The Costco Membership Benefits You're Not Taking Advantage Of

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Costco is a lifestyle. No, really. The store is much more than what appears to be a super-sized version of your average grocery store — with extra-large carts, aisles the width of a car lane and cases of spiked seltzers that’ll last you three months. No, Costco apparently wants to be involved in every aspect of their members’ lives via its extensive list of membership benefits, from leveling-up in the game of adulting (i.e. buying a home and/or a new car) to ensuring their members are as healthy as they can be (via free health screenings).

In the end, Costco just wants to make members’ lives a little easier, a tad-bit stress-free — and save them a few bucks, to boot. And after seeing the many, many perks available to Costco members, it makes us wonder why we haven’t signed up as an Executive Member sooner.

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From travel and car deals to mortgage loans and so much more, here are the Costco membership benefits you likely were never aware of.

Extended warranties & free tech support

Costco’s warranties last two years versus the usual one-year manufacturer warranty. Plus, Costco offers tech support with many electronic purchases. Simply call Costco Concierge Services at 1-866-861-0451.

Travel deals

From vacation packages and hotel deals to cruise selections, car rentals and other travel products, Costco’s travel benefits are ace. They even have trained travel professionals who can help plan and book your next vacation, from start to finish. All prices on Costco’s Travel website include taxes, too, so you’ll know exactly what you’ll pay for each deal.

And, new to Executive Members is the ability to earn an annual 2 percent reward on all Costco purchases, including travel purchases.

Order ahead

The Costco food court line is always long — so skip it. As a member, you can place your order and pick it up when it’s ready.

And, if you’re just too busy to shop for your own groceries, no problem. Order on Costco Grocery or Instacart and have it delivered directly to your home.

Free health screenings

That’s right; Costco offers free health screenings. Through their pharmacy department, the screenings allow for members to check for conditions such as diabetes and osteoporosis. Check the schedule on Costco’s website for a screening in your city.

But that’s not the only health benefit that comes with your Costco membership — check out our article on all 12 of the health perks you get with your membership.

Ink cartridge refills

Why purchase a brand-new ink cartridge when you can get it refilled at Costco for much cheaper instead? How cheap you ask? How does $7.49 sound?

Buy or lease a car

Through Costco’s Auto Program, members can buy or lease discounted cars (or motorcycles or jet skis or RVs…) from participating dealerships. To give you an idea of how much you’d be saving through Costco, the average discount is more than $1,000, according to Business Insider.

Members can also get 15 percent off car parts, service and accessories.

Order checks

Hey, we may not use checks all that often anymore, but when you do need to order more, Costco offers discounts on customized printed checks for you and your business.

Mortgage

Yes, members can actually purchase or refinance a home through Costco’s Mortgage Program — from getting pre-approved to appraisal, inspection and closing. According to Costco’s website, Executive Members could save an average of nearly $7,500 over the typical life of a loan.

Plus, Costco offers loans specifically for veterans, with no down payments, competitive interest rates, no mortgage insurance premiums and other benefits.

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