3 Costco Perks You Aren't Taking Advantage of -- but You Should

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Most of the Costco shopping I do comes in the form of buying groceries and items like laundry detergent and paper towels (both of which we go through a lot of in my household). And your receipts might largely mimic mine in that regard.

But the benefits of joining Costco extend beyond basics like bulk snacks and paper products. In fact, the longer I'm a Costco member (and it's been a while), the more perks I tend to discover. Here are three that should definitely be on your radar as well.

1. Cash back on your purchases

Using the right credit card could give you cash back on your Costco purchases. But did you know that you can also score cash back from Costco itself? All you need to do is sign up for the Executive membership.

Now there's a caveat here. The Executive membership costs twice as much as a basic (Gold Star) one. Right now, the price is $120 annually, as opposed to $60 for basic Costco access. And come Sept. 1, the cost of an Executive membership will rise to $130 annually, while a basic membership will increase to $65.

But the Executive membership also gives you 2% cash back on your Costco spending. So even at the new price point, if you spend $3,250 a year at Costco, you've broken even on your upgrade fee. If you spend more than $3,250, you come out ahead financially with the Executive membership.

For this reason, I'd encourage you to do a review of your annual Costco spending. If your spending is likely to exceed the $3,250 mark in the course of a year, then it pays to upgrade to the Executive membership before Sept. 1 so you can lock in the lower rate.

2. Cheap pizza

We've all been in a situation where the day got away from us and there's nothing to put on the table for dinner. If you're able to swing by Costco after work or a string of after-school activities with your kids, then you can go the takeout dinner route without spending a fortune.

Many people are familiar with Costco's food court pizza by the slice. But did you realize you can order whole pizzas, too?

You can call in an order, run into the store, pick it up from the food court, and head along on your merry way. Best of all, an entire giant-sized pizza from Costco is only $9.99. So depending on the size of your household, you might even have leftovers.

3. Tech support and extended warranties on electronics

I don't buy new electronics that often. But when I need something in that category, I always like to see if Costco has options in stock.

There are two big benefits to buying electronics at Costco other than low prices. First, electronics purchases come with free tech support, which is helpful for someone like me who tends to struggle to find the right plug.

Also, electronics at Costco come with a free second-year warranty. That's important, because if I'm investing in a new laptop or some other device, I want reassurance that it's not going to stop working after just 12 months. The extra protection makes me feel more confident in my purchases.

It's easy to forget about these and other benefits that come with a Costco membership. But it just goes to show that Costco is full of surprises -- in a good way.

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