:format(webp)/images/2024/10/17/adobestock_805669930_editorial_use_only_1.jpeg)
Reprint from FinanceBuzz Editors Last updated Dec. 14, 2025
Do you shop at Costco? If so, you already understand the joy of saving money and finding a great deal. But you’re probably overlooking some other simple ways to be smart with your money.
Don’t worry, though. We compiled a list of genius money hacks that could help your hard-earned dollars go even further. It might not be as good as a $1.50 hot dog meal, but we’re sure you’ll find something helpful.
Make Sure You’re Always Getting The Best Deals at Costco
- If you see an asterisk on a price sign at a Costco warehouse, that typically means the item will not be replenished once it’s sold out. If the item caught your eye, you’ll probably want to snag it now while you can.
- Each Costco warehouse carries around 4,000 items, allowing them to buy in large quantities and passing the savings down to you. But you can find even more items at Costco.com, which also offers online-only savings.
- All members have access to the Costco Savings booklet, which contains savings on a large variety of items. The best part? There is no coupon clipping required — savings are applied directly at checkout.
- Pay attention to prices! Prices ending in .79 typically have been marked down from regular-priced items, which end in .99. Odd pricing, such as .79, .49, or .89 could indicate items Costco got a deal on from the manufacturer. Prices ending in .88 or .00 typically mean managers have reduced the price to clear out inventory. This could also mean the item is discontinued or won’t be restocked.
Amazon Prime members: get a $250 Amazon Gift Card!
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, apply for the Prime Visa(Rates and fees) credit card here and you can get a $250 Amazon Gift Card instantly loaded into your Amazon account’s Gift Card Balance upon approval (get an instant decision within 15 seconds).1
There is no extra work or spending requirement and no annual fee!
The Prime Visa credit card also lets you earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
If you spend a good amount on Amazon this card could be worth $100s in cash back every year. Don’t delay — apply today!
Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.
Click here to apply for the Prime Visa credit card today and get an instant decision in 15 seconds
Illinois Driver? Cancel your car insurance
Driving without car insurance is illegal, but if you do this, you’re not actually breaking the law.
This tool can help you see if you’re overpaying for car insurance in just a few clicks. You’d be shocked by the difference. $159 per month is what they wanted to charge me. I thought that was the best price, don’t even look anywhere else. Right? Wrong.
I used this tool and now I’m able to pay just $47 a month for two cars.2Too many insurance companies do this. They push up our rates and make us pay even more. But if you want to try this tool and compare and potentially score same-day savings, here’s what to do:
- Click the link below and enter your zip code, date of birth, and phone number.
- Answer a few questions about your car’s make and model to get matched with top offers.
- Choose the best quote for you and lock it in before rates go up.
Compare rates now and see if you could score same-day savings today!
I can hardly believe I waited so long to do this, but I’m glad I finally did. It only took me two minutes. Super fast. You have to trust me on this. Just try it out.
Pay no interest into 2027
Imagine getting an introductory 15 months with 0% intro APR on a big purchase or balance transfer (APR then 17.74% – 26.74% Variable). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading low-interest cards — the Discover it® Cash Back(Rates and fees).
Cardholders get a generous intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases (APR then 17.74% – 26.74% Variable) — that means you can cover bills, large purchases, or whatever you need to charge and not pay interest into 2027!
If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the leading get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (APR then 17.74% – 26.74% Variable). Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest!
The best part? The Discover it® Cash Back card is accepted by 99% of merchants (according to the February 2025 issue of the Nilson Report), boasts an exceptional cash back rewards rate, and there’s no annual fee.
Save potentially $1,000 or more on home insurance
If you want better or more affordable home insurance, there is ONE thing you should never skip in the process of finding a policy: Getting multiple options from a variety of home insurance providers.
Too many homeowners skip this step — not realizing that they could save potentially $1,000s over the lifetime of owning their house just by switching. And yes, you can switch your home insurance at any time.
Provide Home Insurance is a company that matches you with home insurance options from a variety of lenders to meet your home insurance needs … including lower overall cost or better overall coverage.
Just answer a few questions, and they will find options that are right for you. And heads up — the insurance company you choose may call you. Do NOT ignore the call, as they want to work with you to find the best rate possible.
Enter your zip code to get started
Don’t pay a CENT to contractors for home repairs until you do this
Sounds crazy. And maybe you’re not even sure if this is real. But … you’re probably curious anyway. Choice Home Warranty makes it so you might be able to save $100s in home repairs!
They’ve been around since 2008 (so you know they’re legit) and they offer affordable plans to cover appliances and systems in your home that could break down from routine wear and tear.
Think of it like this: Say your furnace breaks down during a cold snap. Instead of paying up to $3,000 for repairs, you may only need to pay a $100 service fee with Choice Home Warranty, and the tech comes over and fixes it right away. This could save you up to $2,900 almost instantly!
Choose a plan here and you can still lock in their ultra-low 2025 rates (for a limited time). Then, whenever a covered system in your home breaks down, all you have to do is make your claim online or give them a call. Their team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.3
Choose a plan from Choice Home Warranty here and lock in 2025 rates
P.S. Use the links above and you’ll get $50 off and 1 month free. We don’t know how long this will last, so take advantage of it today before it disappears.
Member-Only Benefits You Might Not Know About
- Costco has updated its hours to give Executive members early access on select days. You can now start shopping an hour before other members — Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- Love going to the movies? You can buy movie tickets at select Costco locations and at Costco.com, where you can enjoy a member-only price.
- You could score big savings on your next vacation with Costco. Costco Travel offers vacation packages, cruises, rental cars, hotel stays, and more to members at a great price. Plus, you could find gift cards for a variety of activities to save even more, from theme park tickets to city exploration passes.
- Buying and installing new tires at Costco has long-term benefits. The installation package includes lifetime maintenance services, including pressure checks, tire balancing and rotations, and flat repairs. Costco also uses nitrogen instead of compressed air for inflation, which retains better tire pressure over time.
- Your membership could qualify you for discounts with various Costco partners. For example, you could get 25% off a Budget Truck rental.
- With Costco Next, members can shop for products directly from third-party suppliers while enjoying Costco-level discounts.
Stop overpaying when you shop online
Shopping online has its perks. It’s super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don’t always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.
Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it’ll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you’re buying is available cheaper somewhere else.
Capital One Shopping is free to use. Add it today and stop overpaying!4
Illinois homeowners, borrow from your home’s equity to pay down high-interest debt
Home equity loans are surging in popularity with homeowners with great credit to pay down high-interest debt quickly or make home improvements.
This popular program lets you tap into $70,000 or more fast, without affecting your mortgage rate or getting into more high interest debt. The best part is you can actually keep your current mortgage rate by getting a home equity loan with this genius program!
No hassle. No expensive fees.
Calculate your equity amount and lock in your rate today!
How to get started:
- Check out LendingTree’s Home Equity matching tool.5
- Answer a few questions about your home.
- Lock in your personalized rate and payment.
670+ Credit Score: Compare real offers for $0
Get your personalized retirement plan 100% free
Studies have found that individuals with a financial plan were 3.7x more likely to claim that they’re very confident in reaching their goals.6
Our new tool builds you an intelligent, 100% free personalized financial plan that could help grow your net worth. You get instant access to a unique financial plan and exclusive offers that could help you grow financially.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Click the link below.
2. You will be asked a few questions — enter your email, employment status, and phone number.
3. Verify your identity through Plaid (name, DOB, social security, etc).
From there answer a few questions related to your investable assets, retirement accounts, debts, and more to help customize your plan. This service costs nothing and it even tells you how much you can expect to see your net worth grow — down to the dollar — by implementing the suggestions.
Click here and enter your info to get your 100% free financial plan
Ask this company to pay off your credit card debt
If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?
National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $10,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly program payment.
Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!7
Earn $200 cash rewards bonus with this incredible card
There’s a credit card that’s making waves with its amazing bonus and benefits. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card(Rates and fees) has no annual fee and you can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
The Active Cash Card puts cash rewards back into your wallet. Cardholders can earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — easy! That’s one of the best cash rewards options available.
This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% Variable). Which is great for someone who wants a break from high interest rates, while still earning rewards.
The best part? There’s no annual fee.
The Ultimate Guide To Retirement Income
Most investors spend years learning how to pick good stocks and funds. Far fewer have a clear plan for turning those investments into a reliable retirement paycheck. The truth is, the transition from “building wealth” to “living on wealth” is one of the most overlooked risks facing successful investors in their 50s, 60s and 70s.
That is exactly what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income was created to solve. It’s a free guide that outlines the straightforward math and strategies you need to convert your investments to income.
Stop getting ripped off by credit card companies
If you have credit card debt, you know that paying your bill each month is anxiety-inducing … and sometimes close to impossible with what you have in the bank.
If that’s you, a company called LendingTree5wants to help.They can match you with loan providers that could help you pay off your debt quickly.
Think about it this way: For example, $25,000 in credit card debt at 25% APR will cost you $518.83 every single month in interest alone. But, with a rate as low as 6.99% APR (possible through LendingTree’s lenders), you’d only pay $144.03 interest.
That’s over $350 a month you’d get to keep for yourself in this scenario! Even better, you don’t need a perfect credit score, and checking for loans won’t affect your credit.
Truthfully, this company exists to help you get ahead in life. They have a 4.5/5 rating on TrustPilot with more than 15,000 verified reviews, and you can see your options in a matter of minutes. It’s certainly worth a shot if you’re feeling suffocated by debt.See if your $25K+ credit card debt is eligible for options with LendingTree
