3 Ways a Costco Membership Can Save You Money Even if You Live Alone

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Many shoppers rave about Costco. They love the product offerings, and the members-only pricing helps them keep more money in their checking accounts. Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. However, many Costco members live with roommates or have larger families, so they benefit greatly by purchasing groceries and other goods in bulk. But what if you live by yourself? Can a Costco membership help solo households save money? The answer is yes. I’ll explain some of the ways a Costco membership can save you money even if you live alone. 1. Purchase discounted gift cardsYou can buy cheap gift cards from Costco. This is one membership perk I never thought much about before becoming a member. I joined nearly three months ago and have already saved $90 thanks to discount gift card deals from Costco. Costco offers gift cards for many popular retailers, including entertainment brands, restaurants, and airlines. Whether you use the gift cards to pay for everyday purchases yourself or give them as gifts, this is a fantastic membership perk.As a solo shopper, buying discounted gift cards at Costco is an easy way to save money. Want to save even more at Costco? Use a rewards credit card to pay for your Costco haul. Click here to explore our curated list of the top credit cards for Costco shoppers.2. Fill up your gas tank One big membership perk is the ability to get discounts on gasoline. This is especially helpful if you drive a vehicle with a bigger gas tank or put a lot of miles on your car. Those who live alone can save a lot of money when filling up their gas tanks at Costco. The savings vary by location. Let’s see how much you could save on one fill-up. According to AAA, the average cost per gallon of regular gasoline in the city of Chicago is $3.615 at the time of writing. Meanwhile, the per-gallon price for regular gasoline at the Chicago South Loop Costco Warehouse is $3.299. Let’s imagine you drive a sedan with a 15-gallon gas tank. The average cost elsewhere would be $54.23 for a full tank of gasoline, but you’d pay $49.49 at Costco, saving you $4.74. While that may not sound like much, the savings add up every time you fill your tank. If you have a Costco near your home or work, consider joining for the gas savings. Related: Take a look at our favorite strategy to maximize your savings at Costco. 3. Stock up on over-the-counter (OTC) medications Here’s another way people who live alone can save money at Costco. The warehouse club brand sells OTC medications at affordable prices. You can stock up your medicine cabinet without worrying about going broke. Here’s one example of the potential savings for allergy sufferers: You can get a 365-tablet pack of Kirkland Signature Aller-Tec medication at your local club for around $14.49. Its active ingredients are comparable to those in Zyrtec. Meanwhile, Target’s generic version costs more. A 300-count of up&up Cetirizine Hydrochloride Allergy Relief Tablets costs $31.99. You’ll save $17.50 and get more medication with your Costco card. This is just one example of how single households can save money when buying OTC medications at Costco. You can also save money when buying cough and cold medications, pain relievers, fever reducers, and more. Costco is for everyone Many items sold in bulk at Costco are a great fit for multi-person households. But a Costco membership can help you save money even if you live alone. This is just a sample of how you can benefit financially by having a Costco membership card in your wallet.Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)
We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco. Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.
Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Natasha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

Many shoppers rave about Costco. They love the product offerings, and the members-only pricing helps them keep more money in their checking accounts.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

However, many Costco members live with roommates or have larger families, so they benefit greatly by purchasing groceries and other goods in bulk. But what if you live by yourself?

Can a Costco membership help solo households save money? The answer is yes. I’ll explain some of the ways a Costco membership can save you money even if you live alone.

1. Purchase discounted gift cards

You can buy cheap gift cards from Costco. This is one membership perk I never thought much about before becoming a member. I joined nearly three months ago and have already saved $90 thanks to discount gift card deals from Costco.

Costco offers gift cards for many popular retailers, including entertainment brands, restaurants, and airlines. Whether you use the gift cards to pay for everyday purchases yourself or give them as gifts, this is a fantastic membership perk.

As a solo shopper, buying discounted gift cards at Costco is an easy way to save money.

Want to save even more at Costco? Use a rewards credit card to pay for your Costco haul. Click here to explore our curated list of the top credit cards for Costco shoppers.

2. Fill up your gas tank

One big membership perk is the ability to get discounts on gasoline. This is especially helpful if you drive a vehicle with a bigger gas tank or put a lot of miles on your car. Those who live alone can save a lot of money when filling up their gas tanks at Costco. The savings vary by location.

Let’s see how much you could save on one fill-up. According to AAA, the average cost per gallon of regular gasoline in the city of Chicago is $3.615 at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, the per-gallon price for regular gasoline at the Chicago South Loop Costco Warehouse is $3.299. Let’s imagine you drive a sedan with a 15-gallon gas tank. The average cost elsewhere would be $54.23 for a full tank of gasoline, but you’d pay $49.49 at Costco, saving you $4.74.

While that may not sound like much, the savings add up every time you fill your tank. If you have a Costco near your home or work, consider joining for the gas savings.

Related: Take a look at our favorite strategy to maximize your savings at Costco.

3. Stock up on over-the-counter (OTC) medications

Here’s another way people who live alone can save money at Costco. The warehouse club brand sells OTC medications at affordable prices. You can stock up your medicine cabinet without worrying about going broke.

Here’s one example of the potential savings for allergy sufferers:

You can get a 365-tablet pack of Kirkland Signature Aller-Tec medication at your local club for around $14.49. Its active ingredients are comparable to those in Zyrtec.

Meanwhile, Target’s generic version costs more. A 300-count of up&up Cetirizine Hydrochloride Allergy Relief Tablets costs $31.99. You’ll save $17.50 and get more medication with your Costco card.

This is just one example of how single households can save money when buying OTC medications at Costco. You can also save money when buying cough and cold medications, pain relievers, fever reducers, and more.

Costco is for everyone

Many items sold in bulk at Costco are a great fit for multi-person households. But a Costco membership can help you save money even if you live alone. This is just a sample of how you can benefit financially by having a Costco membership card in your wallet.

Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)

We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America’s favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco.

Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it’s no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card.

Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends!

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Natasha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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