If you have multiple people living under your roof, then joining Costco could be a smart financial decision. That’s because Costco’s bulk pricing makes it easy to save money on groceries and household essentials like paper towels and cleaning supplies.
When you live solo, it’s a bit harder to make the case to join Costco. Chances are, buying food in bulk won’t make sense, and you may not need 12 boxes of tissues at a time if you live alone.
But that doesn’t mean you should write off the idea of joining Costco. You may find that getting a membership pays off even if it’s just you.
Why people who live solo can benefit from Costco
If you live alone and tend to only cook for yourself, it may not make sense to buy your groceries at Costco. A better bet is probably to stick to buying smaller quantities at a regular supermarket and use a great credit card to earn cash back on your food purchases. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for groceries.
But remember, food isn’t the only thing Costco sells. Not even close. And your membership might easily pay off based on the savings you get on other purchases.
Non-perishables
First, let’s talk about some household essentials. You may not go through cleaning spray and toilet paper as quickly as a family of five. But that doesn’t mean you won’t use up those products eventually. So if you have plenty of storage, buying them at Costco could save you money.
Gas
Also, Costco happens to offer some of the cheapest gas around — and it’s TOP TIER certified, meaning it’s very high in quality. Let’s say you put 12 gallons of gas in your car each week, and that buying gas at Costco saves you $0.20 per gallon. That’s $2.40 in weekly savings.
But when you multiply that by 50 weeks, it comes to $120. Since a Gold Star membership at Costco costs $65, in this example, you come out ahead by $55, even if the only thing you ever buy at Costco is fuel for your car.
Big-ticket items
Also, remember that Costco offers competitive prices on everything from electronics to apparel to travel packages. These are perks you can take advantage of even if you live alone.
Gift cards
Finally, don’t forget Costco’s discounted gift cards. If you’re able to scoop up $100 worth of gift cards to a restaurant you visit often for $75 or $80, and you do that three times during the year, that alone pays for your membership fee.
Consider splitting a membership for maximum value
There are plenty of ways to maximize a Costco membership when you live alone. But you can also split the cost of a membership with a friend or neighbor.
Now, the rules technically state that a total of two people can be on the same Costco membership, with one being the primary and the other being a household member over age 16 and living at the same address as you. But even if you only get one membership card issued to you by Costco, you’re allowed to bring up to two adult guests with you to the store.
So you could coordinate with someone to visit Costco together once or twice a month, or on whatever schedule works for you, and share the cost of a membership. You may also want to see if it’s possible to split bulk food purchases for added savings.
All told, there’s no reason to write off a Costco membership just because you’re a household of one. You may not get the exact same benefit as a larger household, but that doesn’t mean the fee won’t be worth paying.
