My family loves to shop at Costco. In terms of savings, we basically get our Costco membership for free by shopping smart. From the Kirkland deals, to the giant play-structure that unmercifully snatched 3 days of my life, the Costco warehouse provides some great ways to save money.

Over the years I have discovered some out-of-the-box ways to save at Costco that can easily pay for your $65 gold membership in a couple short months.

These techniques essentially score us a membership for free or REALLY cheap. Either by granting you access to the warehouse without having to pay for a membership, or simply by helping you save a quick $65 by shopping smart and getting discounts.

I’ve also included 2 new bonus tips at the bottom so be sure to scroll all the way down.

Free $20 Shop Card With This New Member Deal

Right now Stack Social has teamed up with Costco to offer you a $20 Costco Shop Card if you sign up for the $65 Gold Star membership bringing it down to JUST $45….or get $40 Shop Card on a $130 Executive Gold Star membership.

Works like this. New members go through this link and buy your Costco Gold Star membership.

They’ll then email you the Costco Shop Card within 2 weeks of signing up.

This offer expires on 3/30/25. But you have until June 30th, 2025 to redeem your membership.

Fine print: Valid only for non-members for their 1st year of membership. Limit one per household and non-transferable. Also, if it’s been at least 18 months so you ended your Costco membership you will qualify for this “new” member deal.

Groupon also has the same Costco deal that also expires on 12/22/24.

To get your actual Costco membership card, just visit the Membership counter at Costco and bring your photo ID along with your Groupon or Stack Social confirmation email.

PRO TIP: WANT AN ACTUAL FREE MEMBERSHIP?

Unlike Sam’s Club, Costco does not offer a free 1-day pass to check out the warehouse. Well, actually they kinda do.

To make it happen, just sign-up for a 1-year Costco membership and at any point, if you’re not completely satisfied, they’ll refund you the entire cost of the annual membership, no questions asked.

They call it their Risk-Free 100% Satisfaction Guarantee and all you have to do to get your refund is visit the customer service desk and let them know.

So in essence Costco offers a free 364-day trial to their warehouse.

Buy Kirkland and Easily Save $65/year

The Kirkland brand at Costco is pretty stellar, and by consistently opting for the in-house brand, your savings will easily surpass $65 annually.

As a matter of fact, many Kirkland products are actually manufactured by the popular (and expensive) name-brand. Here are a few to be aware of:

Kirkland Signature Craft Beer = Gordon Biersch: I love Gordon Biersch beer, and guess what, I love Kirkland craft beer too. Go figure.

Kirkland Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey = Barton 1792 Distillery: This whiskey comes from the highly regarded Barton 1792 distillery.

Kirkland Vodka = Grey Goose: The fact that we’re even having the conversation tells me to always buy the WAY cheaper Kirkland brand vodka.

Kirkland Scotch = Macallan 18: A great way to save money on a quality Scotch is to buy the Kirkland brand.

Kirkland Tuna = Bumble Bee: According to a bunch of Amazon reviews, Kirkland Tuna tastes just like, or better, than Bumblebee Tuna.

Kirkland Diapers = Huggies: Apparently the Kirkland brand of diapers is made by Huggies.

Kirkland Laundry Detergent = Good chance it’s made by Sun.

Gotta love the Kirkland brand. What are some of your favorite items?

PRO TIP: USE THE IBOTTA APP

It’s no secret that Costco doesn’t accept manufacturer coupons of any kind. But…a great workaround is to use the free Ibotta app on your smartphone.

Bonus: Sign-up now and get a $10 welcome bonus when you redeem your first Ibotta rebate.

The app has a ton of “instant rebates” that can easily pay for your membership over the course of a year. Rebates on things you’ll be buying anyways like milk, eggs, fruit, produce, beer, and even health/beauty products.

All you have to do is shop like you normally would, scan your Costco receipt via the Ibotta app, and collect your rebate money.

Ibotta is one of my favorite apps and makes for a great money-saving companion whenever you enter the Costco warehouse.

See Also: 12 Things You Should Never Buy at Costco

Buy The Right Stuff

Perhaps the best way to make up for your $65 membership cost is to buy the items that provide the most savings.

Here are a few of the best Costco buys that are no-brainers.

Tires: Not only does Costco have excellent prices and instant rebates on tire brands like Goodyear, BF Goodrich, and Bridgestone, but they offer awesome add-on services.

These include lifetime rotation and balancing, lifetime warranty replacements, and nitrogen tire inflation which keeps pressure much better than air.

See Also: Are Costco Tires Cheaper? Here’s How Their Prices Stack Up

Wine: If you’re a wine connoisseur and buy at least 5 bottles a month, the savings on wine at Costco will quickly pay for your annual membership.

On average you can save $5 to $12 per bottle depending on the original price of the wine. Check out the Costco Wine Blog for terrific independent reviews of the wines found at Costco.

Movie Tickets: The best way to save on tickets to your local movie theater is to buy tickets from Costco.

You’ll find killer deals like 10-packs of AMC or Premiere tickets for $89.99 and a 10-pack at Cinemark Theaters for $84.99.

Nutella: At $0.18 cents an ounce, you’d be a fool to buy it anywhere else.

Amazon can’t come close at almost twice the cost. Walmart is a little closer at almost 25 cents per ounce.

Gift Cards: Costco also has some killer deals on bulk gift cards with savings in the 25%-35% off range.

The gift cards typically come in 4 or 5 packs and make for great gifts for friends, teachers, stocking stuffers, and coaches.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Kirkland EVOO rates very highly and is 15-20% cheaper than the name-brand.

Keep in mind that the Kirkland EVOO that says “Toscano” on the label is the higher quality oil.

Pure Vanilla Extract: The Kirkland variety is the cheapest price you’ll find anywhere.

What items at Costco provide you with the most savings? Let me know in the comments and I’ll add it to my list.

Shop With a Costco Shop Card

While you must be a member to buy or reload a Costco Shop card, anybody can redeem one at ANY Costco location as well as at Costco.com (they’ll take an extra 5% when shopping on their website).

A fantastic way to shop, without dropping $65 on an annual membership, is to have a friend or family member, who is a Costco member, buy you a Costco Shop card in the warehouse or online.

You can buy a card with a value up to $1,000 so be sure to get an amount that won’t require a reload for a long time.

This is also a great option for college students who doesn’t necessarily need to buy a lot of stuff in bulk as a cash card still provides a way to buy food, gas, and school supplies in the warehouse.

Also, I was informed recently by loyal reader, Bob J., that you can walk-in with a friend and immediately shop without a Costco membership.

Bob explained it this way, “The other day I went to Costco with my brother. who has a membership. I asked the person checking people at the store entrance if I could get in in order to buy a Costco gift card. I was directed to the C/S desk. I also asked if I could use it immediately and was told “Yes”.”

See Also: Skip the Membership: All The Stores That’ll Price Match Costco

Use an “Instant” Costco Coupon

Costco has gotten very smart when it comes to coupons and it’s a beautiful thing.

Not only do you not need to clip Costco coupons, but you don’t even need to have them with you.

Their monthly coupon book has a bunch of killer coupons and the discount is automatically taken at the checkout register.

So even if you’re not aware that an item has a coupon available, you’ll still get the price reduction when checking out.

These coupons alone easily help my family recoup our annual $65 fee, often without us even knowing it.

Costco “Anywhere Visa” Pays Your Membership Fee

The math on this one is simple. If you shop at Costco and spend about $230 a month, your membership will be completely free.

Just apply for the Costco Anywhere Visa card by Citi to make it happen.

Not only will you get 2% cash back at Costco, but you’ll also score 4% back on gas including Costco gas, 3% back at eligible restaurants and hotels, and 1% back on everything else.

Also, there’s NO annual fee but you’ll want to pay your balance in full every month or get hit by 15.49% APR.

See Also: The Costco Return Policy: 12 Smart Ways To Make It Work For You

Savings from “Price Protection” is Substantial

If you regularly take advantage of the Costco 30-day price protection policy, you can easily save your $60 annual fee.

As a matter of fact, you’ll be playing with house money in no time.

Whenever you make a significant purchase, keep the receipt in your wallet or purse and check the price on subsequent visits over the next month.

When you see a lower price, just take your receipt to the customer service desk and get some money back.

Lost your receipt? No problem as all your purchases are kept in their system and can be pulled up with your membership card.

They’ll be able to easily access the amount you paid for the product and refund you if the price has indeed dropped.

Happy savings.

By Kyle James

If you live near a Chick-Fil-A location, you’re probably already aware of the deliciousness within. From their tasty chicken sandwiches to their thick milkshakes, you’re bound to leave a happy eater. Plus, their prices aren’t ridiculously high either.

But today I want to share the Chick-Fil-A secret menu to make your dining experience even tastier. I plan on adding new items to this secret menu as I discover them…so please pass along any menu items you might be aware of and I’ll test them out.

Here’s the Full Chick-fil-A “Secret Menu”:

So far I know about 16 secret items that you can order, but I’m hoping to grow this list to at least 20.

Let me know in the comments if I’m missing any.

Biscuit with Sausage Gravy

According to a comment from reader Brad, when dining for breakfast don’t be afraid to ask for a “biscuit with sausage gravy”.

He said you might have to wait a few minutes for them get the gravy ready…but TOTALLY worth it.

Blueberry Cheesecake Milkshake

Simply a slice of blueberry cheesecake blended into a vanilla milkshake. Yes, please.

See Also: 10 Delicious Ways to Save Money at Chick-fil-A

Spicy Char (Spicy Grilled Chicken Sandwich)

If you like a little charbroiled flavor in your chicken sandwich, ask for a Spicy Char chicken sandwich.

You’ll get a grilled breast, with the spicy sauce, in lieu of the traditional fried chicken breast.

It’ll probably reduce the calorie of the sandwich significantly as well.

PRO TIP: HEADS UP ON THE SPICY CHAR

I was told by a Chick fil A employee that the Spicy Char is being phased out at many locations. She said that it takes quite a bit longer to get the chicken grilled to fulfill the special request and they won’t do it if they’re busy.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

This one sounds delicious. Just ask for a spicy chicken sandwich topped off with the Chick-Fil-A buffalo sauce.

Be warned, this sucker is hot and will make you tear up.

Chicken Quesadilla

Order it by name and get a delicious queso with chopped chicken breast, cheese, and tasty peppers.

Cookie Milkshake

Nicely ask the employee behind the counter to blend a cookie into your milkshake.

Trust me, the result is pure heaven.

Dog Biscuits

Yes, you read that correctly.

Did you know that most Chick-Fil-A locations have dog biscuits behind the counter to hand out for free the next time you bring your 4-legged friend with you?

True enough, ask for one if you don’t believe me.

Then hit Starbucks on the way home and grab a free Pup Cup.

See Also: Five Guys Secret Menu: Burgers and Fries That’ll Make You Beg For More

SOME ITEMS ARE LOCATION DEPENDENT

I had several employees tell me that some “secret menu” items are very much location dependent. This includes the mocha cream cold brew, frosted sunrise, and “well done” crisscut fires. So your mileage will vary when ordering a few of these items.

Free Ice Dream

When you order a kids meal, ask for a free soft-serve ice cream instead of the cheap toy.

Top it with strawberry or chocolate toppings for a little more tastiness.

Fried Chicken Club

Simply substitute a fried patty for the grilled chicken breast. You’ll probably add 300 calories, but whose counting…

Frosted Sunrise

This one has gained a bit of a cult following in recent years and for good reason as it sounds delicious.

Order the Frosted Sunrise and you’ll basically get a frosted lemonade but it’s made with orange juice and vanilla ice cream.

Some locations will require you to buy the small bottle of OJ separately, and some will actually have the half-gallon jugs of OJ that they can use to make it.

Grilled Cheese

Similar to the secret menu at In-N-Out Burger, Chick-fil-A also has a tasty grilled cheese sandwich on their secret menu.

They’ll even let you add bacon, vegetables, and condiments to make it a legit sandwich and not something for little kids.

Market Salad With Strips

I love when you guys write in with new secret menu items that I’ve never heard of.

So when blog reader Chuck chimed in with something called the Market Salad with Strips I was very intrigued.

In his own words, “Market Salad with strips (breaded chicken) instead of the usual grilled. My wife requested this as a special and they complied. I have since discovered that any CFA can make this and it even has a distinct code on the receipt (MktSld Strp).”

Thanks Chuck for the tip, this sounds a healthy, but yummy, alternative to their sandwiches.

Mocha Cream Cold Brew

A couple years ago the mocha cream cold brew popped up on some Chick-fil-A menus for a limited time then went away…not sure why because it’s delicious.

The good news is you can still order it by asking for their Cold Brew as your base, then add the “milkshake base”, followed by a couple pumps of chocolate.

If you like your coffee sweet, you’ll love it for sure.

Veggie Wrap

This is essentially a Cool Wrap but you substitute the grilled chicken for beans, corn, and tomatoes.

So you end up with a rolled up flaxseed flour flat bread stuffed with lettuce, blend of Monterey jack and cheddar cheese, beans, corn, and tomatoes.

Sounds absolutely perfect for a vegetarian.

Bacon Mac’n Cheese

Just order the Mac and Cheese off the regular menu but ask them for some bacon crumbles on the side.

Mix the bacon in yourself and buckle your seatbelts cuz your headed for Yumsville, USA.

Oreo in Your Frosted Coffee

I had a CFA employee drop the news that if you ask for Oreo pieces in your frosted coffee they will happily do it for ya and he said it’s “very good”.

Ya, I bet it is.

They also said you can do the same with the frosted lemonade and ask for strawberry in it.

Root Beer Float

They’ll happily add some vanilla ice cream to your frosty root beer giving you a tasty RBF.

Most locations will do this for you, but some location managers are “sticks in the mud”  and won’t do it because they can’t provide the nutritional facts for a root beer float.

Well Done CrissCut Fries

This is another copycat of the In-N-Out secret menu, where you can ask for many variations of fry-doneness.

At CFA, ask for these by name and you’ll get them sent out to you HOT and very CRISPY.

Ask the Reader: Am I missing any items from the Chick-Fil-A secret menu? Let me know in the comments section below.

By Kyle James

Photo by Mike Mozart.

I thought it would be fun to do the painstakingly delicious research to come up with the Starbucks secret menu. Items you won’t find anywhere on the regular Starbucks coffee menu but have become popular enough that most baristas know how to make them.

I have included the ingredients (to the best of my knowledge) in case you have to politely tell the barista how to make something from their secret menu. Have fun with it and I hope you find your new favorite drink by trying some of these out. Below is the full secret menu at Starbucks, use it wisely young Padawan (in alphabetical order):

Here’s the Starbucks Secret Menu:

First, let’s start with all of the secret menu Frappuccino drinks.

For the syrup adds, a good rule of thumb is 1 pump for a Tall, 1.5 for a Grande, and 2 for a Venti.

Starbucks Frappuccino’s Menu:

Apple Pie Frappuccino: If you like caramel apples you’ll love this one. Must barista’s know how to make it. But if not, it’s cream to the first fill line, apple juice to the 2nd, 2 pumps caramel syrup, 2 pumps cinnamon dolce syrup. Then just add ice and blend that bad boy.

Banana Cream Frappuccino: Start with a Vanilla Bean frap and add a pump of vanilla and hazelnut syrup along with a whole banana.

Biscotti Frappuccino: Throw in a tasty biscotti cookie into any frap and make it extra delicious.

Butterbeer Frappuccino: The name is a little scary but it sounds delicious. Start with a Vanilla Bean frap and add a pump of toffee nut and caramel syrup and top it off with caramel drizzle.

Cake Batter Frap: If you’re a fan of cake batter order a vanilla bean frap and throw on some almond flavoring until you get the taste you like.

Candy Cane Frappuccino: Sure to be a holiday favorite, this bad boy is simply a vanilla bean frap with a pump or 2 of peppermint syrup.

Cap’N Crunch Frappuccino (w/ Crunch Berries): Just order a strawberry and crème Frappuccino with a single pump of hazelnut and 1 pump of toffee nut. Supposed to taste just like the real thing.

Caramel Apple Frappuccino: This one consists of apple juice to the first line, whole milk to the second, cream base, dark caramel syrup, and cinnamon dolce syrup. Then add caramel ribbon crunch pieces, caramel drizzle, whipped cream and cinnamon dolce topping.

Chocolate Cream Frappuccino: I like to start with a mocha frap and add chocolate syrup. You can also start with a coffee frap.

Christmas Cookie Frappuccino: To get this Starbucks secret menu favorite, start with a vanilla bean frap, add peppermint and toffee nut syrup. Throw some caramel drizzle on top and have a Merry flipping Christmas.

Churro Frappuccino: Yet again, start with a vanilla bean frap, then add cinnamon dolce and white mocha syrup. Next, add a pinch of cinnamon and top it off with whipped cream, caramel drizzle and even more cinnamon.

Cinnamon Toast Frappuccino: My son loves this one. It’s a white mocha Frappuccino, add cinnamon dolce and hazelnut syrup. Blend in some sugar cinnamon and top it with whipped cream and some cinnamon sugar.

Cotton Candy Frappuccino: This is simply a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino with a pump of raspberry syrup blended into it. 1.5 pumps for a grande and 2 pumps for a venti.

Ferrero Rocher Frappuccino: Sweet toothers will love this one. Start with a double chocolate chip frap, then add mocha syrup, hazelnut syrup, and some hazelnut drizzle for good measure.

Fruity Pebbles Frappuccino: Make Barney and Fred happy and order a strawberry and creme frap, then add vanilla and raspberry syrup and a little OJ.

Grasshopper Frappuccino: Order a mocha frap, then have them throw in some java chips and a pump or two of peppermint syrup.

Mint Chocolate Chip Frappuccino: Start with a green tea frap, add peppermint syrup and java chips.

Neopolitan Frap: This American classic is the perfect blend of chocolate drizzle, strawberries, mocha, and of course a little vanilla.

Nutella Frappuccino: Start with a coffee frap, add hazelnut syrup, mocha syrup, then blend in whipped cream. You can also top it with whipped cream and caramel drizzle.

Nutter Butter Frappuccino: I have a major weakness for Nutter Butters, as in I could eat an entire package in about 10 minutes. So needless to say, this is my favorite thing from the Starbucks secret menu.

Orange Creamsicle Frap: Orange mango juice to the first line, milk to the second, cream base, classic syrup, scoop of ice, blend together. Top it with whipped cream.

Oreo Frappuccino: If they don’t know it by name, just ask for a Double Chocolate Chip Frap with white chocolate mocha (instead of the regular mocha syrup).

Pokeball Frappuccino: If the barista knows how to make this Pokemon Go outtake, you’ll get a blend on vanilla frap and strawberry & creme frap, with strawberry whip on top.

S’Mores Frappuccino: Order this sucker and you’ll get a Java Chip Frappuccino along with toffee nut syrup, cinnamon dolce syrup, and whipped cream with cinnamon dolce sprinkles. Um…yes please.

Snickers Frappuccino: This is a Java Chip Frap with toffee nut syrup, whip cream on top drizzled with mocha drizzle. The syrup is typically 3 pumps for venti, 2 for grande, and 1 for a tall.

Thin Mint Frappuccino: If you dig the famous Girl Scout cookie, you’ll love this one too. It’s basically a Tazo Green Tea Frap with 2 pumps of chocolate syrup, 1 pump of peppermint syrup, then throw in some java chips and honey.

Tiramisu Frappuccino: This secret menu drink is kinda complicated. Get a coffee Frappuccino, then add ½ pump of hazelnut and toffeenut syrup. Follow that up with 1 pump caramel flan syrup, 1 pump mocha syrup, and 1 espresso shot affogato. Then top it with caramel whipped cream, caramel flan sauce, and mocha drizzle. Ugh.

Twix Frappuccino: Start with a caramel frapper, then add caramel and hazelnut syrup along with some java chips. Throw on a drizzle of caramel and mocha and you’ve officially entered heaven.

See Also: Starbucks Menu Hacks Guaranteed To Save You Money

Starbucks “Rainbow”:

Blue Drink: Order an Iced Passion Tango Tea then substitute coconut milk for the water and throw in some vanilla syrup.

Green Drink: While this thing looks like a kale smoothie, it’s actually made with black iced tea, then you add coconut milk and matcha powder.

Orange Drink: This thing looks pretty tasty. You order it by asking for orange/mango juice, add vanilla powder, and coconut milk. Kinda sounds like an Orange Julius if you ask me.

Pink Drink: This Starbucks secret menu drink is quite popular on Instagram right now. It’s simply a Strawberry Acai Refresher with coconut milk.

Purple Drink: Not a very original name for the quite mysterious drink. When you order the “Purple Drink”, you’ll get passion iced tea (with coconut or soy milk), vanilla syrup, topped with fresh blackberries.

See Also: How to Save Money at Starbucks? – 8 Ways to Make it Happen

Starbucks “Coffee”:

3 C’s Latte: The C’s are cinnamon, chocolate, and caramel. Order a cinnamon dolce latte, then throw in 2 pumps of chocolate syrup, and 1 pump of caramel.

Black Eye (Hot or Cold): Tired? Order an Americano and add 2 shots of espresso.

Ghetto Latte: This one takes stones to order. It’s an iced-Americano, but you order it with no water and half ice. You then add your own half-and-half.\

Green Eye (Hot or Cold): Wow, this secret menu drink is an Americano with 3 shots of espresso added. Have the paddles at the ready.\

Liquid Cocaine: 4 shots of espresso, 4 pumps of white chocolate, then fill with milk in a grande cup.

Red Eye (or Depth Charge): Order any brewed coffee and add a single shot of espresso.

Spiced Apple Chai: Ordered hot or cold, it’s basically a chai infused in apple juice. I’ve never ordered it but apparently it tastes like spiced apple cider. Don’t they already have a caramel apple spice drink though?

Undertow: Need a quick caffeine fix? Order a Caffe Misto, add a pump of chocolate and hazelnut syrup, then add milk and 2 shots of espresso. Boom.

Black and White Mocha: This is a combo of a white chocolate mocha and a regular mocha. I tried this one last week and it was REALLY good. Also known as a “penguin mocha” at some locations.

Starbucks “Refreshers”:

Cold Russian Tea: This is simply a Valencia Orange refresher but you add a pump of Chai syrup, a pump of Classic syrup, and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Love on the Rocks: This thirst quencher is a Berry Hibiscus refresher minus the blackberries. Replace the H2O with apple juice, then add a single pump of Raspberry syrup. Feeling crazy? Add a splash of passion iced tea to top if off.

Mojito Refresher: If the barista does it correctly, they’ll start with a Cool Lime refresher. Then add a pump of Classic syrup, half a pump of peppermint syrup, add ice, blend, then add the lime wheels.

Peach Ring Tea: When done correctly, this one is 1/2 Valencia orange refresher and 1/2 passion tea with no water added. Then add a pump of peach syrup.

Peach Zen Refresher: This beauty is half green tea concentrate, half cool lime. You then add 2 pumps of peach syrup, shake it, and pour it over ice.

Red Mango Explosion: This Starbucks secret menu drink sounds really good. It’s orange/mango juice to the 1st line, lemonade to the 3rd line, a scoop of ice, and finally a pump of raspberry syrup.

See Also: Check out 25+ Dutch Bros Rebels on Their Secret Menu

Starbucks “Odds & Ends”:

London Fog: Order this from the secret menu and you’ll get Earl Grey tea with vanilla and caramel syrup added.

Medicine Ball: Got a cold? Try this. It consists of Jade Citrus Mint Green Tea, Peach Tranquility Herbal Tea, hot water, steamed lemonade, and some honey.

Oatmeal Latte: This odd drink comes together when you order oatmeal with milk (instead of water) along with a shot of espresso. Handy way to eat breakfast and drink coffee at the same time.

Puppacino: Order one for your furry 4-legged companion and you’ll get a cup of whipped cream for them to lick clean.

Below is a pic of our husky, Koda, in her happy place enjoying a Puppacino, also known as a “Pup Cup”.

Raspberry Caramel Macchiato: This bad boy consists of raspberry syrup, ice, milk, espresso and caramel. I have a friend that’s a BIG fan of this one.

S’Mores Hot Chocolate: This soon to be kid’s favorite needs to be broken up into thirds. One-part hot chocolate, one-part chestnut praline syrup (three pumps) and one-part whipped cream with a little mocha drizzle goodness.

Warm Sugar Cookie: A friend recently introduced this to me and it was delish. Start with a white hot chocolate, then add hazelnut and vanilla syrup and top off with some real raw sugar.

Ask the Reader: More drinks to come as I discover them. Any items from the Starbucks secret menu that I might be missing? Let me know in the comments section.

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Noel Reinhold.