3 Secrets Costco Shoppers Need to Know
There's a lot more to the warehouse club than buying in bulk.

Some families swear by Costco – and why not? The warehouse club can offer substantial savings on everything from TVs to toilet paper. But before you invest in an annual membership, here are three things you need to know.
First, you don’t actually need a membership to shop at Costco. You can tag along as the guest of a member, so long as the member pays for everything at checkout. Or, a member can purchase a Costco Cash Card for you. The Cash Card then allows you to shop on your own without a membership.
Second, Costco’s Kirkland Signature-branded products can be good buys. Bulk packages of Kirkland coffee and paper towels were cheaper in our price comparisons against national brands.
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Third, Costco offers special deals for drivers. Not only can you fill up on discounted gasoline, but members can also get a no-haggle club price on a new car.
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Browne Taylor joined Kiplinger in 2011 and was a channel editor for Kiplinger.com covering living and family finance topics. She previously worked at the Washington Post as a Web producer in the Style section and prior to that covered the Jobs, Cars and Real Estate sections. She earned a BA in journalism from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is Director of Member Services, at the National Association of Home Builders.
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