I compared Costco shopping carts of Kirkland Signature products and brand names. The price differences surprised me.

Major retailers typically have several in-house brands. Costco just has one: Kirkland Signature.

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• Costco sells a lot of brand-name goods at a lower unit price than typical retailers charge.
• But the warehouse chain's Kirkland Signature brand is where the cost savings can really add up.
• We compared shopping carts filled exclusively with Kirkland products against national brands to find out.

When it comes to cutting costs on everyday items...