Costco sweetens the deal for one of its member perks | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

It’s pretty fair to say that most people join Costco for the savings on bulk groceries and household items.

Even though there’s a cost to signing up for a membership, people who shop at Costco often enough can commonly make their membership fees back in the form of lower prices on food, paper products, cleaning supplies, and the various other things most of us buy on a regular basis.

Not only does Costco maintain a loyal customer base despite charging a fee to walk in the door, but a large number of people are willing to pay double for an Executive membership.

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Almost half of Costco members pay for the Executive tier, which offers 2% cash back on purchases but costs $130 annually, as opposed to $65 for a basic Gold Star membership.

And the reason they’re willing to is that they get enough value out of their memberships to make the higher fee worth it.

Costco sweetens the deal for one of its member perks.

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Costco memberships offer perks beyond just grocery savings

It’s a big myth that the only reason to join Costco is to save money on groceries and essential products. Sure, that’s a big part of the benefit. But Costco offers a host of member perks that a lot of people don’t know about.

For one thing, there’s big savings to be had on gasoline.

Costco recently extended its fuel station hours to better accommodate members. Not only does Costco gas tend to be priced considerably cheaper than competitor fuel stations, but it also carries the TOP TIER designation, which means it’s a higher quality gas.

Costco also offers great deals on travel and certain automotive services. At the store’s tire centers, members are eligible for free installation at no extra cost, plus maintenance and a five-year road hazard guarantee.

And members who choose to book travel through Costco can benefit not just from affordable packages, but also from extras like on-board credits for cruises.

Costco offers unbeatable promotion on lesser-known member perk

One of Costco’s lesser-known member perks is insurance — specifically, pet insurance.

Members know they can stock up on pet food, toys, and treats at Costco. But not everyone is aware that Costco also offers affordable pet insurance through Figo.

If you’re a pet owner, you’re no doubt aware that every single time you go to the vet for routine care, it costs a small fortune. The cost of emergency pet care can be even more astronomical, which is why many pet owners choose to put insurance in place.

In fact, WebMD puts the average cost of emergency pet surgery at $2,000 to $5,000.

Many people can’t afford an expense like that out of the blue, which is why pet insurance often pays for itself. And when you’re fortunate enough that it doesn’t have to be used in an emergency, it still gives you peace of mind.

Costco’s pet insurance through Figo typically covers expenses such as:

Surgeries
Emergency care
Chronic conditions
Dental injuries and issues
Imaging

Costco members are eligible for a 15% discount on Figo pet insurance. And now, Costco is offering a limited-time promotion where eligible policyholders can score a $25 Costco Shop Card after enrolling.

More Retail:

A Costco Shop Card is the store’s version of a gift card, and it can be used to pay for almost anything you see in stores. So if you’re thinking of buying pet insurance through Costco, you may want to sign up sooner rather than later.

Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco.