I saved almost $500 by canceling my Costco membership and joining a rival – my fridge/freezer rule helps too

A shopper revealed she saved almost $500 by canceling her Costco membership and switching purchases.

Costco is one of the three largest wholesalers in the United States, joined by Sam’s Club and BJ’s.

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Wholesalers are stores that sell large quantities of products for a reduced unit price, helping shoppers save money overall.

Although Costco has received a lot of influence from shoppers, six-year patron Heather McClees switched to Sam’s Club to save money.

In 2018, she said it didn’t take long to be convinced to become a Costco member.

“I grabbed a pen, signed on the dotted line, and cemented (in plastic) my relationship status as a Gold Star member,” she shared on her Apartment Therapy publish.

And despite liking the wholesaler’s products and service, in 2024 she switched to Sam’s Club.

The decision took McClees two years to “finish with [her] beloved warehouse.”

In 2023, she upgraded her Costco membership to gold status rather than abandon the wholesaler.

She kept the plan updated for a year until she started doing the math.

“I learned that I was paying the same amount per ounce at these other non-bulk retailers,” she wrote.

“I also bought smaller quantities on each trip – and in general – when shopping somewhere other than Costco.”

McClees dove into her typical shopping needs and discovered her shopping list wasn’t adequate to take advantage of the benefits of a Costco membership.

Being single, she did not take advantage of the store’s peripheral benefits and only used it for shopping.

So, as a vegan for 15 years, the bulk price of meat and seafood has done absolutely nothing to save you money.

Finally, the items she bought consistently, yogurts, fresh fruits and vegetables, and some condiments, either went bad when bought in bulk or were just excessive quantities.

MAKING A CHANGE

Looking at all these factors, she started crunching the numbers and comparing her shopping expenses at other stores to those at Costco.

“After tracking my costs, I discovered that I was spending less on groceries and household items each month by shopping at stores other than Costco,” she wrote.

“So it made sense for me to not pay the fee to renew my subscription and instead let it expire,” McClees explained.

She then revealed that her simple shopping strategy has saved her almost $500 this year alone.

McClees switched to Sam’s Club, another wholesaler with a cheaper membership fee.

She does a lot of shopping there and then supplements those trips with stops at other local grocery stores, Targetor Wal-Mart.

“I joined Sam’s two years ago (by the way, the membership is cheaper than Costco) and now I buy a lot of my staples there, like toilet paper, paper towels, produce, and yogurt,” she explained.

“I saved a lot of money by doing this over the course of a year. I mainly buy private label items and in smaller quantities overall.”

The single shopper said she would consider renewing her Costco membership if her financial situation changed, but with the wholesaler floating the idea of ​​raising fees, renewal is becoming less and less likely.

The US Sun reached out to Costco for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Membership and store cards offered by major retailers

Here’s a breakdown of the store cards offered to customers from various retailers and their benefits:

Costco:

• Gold Star Membership: $60 per year, shop at all Costco stores and online with two additional cards for your family.
• Executive Member: $120 per year, 2% annual rewards, discounts and additional benefits on Costco services, shop online and in-store and get two additional cards for home use.

Sam’s Club:

• Club membership: $50 Per Year, Bonus Offers, Same Day Delivery, Instant Savings, Sam’s Club Mastercard, Members Only Fuel Savings, Tire & Battery Center, Free Membership and Complimentary Memberships.
• More membership: $110 per year, all the benefits of Club membership plus Sam’s Cash, free shipping, free curbside pickup, advance purchases, and pharmacy and optical discounts.

Target:

• Target Circle: A free rewards program that allows users to earn 1% in Target Circle Earnings rewards when a qualifying purchase is made, access personalized deals and offers, receive a birthday gift, and earn a vote to help direct how Target helps your community .
• Target Circle Card: A credit, debit or reloadable card that offers users 5% off in-store and online, as well as exclusive offers, free two-day shipping and an additional 30-day return window. Formerly Target RedCard.

Walmart:

• Walmart+: $12.95 per month or $98 per year with 30-day free trial. It offers members free delivery, free shipping with no minimum spend, fuel savings, Paramount+ subscription, car, Walmart+ travel, home drop-off, mobile scan and store entry, and early access to offers and product launches.