Why Hunting For Meat Price Cuts At Costco Is A Wild Goose Chase

It's no secret: Shopping at Costco can save you big-time money, especially if you have a large family and take advantage of its membership perks. Its meat department, in particular, is a favorite among shoppers. Not only is it well stocked with a variety of cuts and grades, including USDA Prime beef, but the bulk prices are so low you'd be hard-pressed to find better deals at your typical grocery store. But we suppose it's human nature to want even greater discounts, which has led some people to seek out meat whose prices have been slashed even further at their local Costco. However, this is akin to a wild goose chase because Costco very rarely discounts its already economical meat prices.

While there are anecdotal stories online about people finding meat whose prices have been lowered (and what a deal they got!), the number of Costco shoppers who head to the store and don't find any must dwarf that number. One Redditor suggested a reason for this: "I don't think meat sits around long enough to age [and] need [to be] marked down for quick sale like it does at [a] regular [supermarket]." Another user posited that Costco repurposes meat nearing its expiration date, sort of like how its leftover rotisserie chickens get turned into deli items.

Rather than spend an hour sifting through packs of meat looking for discounted steaks or pork chops, work with what Costco has right in front of you and still walk out with some great deals. Before you head out, though, be sure to check Costco's weekly and monthly savings, which often include at least a few meat products that might be of interest to you.

Once you're in the store, don't be intimidated by the huge beef strip loins or pork loins. These large cuts of meat are cost-effective because you take them home and do the butchering yourself, which is surprisingly simple. Not only do you control the thickness of the steaks you cut, but you can also save big-time money per pound, with no cooler diving necessary. If you're after cheaper ground beef instead, sidle up to the butcher counter and ask for a 10-pound chub. These tubes of ground beef are available by request only, but simply asking for one can save you $2 or $3 per pound.

Finally, if you're lucky enough to live near a Costco Business Center, shoppers have reported that those locations do indeed mark down their meat more frequently than regular warehouses. Any Costco member can shop at a Business Center, though there are far fewer of these stores located around the country.