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You can effectively offset the cost of books by purchasing a few discounted staples. costco membershipaccording to a recent report on retailers’ biggest savings.
The club’s $65 annual Gold Star membership or $130 executive membership may seem expensive to budget-conscious shoppers, but the math can quickly turn around. A few good purchases could eventually lead to paying for the membership itself.
The issue was raised on Reddit, where a potential member asked, “If I’m not a bulk buyer, what items (other than gas) can I get to justify my membership?”
“Are the discounts basically enough to make membership worth it?” a poster asked late last month. “I know that when you see deals on random items you get excited and want to buy more, but if you really just need the basics like I listed, what do you recommend?”
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A customer looks at groceries at a Costco store in Colchester, Vermont. (Robert Nickelsburg/Getty Images/Getty Images)
Reddit users were quick to weigh in, with some pointing out that over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and antihistamines, as well as paper products and the popular rotisserie chicken, were also worth the membership.
Another user said the smoked salmon alone justifies the price, and another pointed out that you can save money by buying diapers at Wholesale Club.
When you put the numbers behind these claims, Analyzed by Business Insider Which items at Costco offer enough savings to offset the $65 membership fee?
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A shopper loads items into a car at a Costco store on May 29, 2025 in Vallejo, California. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
The publication focused on shelf-stable items that are commonly used throughout the year and reported that it compared Costco prices with prices at retailers such as: Amazon, Target, Walmart.
According to Business Insider, ChatGPT, artificial intelligence Use the tool to estimate the annual usage of each item for a two-person household.
The analysis assigned each product a “payback score” to show how much membership fees could be offset by purchasing that product at Costco for a year. A score of 100 means your savings match the cost of membership, and a score of 200 means your savings are twice the price. A score of 50 means the product has recovered half its cost.
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A new analysis of annual savings shows Costco everyday items like pet food diapers and coffee can quickly offset the $65 membership fee. (Marine Awards/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Pet food stands out as a key value in the analysis. A 38-pound bag of Blue Buffalo dog food costs about $65 at Costco, compared to about $111 at a typical retailer, and with two purchases you’ll save more than the annual fee.
This dog food received a recall score of 713, showing that savings can offset membership fees by more than six times.
Diapers and wipes also emerged as another high value with a payback score of 373. A jumbo pack of Huggies diapers costs about $50 at Costco, compared to about $70 at Costco. other retailersyou can save enough to offset your membership fee with fewer than 4 purchases.
Similar savings were achieved with formula. A large container of Similac sells for about $55 at Costco, but about $68 at other stores, and analysis shows the membership fee can be recouped in about five purchases, giving it a recoup score of 240.
A 2-pound bag of Starbucks’ Pike Place Roast coffee beans sells for about $8.40 per pound at Costco, compared to about $12 at other stores. In an analysis based on usage of £30 per year, Coffee’s payback score was 166, meaning the membership fee was paid back after approximately £18.
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Savings on toilet paper were minimal. A 30-pack of Charmin costs about $1.10 per roll at Costco, which is about 37 cents less per roll than at other retailers, giving you a payback score of 67 if you buy 4 packs in a year.
Business Insider added a note: “This analysis does not assume other purchases at Costco, but our experience makes that highly unlikely.”
