There are many benefits to having a Costco membership. You can score a ton of great items at a discount, like furniture, discounted gas, and bulk groceries. However, my family has a checkered relationship with Costco because we never seem to find the right items to make the membership worth it.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t look for a good deal when shopping for groceries and household goods. Here’s how we save money instead.
1. Aldi is the ultimate food saver
Aldi is my family’s go-to place to save money. Of course, they don’t have the same selection of food as regular grocery stores, but going into the store and not knowing exactly what you’re going to find is part of the fun! And where else can you get a dozen eggs for less than $2??
Inflation has driven up food prices over the past two years, putting a strain on many Americans’ grocery budgets. Yet Aldi is one of the few grocery stores where you feel like you’re still getting a good deal. Some of the latest research shows that prices at Aldi are 6% cheaper than Walmart for a basket of 50 common household items.
2. BOGO deals at my favorite grocery store
I’m not telling you anything you probably don’t already know, but one of the best ways to really save money on grocery shopping is to find the weekly buy two, get two free deals at your local grocery store. My family’s favorite store for BOGO deals is Publix, where we often buy cereal, packaged salads, and granola on sale.
And as a bonus, Publix’s customer service makes it one of my favorite grocery stores. Publix employees once rushed to help my wife when she was suffering from morning sickness in the store and even held our cart full of groceries for us while I rushed her home. It’s no surprise that Publix recently topped the list in a customer satisfaction survey, tied with Costco and HEB.
3. Subscribe and save with Amazon
One of my kids recently got really excited when he saw a huge Amazon box in the living room and immediately asked if he could open it. To his disappointment, it was filled mostly with hand soap and cleaning wipes from our Subscribe & Save order. As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s cheap cleaning products.
Amazon says you can save up to 15% on essential items with Subscribe & Save. And while it takes a little management to make sure you get the items you want when you need them, the savings we’re getting are worth the effort.
4. Walmart Pickups
For everything else my family buys that doesn’t come from Aldi, Amazon or Publix, we typically use Walmart’s pickup service. You place your order online, reserve a time slot, and let them know when you’ll arrive at the store. Once you’re there, an associate brings the groceries to you and loads them into your car.
Online ordering is relatively easy to manage and you can make changes to the order up to three hours before your pickup time. Some estimates show that Walmart’s prices are 13% lower than the average grocery store, making Walmart’s pickup service convenient And cheap.
While Costco is a great way to save money, there are plenty of other places to find great deals. Just keep in mind that if you’re having some of your groceries delivered, the big box may not be as exciting as you’d hoped.
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I Just Let My Costco Membership Expire. Here’s Where I Shop to Save Money was originally published by The Motley Fool
