Costco Hacks From TikTok That Make Shopping There Even Better

Kasia Mikolajczak
Costco
Unsplash | Grant Beirute

I don't know about you, but I'm definitely a bargain shopper. That's why we often shop at Costco. So, I have great news for you if you're as obsessed with this retailer as I am.

Now, people are spilling the beans and giving all of us some helpful tips on how to best shop at Costco. There are many TikTok videos that I have recently stumbled upon, and I'm going to share the best hacks with your today. So get ready to take down some notes. Let's go!

Shopping Without A Membership

Costco gift card
Costco | Costco

First of all, to shop at Costco, you need a membership. But hold on a minute, that's not actually the case. There is a way to shop there even without a membership. All you need to do is get your hands on some Costco gift cards, and you can still use them in-store. Aha!

This Cheap Lunch

Costco chicken wings
TikTok | @stephanie.arielle

Speaking of food, here's a good tip for you. If you're really hungry and in the area of Costco, stop in to get some chicken wings with hot sauce. It will only set you back $7.99. Wow! I don't know about you, but that's a pretty cheap lunch, no?

The Free Samples Trick

We all love Costco's free food samples. Am I right? Heck, that's sometimes the only reason I go to Costco. But did you know that after people consume the samples, they're 30% more inclined to buy more products? Oh, yeah! Now that you know that — proceed with caution, ha, ha.

How To Spot Clearance Items

Man saying "Now I get it" gif
Giphy | The Paley Center for Media

Speaking of sales at Costco, there's another secret to finding out which items are on clearance. It's super easy. Pretty much everything that ends in .97 cents is a clearance item. So when you see that price, you know it's time to grab the product.

How To Spot Discontinued Items

Costco price tag
TikTok | @PureWow

If you have a few favorite products you buy at Costco, you need to pay attention to the price tags. Why? Well, if you notice an asterisk beside the price, that means the item will be discontinued soon, so it's definitely time to stock up.

This Tip For Spotting Deals

sale sign
Unsplash | Claudio Schwarz

Listen up! Costco already has great prices on many items, but I'm going to share a tip with you that will help you save even more. Did you know that the "hot ticket" items go on sale on Fridays just in time for the weekend? Oh, yes! So that's a good day to head out to Costco.

Costco's Exclusive Products

Woman saying "wow!"
Giphy | This Might Get

Here's a newsflash, one of the reasons so many people shop at Costco is their exclusive products. For example, the Creamy Dill Pickle Salad kit you get at Costco is much cheaper and comes with more ingredients. Who knew, eh? So it definitely pays off to shop at Costco.

This Food Hack

Cavendish frozen fries bag
Costco | Costco

Who loves Costco food court fries? Oh, yeah. They sure are delicious, huh? But I'm going to tell you exactly how you can make them at home. All you need is to buy the frozen Cavendish FlavorCrisp ones (which come in blue packages) and fry them at home. Voila!

This Mom Hack

Costco's frozen croissants
TikTok | @sarahfitmama

If you're running out of lunch ideas for your kids, I recently stumbled upon this genius mom hack. This lady purchased a box of about 200 frozen croissants at Costco, which works out to about 30 cents per croissant. She then bakes them at home and stuffs them with ham and cheese. Brilliant, right?

Save Money On Makeup

Makeup at Costco
TikTok | @briannaancheta

Ladies, this one is for you. If you're spending tons of money on makeup — stop it now. Instead, go to Costco. As you can see here, makeup at Costco is so much cheaper than other stores. I honestly had no idea about this either. If you know, you know.

This Cooking Hack

Here's another mom hack for you. This lady went to Costco and bought two rotisserie chickens. She used one for dinner, and the other one she cut up into small pieces and put in freezer bags. When she needs chicken for soups or tacos, she just defrosts a bag, and she's good to go. Wow!

This Cookie Hack

Costco cookies
TikTok | @vallartita

Sure, you can buy already baked cookies at Costco for a fraction of the cost. But if you don't mind baking them yourself, you can save even more. Get them frozen and go to town, ha, ha. I, for one, don't have the time but you have fun.

This Sweet Treat

Costco cookies and ice cream
TikTok | @maraegl

If you're craving a sweet treat on the cheap, run to Costco to get these. Apparently, these are the best cookies. Warm them up and serve them with some vanilla ice cream, and thank me later, hee-hee.

This Useful Tip

TikTok screenshots
TikTok | @newmoneynate

Here's a very useful pricing tip. If you see any items ending in .49, .69, .79, or .89, it's usually a manufacturer discount. So it might be a great deal, or it could just be a new product release. On the other hand, items ending in .00 or .88 indicate that the product is definitely discounted, but it could also be damaged.

Get Travel Perks

TikTok screenshots
TikTok | @yeaboyyyyyyd

Check this out, guys. Did you know that as a Costco member, you can get amazing deals on travel? I definitely did not. For example, you get a $500 food and beverage credit when you book this trip to Maui. They also have amazing discounts on cruises, so keep that in mind.

Shop At Costco Business Center

Costco Business center
TikTok | @mariawilsun

Okay, I have to admit I've never heard of this. But did you know that you can shop at a Costco Business Center instead of just a regular Costco? Um, what? Apparently, they have a lot more stock, and you can get even the elusive toilet paper, hee-hee. And you don't need a special membership to shop there either.

This Best Kept Secret

Costco Kirkland brand coffee
TikTok | @amidstthechaos

I don't know about you, but I love Costco's signature Kirkland brand. But here's something I didn't know. As it turns out, Kirkland doesn't actually produce any of their own goods. Everything that has the Kirkland brand on it is actually another high-end brand. This coffee is actually Starbucks coffee sold at a much cheaper price. OMG!

These Lululemon Dupes

Costco leggings
TikTok | @clarks_condensed

Ladies who love to shop at Lululemon, listen up. Did you know that you can buy Lulu-style leggings at Costco? Oh, yes, that's right. They may not say that on the tag, but many people confirmed that these indeed are Lulu leggings that you can get a Costco for a fraction of the cost. Oh my!

I hope you'll find these Costco tips useful.

mind showing mind blown
Giphy | Aminé

I know I have learned a thing or two here. For example, I had no idea that the Kirkland brand was selling brand-name items for a fraction of the price. That's amazing, isn't it? I feel so much better buying this brand now.