Food - News
Don't Buy A Costco Membership Until You Read This
By MASHED STAFF
Get inside for free
You don't need a membership to get into Costco; you just need a buddy who will let you scan their member card at the register. Another way to get into the store is to have a Costco Cash card, but once again, you'll need a member to buy you the gift card first.
Not everything is a deal
Make a list of your most frequent purchases at other stores and compare the Costco prices to what you normally pay. Most Costco products are sold in larger-sized packages, so the price per ounce might be cheaper, but if you can't consume perishables in time, you'll lose money.
Membership at a discount
You can get memberships at a discount or with a bonus, in the form of a gift card. In 2018, for example, a $60 LivingSocial deal included the membership, a $20 Costco Cash Card, and assorted goodies ranging from a pack of batteries to discounts on meat and online shopping.
Paying methods
If you prefer to pay for your groceries with an American Express, MasterCard, Discover Card, or Diners Club Card, you're out of luck, as Costco only accepts Visa network cards for credit card payments. You can also pay via debit card, cash, cheque, or EBT.
Executive membership
The Gold Star Executive Costco membership costs twice as much as the basic $60 membership, but you get 2% back on your purchases (you'd have to spend $3,000 a year to offset the extra $60 you pay) and extra benefits on certain Costco services.