I always assumed it only made sense to shop at Costco if you had a bigger household. A family with several kids, a group of roommates renting together, or maybe a small business owner who needed to supply their office. Would it really be worth the cost of a membership otherwise?Â
I have a bunch of grocery stores within a mile or two of my home, and the nearest Costco location is about a 30-minute drive away. In the nearly six years that I’ve lived here, I’ve never thought about joining the warehouse club.Â
Recently, though, I was chatting with my neighbors about how much they love their Costco membership for just the two of them, and it has me rethinking my decision. If I do decide to take the plunge, there are three main reasons why I’d do it.
1. I have enough storage space for bulk goods
I live in a comfortably sized home for my needs, and since it’s just my husband and me, there’s more than enough storage space. I know we wouldn’t have a problem storing bulk purchases like tissues or dish soap if we decided to make an occasional Costco run.Â
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Even though our kitchen cupboards and pantry are pretty much filled, I’m betting we could find room for staples like olive oil, flour, and rice, too. And since we cook at home a lot, it would be nice to have the option to buy these items at a discount.
2. I don’t have another similar membership
I wouldn’t feel guilty about joining Costco because I don’t have another club membership or paid shopping account that I feel like I’d be doubling up on. I don’t belong to Sam’s Club or Walmart+, and I haven’t had an Amazon Prime membership in several years.Â
The annual cost of a Costco membership is $60 for the basic tier (Gold Star) and $120 for the Executive membership. If I was already paying for other accounts tied to specific stores, I would be less inclined to pay to get in the door at Costco. But since that’s currently an empty line item in my budget, I know I’d be able to spring for it.
3. I know Costco will refund my membership fee if I change my mind
Perhaps the most reassuring reason why I’d consider joining Costco is that I know I can get my money back if I decide it’s not for me.Â
Let’s say I sign up today, but after several months, I realize I almost never make the trek to my closest warehouse store. And when I do, I’m not buying enough to justify the cost of my membership with the savings I’m getting. If that was the case, I could speak to member services and get my membership canceled, no questions asked.Â
Costco’s website states, “We will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are dissatisfied.” That means that anytime during the yearlong membership you’ve paid for, you can cancel and get a full refund of your membership fee. That seems like a pretty excellent deal to me.
Maybe I will…
I’m still not 100% sure whether I want to sign up for a Costco membership, so I won’t be racing out first thing tomorrow to join. But I realize there are plenty of great money-saving reasons to shop at Costco, and I don’t want to miss out.Â
If you’re thinking about joining as well, take a look at your current grocery spending and see whether you could save by buying some of your bulk items at Costco, if you have the space to store them. And if you use one of the best credit cards for Costco, you could come out even further ahead.
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