Shop at costco.com without a membership

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Costco American Express 05-15-07

Through august 26th, and using only the american express card, you can shop at costco.com without paying any surcharges or having a membership.

 

[Moemg]

I've been shopping at Sam's club for free for years .You can usually find a one day pass on the internet .They are supposed to charge a surcharge but they don't usually . I only do it about four times a year so the $35.00 membership is not worth it to me .

 

[maddythebeagle]

I've been shopping at Sam's club for free for years .You can usually find a one day pass on the internet .They are supposed to charge a surcharge but they don't usually . I only do it about four times a year so the $35.00 membership is not worth it to me .

That is what I was doing but they started wanting a surcharge....it is up to 40 bucks for a membership....me and my sister split the account for 2 households...no costcos in our area yet...

 

[Ibid]

You can get prescriptions filled at Costco with no upcharge, no membership required. Have to pay in cash, membership required to use a check. Sams Club is the same (for prescriptions.)

 

[kramer]

I refuse to pay the yearly fee for Costco. As a single frugal retired person, I am definitely not in their demographic, either.

Did I read this here on this board before -- Can I have a friend buy me four $25 Costco gift cards for $100, and then basically have 4 free visits to the Costco of my choice? So I could buy, say, $200 worth of stuff with my first $25 card on my first visit (paying $175 in cash), etc. Just wondering.

Kramer

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Sort of. They generally want a membership card with the gift cards but if you make a small fuss they'll put a special code into the register that lets you buy without it. I think its a "99 code" IIRC.

Costco saves me so much money, the membership is completely irrelevant.

We had twelve people over the house a couple of days ago. Big tray of sandwiches, shrimp platter, sides, dips, chips, and a half sheet cake: $120.

Steaks a couple of bucks a pound cheaper.

Theres also a nice selection simplification process. They dont carry 20 of every type of product, usually just one or two. Whatever sells quickly and doesnt get returned much.

Some stuff isnt much of a bargain, but most of it is.

 

[kramer]

Sort of. They generally want a membership card with the gift cards but if you make a small fuss they'll put a special code into the register that lets you buy without it. I think its a "99 code" IIRC.

Thanks. So I guess this is less of a workaround than I thought.

I just don't seem to buy enough stuff to justify it. And since I am single, everything there tends to be in too large of quantities for me, and the alternative for me, Walmart, is pretty competitive on most offerings.

Kramer

 

[gtmeouttahere]

We get the executive membership at Costco at $100. It gives us 2% cash back on all purchases except gas. We use the membership to get lower car insurance, home insurance, checks, you name it. The check you get at the end of the year more than covers all of your membership fee. Add that to all of the other savings you get it is a no brain-er. I buy almost all of my electronics and appliances through them as well. If it breaks they will replace it no questions asked even if it has been three years. Thats without spending the extra money you spend at other places on an "extended" service/warrantee plan. Costco rocks!!!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

My executive kickback runs about $200-220 a year, so its paying for the membership and a nice little return.

Little secret that not many people know...if you take an executive membership and you dont make the $60 difference between it and the basic membership, they'll hand you the difference. Just go to the CS desk and tell them you didnt make enough for it to be worthwhile. They REALLY want you to be an executive member.

 

[ChrisC]

I have the American Express Costco Credit Card; I don't pay an annual membership fee at Costco and I don't have an annual credit card fee either. I earn rebates for purchases at Costco on the Card; with the rebates and the great deals I get from Costco -- I'm a very happy camper. Walmart has good deals on lots of every day stuff and it's becoming a giant consumer electronics; however, I find that there are so many items (not just bulk food products) I purchase at Costco that make the "membership fee" a non-issue. I'm also an Executive Member.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I think a few people have figured out that costco isnt all about buying in bulk, although you can definitely do that. I use it to improve my quality of life by buying more expensive products at a discount rate.

I can get rib eyes there for about the same price as top round at the supermarket. And the range of high end cheeses at cheeze whiz prices is impressive.

You also get some funny buys there that work out pretty well. I bought three toilets from them, their house "water ridge" brand. These are made by Gerber and if I went to home depot and bought just the basic populated porcelain they'd run about $150. These came with a seat, a decent wax ring, a stainless connection hose, a replacement valve, and an upgraded fluidmaster valve. $79 a pop. My water district pays $75 each for replacing older toilets.

Wasnt a lot of fun replacing three toilets in one day, but I'll take nearly free stuff any day.

 

[Alex]

My executive kickback runs about $200-220 a year, so its paying for the membership and a nice little return.

Little secret that not many people know...if you take an executive membership and you dont make the $60 difference between it and the basic membership, they'll hand you the difference. Just go to the CS desk and tell them you didnt make enough for it to be worthwhile. They REALLY want you to be an executive member.

so, you spend between 10-12k per year at COSTCO??

 

[mathjak107]

i stopped going to costco because although i liked everything i bought the collatoral damage to our food budget was a killer. it was no longer a case of ill try this box of cookies like the extras id get at the super market , now its a case of extras . id go in for a few good deal items and walk out blowing a months normal food budget. i also dislike anything huge that isnt individually wrapped like peanut butter or ketchup. im not disciplined enough not to buy stuff i think id like and i do to much damage

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

so, you spend between 10-12k per year at COSTCO??

One year we hit close to 18k. Easy to figure because I have one credit card I only use there.

Bear in mind that I buy almost everything there, including gas, kayaks and televisions.

 

[skyline]

I have the American Express Costco Credit Card; I don't pay an annual membership fee at Costco and I don't have an annual credit card fee either. I earn rebates for purchases at Costco on the Card; with the rebates and the great deals I get from Costco -- I'm a very happy camper. Walmart has good deals on lots of every day stuff and it's becoming a giant consumer electronics; however, I find that there are so many items (not just bulk food products) I purchase at Costco that make the "membership fee" a non-issue. I'm also an Executive Member.

I thought you still needed to pay for a membership, even if you apply for the AmEx Costco Credit Card?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'm pretty sure you still pay the membership fee, but they deduct it from your rebate earnings.

 

[SecondCor521]

I'm pretty sure you still pay the membership fee, but they deduct it from your rebate earnings.

I have the same AMEX Costco card, I do pay an annual membership fee to Costco (in September, I think) and I get my rebate check in February with my AMEX statement. I think ChrisC is forgetting that he pays a membership fee.

2Cor521

 

[skyline]

Another quick Costco question re: exec membership - I currently have an AmEx rewards card (non-Costco branded), that pays upwards of 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and a standard Costco membership. Every other time I checkout, some guy with a scanner pops by to remind me that I could be earning 2% cash back with an exec membership. I tell them that I already get 1.5% cash back, and so the difference would only be .5%, which means I would have to spend A LOT to clear the $60 difference.

At that point, about half of them counter that I would earn both (my 1.5% credit card rebate and a 2% costco rebate for being an exec member) on my purchases at Costco, so I'd still only need to spend a few thousand a year to break even.

Anyone know if that's true? I've assumed that it sounds too good to be true (3.5% combined cash back?!?), and the response is just an uninformed sales pitch, but wondering if anyone can actually attest to this?

Thanks,

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Its true. The costco executive rebate is mutually exclusive of any credit card bennies you receive.

I'm getting 2% costco rebate and 1% on the basic crappy amex rewards card that used to pay 5% on gas but only pays 2% now.


Which card do you have that pays 1.5% plus on ordinary purchases?


One thing to note is that many rewards cards, including the particular amex I have, have a cap on the amount of rewards you can receive in a year. I think mine caps at $350. The costco amex product has no caps.

As a nice side benefit, I gave my dad the second "spouse" card you're entitled to for free with your membership. So I'm getting 2% back for all the stuff he buys as well and he does most of his shopping there. He gets a free membership and free lunch at my house 2-3 times a week.

 

[calmloki]

One year we hit close to 18k. Easy to figure because I have one credit card I only use there.

Bear in mind that I buy almost everything there, including gas, kayaks and televisions.

Dang fuzz - I thought I was a Costco shopper! Just checked and we spent right at $6000 last year - and I buy the replacement refrigerators for the rental and such like there. Should we be buying more tv sets? Replacing our kayak?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Hey, take a ~40k budget, remove taxes, utilities and oddball expenses and whatcha got left? I buy it at costco if they sell it. One of the few businesses that have never left me wishing I had a bag of poo and a match.

Saw an article last month...costco employees serving in iraq are not only guaranteed their jobs back when they're done with their service, but their benefits (including family coverage) is continued, costco pays the differential between their costco and military pay, and each warehouse sends 5 care packages per year to each of its employees that are in service overseas.

I can get behind a company that treats its employees well, because they treat me well as a customer.

Sort of the polar opposite of firing your customers who complain about the lousy service you're giving them.

Costco Connection - April 2007

 

[Nords]

I can get behind a company that treats its employees well, because they treat me well as a customer.

Great stock. Board members include William H. Gates Sr. & Charlie Munger.

I think management actually listens to them, too.

 

[skyline]

Its true. The costco executive rebate is mutually exclusive of any credit card bennies you receive.

I'm getting 2% costco rebate and 1% on the basic crappy amex rewards card that used to pay 5% on gas but only pays 2% now.


Which card do you have that pays 1.5% plus on ordinary purchases?


One thing to note is that many rewards cards, including the particular amex I have, have a cap on the amount of rewards you can receive in a year. I think mine caps at $350. The costco amex product has no caps.

As a nice side benefit, I gave my dad the second "spouse" card you're entitled to for free with your membership. So I'm getting 2% back for all the stuff he buys as well and he does most of his shopping there. He gets a free membership and free lunch at my house 2-3 times a week.

CFB - thanks for the info - that's great to know...whatta ya know, those crazy scanner kids were telling the truth! I still need to figure out if it's worthwhile, I spend around 2-4K @ Costco each year, which is just at the cutoff.

I have the AmEx Platinum Cash Rebate card - it's tops off at 1.5% cash back on all purchases after your first $5K with no cap that I'm aware of (I got just under $400 last year). No annual fee, and the 'Platinum' in the name has nothing to do with the primary AmEx Platinum Card (as in pretty much anyone can get this card)

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Hmmm...who issued the card and is it still available? My citibank issued amex rewards card only pays 1% and it seems they dont even offer it anymore, and the costco cash rewards card from amex also says 1%. And the one I have is capped at (IIRC) $350 a year and I hit that by about april or may.

 

[SecondCor521]

CFB,

You might get the PenFed Visa card. It pays 5% on gas and 1.25% on all other purchases. The payment is in the form of a credit on your monthly statement for purchases in that payment, so it's a real no muss, no fuss, kind of card. I don't think there are any caps, but I only use mine for gas so I get about $5 back per month.

It sounds like the card skyline mentions is a tiered rewards card, which can make sense if you spend up through the tiers every year quickly.

2Cor521