I Just Let My Costco Membership Run Out. Here’s Where I Shop to Save Money

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There’s a lot to like about a Costco membership. You can score tons of great items at a discount, like furniture, discounted gas, and bulk food items. However, my family has an on-and-off relationship with Costco because we never seem to find the right items to make the membership feel worth it.

But that doesn’t mean we’re not on the hunt for a good deal when shopping for groceries and home goods. Here’s where we save money instead.

1. Aldi is the ultimate grocery budget saver

Aldi is my family’s go-to destination for saving money. Sure, you don’t get the same food options as you do at regular grocery stores, but walking into the store and not knowing exactly what you’ll find is part of the fun! Also, where else can you get a dozen eggs for less than $2?

Inflation pushed grocery prices up over the past two years, straining many Americans’ grocery budgets. Yet Aldi is one of the only grocery stores where you can feel as if you’re still getting a good deal. Some of the latest research shows Aldi prices are 6% cheaper than Walmart for a basket of 50 common household items.

2. BOGO deals at my favorite grocery store

I’m not telling you anything you probably don’t know already, but one of the best ways to save serious cash on groceries is to find the weekly buy-one-get-one-free deals at your local grocery store. My family’s go-to store for BOGO deals is Publix, where we often buy cereal, bagged salad, and granola on sale.

As a bonus, Publix’s customer service makes it one of my favorite grocery stores to shop in. Publix employees once rushed to help my wife when she had a bout of morning sickness in the store and even held our cart full of groceries for us while I quickly drove her back home. It’s no surprise that Publix recently ranked at the top of the list of a customer satisfaction survey, tied with Costco and H-E-B.

3. Subscribe & Save with Amazon

One of my kids recently got very excited to see a huge Amazon box in the living room and immediately asked if he could open it. To his disappointment, it was filled mostly with hand soap and cleaning wipes from our Subscribe & Save order. As the saying goes, one man’s junk is another man’s discounted cleaning supplies.

Amazon says you can save up to 15% on essentials with Subscribe & Save. And while it takes a little managing to ensure you get the items you want when you need them, the savings we get are well worth the effort.

4. Walmart pickups

For everything else my family buys that doesn’t come from Aldi, Amazon, or Publix, we usually turn to Walmart’s pickup service. You place your order online, reserve a time slot, and tell them when you arrive at the store. Once you’re there, an employee brings the groceries to you and loads them in your car.

Managing the order online is relatively easy, and you can make changes to the order up to three hours before your pickup time. Some estimates show Walmart’s prices are 13% lower than the average grocery store’s, making Walmart’s pickup service convenient and cheap.

While Costco is a great option to save money, there are plenty of other places to find great deals. Just remember that if you have some of your groceries delivered, the large box may not be as exciting as you were hoping.

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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. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Chris Neiger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Costco Wholesale, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.