The Costco Price Codes You Should Know To Save Money On Home Goods

A trip to Costco can be an exciting opportunity to try new foods and pick up home and gardening supplies. The store is filled with home solutions, such as a sliding kitchen drawer that will add kitchen storage to an outdated space. Or you may find a Kirkland-branded mattress made by a popular company that you can't live without. But is shopping at Costco really saving you money? Knowing these Costco price codes will help you understand how to find the best deals while shopping without doing a lot of extra research.

When shopping for an item at Costco, it is important to look at the price — and not just to see how many dollars it will cost. The cents at the end of the dollar amount are price codes that will tell you if you are getting a good deal. Anything ending in .99 or .98 is the standard retail price, meaning you aren't getting any additional discount. However, many other number combinations indicate that the price has been reduced. Other numbers you should look out for include anything ending in 9 (except for .99), .88, .00, and odd number combinations like .45 or .97, and the asterisk.

Each cent number combination has a different price code indication at Costco. When the price ends in anything except a 0, 8, or 9 (like .97), it indicates a manager discount, as the local manager is likely trying to remove the item from the shelves. This discount is only applied at that particular Costco. If the price ends in a 9 (except for .99), it signals that the manufacturer has given Costco a discount on that item. The number you most want to look out for is .88 or .00. These items have been given one of the largest discounts as the individual Costco store is trying to get rid of that item altogether. Sometimes, you will even notice that the price has been crossed out in pen to give you a further discount. If you've been looking at adding a new cabinet or piece of furniture to your home, and you see .00, .88, or a handwritten number, now is probably the time.

If you see an asterisk in the top right corner of the price label, it means that the product is being discontinued and will no longer be offered in stores. This is also likely true for those items marked with .88 or .00. If your favorite organizer or item for a DIY project has one or both of these indicators, make sure to pick up a few extra because you are unlikely to see them at your Costco again.

When heading to your nearest Costco to pick up your favorite items, it's important to know that those exact products might not be available if you decide to visit another Costco. Every Costco manager gets to decide what to put on their shelves. While this could be frustrating if you need to visit another store, it can also benefit you as a shopper. For instance, if you are looking for a particular item not available at your local Costco, it may be available at another location. The prices at other Costcos may also vary slightly depending on what that manager has decided to discount.

Another way to uncover a potential discount when shopping at Costco is to check the date, which reveals the product's most recent price adjustment. This date can be found in small print just below the price in the bottom right-hand corner. If it has been a while since the price was adjusted, there is a chance that the product could get another markdown in the near future. Finally, make sure you understand Costco's price adjustment policy, which could save you even more money.