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If you’ve been wanting a Costco membership, now is the time. For a limited time, Groupon is offering an amazing deal for new Costco members.
While yes, you do have to spend some money to get this membership, it’s totally worth it. Not only do you get tons of perks (like $215 worth), but you’ll also be able to start buying in bulk, which can mean big savings. Did you know that one of the best ways to cut down your grocery bill is to simply shop less often?
With the Groupon, new members who purchase the one-year membership will also get the following (this is a $215 total value including the membership):
- A $20 Costco cash card, which functions as a gift card and can be used at Costco warehouses, gas stations and online.
- Three free coupons for Kirkland Signature products, including a package of 12 rolls of paper towels, 24 bottles of VitaRain Zero flavored water and a whole pizza. Those three free items would usually come to a total of $35.63, but Groupon buyers can get them free of charge with the deal.
- A discount of $25 on any online orders that meet or exceed $250.
- A $75 Costco cash card that can be used toward a Costco Travel vacation to either the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico or the South Pacific. (Sadly, the money can’t be applied toward cruises, but I suppose beggars can’t be choosers.)
This deal is only available to new Costco members So if you have one, you can share this deal with someone who would benefit from a membership.
The promotion ends Nov. 1, so make sure you buy the Groupon and head to a physical Costco store to activate it sooner rather than later.
The savings coupons then expire on Jan. 31, 2018, and the travel cash card expires on Dec. 31, 2017, so make sure you mark the dates in your calendar to take full advantage of your savings.
To redeem, go to Groupon and complete your purchase.
How To Stop At Costco Without A Membership
Maybe paying $60 for a Costco membership isn’t in the cards right now. That’s OK, because there are several ways to shop at Costco without a membership!
1. Tag Along With A Costco Member
The most obvious way to shop at Costco without a membership is to tag along with a friend.
Embrace your inner mooch—come on, just do it. Chances are, you know someone who’s a Costco member, so cozy up and go shopping with that member. Who pays? At the checkout, you can each pay for your own purchases. (Hint: In terms of credit cards, the warehouse store only takes Visa, so make sure you have the right card on hand. You can always pay in cash.)
2. Use A Costco Cash Card
That’s right, just have a member get you a Costco Cash Card and you can shop all you want—without a membership. You can get them in various amounts, from $25 to $1,000.
3. Use Costco’s Other Services
Did you know that you can take care of a lot of your health needs at Costco? You can fill prescriptions without a membership, as well as get a flu vaccination, hearing screening and an eye exam. Who knew? You do need a membership (or a Costco Cash Card as mentioned above) if you actually want to buy hearing aids, glasses or contacts.
4. Fill Up Your Gas Tank
Yes, use that Costco Cash Card to get some gas. As you probably know, gasoline is a great deal there.
5. Get Costco Delivered To Your Door
Yep, you don’t even have to leave the couch. You can use Instacart and Google Express to “shop” at Costco without a membership. Of course, you’ll have to pay delivery fees or a membership fee to use either of these services, but it still might make sense depending on your situation.
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6. Shop Costco Online
Yes, even if you’re not a Costco member, you can shop on their website. We had no idea! However, there is a 5 percent surcharge for non-members, so you may be better off using the store’s Cash Card we mentioned above, or just keep track of how much you’ll be spending online to make sure your surcharge isn’t too high (i.e., not more than the annual $55 membership).