The One Thing I Do Every Year To Get Ahead On The Holidays

This post is sponsored by Costco. As always, all opinions and ideas expressed here are entirely my own.

costco holiday

I’ve been a Costco member for over 20 years now, so I was so excited to get the opportunity to team up with Costco for today’s blog post! And I’ve been equally excited to tell you all about the special membership offer that Costco is offering to OGT readers (but we’ll get to that a little later in this post!)

You might even remember some of the more recent posts I’ve written about shopping at Costco, like lesser-known membership benefits and surprising tips and tricks, just to name a few. I even wrote this post way back in 2013 about how to get the most bang for your buck while shopping there. And while this year has been far from ideal, we do have at least one thing going for us—it’s never been easier to get a great deal at Costco than it is right now!

And one big reason for that is the Costco savings books that showcase all the latest deals and discounts, which members receive in the mail periodically throughout the year. And with yesterday’s arrival of Costco’s special Holiday Savings book, it served as a timely reminder that I need to make my annual pre-holiday Costco run!

I truly believe that it’s the very best place to kickstart your holiday shopping, and today I’ll be explaining exactly why I feel that way! And after that, I’ll be sharing that special membership offer from Costco, which will give you even more reason to take advantage of these benefits for yourself! :-)

4 Great Reasons To Start Your Holiday Shopping At Costco

costco holiday

1. To Get The Best Prices On Electronics

As a mom to four adult kids, the vast majority of the holiday gifts I buy for my kids these days are electronics and tech gadgets. So as soon as I have my gift list figured out, I head straight to the electronics section at Costco! 

Not only do I know that they’ll have everything that’s on my list, but I also know exactly how much I’ll save on those items thanks to the Costco Holiday Savings book I got in the mail! Whether I’m shopping for iPads, Bluetooth speakers, the latest video games, or even accessories like external hard drives, I know I’ll get a great deal on them at my local Costco (or on Costco.com, if I feel so inclined!) 

costco holiday

2. To Stock Up On Baking Supplies

While I wouldn’t consider myself a baker per se, I do a lot of baking during November and December! Whether I’m making my mom’s classic pumpkin pie recipe for Thanksgiving or baking cookies for the neighbors, my oven gets quite the workout throughout the holiday season.

As you can imagine, I go through a lot of flour, sugar, and other baking staples during the holidays. So for me, it’s a no-brainer to stock up on baking supplies ahead of time at Costco!

Buying my baking supplies in bulk is an easy way to save money on all my holiday baking, especially when it comes to the more expensive items like pure vanilla extract. But on top of that, I also save myself time by eliminating emergency trips to the grocery store to grab baking powder or brown sugar, because I already have everything I need on hand! 

costco holiday

3. For Help With Decking The Halls

In years past when I’ve gone on a Costco run during the holidays, I have been pleasantly surprised at how many great holiday decorations they had in stock. A couple of years ago I found a big, beautiful door wreath there that I knew would have cost a fortune anywhere else, but the price was so reasonable that I felt guilt-free in bringing it home to adorn our front door!

These days I know to keep my eyes peeled for holiday decor when I go to Costco because there’s always something fun and festive to be found! From Christmas tree decor like ornaments and tree skirts to outdoor decorations like string lights and inflatables, Costco makes it easy and affordable to deck the halls in style.

costco holiday

4. For Unlimited Gift Giving Inspiration!

No matter how much research I do or how many gift guides I pore over, it seems like there’s always one or two people on my list who prove difficult to pick a gift for. And I’m sure you have people on your list who give you the same sort of trouble!

And since perusing the aisles at Costco has never failed to inspire me to buy things I hadn’t planned on buying, I had a feeling it would be a great place to go to get inspired about possible gifts for those tricky giftees. And that instinct turned out to be a good one because Costco is now my go-to source for gift-giving inspiration! ;-)

I try my best to give gifts that are not only unique or interesting, but useful too, and there are always plenty of unique and useful things to discover at Costco. And I’ve already gotten some inspiration for gifts just from flipping through the Holiday Savings book, like the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer; the Bio Bidet Luxury Bidet Seat; the Photoshare Digital Picture Frame; and the Shiatsu Foot Massager with Heat (I might have to put this one on MY Christmas List!)

Between the gifts you planned to get and the gifts you never knew you needed, a single trip to Costco is sure to put you miles ahead on your holiday gift shopping!

A note about the Gold Star Executive Membership:

As you can see in the photo below, I upgraded my Costco membership several years ago to the Gold Star Executive Membership. It was a simple matter of crunching a few numbers to find out if the annual 2% reward check I would receive at the end of the year was worth the extra $60. This was math even *I* could understand. ;-) When I added up my store, online, AND travel purchases, I discovered that I easily spend at least $250 a month – the break-even point for whether an Executive Membership is worth it. So I upgraded and now I get a nice reward at the end of the year that more than makes up the cost.

If you’re a frequent Costco shopper you might want to do some number-crunching of your own. You may be surprised to learn that you’re missing out on some real savings!

costco holiday

What do you do to get ready for the holidays?

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Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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