I recently learned a trick for shopping at Costco even if you don’t have a membership. What you do need is a friend who is a member!
If this friend gives you a Costco Shop Card (formerly called a Costco “Cash Card”) then it serves as your “membership card” and allows you to shop at Costco without your own membership.
Costco Shop Card Rules
Anyone can shop at Costco with a Shop Card. You just show the card at the door and again when you check out. If you buy more than the amount on the card (they start at $25) then you can pay the balance with cash or a check.
Members can buy Shop Card online here to be delivered virtually or by mail.
Costco Shop Cards never expire! However they can only be refilled by a Costco Member.
You can also find them on the secondhand market, but proceed with caution.
My awesome friend paid me for babysitting in three $25 Costco cards, which will allow me three separate trips to Costco. Woo hoo! That should last me for the rest of the year.
If you are a member or not, be sure to check out this post on five things to buy at Costco will easily save you hundreds of dollars per year.
I hope this post helped you learn how to shop at Costco without a membership. Any questions? Leave a comment below!
Sam Dickson
Tuesday 26th of May 2015
Very interesting article, constantly being a burden on my friends by asking them to get me the stuff that I want from Costco makes me feel bad! Definitely going to use this technique in the future.