10 Reasons I'll Never Cancel My Costco Membership

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I've been a Costco member for 20 years! That's longer than I've lived at any address or worked at any job. My relationship with Costco has lasted longer than lots of marriages; it's longer than most of the friendships I've had in my life.

Even after pulling out my credit card at Costco hundreds of times over the years, even with the recent price hike to $65 per year for a Gold Star Costco membership, I'm still committed to this long-term relationship with one of America's favorite retailers. I don't think I'll ever cancel my Costco membership.

Here are a few reasons why I'm sticking with Costco for the long haul.

1. Costco $1.50 hot dog combo

How many Costco hot dog combos have I eaten in 20 years…probably at least 250? Whatever that number is, it's not enough. The Costco hot dog combo makes a perfect late afternoon snack or cheap lunch to feed the kids while running errands.

I love to pair my Costco hot dog with a frozen yogurt sundae or an iced mocha coffee smoothie, just to be extra fancy. (And it only adds a few dollars to the total cost of the meal.)

2. Costco rotisserie chicken

Another delicious Costco prepared food item that most people know about -- but still doesn't get enough praise -- is the Costco rotisserie chicken from the deli section. Costco's rotisserie chicken only costs $4.99. Like the Costco hot dog combo, the price has never increased.

And I don't know how or why, but this chicken just seems "better" than any other I've tried. The chicken is juicy, the flavor is baked in, and you can get a few meals' worth of cheap, pre-cooked protein out of a single bird. The Costco Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken is a perfect weeknight dinner solution, and I hope Costco keeps offering it for the rest of my life.

3. Big Costco cakes

If you're ever planning a birthday party, graduation party, or casual celebration, consider buying a Costco cake. The bakery section offers delicious sheet cakes with the most amazing frosting and ganache layers. Even if the size is a bit impractical and it takes up too much room in your fridge, Costco cakes make happy occasions more memorable.

4. Costco trail mix

I work from home, and I struggle to organize my workday into a coherent routine to prepare meals. So I find myself eating lots of food while standing over the kitchen sink. Costco offers several types of trail mix that are perfect "kitchen sink" food, including:

• Kirkland Signature Trail Mix (with peanuts, almonds, raisins, and M&Ms)
• Kirkland Signature Sweet Heat Snack Mix (a sweet and spicy mix of seasoned almonds, cashews, pecans, and honey roasted sesame sticks)
• Wildroots Coastal Berry Trail Mix (almonds, cashews, cranberries, blueberries, and yogurt chips)

On a typical workday, Costco trail mix makes up about 70% of my daily calories. And I'm fine with that.

5. Costco furniture deals

Costco is not just for stocking up on mixed nuts and hot chicken. It has amazing deals on furniture, too. You can find all kinds of low-priced couches, sectionals, patio furniture, dining tables, mattresses, and more at Costco. I've used Costco to buy a futon for our TV room, patio furniture for our deck, and the office chair that I'm sitting in to type this article.

6. Costco electronics

Over the years, I've purchased several TVs and laptops from the Costco electronics section. The deals are competitive with any big-box retailer or electronics store, and you'll typically get a two-year extended warranty and Costco tech support.

7. Costco Tire

My family owns two cars, which means we have a total of eight car tires that are constantly running over nails, going flat, getting punctured, or otherwise needing to be replaced.

Thankfully, the deals at the Costco Tire Center are competitive with the best tire discounters, and you get the added advantage of being able to combine your tire repair errand with a visit to the Costco snack bar. I don't even care how long it takes them to rotate my tires, because I'm having a fro-yo sundae and trying a new sectional sofa.

8. Costco Gas

I actually don't buy gas at Costco as often as I used to, because I drive a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and I don't need to fill up as often. But Costco Gas is a nice Costco membership perk; some research shows that Costco gas might cost $0.05-$0.30 less per gallon than typical gas stations.

9. Easy Costco return policy

Costco has a generous return policy. There are a few exceptions and time limits for certain categories of items, but for the most part, Costco guarantees your satisfaction and will refund the purchase price of almost everything you buy if you decide to return it.

I've never had any hassles or issues with returning items to Costco if the size wasn't right or the product didn't work. But I don't have to return things to Costco very often, because most of its products are more than satisfactory.

10. Costco socks

I don't know how or why, but Costco is a great place to buy socks. Ankle-length athletic socks, dress socks, or warm comfy socks for cold winters or other inclement weather -- Costco has socks for all seasons.

Bottom line

My relationship with Costco has been going on for 20 years, and I hope we have another 40 years (or more) ahead of us. This store makes it easy to maximize your membership with great deals on everything from chickens to sofas to gasoline.

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