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I was recently shocked to discover that I’ve been a Costco member for 20 years! Ever since 2004, Costco has been a massive part of my life — not just as a place to shop, but as a state of mind.

That’s right: Costco has changed the way I think about shopping, upgrading my home, and elevating my everyday experiences. Yes, Costco offers great prices. But if you go deeper into the full Costco membership experience, it means so much more than that.

Here are a few of my biggest lessons from the last 20 years — and how they can help you maximize the rewards of your Costco membership.

1. Costco can help you solve problems — big and small

Costco isn’t just a place to shop, it’s my “solutions store.” Costco is there whenever I suddenly realize that I need some random thing for the house, like floor cleaning products or a cordless drill, or when I’m suddenly all out of granola bars, or when I’m dealing with some other short-term crisis with my wardrobe, pantry, home, or car.

In the past 20 years, Costco has helped me solve shopping problems of all kinds, everything from “My kid needs a junior-size tennis racket” to “Uh oh, I need new winter socks” to “Oh no, my car needs new tires.” Costco is the everything store!

2. Costco credit cards help you save even more

I used to pay for Costco purchases with my debit card. That’s because Costco (at the time) only accepted credit card payments from its exclusive cobranded credit card from American Express, and I was not a cardholder.

But in 2016, Costco ended its exclusive Amex partnership and started a new partnership with Visa, allowing warehouse purchases to be made with Visa credit cards. This is more flexible, because you’re not limited to Costco cobranded credit cards.

And some of the best Costco credit cards can help you earn big rewards — like an extra 2% to 3% (or more) of cash back on your Costco purchases.

3. Costco offers new food experiences

Every Costco food sample day is like an indoor food festival. It’s fun to try all the different foods and flavors that you might not otherwise have thought to purchase. If you’re open-minded about food, Costco can be a great place to do your meal planning.

And even though the Costco food package sizes are huge, if you plan ahead and do some meal prep, Costco can give you easy-to-fix home-cooked meals for $5 (or less) per person. Here’s an example of a $5 Costco meal based on recent pricing from Costco Same-Day online grocery shopping (prices may vary by location):

Data source: Author’s calculations; serving sizes may vary

If you buy all the menu items shown in the table above, you’ll get a filling three-course meal for $4.61 per person.

4. Use Costco for home contractor projects

If you need to renovate your bathroom or install a new garage door, it can be hard to know where to start with finding reputable contractors. I didn’t know about this special Costco offering until I’d already been a Costco member for over a decade, but: Costco offers Home & Installation services.

Here’s how it works: Costco connects you with vetted, reliable contractors in your local area for home services like window coverings, kitchen cabinets, garage doors, bath remodels, solar panels, flooring, and more. And you can get a Costco Shop Card as a built-in discount.

5. Costco is there at every stage of life

Need to furnish your first grown-up apartment after moving to a new city to start your career? Costco is there. Need diapers for your new baby? Costco’s got it. Need home health equipment for an aging loved one? Costco has it.

Need eye exams, annual vaccines, prescription drugs, or hearing aids? Costco! Need a casket to be buried in? Costco’s got you covered from cradle to grave.

6. There’s always more to explore with Costco

There are still a lot of Costco services that I haven’t tried yet, like:

• Costco Travel: A friend used Costco Travel to book a family vacation to London, and they loved it.

• Costco Auto: Next time I’m in the market for a car, I’m going to consider using the Costco Auto Program for a no-haggle sales process and special Costco member pricing at participating dealerships.

• Costco Next: This is a unique online shopping portal that gives you special deals on premium products from Costco partner brands — everything from kitchen faucets to bicycles to skin care.

Bottom line

Costco is a foundational part of my life as a shopper and homeowner. It’s helped me and my family live a richer, more convenient life for 20 years. Costco keeps prices low, but it also delivers priceless peace of mind — helping you navigate the complexities of consumer culture with ease.

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.