6 Ways You Can Shop at Costco Without a Membership

If you like eating quality food and using quality things then chances are you’ll benefit greatly from a Costco membership. If you don’t already have a membership card than you should consider getting one, as you can save a huge amount of money on your groceries and other necessities through the great deals they have at Costco. However, in order to get into the doors at Costco and get access to their great prices, the Costco membership is not free. In fact, it ranges from $55 to $110 depending on the plan that you get. However, if you aren’t sure you want to commit to a Costco membership then there are ways to access the Costco merchandise without a card. Here are six ways to fly under the radar and do some membership-free shopping at Costco.

Go On a Trial Run

Costco’s membership has a great refund policy. If you are dissatisfied for whatever reason at any time you can ask for a full refund of your membership fee. This allows you to pay for a membership to Costco and give it a test run. If you feel as though you are not getting enough value from it then you can simply ask for a full refund of your money at any time. This allows you to give shopping at Costco a risk-free try before fully committing to the membership price.

Purchasing Alcohol

Costco allows the sale of alcohol to any non-members who are of a legal drinking age. This is due to the fact that there are alcohol regulations that do not allow for membership-only alcohol purchases. This means that you can get great discounts on your favorite alcoholic beverages without having to purchase a membership. In fact, Costco has its own brand of alcohol that is comparable to quality alcohol brands such as Grey Goose. All you have to do is tell the door attendant that you are there to purchase alcohol and you should get in without a problem.

Purchasing Prescriptions

Similar to alcohol, prescription drugs are very highly regulated, which forces Costco to sell them without requiring a membership. As with alcohol, all you need to do is let the door attendant know that you are there to purchase prescription medication and you will be let in the door. With Costco boasting some of the best prices in prescriptions, this is very beneficial, especially if you have an ailment that requires the frequent purchase of medication.

Use Costco.com

Non-members can purchase items online from Costco.com. However, there is a downside to this service. Those that aren’t members are charged an extra 5% on all items besides alcohol and prescription drugs. Additionally, the food products are pretty limited online as well.

Use the Costco Cash Card

Costco allows non-members to use the Costco Cash Card at any time. This cash card is pretty much a gift card. When a non-member shows one of these cards at the door they will be let in to make any purchases with it that they want. The problem with this card is that it can only be bought by a Costco member and cannot be reloaded. If you want to test drive a Costco grocery trip then asking a member to purchase a card for you can be a great way to try it out.

Shop With a Member

Although this one shouldn’t be used to often, as the actual member of Costco could get annoyed. Asking to piggyback off of a member doesn’t hurt every once in a while. All you have to do is tag along, and the Costco cashier will ring up your purchases separately.

Finances - 23 Jun, 2014 - No Comments