‘I do NOT need to know this’: 5 Costco shopping tricks for your next run

Costco is one of the top destinations for bulk shopping in the U.S., known for its discounted prices on an impressively large selection of products. 

The retail giant manages to offer these unbeatable deals through its exclusive membership program, attracting just under 128 million members worldwide as of last year. 

People online are particularly passionate about shopping at Costco. From sharing their experiences, both positive and negative, to revealing shopping hacks, the online Costco community is alive and well.

In this article, we’ll break down the five most viral tips Costco shoppers have shared on TikTok.

Know how to choose your meat at Costco

TikToker Jess Pryles (@jesspryles) shared a tip on buying your meat at Costco to avoid getting ill. 

Pryles, a meat scientist, mainly uses her platform to educate her audience about this popular food item. 

In a recent video, she replied to an Instagram reel that claims Costco meat isn’t safe to eat below well-done. Pryles stated this claim is indeed true, saying, “All of the steaks at Costco are blade tenderized,” which involves a machine with blades that makes the meat tender but can push surface bacteria inside.

But, according to Pryles, this isn’t a serious issue if you cook and consume the steak soon after purchasing. In this case, “the chances that you’ll get sick by cooking them to less than 145 are very, very low,” she stated. 

The takeaway: If you buy tenderized meat from Costco, either cook it the same day at your preferred temperature or make sure it's cooked to an internal temperature of above 145°F if you cook it the next day.

Can you shop at Costco without a membership?

TikTok user Tiff (@tiffjessup) shared a hack on how to get Costco groceries without a membership. Her video, viewed 918,000 times, explains, “Life hack: use Instacart if you want stuff from Costco.”

In the clip, we see Tiff enjoying a coconut-flavored Island Way sorbet from Costco, as she says, “I have a Sam’s Club membership, but paying for Costco too is dumb and a waste of money, so I use Instacart.”

Viewers had mixed reactions. Some confirmed the hack works, while others felt a membership is more cost-effective. A customer didn’t mind the extra Instacart fees to avoid getting a membership or shopping themselves, saying, “It’s a 5% surcharge. That’s ok with me.” A Costco worker and Instacart shopper agreed, “She’s 100% right!”

Warning about Costco’s water

An expert is raising concerns about Costco's bottled water due to its treatment process.

TikToker Cormac, from the Oasis water app (@live__oasis), shared a video stating that Costco’s Kirkland bottled water is sourced from Niagara Bottling, LLC.

He describes Niagara as "a huge bottle labeling service" and mentions that the plastic bottles contain "thousands of nanoplastics that can enter your blood-brain barrier."

Cormac also claims that Costco’s water has 10 times the Oasis guideline for total trihalomethanes and some radioactivity.

While these levels are below legal limits, he notes that the water is heavily processed because it comes from municipal supplies and undergoes extensive treatments to be legally drinkable. After these treatments, minerals are artificially added back.

He advises viewers to check the verified water report and focus on the purified column to make the safest choice when buying water. 

If you like the Costco cookies, this hack is for you

Mira Nabulsi (@Nabulsinabulsi on TikTok), a food and lifestyle content creator from Canada, recently shared a viral Costco cookie hack.

In her clip, she holds up a pack of Costco cookies priced at $9.99. “If you love these Costco cookies, instead of buying this whole box for $9.99, go to the bakery section and ask for frozen cookies,” Nabulsi says.

She demonstrates this by getting a box of 120 frozen chocolate chunk cookies for $31.99. “Can you imagine having all these frozen cookies at home?” she asks excitedly.

Nabulsi captioned her video with, “This might be the best Costco hack I’ve ever found because I couldn’t believe it was even real.”

In the comments, Nabulsi did the math and shared that with this box, you can enjoy one cookie every day for four months. Viewers were thrilled by the discovery, with one writing, “I do NOT need to know this *runs to Costco*.”

Use the gift cards that come with your Costco membership

Creator Ravi Wadan (@raviwadan), a self-professed “personal finance content creator,”  shared a possibly hidden gem on the Costco website that could help you save some money.

In the clip, Wadan revealed a lesser-known section of Costco's site to his TikTok followers, where you can find gift cards with greater values than their selling prices.

“For example, you can find $100 gift cards for popular restaurants selling for just $80, and if you’re a Southwest traveler, a $500 gift card is available for $450,” he explained.

“It surprises me how many people don’t know this, but costco.com actually sells gift cards to some of your favorite places at a discount,” Wadan continued. 

Wadan also mentioned several food deals, including $100 gift cards for Domino’s and Papa John’s priced at just $80.

“So, if you’re not checking for gift cards on costco.com, you’re not taking full advantage of your Costco membership,” he concluded.

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