Living on a fixed income means being strategic about purchases to get the best products for your money. Costco offers deals on a wide range of items, including food, home goods, and seasonal products, that provide significant savings without compromising quality.
Knowing which items to look for at Costco is one of the best ways to unlock the true value of your membership.
Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.
Earn 2% cash rewards at grocery stores and Costco
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card(Rates and fees) is a powerful rewards card that allows you to earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — including on groceries, even at warehouse stores like Costco. New cardholders can also earn a one-time cash rewards bonus — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months!
This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% Variable).
The best part? There's no annual fee.
Click here to apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card now.
Kirkland Signature Alkaline AA Batteries
Price: $13.99 (on sale from $15.99)
You can never have too many batteries, especially during the holiday season when every decoration you put up and gift you give seems to need them. This 48-pack of AA Kirkland Signature Batteries will keep you well stocked at an affordable price, with each battery costing only 29 cents.
Buying a four-pack of Energizer AA batteries at Target, on the other hand, costs a whopping $1.07 per battery, making this a Costco find you won't want to miss.
Kirkland Signature Facial Tissue
Price: $19.99
This 12-count pack of Kirkland Signature 3-ply tissues will get you through allergy, cold, and flu season and only costs 2 cents per sheet. The boxes have aesthetic designs and colors, so you can match them to your decor in each room.
Buying a single box of Puffs Facial Tissue at Walgreens costs over double more per sheet, offering significant savings through the season.
Simple Mills Almond Flour Sea Salt Crackers
Price: $11.99
Not only are Simple Mills Almond Flour Sea Salt Crackers delicious, they're also gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, kosher, and vegan — and perfect to have on hand for holiday entertaining or unexpected guests.
At just $11.99 for this two-pack of 10-ounce bags, they come out to just 60 cents per ounce, compared to Kroger, which sells a 3.5-ounce bag of Simple Truth Gluten Free Sea Salt Rice & Almond Crackers for 94 cents per ounce.
Kirkland Signature Platinum Performance UltraShine Dishwasher Detergent Pacs
Price: $13.99
This household necessity comes as a 115-count, making each dishwasher pac only 12 cents. Comparably, the 60-count Cascade Pacs Dishwasher Detergents are more than double the price at 29 cents each — and that's the sale price.
Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup
Price: $14.99
Whether you love pancakes or plan to host the grandkids often, this 33.8-ounce jug of 100% pure Grade A amber-rich organic maple syrup is a must-have to sweeten the mornings (or your coffee). At only 44 cents per ounce, it's a great deal compared to eight ounces of Simple Truth Organic Grade A Maple Syrup at Kroger, which costs 75 cents per ounce.
Mrs. Meyers Holiday Hand Soap
Price: $24.99
This four-pack of Mrs. Meyers Holiday Hand Soap pump bottles features four scents — Peppermint, Iowa Pine, Snowdrop, and Gingerbread. They're all made with plant-derived ingredients, like olive oil and aloe vera, and don't contain parabens, phthalates, or artificial colors, helping to keep your hands from drying out.
belVita Breakfast Sandwich Biscuits
Price: $14.99
BelVita Breakfast Sandwiches are a tasty treat that also happens to boast nutrients to get you through the morning. They come in 25 packs of two, with each pack containing 15 grams of whole grains and 10% of your daily recommended value of iron, vitamin B6, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
At Target, the same Dark Chocolate Creme belVita Breakfast Sandwich Biscuits come in a 12-pack for 73 cents each, a significant increase from Costco's 60-cents-per-unit cost.
Nature's Garden Probiotic Yoggies Lemon & Berry Trail Mixers
Price: $13.99
This 24-count of lemonberry and mixed berry Yoggies Trail Mix is the perfect on-the-go snack and costs only 58 cents for each individually wrapped serving. It's a healthy option with two billion probiotics and a good source of fiber.
At Target, you can buy a similar Good & Gather Probiotic Fruit & Yogurt Trail Mix, but it costs more, at $5.99 for nine ounces ($0.67 per ounce) and isn't individually wrapped.
Berkshire Life Heated Throw
Price: $34.99
This 50-by-60-inch Berkshire Life Heated Throw Blanket will keep you warm and cozy all winter long. It's conveniently both reversible and machine washable, has four heat settings, and a four-hour auto shut-off in case you forget to turn it off or fall asleep.
One customer shares, "It has a long cord and I love that the on/off button is on the actual blanket and easy to get to."
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Feel Good Superfoods Berberine Phytosome
Price: $36.99
Berberine Phytosome helps lower blood glucose levels, balances cholesterol, and can help with body composition. The Feel Good Superfoods brand from Costco is vegan and costs only 31 cents per capsule. At Walmart, a 60-count of Nature Made Berberine Phytosome Capsules costs 64 cents per capsule, making Costco the far better deal.
Zena Organic Supergreens Fruits & Vegetables Powder
Price: $32.99 (on sale from $39.99)
Zena Greens Organic Supergreens, Fruits and Vegetables, are the perfect way to boost your vitamin and nutrient intake. It comes with 45 servings that you mix with water, each containing zero sugar, five grams of fiber, and 10 grams of more than 70 superfoods that support digestion and gut health, helping you to age healthfully without breaking the bank.
Boulder Canyon Kettle Style Potato Chips
Price: $20.79
Stock your pantry with 36 bags of Boulder Canyon Kettle Style Potato Chips, made with avocado oil so you'll always have some one hand when a savory craving strikes. Each box comes with 12 Spicy Green Chili-flavored, 14 Classic Sea Salt, and 10 Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper.
This Costco find only costs 58 cents per ounce, while at Target, the same exact chips run 76 cents per ounce.
Bottom line
When you retire, it's important to adjust to a fixed income, but you don't have to go over your budget or sacrifice quality. At Costco, you can find great deals each month that help you save money on groceries and everyday essentials.
You can save even more while shopping at Costco by paying for your purchases with one of the best cash-back credit cards — just be sure you're able to pay the balance off in full each month.
Benefits Card Details on Wells Fargo’s secure website Intro Offer
$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Annual Fee $0 Why we like it
If you love earning cash rewards but prefer to avoid the hassle of tracking spending categories, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card could be a good option for you. Card members can earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
This card also offers a 0% intro APR on qualifying balance transfers and purchases for 12 months from account opening, then 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% Variable. Those looking for straightforward rewards and an introductory APR will likely find value in this card.
FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment.
Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
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