HOUSTON – With the increased costs of gas and groceries, we are all looking for ways 2 save money. If you have Sam’s Club or Costco memberships, you may not be getting all of the savings you can. We are looking into the unique ways you can save money with a discount club membership.
At KPRC 2 all this week, we are taking a comprehensive look at bulk buying in Houston and beyond for Insiders, starting with the massive stores most bulk shoppers flock to for the best deals available: Costco and Sam’s Club. Be sure to check back on Click2Houston.com and on-air for the full series, chock-full of helpful information, deals and benefits you might not know about to help you make better decisions. Also this added perk -- get connected with fellow shoppers with a keen eye on savings. Become an KPRC 2 Insider here!
See our full bulk buying series:
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You don’t have to buy in bulk or even step inside a warehouse chain to realize big savings. Before you can save money at these warehouse clubs, you’ve got to spend it. A basic Costco annual membership will cost you $60. A Sam’s Club membership is $45. It’s going up to $50 next month.
Shop for auto insurance discounts
You can shop online or in-store to get exclusive member prices on lots of stuff you probably don’t need! But did you know Costco offers its members home and auto insurance? You can get a quote, even if you’re not a member!
We asked Brazos Insurance Agency to see if they could find a similar full-coverage plan to what we got at Costco. Policies are through American Family Insurance.
The quote: 2011 Toyota Sienna is $569.40 for a 6-month policy with Safeco and $520 with Progressive.
Costco quoted $468 for the same coverage and deductibles, savings of 10% ($52).
Membership store tires
Tires are another necessity to keep you moving safely down the road. We shopped the same set of BF Goodrich tires from Discount Tire, Sam’s Club, and Costco.
- Costco’s price was the lowest at $837.88
- Sam’s Club came in at $855.96
- And Discount Tire was $956
Shop for travel deals
A five-night Disney cruise out of Galveston in December is $1,216 a person from Disney.
We found the exact cruise and dates for $843 a person on the cruise shopping website Cheapest.
With a Costco membership, the same cruise and same dates are $735 a person. Costco throws in a Costco gift card worth at least $95.
Deals on home services at membership clubs
A lot of times spending money on your home is not the most fun way to spend money. Utilize membership clubs for some of those things you need around the home. For example, Sam’s Club pest control home services. You can get $50 off services plus a $25 Sam’s gift card.
Costco sells popular A/C units along with installation. You must have a home visit before getting a quote. Costco offers a 10% Costco shop card when buying.
Sam’s Club telehealth medical visits start at $45 per visit. You can be treated for dozens of medical conditions. This offer is not an insurance product. Sam’s Club members that take advantage of this offer are responsible for payment of the per visit fee and shall not submit reimbursement claims for the services to any third-party insurance company.
Discounted gift cards
One big way to save is to buy gift cards your family will use. Both Sam’s and Costco have a large variety of discounted gift cards.
For example, Costco sells $100 in X-box gaming gift cards for $89. We found Top Golf gift cards at one Costco location.
You can also buy restaurant gift cards. For example, $85 Outback gift cards for $74 or $50 shake shack for $37.50. You can also find gift cards for Airbnb or Southwest Airlines.
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