Here’s an Easy Way to Shop at Costco Without a Membership

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Think Costco shopping is off-limits without a membership? Read on to see why you’re wrong. 

Costco is a unique store in that you need to pay for a membership to shop there. With a regular supermarket or big-box store, you just walk on in. You don’t have to show a membership card at the door.

Now, you should know that there’s a reason Costco charges a membership fee. It uses the revenue it makes from those fees to keep its prices down. So while you might spend $60 a year for a basic membership to Costco, or $120 a year on an Executive membership that gives you 2% cash back on your purchases, you might save well more than that over 52 weeks of shopping.

However, perhaps a Costco membership isn’t right for you because your nearest warehouse club store is far away. Or, Costco may be a store you only want to shop at periodically because you don’t have a ton of storage space at home and you don’t tend to do a lot of cooking.

In that case, it could make financial sense to skip the membership. But that doesn’t mean shopping at Costco in person is off the table.

A sneaky but effective way to get into Costco

One thing you should know about Costco is that much of its inventory is available online. That said, some online items are member-only exclusives. And you should know that you’ll face a 5% surcharge for online orders as a non-member.

Not only that, but Costco items tend to be less expensive in the store than online. And a big reason is that Costco offers free shipping for many of its online items. However, it sort of builds the cost of shipping into the price, which explains why most items cost more online than at a store.

If you want to reap the most savings on your purchases, then shopping at Costco in person is usually the way to go. And if you don’t have a membership, you’re not out of luck. If you’re given a Costco Shop Card, which is Costco’s version of a gift card, you’ll be allowed to enter the store and shop there to your heart’s content.

Usually, you’re asked to show a membership card at the door when you approach a Costco store. Show your Shop Card, and you’ll be allowed in.

Can you shop at Costco weekly without a membership?

Technically, you can. But doing so probably isn’t feasible for one big reason.

As a non-Costco member, you aren’t allowed to buy a Shop Card yourself. Rather, a member has to purchase one for you. And it’s a pretty tall order to ask a friend or family member to buy you a Shop Card every week so you can keep hitting the store.

Even if you’re able to ask different people to keep supplying you with cards, eventually, that can become a hassle. So if you really want to shop at Costco weekly, then paying the membership fee makes sense.

It could even pay to get an Executive membership in that case, because $3,000 in annual spending lets you break even on the extra $60 the upgrade costs. And shopping at Costco regularly might easily result in $3,000 of spending over 12 months.

Having someone you know buy you a Costco Shop Card for occasional access to the store is fine if that’s the route you’d prefer to take. But if you expect Costco runs to become a regular thing in your world, then it’s probably time to pony up for a membership. Chances are, you’ll find that it more than pays for itself in money saved.

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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.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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