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For some people (like me), joining Costco was an easy call. I shop at Costco on a weekly basis and rely on the bulk discounts I get on groceries to stay within my budget. And if you have a larger family, it could make sense to pay for Costco access. That will cost you $60 a year for a Gold Star membership or $120 for an Executive membership — though come September, those fees are rising to $65 and $130, respectively.
But a Costco membership isn’t for everyone. If you don’t have a Costco store nearby, a membership may not make sense. Similarly, it doesn’t necessarily pay to buy a membership if you only expect to go to Costco a few times a year.
The good news is that if you don’t want to fork over the money for a Costco membership, you don’t have to. Here are three ways to shop at the store without one.
1. Shop online
You can’t just waltz into a Costco store without having a membership card to flash. But anyone can shop at Costco.com.
There is a catch, though. First of all, some online items are member-only, so those will be off-limits without a membership number to enter at checkout. You’ll also be charged a 5% surcharge on Costco.com orders other than prescriptions.
However, if you don’t place many Costco.com orders, then paying an extra 5% could be cheaper than buying a membership. If you place three orders a year that total $300, you’re looking at paying an extra $15. That’s much less than the cost of a basic membership.
2. Go as a guest
Costco members are allowed to bring a guest with them to shop. If you have a close friend or neighbor with a membership and you can tag along with them, then you can avoid paying for a membership of your own.
But this assumes that you don’t have a desire to shop at Costco often. If you do, then you probably don’t want to be perpetually reliant on somebody else to get through the door.
3. Get in with a Shop Card
Many retailers issue store gift cards, and Costco is no exception. If you have a Shop Card (the store’s version of a gift card), you can get in without a membership card.
However, the catch is that you can’t buy a Shop Card if you’re not a Costco member. So you’ll need to ask someone to get you one. Again, this is really only a good solution if you only want to shop at Costco on occasion.
So there you have it. You don’t have to pay for Costco access if you don’t want to. But you may want to consider a membership for the benefits involved. As a Costco member, you can save money on everything from groceries to travel to apparel to electronics.
And remember, Costco guarantees your full satisfaction on everything it sells — memberships included. So if you buy one and find that you’re not getting great use out of it, you can always cancel and get a full refund.
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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.
