Is Costco good for retirees? It depends on your budget and your overall personal finances, but for most seniors, Costco can be a good place to shop. Costco offers low prices on everyday items like groceries and surprisingly good deals on higher-end "affordable luxuries."
Whether you want to buy furniture, appliances, a new TV, or other big-ticket items, Costco can help people save money at every stage of life. Costco does not offer "senior discounts." But the same low prices that Costco offers to all shoppers can be an especially good value for retirees on a budget.
Enjoying life in retirement depends on how you want to spend your time and money. A few special types of Costco deals and discounts can provide especially good value for seniors.
(Note: Prices may vary by location; all prices were available online for my local Costco warehouse in West Des Moines, Iowa, as of March 20, 2024.)
1. Costco Travel
If you want to spend more time traveling in retirement, Costco Travel can help you get a better deal on dream vacation packages, rental cars, cruises, and more. Want to take your grandkids to Disney World or stay at an all-inclusive beach resort? Costco Travel can make it happen, with members-only pricing and extensive support to make your vacation a success.
Here's a great Costco deal for seniors: Paradisus Palma Real -- an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic ($200 instant savings plus digital Costco Shop Card; book by March 31, 2024, for Travel from April 1-Dec. 22, 2024).
If you've ever wanted to try an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean, this Costco Travel deal makes it easy to book -- and you can get a digital Costco Shop Card as an extra bonus discount for your travel purchase. The exact pricing will depend on your choice of room, dates, and duration of your stay, but I found rates for seven nights (two adults) in April 2024 at this Dominican Republic resort for $4,595 -- and you get a $373 digital Costco Shop Card.
2. Costco prepared meals
Some retirees love to cook meals at home, but others like to let others do the cooking so they have more time for hobbies and other activities. Costco-prepared meals and takeaway food items can be a great deal for seniors, because they provide several portions of delicious food that can be eaten over a few days.
And you get lots of great choices at Costco for easy meals -- not just the famous Costco $4.99 rotisserie chicken! Costco offers high-quality frozen pizzas, dumplings, tortelloni, soups, and more.
Here's a great Costco deal for seniors: Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna, 3 lbs, 2 count ($19.53).
3. Costco Pharmacy
Even if you have good health insurance coverage through Medicare, it's always good to save money on prescription drugs, annual vaccinations, and over-the-counter medications. Seniors have worked hard for a long time, and they deserve to stay healthy and keep feeling good as they get older. The Costco Pharmacy can help!
Here's a great Costco deal for seniors: Your exact savings will vary based on which prescriptions you need, but our research found that the Costco Pharmacy could easily save you over $739 per year.
4. Costco Optical
Taking care of our eyesight is important at all ages and stages of life, but it can be especially helpful for seniors who want to stave off macular degeneration or other optical conditions as they get older. Getting the right pair of eyeglasses can help.
Costco Optical offers affordable eye exams from independent doctors of optometry right there at the warehouse store. You can also buy stylish eyeglasses at Costco Optical, in-store or online.
Here's a great Costco deal for seniors: Buy optical frames at Costco for as little as $59.99 -- exact pricing will depend on the type of lenses you need.
Costco Optical accepts most major vision insurance plans. And Costco offers free adjustments for your glasses -- whether you bought them at Costco or not.
5. Costco home improvement services
Costco makes it easier to tackle your home improvement projects. Whether you want to spruce up your home, get new countertops, remodel your bathroom, or get trustworthy professional help with a complex project that you don't want to handle yourself, Costco Home & Installation Services can help.
With these services, you don't buy directly from Costco. Instead, Costco will connect you with local, Costco-approved contractors. Here's how it works:
- You get a free in-home consultation from the contractors
- You pay the contractors directly
- Based on the price of your qualifying purchases, Costco gives you a 10% Costco Shop Card as a "cash back" discount. For example, if you spend $10,000 on services, you could get a Costco Shop Card for 10% of that amount, or $1,000.
Here's a great Costco deal for seniors: Jacuzzi Bath Remodel (10% Costco Shop Card on qualifying purchases).
Want to upgrade your bathroom, get a more comfortable shower, install grab bars or other features, and otherwise make your bath into a beautiful, functional sanctuary? Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can help -- and you can qualify for a 10% discount in the form of a Costco Shop Card.
Bottom line
America's seniors are living more active, independent lives in retirement than ever before. But as people get older, we all need a little extra help, comfort, and convenience. Costco delivers excellent value for the money, with the right products, services, and experiences that retirees need and deserve. Costco can help your budget in retirement -- and can make your retirement years a little more joyful and hassle free.
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