I'm About to Have an Empty Nest. Should I Keep My Costco Membership?

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Having your children grow up and move out of your home can be an emotional thing. It's not easy going from having a family under your roof to it being just you, or you and your spouse or partner. So it's important to give yourself grace during that transition.

Now, once you become an empty-nester, it could pay to make some changes to your spending. For example, if it was really your kids who watched cable TV, not you, then you may want to cancel that service once they've moved out and free up space in your budget. You may also be reconsidering your Costco membership if your kids won't be living at home anymore.

At first, you may be inclined to just get rid of your Costco membership since you'll no longer be feeding as many people. But here are a few reasons to keep that membership, even if your household size is shrinking.

1. You still need to eat

Maybe you won't be feeding two or three kids every day like you used to. But you still need food. And if you have a spouse or partner, so do they. If you do a lot of cooking, it can still make sense to buy certain products in bulk from Costco and enjoy the savings.

In fact, let's say it's going to be just you and a spouse, but you eat a ton of fresh produce. If you're able to finish bulk packages of fruits or large amounts of vegetables before they spoil, then why not continue to get them at Costco?

Also, as an empty-nester, you'll no longer have to cater your meals to your children. That may give you the wiggle room to cook the meals you want. And if Costco carries a lot of the ingredients you prefer to use, then you stand to save money.

2. You can still benefit from household products and personal care items

Chances are, it's not just food you buy at Costco. Maybe it's also where you get your shampoo, household cleaning supplies, and vitamins and supplements. Those are all things you're still going to need, even as an empty-nester. So it could pay to stick with Costco to save on those purchases.

For instance, if you take a calcium pill daily, the price at Costco is only $0.03 per pill. Even if you buy a bulk supply from Amazon, you're still looking at $0.04 per pill.

Similarly, right now, Clorox all-purpose cleaner is just $0.09 per ounce online at Costco. Amazon's largest Clorox bottle has you paying $0.11 per ounce.

3. You can take advantage of Costco's travel service

It's a lot easier to travel on your own or with just a spouse than with kids. Not only is it less expensive, but you don't have to worry about your kids' schedules.

If you think you'll do more traveling as an empty-nester, then it could pay to keep your Costco membership so you can benefit from the chain's travel services. Booking a cruise or package through Costco Travel may save you not only money but also time, since you'll have access to different deals all in one spot. Plus, if you call Costco Travel for help, a customer service representative can help you navigate your choices.

You might think it makes sense to ditch your Costco membership as an empty-nester. But clearly, there are plenty of good reasons to keep it.

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