Mindy

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. The meat counter will grind a specific cut into hamburger on request.
Want chuck or brisket ground fresh instead of pre-packaged? They'll do it while you shop if you buy the whole primal cut.

2. You can get a free trial of the Executive membership and downgrade later.
Sign up for Executive, track your 2% reward, and if you don't earn back the fee, they'll refund the difference and downgrade you.

3. The optical shop includes progressive lenses at a fraction of chain store prices.
What costs $400 at LensCrafters costs $180 here with the same coatings. The savings on one pair covers your annual membership.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. Kirkland hops flowers are whole cones.
The most aromatic form for tea. Most brands use bitter pellets.

2. The optical center replaces broken pad arms for free.
Walk in with snapped nose pad arms and they solder or replace them. Works on any brand.

3. The bakery sells plain hot cross bun dough rounds unfilled.
Fill with dried fruit and spice and bake fresh. Soft, fragrant, and cost less than British bakeries.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. Thick hardwood cutting boards never warp or harbor bacteria.
One board handles every chopping job for years and is kind to knives.

2. Kirkland PABA is in para-aminobenzoic acid form.
Your body uses it for folic acid synthesis and skin health. Most brands have removed this nutrient.

3. Kirkland dried longan is unsweetened and naturally honeyed.
Not canned syrup fruit. Chewy, floral, and actually tastes like real longan.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. Buy whole pork loins and ask the butcher to slice them free.
Custom thickness, no extra charge. You get perfect center-cut chops for half the pre-packaged price.

2. The floral department will wrap any bouquet for free.
Buy roses on Friday and they will last through Sunday brunch. The florists also add preservative packets that extend vase life.

3. The clothing section carries Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger at outlet prices.
Check the center tables first. The inventory turns fast but the deals are better than outlet malls.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. The optical department accepts FSA and HSA cards for sunglasses.
Prescription sunglasses qualify as a medical expense. Buy them at the optical counter with your FSA or HSA card and it's fully covered. Most people burn their FSA at the drugstore in December. Buy prescription shades in summer and use the funds before they expire.

2. The special events desk coordinates wedding cake tastings.
Order a tiered wedding cake through the bakery and they'll schedule a private tasting for two at no charge. You sample flavors, fillings, and frostings. A three-tier cake that feeds 150 costs under $200. Most bakeries charge $600 for the same thing.

3. The produce department will special-order cases of anything they carry.
Need twenty pounds of organic blueberries for canning? A case of avocados for a party? The produce manager can order a full flat or case at the per-pound price. It arrives in 48 hours and you pick it up at the loading dock. No markup, no minimum beyond the case size.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. The floral department makes funeral sprays at half the florist price.
A standing spray that costs $200 at a funeral home is $89 here. The designer has 20 years of experience and knows what every denomination expects. Order same-day if you call before 10 a.m. It is a service no one wants to think about until they need it.

2. The travel desk guarantees ground-floor accessible hotel rooms in writing.
If stairs hurt your knees, mention it when booking. They have direct contracts with hotel accessibility managers and confirm in writing that your room has a walk-in shower, grab bars, and lowered fixtures. Other sites list rooms as accessible that have a step into the shower. Costco's guarantee is in your confirmation email.

3. Kirkland glucosamine is the same joint supplement as Move Free.
Same 1500mg glucosamine, same 1200mg chondroitin, same MSM. Move Free charges $35 for 120 tablets. Kirkland gives you 375 for $22. If your knees crack on stairs or your fingers are stiff in the morning, this is the identical supplement. The pharmacist takes it for her own arthritis.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. The produce department stocks pre-washed organic salad greens cheaper than whole conventional heads.
A pound of triple-washed organic spring mix is priced lower per ounce than a single unwashed iceberg head. If arthritis makes chopping and washing painful, this is your answer. The bags are nitrogen-flushed so they stay fresh for ten days. You're saving money and saving your hands at the same time.

2. The hearing aid center has free TV streamers that connect hearing aids directly to your television.
No more blasting the TV while your partner reads in the next room. Every hearing aid purchase includes a small box that plugs into your TV and streams audio straight to your aids. Other audiologists charge $250 for this accessory. At Costco, it's in the box, and the technician will set it up and show you the volume control before you leave.

3. The special events desk coordinates book club catering packages for twelve people.
Sandwich platters, cheese boards, wine selections, and dessert trays tailored to your book club's dietary needs. A full spread for twelve runs under $75. The coordinator will even suggest wine pairings based on the book's setting. It's the same food you'd spend $200 on at a caterer, and they'll package it in disposable trays so cleanup takes two minutes.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. The hearing aid center offers free cleanings even if you bought elsewhere.
Walk in with any brand of hearing aid and they'll clean the wax guards, replace the domes, and run a full diagnostic at no charge. Most audiologists charge $50 for this. The techs are trained on every major manufacturer, not just Costco's house brand.

2. Seasonal patio furniture goes on clearance the week after July 4th.
Not Labor Day. Not August. The real markdown starts July 5th. Managers are pressured to clear floor space for back-to-school, so outdoor sets drop 40-60% overnight. If you can wait one week past the holiday, you save hundreds on the exact same set your neighbor bought in May.

3. The optical department will adjust any glasses for free.
Bent frame? Loose screw? Nose pads turning yellow? Walk into any Costco optical counter and they'll fix it in under five minutes. You don't need to have purchased the glasses there. They keep a full toolkit and replacement parts for every major brand.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Here's what Costco doesn't want you to know: 🤫

1. The hearing aid center offers free tinnitus masking consultations.
If you suffer from ringing ears, book a free consultation. They'll program a hearing aid with white noise masking technology and let you trial it for 90 days. Audiologists charge $200 just for the consultation.

2. You can get a full refund on your Executive Membership if rewards don't cover the cost.
At renewal, if your 2% check is less than the $60 upgrade fee, ask for a "satisfaction downgrade refund." They'll refund the difference in cash. This is in the policy manual but never mentioned at signup.

3. The meat department will grind a fresh chuck roast into burger while you wait.
Pick a whole chuck roast from the case and ask the butcher to "double grind" it. You'll get fresher, leaner ground beef than the pre-packaged trays, and it costs the same per pound. They just need a five-minute heads-up.

Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.

Costco hacks they won't say out loud: 🤫

1. The vitamin bottles have a "best by" date, but the pharmacy staff told me unopened fish oil and probiotics are good for a full year past that date if stored in the fridge.
They can't say it aloud due to liability, but they do it themselves. Stock up during the January health sales and don't worry.

2. You can order a custom "meat and cheese" board from the deli counter 48 hours ahead.
Tell them your budget—say $40—and they'll build a charcuterie spread that feeds 12, complete with crackers and dried fruit. It looks like you hired a caterer.

3. The optical shop replaces nose pads and temple tips for free on any brand.
I brought in 10-year-old Coach frames and they had silicone parts that fit perfectly, zero charge. They keep a drawer of universal parts just for this.

4. Here's what management actively keeps quiet from customers:

TESAVERS.COM is where you can get a $749 Costco g!ft card by signing up as a product tester and giving feedback.

I signed up right after I left, and it's covered my membership plus groceries for months.

Everyone qualifies, and I saw tons of members use this every week.

Comment "Savings" and I'll DM you the full guide to join.