An Unexpected Benefit Of Buying Wine At Costco

It's no secret that Costco is home to some popular products and deals. According to The Ascent, trail mix, coffee, and bacon are some of the best bangs for the buck at the big-box retailer, with the latter ringing in at about $1.25 less per pound than what people might find at the chain's competitors.

Food isn't the only thing folks can save a few dollars on when shopping at the members-only store. It's got deals on alcohol, as well. "While in some cases the pricing is just as competitive, and in others, it's a downright steal, you can't lose buying your booze at Costco," writes Food 52's Katie Workman, who even went as far as to call the grocer a "rockstar" when it comes to adult beverages.

In 2017 Fox News reported that Costco's markups on alcohol were between 10% and 14%, much lower than the 25% to 45% someone might see at the liquor store. And while the availability of spirits at Costco varies depending on location, it has a wide selection of beer, hard seltzers, and wine for shoppers to choose from. In addition to selling a number of notable wine brands, the chain also offers several under its own Kirkland Brand – some of which have been priced as low as $6.99 (via Wine.com). There's even a hidden freebie in Costco's wine section that can help customers save even more in an unexpected way.

According to The Ascent, the average American Costco shopper typically visits a warehouse once every two weeks and spends roughly $114 per trip. That may not sound like much. However, Costco also has a few tricks up its sleeve to make you spend more money, so in reality, you may actually end up shelling out a lot more when you finally make your way up to the register.

But people probably head to the big-box retailer hoping to score a few good deals, which is why they need to know about the freebie hiding in plain sight amongst Costco's cheap booze. According to Costco Wine Blog, at least some Costco locations allow shoppers to have the wooden crates that their wine bottles are shipped in absolutely free of charge. Make sure to ask an employee first before throwing them into your cart, as one Redditor explained that there's always a possibility the crates may be used for future displays. But judging from what employees reportedly told The Costco Wine Blog, the boxes will generally be free for the taking.

As for how to put free Costco wine crates to use, Slow Wine says they can be transformed into planters, shelving units, or even wall tiles for an at-home bar. Whatever consumers do, one thing that's for sure is that getting a free crate can be a way of saving money, which sounds like a win.