The Margin: 10 ‘unexpected’ bargains at Costco

A virtual lovefest erupted in Reddit’s “Frugal” message board this week after a contributor known as yellowraincoat claimed she pocketed some “unexpected” savings when she finally decided to give a Costco

COST, -0.54%

 membership a whirl.

“Can we simply appreciate how genuinely nice their employees are?” writes tjdb772.

“If every company in this country operated like Costco we would still have a middle class and be a much better place to live,” says philasurfer.

Beyond the fawning, it turns out yellowraincoat’s surprise at getting a smoking deal on contact lenses led other Costco fans to share what they believe to be overlooked bargains — aside from the obvious hot dogs and free samples.

Here are ten of the most popular penny savers:

1. “They have the cheapest gas and propane around” — yeah-what.

It might not be worth the added hassle of going out of your way for a Costco fill-up, but there are certainly big savings to be made at the pump. For instance, the average cost of a tank of gas in California today is $3.04. Costco is currently selling it for $2.66 a gallon across Los Angeles.

2. “Another Costco benefit people often overlook is their car insurance. I saved nearly $300 a year with their car insurance” — greengrass88.

According to auto and home insurer Ameriprise, greengrass88 might be underselling it because Costco members report savings, on average, of $541.69 in their first year after making the switch.

3. “Our entire vacation package was from Costco to Hawaii and it was incredibly affordable and so convenient” — namastemeanshello.

Costco Travel was launched in 2000 and has enjoyed enormous group since then, thanks to hot deals on cruises, vacation packages, theme parks, etc. This is how one shopping blog describes it: “Instead of negotiating the best deal on a 5 gallon tub of mayo, they’re using their buying power to buy cruises and vacation packages at a bulk rate. Because of this, Costco members get to shop their travel site for deals that’re often 20-50% less than ‘normal’ travel agents or travel sites.”

4. “Their prescriptions are less expensive, too” — memetunis.

Costco’s pharmacy offers massive potential savings for members, according to Courtney Jespersen, a retail expert at NerdWallet. “If you or your family are in a position that you require a lot of prescription medicines, then a Costco membership can be one of the most valuable investments you’ll make,” she said.

And it’s not just the drugs…

5. “I priced the flu shot at pharmacies near me. Uninsured, so I pay out of pocket. RiteAid, CVS and Walgreens were all in the $40-45 range. Costco was $20. and I didn’t need a membership” — Mtnskydancer.

Read: Is Costco’s new $60 annual membership fee worth it?

6. “I have 2 meds that I have to give my cat (rescued a cat with heart issues unknowingly). They’re $45/yr at Costco. They’re $120-200 at other places” — shiccy.

The pharma savings clearly don’t end with humans. From Costco Rx: “When your veterinarian suggests a treatment for your dog or cat that includes a new prescription, say you’re a Costco member and that you likely will save money by getting the medication from a Costco pharmacy. The vet will be able to call or fax the prescription directly to Costco or write a prescription for you to take to the pharmacy.”

7. “It would absolutely be worth a Costco membership just to buy a new set of tires, even if you never went there for anything else” — COKeefe88.

Tires are definitely among the most mentioned items, though some contend that the big savings are mostly reserved for the high-end brands.

8. “Hearing aid batteries are ridiculously inexpensive too. You can get a 6-month supply at Costco for the price of one pack from any other store” — CARROT-LIFE.

Costco’s made a big push in getting affordable hearing aids into the ears of it members. According to Market Research Reports, Costco has enjoyed double-digit sales growth in hearing aid sales in recent years and has seen its number of in-store hearing booths and audiologists quadruple in the last decade to more than 500.

9. “Caskets for cheap, too” — towmeaway.

Somebody who just lost a loved one might not be in the mood for shopping around for discounted caskets, but Costco is the place to go if cost is an issue. In fact, a Costco casket can cost under $1,000 with shipping included. That’s less than half of what the average casket goes for elsewhere.

Read: Costco and Amazon even have deals on caskets.

10. “My glasses Rx with progressive lenses was only $150…Without insurance! Target Optical wanted to charge me $250” — Tksourced.

Consumer Reports agrees. Costco topped the list of eyeglass retailers for overall satisfaction in Consumer Reports’ 2016 survey. Respondents who bought glasses at Costco had a median out-of-pocket cost of $184, nearly $200 less than the cost you might expect to pay elsewhere.

Of course, not everybody loves everything about Costco. There are the lines, the lack of shopping bags, etc. But when it comes to pricing — on just about anything — it’s hard to beat.