Costco Coupons 4/12/12 - 5/6/12

green for you

red for costco

not in the mail for me...will keep an eye out though, thanks op! you can also get these from customer service desk near the exit.

linrick said:   i don't get it, you have to have a membership to buy things at the warehouse

There are number of reasons, including lifetime warranty on items (now electronics have an added extra year only free/computer are 6months(?).
For coupons, costco doesnt accept manufacturer's coupons, hence they print them. Easy return policy, even though some abuse it.

Just bought those vitamin C last week. Do they refund the difference if it is on sale this coming week?

erincast said:   Just bought those vitamin C last week. Do they refund the difference if it is on sale this coming week?
You have to re-buy and return w/ the old receipt here in NJ or you can just return the old vitamin and buy the a new one.

linrick said:   i don't get it, you have to have a membership to buy things at the warehouse anyway, why does costco bother to print and send out the coupon books at all? my membership expired anyway, can't justify another $55 to renew membership because i've not shop there often anymore.

What pisses me off is that they keep jacking up the membership fee, all that gets you is in the door. Not like a gym membership where you are coming in to use the equipment. Costco you still have buy every thing once you get in the door.

mdyoung said:   linrick said:   i don't get it, you have to have a membership to buy things at the warehouse anyway, why does costco bother to print and send out the coupon books at all? my membership expired anyway, can't justify another $55 to renew membership because i've not shop there often anymore.

What pisses me off is that they keep jacking up the membership fee, all that gets you is in the door. Not like a gym membership where you are coming in to use the equipment. Costco you still have buy every thing once you get in the door.

The membership fee was raised by $5 last year after approximately 5 years of no raises of the fee. It's the business model. The markup at the warehouse covers operating costs, the membership fee is profit to stockholders.

You are free to join, go to the warehouse, and not buy anything. Lunchtime usually finds plenty of free tasting samples

Of course, if you don't like it some wouldn't mind if you weren't on the checkout line in front of them so they could process their cart faster

airtime said:   u2head8 said:   linrick said:   i don't get it, you have to have a membership to buy things at the warehouse anyway, why does costco bother to print and send out the coupon books at all? my membership expired anyway, can't justify another $55 to renew membership because i've not shop there often anymore.

but thanks for posting the coupons.
I don't see the idea also. They should just email and save some money. They used to make us running to the customer desk to ask for a copy if we forgot the coupon but they just scan for everyone now.

Customer service at Costco's in Mt. Laurel, NJ is getting worst also. I'm thinking about Sam's Club but Costco's is on my way to work.

I'm a vendor with Costco, trust me, it does not Costco a dime to send those coupons out, all us vendors inside the coupon book share the cost of producing and mailing those out. Its just part of the deal we sign with them. And the discounts, its not Costco giving the discounts, its also the vendors.

As for membership, I use the Costco AMEX Business card which gives me back enough CashBack discount to justify it. (I recently got back close to $400)

$400??? Baller! I work for a vendor that sells Costco. I wish my wife were as skinny as the margins.

copperwire said:   airtime said:   u2head8 said:   linrick said:   i don't get it, you have to have a membership to buy things at the warehouse anyway, why does costco bother to print and send out the coupon books at all? my membership expired anyway, can't justify another $55 to renew membership because i've not shop there often anymore.

but thanks for posting the coupons.
I don't see the idea also. They should just email and save some money. They used to make us running to the customer desk to ask for a copy if we forgot the coupon but they just scan for everyone now.

Customer service at Costco's in Mt. Laurel, NJ is getting worst also. I'm thinking about Sam's Club but Costco's is on my way to work.

I'm a vendor with Costco, trust me, it does not Costco a dime to send those coupons out, all us vendors inside the coupon book share the cost of producing and mailing those out. Its just part of the deal we sign with them. And the discounts, its not Costco giving the discounts, its also the vendors.

As for membership, I use the Costco AMEX Business card which gives me back enough CashBack discount to justify it. (I recently got back close to $400)

$400??? Baller! I work for a vendor that sells Costco. I wish my wife were as skinny as the margins.

Does your wife think you're perfect or did she get you at Costco where she'll soon be taking you -- to the return desk?

pietromoon said:   copperwire said:   

Baller! ...I wish my wife were as skinny as the margins.

Pics please

How do I take a pic of 5% under market? <5%> I guess. Or did you mean my wife?

thanks OP.....this gives us a good headsup on what to plan on not buying before 4/12.

not clear

$5 increase? It's been a long time (I don't even remember how far back!) it's been the same price. Even at the executive level - double the price, you get 2% Cash Back and Costco guarantee's (for one year only) that you will make up the difference of $110 (executive) vs $55 (gold) in rebates, or they will refund the difference to you. Impressive! I am a family of two - we have no problem making up the difference.

Take a different example... airline baggage fees. Remember when they were, FREE. Then $10, $15, $25 - for each bag, for each person, for each direction of travel, all in a matter of a few years. That's the rip off - not $5 upped in Costco fees.

Yay! The return of the Skinny Cow coupons!

Kinda getting off-topic for this thread, but this is the last year I'm paying for a Costco membership. For me, personally, the number of trips I've taken there is diminishing and the annual fee no longer justifies any potential savings for me. In fact, I'm pretty sure I spend more there than I should on impulse buys and "perceived good deals" that I failed to research.

What I did on my last trip was purchase a dozen Costco Cash gift cards, each for a $10 amount. There was no issue with this and no questions asked. Costco Cash cards permit entry to the store and checkout, work online, have no fees, never diminish in value, and never expire. I plan to use one on each trip, and if we run out, to buy more via a friend or family member that has an active card.

Anyone know if buying the Executive membership has any added benefits? I think I figured that I'd have to spend at least $2750 to break even on the Cash Back and no way I spend that much. At least at Sam's business members can get in several hours before the general public which is good but I don't see that at Costco. The ones around here don't open until 10 am which kinda sucks.

Costco does have designated shopping hours for Exec Members. Thursdays 9 - 11 or something like that. Never ended up shopping during those hours though. I have always made more than $55 back with my exec membership. If you have gas in your Costco that's usually a pretty good deal too.

VirginiaDC said:   Anyone know if buying the Executive membership has any added benefits? I think I figured that I'd have to spend at least $2750 to break even on the Cash Back and no way I spend that much. At least at Sam's business members can get in several hours before the general public which is good but I don't see that at Costco. The ones around here don't open until 10 am which kinda sucks.

The Executive membership is clearly designed to attract and reward those who do some "substantial" shopping at Costco. Yes, $2,750 at 2% would be necessary to cover the $55 more than the "regular" membership, but spending on two cards issued under an executive member count towards the amount on which the 2% is figured.

Yes, there are some additional discounts or payments offered to Executive Members other than the 2% bonus on spending at Costco. Usually they are associated with "partner" offers. You can browse the kiosks at the warehouse exits or the .com site to find offers, which may change from time to time, but see one in an attachment included with this response as an example. If that offer interests you, yes its a bank offer and rates change from time to time and you may find better rates. But if the attached interested you it could be worth $40 towards one year of Executive Membership. (Note: See the "account bonus" on the left side of the image and the difference between what is offered to "regular" vs. "Executive" members.)

At the same time, the Executive Membership does not fit everyone's needs and presumably that's why its offer as an alternative to the other membership types.

Costco by us in SE Michigan do not have special hours for Executive members.