12 Costco deals that are totally worth the money

Costco deal expert The Krazy Coupon Lady deems the cheese at Costco as "the cheapest cheese around."

With cheddar cheese two-pound blocks selling for 40% cheaper than Walmart's store-brand cheese, we can't blame her. That's just $0.15 per ounce compared to $0.25 per ounce.

Meanwhile, string cheese is roughly $0.16 per stick — that's cheaper than both the $0.22 to $0.24 average per stick you'll find at a discount grocer and the $0.41 per stick at a standard supermarket.

There are many surprising things about Costco. Among them? They're the biggest wine retailer in the US, stocking name brand labels for 20% less than most wine stores.

"On average, you can save $5 to $12 per bottle, depending on the original price of the wine," Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping, told GOBankingRates.

Even better, you don't need a Costco membership in 12 states to get your hands on these budget-friendly vinos. Try these highest rated wines, which promise flavor and quality as rich as their savings.

This bargain is enough to start any health consumer's morning off on the right note — you can buy a 24-pack of organic eggs at Costco for $7.49 in some locations. Elsewhere, a dozen organic eggs can be priced anywhere from $4 to $6. Now, that's one over easy decision you can make.

Costco has got your health covered. In addition to selling the most inexpensive pharmacy prescription drugs on the market, their over-the-counter offerings offer a big bang for your buck.

"For example, Zyrtec can cost about $0.43 per pill at drugstores, but (for $10.99) the Aller-Tec generic version at Costco checks in at about $0.03 per pill," Sakraida told GOBankingRates.

Even if you're insistent on the name-brand stuff, it's still cheaper — Zyrtec at Costco will only set you back $0.34 a pill.

You can buy Bose sound systems from Costco for $30 to $50 less than anywhere else, Amazon included. At one point, a Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker cost $159 at Costco, compared to $196.49 at Amazon. That's more than 23% in savings.

Costco sells a 4-pack of energy efficient LED 60-watt bulbs for $3.99; buy them elsewhere, and you'll be shelling out roughly $14.99. And that's not to mention the money you'll be saving on your electricity bill. There's no denying this purchase is a win-win for both your bank account and the environment.

Fueling your morning brew needs really adds up, especially if you're one of the millennials who spend more money on coffee than retirement.

But it doesn't have to be that way when you buy your whole beans or ground coffee from Costco. The bloggers of Frugalwoods calculated how much they'd save in a year by switching from the expensive beans they were buying to the Kirkland brand — $214.11. That's more than three times a Costco membership.

Lindsay Sakraida of Deal News seconds the coffee savings at Costco, telling GOBankingRates, "Their Kirkland blends are about $5 per pound, whereas comparable blends will go for about $8 per pound on Amazon."

By now, Costco is practically famous for its unbeatable rotisserie chicken to the point where it has its own Facebook fan page.

Coming in at just $4.99, it's the cheapest you can find compared to any other supermarket. This beauty comes in at a minimum of a hefty three pounds, making for a unit price of $1.67 per pound. For comparison's sake, Walmart sells theirs for only a dollar more, but the size is smaller.

Bonus: this unbelievable price tag doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. Costco's chief financial officer Richard Galanti told Seattle Times the company was willing to eat the $30 to $40 million loss they experience each year by not raising the price.

Costco topped Consumer Reports' latest rating of eyeglass stores, beating out most other chains.

Shoppers also see savings when it comes to the cost of frames and lenses at Costco, compared to those who bought their eyewear from independent retailers, private physicians, or specialty stores.

It's easy to see why — the median price at Costco is $186, compared to about $300 for other options.

Kids come at a cost — the average American family spends more than $11,000 in the first year of a child's life. Start cutting corners by purchasing your baby formula from Costco — it's less than half the price of the formula you may purchase at your local grocery store. Kirkland's signature brand formula is only $0.46 an ounce, while name brand Enfamil is $0.89 an ounce.

Bakers, delight. A number of savvy retail bloggers, including The Many Little Joys and The Krazy Coupon Lady, rave about Costco's dry active yeast bargain. With a two-pound package of Red Star yeast, the store offers arguably a lifetime's worth at just $4.49. That's $0.14 an ounce, compared to $0.31 at Amazon, $0.44 at Walmart, and $1.37 at a regular grocery store.

Two pounds may sound like a lot, but you can freeze yeast for a long time. "I pull it out to refill a smaller plastic container I keep in my fridge, and it's still going strong over a year later!" writes The Many Little Joys.

Costco may not have all the spices your spice rack dreams of, but the ones they do have are a bargain.

The blogger behind The Many Little Joys bought a bottle of cinnamon for $2.59 ($0.24 an ounce) instead of spending $8.99 ($1.02 an ounce) on a similar sized bottle of McCormick cinnamon at the grocery store.

Similarly, garlic powder is just $0.30 an ounce and whole pepper is $0.55 an ounce. The best part is that dried spices usually last a while, so it's a deal that keeps on giving.