11 Things You MUST Know Before You Shop at Costco

From Prevention

You may not need a giant stuffed bear, but we support buying a 30-roll pack of paper towels or a 48-ounce box of crackers. A typical Costco only stocks about 4,000 different items (compared to 50,000 at a typical supermarket or 100,000 at the average WalMart) - they're extra selective, so that almost all of them can be considered a score. But before you go crazy on pallets of ketchup and quadruple packs of deodorant, read these insider tips:

1. There's a way to shop there without a membership.

A Costco Gold Star membership costs $55 a year. Most members say they earn that money back in savings after one or two trips to the store but, here's what to do if you're hesitant: Ask a friend who is a member to buy you a cash card.

It works like a gift card and a membership card in one, so you can test out the waters before you commit. And if you rack up more than what your gift card is worth while scouring the aisles, that's okay - you can cover the difference with cash or another accepted form of payment.

And there's lots more you can do at Costco without a membership, too - like purchasing prescription drugs, seeing an optometrist, and eating at the food court.

All that said, Costco is really lenient if you join the club and don't love it: They'll refund your membership fee in full at any time, if you're dissatisfied.

2. The Kirkland brand is likely just as good as your favorite name-brands.

Costco's private label, Kirkland Signature, accounts for about 20% of the products in the store - including everything from men's clothing to pet food to laundry detergent. And the brand has a loyal fan base: "I can't recall a single Kirkland product that our family didn't love or doesn't consistently use," says Melody Hansen, the blogger behind This Beautiful Frugal Life, which has an entire section devoted to Costco.

According to (totally unconfirmed) rumors, some of the Kirkland products might even be made by comparable name-brands. For instance, some say that Kirkland dishwasher detergent is actually made by Cascade - and even if that's not true, Kirkland's performance was above average in a Good Housekeeping Institute test. In other tests, we've also rated Kirkland's baby diapers, paper towels, and laundry detergent highly.

3. The prices might reveal more than just how much something costs.

"If an item price ends in a $0.97, that means it's on clearance - marked down from its original price to sell the remaining stock quicker," says Matt, the mysterious blogger behind Costco Insider. If it doesn't sell fast enough and they want the shelf space, they'll continue to mark it down aggressively as time goes by, always ending in a $0.97. If an item ends in a $0.00 or $0.88, that means it's a manager's markdown and likely the last of those items in the store."

We asked Costco to confirm this information, but they stayed tight-lipped on any of their pricing policies. So the context clues in the price you see in the price might certainly vary by store or circumstance - but they're still worth looking out for.

4. You can tell if items won't be coming back.

Spot an asterisk at the top right of a shelf tag? According to Heather Wheeler and Joanie Demer of The Krazy Coupon Lady, that means the item will no longer be stocked at Costco. In other words, stock up while you still can.

5. You don't need coupons - just your phone.

Put your scissors away: Costco does not accept general manufacturer coupons. (The idea is that the company has already gotten you a better deal.) However, you can still use rebate apps to save. "With cash back apps - like Ibotta, Mobisave, and Checkout51 - you can submit your Costco receipts and anywhere from $0.20 to $3 will be deposited into your account," says Hansen. "Once you hit a certain amount, you can redeem for cash or gift cards."

It's worth mentioning, however, that because you can't use manufacturer coupons – and stack them like you might at other stores like Target - that not everything in Costco might be the best deal. For instance, the Krazy Coupon Lady bloggers hesitate to buy cereal, razors, and shampoo at Costco, since they know that coupons used elsehwere might get them a better deal.

6. You don't even need to clip Costco coupons.

Costco does have a coupon book, but you don't have to clip those either. "Almost all of the items in the coupon book are now called Instant Savings, meaning no coupons are necessary at the register," says Matt. The exceptions: "The optometry and photo departments still require either a physical coupon or for you to show them the coupon from the Costco app on your phone." But it's worth the effort. According to Matt, eyeglasses are way cheaper at Costco than at your eye doctor.

7. Costco might have the best prices on your favorite grocery items.

Load up on those $5-rotisserie chickens - and more. Hanson says other grocery items are almost impossible to beat. Her go-to list includes coconut oil, organic maple syrup, organic fruit snacks, and frozen fruit. Matt agrees: "Milk, eggs, butter, and cheese are usually cheaper at Costco. Butter is almost half the price of the grocery store - but you do have to buy four pounds at once."

8. But beware the free samples.

Raise your hand if you've ever gone to Costco just to make a lunch out of the freebies. Yeah, that's what we thought. Be careful! Free samples can boost supermarket sales of products by as much as 2,000%. Don't buy a case of pizza bagels just because the demonstrator was nice and you suddenly feel obligated.

9. Don't miss the gift card section.

"You can buy various gift cards at a discount - usually a $100 value for just $79.99," Matt says. Look for gift cards for movie theaters, restaurants, outings, and more.

10. You should stock up on booze while you're at it.

Kirkland vodka may as well be the store's signature drink because it's so popular among shoppers. "The price beats all quality vodkas and the rumor is that it's made by Grey Goose," Matt says. He's also recently picked up a bottle of good chardonnay for $10.50 and 16-year-old scotch for $55 (compared to $63 at other stores).

Plus, some states require that Costco sell alcohol to non-members - so you might be able to score these deals even if you don't have that club card.

11. You can score Costco prices even when you're not at Costco.

Other big box stores are willing to price-match to Costco's crazy-low deals. Log on to Costco.com to research prices. When you find an item you want, simply print off the product page with the price and bring it to a store that participates in Costco price matching (think: Target, Best Buy, and many more).

Related Video: Costco Shopping Secrets That Can Save You Money

('You Might Also Like',)

• The Best Yoga Mats, According to Top Yoga Instructors

• Jillian Michaels Urges Fans to Stay Away From the Keto Diet

• 4 Ways To Fix Your Cracked Heels At Home