My one simple hack to save money on your monthly expenses today is to become a member of a Costco Wholesale near you. My family saves a ton of money on food, household supplies, gas, medication, toiletries, clothes and other products. Below are five examples of products we save money on.

Membership can be free

Costo have many types of membership, each type requires an annual fee. We purchase the Gold Star Executive membership for an annual fee of $120 because we get a rebate check at the end of the year. My 2019 annual rebate check totaled $179 (it can only be spent at Costco). The rebate check is an annual 2% (or more depending on product) reward on eligible Costco and Costco travel purchases. So, our rebate typically pays for our annual membership dues. Note, results may very depending on your spending habits. For more information about Costo membership rates and benefits, click here.

1. Gas savings

I drive a gas guzzling SUV, so I get around 14 miles per a gallon. I have to buy premium gas for optimum performance. As of today, January 13, 2020, premium gas at my local Costo is $3.22 per gallon versus $3.51 at a local ARCO. On average I fill up about once per a week, 20 gallons. So, if I fill up on average four times per a month, I would spend around $257 per a month buying from Costo verus around $281 per a month at ARCO, a monthly savings of around $24.00 per a month or around $288.00 per a year.

2. Milk savings

We buy around 2 gallons of milk per week. At a local grocery store, we would pay around $12 per 2 gallons of organic 2% milk versus paying around $9 for 2 gallons of 2% organic milk at Costco. So, we save around $12 per month or $144 per year.

3. Toilet paper savings

We buy a Charmin 30 roll pack of toilet paper for around $18.50 about every 3 months. A national chain sells the same 30 roll pack for around $29.77. So, we save around $11.27 every 3 months or $45.08 per year.

4. Bread savings

We buy a two pack (2 two loaves) of Artesano bread ever other week at Costco for around $4.00. At a local grocery store, it would cost around $7.00 for two loaves of Artesano bread. So, we save around $6 per month or $72 per year for bread.

5. Lotion savings

We buy a two pack of 20 oz Cetaphil moisturizing cream (40 oz) every month for around $15.00. You can find it at a national retailer for $.68 per oz or around $27.00 for 40 oz of cream. So, we save around $12 per month or $144 per year on moisturizing cream.

Total savings

For these few products that we use consistently through out the year, we save annually almost $700! It adds up fast!

• Gas savings = $288.00
• Milk savings = $144.00
• Toilet paper savings = $45.08
• Bread savings = $72.00
• Lotion savings = $144.00
• Total annual savings = $693.08

Please keep in mind that savings will vary based your family’s individual purchase habits. And, you’ll still need to shop smart and know what products are a good deal and which products you can get somewhere else cheaper. Join Costco, save money on your monthly expenses today!