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Well, it’s that time of year again, time for me to renew my Costco membership. I’ve been a Gold Star member of Costco for years, and although the warehouse wonder has increased its annual membership fee to $65 this year, it’s still an easy decision to renew it once again.

Here are 10 reasons why.

1. Pharmacy discounts

I save hundreds of dollars every year using the Costco pharmacy for my over-the-counter meds. It’s stuff I always need, so buying in bulk is just making my life easier. My dogs’ medicines are also sometimes much cheaper at Costco.

2. Discounts on gift cards

Costco has some killer discounts on gift cards, if you’ve not heard. They can really help stretch your budget, especially when Costco is offering $100 Instacart gift cards for just $80. Check it out for this year’s Christmas list, or just to take advantage of a deal on your own grocery shopping.

3. Local grocery delivery

Speaking of Instacart, my Costco offers local grocery delivery through Instacart, saving me time and money. Sure, it’s a little cheaper to go into the warehouse, but the Instacart partnership is handy in a pinch.

4. Rental car discounts

I have great travel plans in my near future, and renting a car for a long trip makes a bit more sense than hoping AAA has my back in Nowheresville. Costco has all kinds of rental car deals for any kind of car you might want for a road trip.

5. Monthly Costco bargains

Not going to lie, I look forward to the flier that comes every month to announce the latest and greatest Costco bargains. You can find them on the website, too, but that little flier gives me something to mull over during my lunch break and serves to inspire my shopping lists.

6. Gift baskets

I have been known to send out gift baskets to businesses and people who have taken care of me in tough times. Costco has so many different gift baskets that it’s a nice option to have when I’m looking for that perfect thank you for my veterinarian or hard-to-buy-for friend. And better yet, shipping and handling are included in the price when purchasing online.

7. The bakery

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Costco bakery in this list of reasons to renew. From pumpkin pies the size of actual blackholes to the million muffin army, Costco bakery has saved my bacon for so many holiday seasons, I’m a little ashamed of myself.

8. Sports supplements

I may not be the endurance runner I once was, but I still rampage in the garden and go on long hikes with my dogs, so I still need to fuel my body. Costco has great prices on things like vegan protein powder and Liquid I.V. in giant packages.

As one example, you can currently buy a 30-pack of Liquid I.V. stick packs at Costco for $21.99. If you buy these directly from Liquid I.V., you’ll pay $24.99 (plus shipping!) for a pack of 16, while Target sells a 10-pack for $14.99.

9. Black Friday deals

Costco, like every other retailer on the planet, offers some killer Black Friday deals every year in November. Often, these are big-ticket items discounted beyond their already awesome Costco prices, to a point where I’m sorely tempted to buy items like small appliances, cookware, or electronics.

10. The adventure

I may sound like a complete nerd admitting this, but I don’t really care. Costco is a shopping adventure. If I want to go somewhere that the inventory is static, I will go to a retailer like Walmart or Target, but when I want to go into a store just to see what’s new (because there’s always something new being rotated in), I go to Costco. It’s kind of like window shopping in a warehouse.

I’m renewing my Costco membership again this year

Hey, price increase or not, I definitely get more than $65 worth of discounts, joy, convenience, and excitement from Costco, so why wouldn’t I renew? It might seem like just another warehouse store on the surface, but Costco goes out of its way to partner with companies that help its members find the services they need, and to provide products that they really, really want.

Next year, I plan to buy a new couch. Guess where I’ll be shopping first?

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Kristi Waterworth has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.