside from cutting expenses, there are tools that can help you pay off debt faster like balance transfer credit cards and debt counseling.
Earning extra income can give you breathing room. If finances are tight, earning some extra money to supplement your income can make a huge difference. A new job is one option to consider, but if you're not ready to make a big change or already retired, a part-time side job could be a better choice.
Cut your expenses. It sounds painful and so not fun, but it doesn't have to be. Take a look at your biggest expenses because that's where you'll probably find the biggest savings. For example, auto insurance rates have been soaring so shopping around for a new insurance company can be the fastest way to cut your bill. Also, look for ways to cut your grocery bill (despite rising inflation).
Local News
Comments / 0