So I am a cheapie BUT I have been seeing shops that are at Costco. I did shop there in the past but it is usually a little far from me however I have been seeing shops for 5 to 50 dollars a week. Anyone not really shop at Costco but got a membership just to MSC. I do see the occasional deal there but I don't have a big family so any feedback would be appreciated. We often have to spend money to make money. Is it worth the $60/year pay.

Another question: Can you use your Costco membership at all Costcos city wide or is it a one store deal (like a gym membership?)
Thanks

XOXO

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2019 03:09AM by Mysteriousways.

You can use your membership at any Costco.

There's another option -- if you have a family member/friend that's a member and will add you to their membership.

BTW, I would have a membership just to go on the weekends and get all the free samples -- it's a full meal!

Anyone want to give me a hint on how to find these shops? I just bought a membership but didn't realize they had shops.

Let me add this. I think Sam's no longer requires you show a membership card to enter. AFAIK they still ask to see the card when entering Costco. I bought a membership six to eight years ago. The membership only lasted a year but I still have the card. As long as there is no purchase required I am good to go

It should be worth it for the savings on gasoline alone. It is in CA.

The cards are good anywhere in the USA. The membership is worth it for the gasoline alone but keep in mind there is usually a line at the pumps.
Free food? One of the reasons I didn't renew membership was the woman who scolded me for daring to pick up the box of whatever she was demo-ing. I wanted to read ingredients.

I love Costco. There is one close by that is not crowded. Never a line at the pumps for me in the past 3 years that I have been a member. There are only certain things I buy there routinely but every visit adds some spur of the moment items i.e flowers, plants, chocolates, food items from demo/samplings. Great at Christmas time.

You can enter a Costco without a membership card. One way is to say you want to visit the Pharmacy. Another is to simply tell them you want to look around. Most mystery shops that I see do not require a purchase, just observations. Check out this link:

[thekrazycouponlady.com]

Costco is worth it even without shops. But I have 4 kids, so the groceries in bulk works for me. Also, getting the free samples is like a free meal as someone said.

I think the shops in Costco are shopping vendors that are there....

I find my membership worthwhile. Also, the Citi Costco card has 4% rewards for gas and 3% for travel and restaurants. I get a fairly large rebate check once a year using the card.

I don't have a Costco membership anymore. I pair my shops when I see my eye doctor. At the entrance, I just point to my eyes and I get through.

Not always true. I tried to do this for a shop, and they wouldn't let me in for any reason.

@kenasch wrote:

You can enter a Costco without a membership card. One way is to say you want to visit the Pharmacy. Another is to simply tell them you want to look around. Most mystery shops that I see do not require a purchase, just observations. Check out this link:

[thekrazycouponlady.com]

The following post is to address a few previous comments.

This past winter, I purchased a membership to Sam's, through Groupon, at a net cost of $10. While I rarely shop such a store, their 93 octane gas, which my Miata requires, is approx. .50 cents a gallon cheaper than the gas stations in my area.

As was stated, Sam's no longer requires one to show a membership card and, if as Lisa shared, one has an expired card they are set at Costco but only to enter.

It's worth it. I got my membership just to do shops thinking since I have a 2 person household I would never need to actually shop there. Now I go once a month to shop and I love it. The samples, the cheap gas, and the deals on stuff like: toilet paper, paper towels, canned goods, cheese, eggs, and things I can freeze make Costco a great thing for a large OR small family. I look forward to my monthly Costco run, whether I have a mystery shop or not.

Even a one-person household can save more than the annual fee: paper products, copy paper, vitamins, OTC meds, toothpaste, moisturizer, hair products, laundry detergent, bleach, fabric treatments, toilet cleaner, drain cleaner, huge savings on quality casual clothing pieces and undies, bottled beverages, cereal, coffee, towels, garden/patio lights, ice melt, garden and lawn needs, computers, printers, TVs, luggage, bedding, mattresses, condiments, grains, pastas, canned goods, and much more. I have not even mentioned bulk fresh and frozen foods that you may want to use to stock your freezer. If you have not saved the membership fee in 3 months, even with your small household, you haven't done your price comparison homework.

You do not need a membership card to purchase at the Food Court area. And then (at least at my regular store) there's room to walk through one of the open check out lines and enter the store itself.

@quovatis wrote:

Not always true. I tried to do this for a shop, and they wouldn't let me in for any reason.

@kenasch wrote:

You can enter a Costco without a membership card. One way is to say you want to visit the Pharmacy. Another is to simply tell them you want to look around. Most mystery shops that I see do not require a purchase, just observations. Check out this link:

[thekrazycouponlady.com]

Probably depends on the State.

In CA, you can go in for pharmacy and liquor with no card. I’m 100% sure. My BFF works for Costco.

I have shopped Costco in at least a dozen states and never had an issue entering without a card.

You can actually use your card worldwide for Costco but if you do not live close to one then it is not worth it for the gas unless you pass them a lot while driving for mystery shopping. I believe the pharmacy admission thing is national but I would recommend that you just get a friend to purchase a costco cash card for you instead. It is like a gift card but branded for Costco. It does not expire and you will be able to use it not only to get in but in case you find something you want to buy you can do that with the cash card. You can just carry around a $50 or $100 gift card and gain entry. After you have been inside a few times for jobs or whatever you can assess whether membership would be worth it to you. For me, even though there is one a few blocks from my house I am not completely sure it would make sense for a one person household depending on what you buy there. Huge savings on over the counter pharmacy but you get huge bottles. If that is not what you would want then it will not work. Most of my costco stuff which is dated is way out of date by the time i finish it but I will use expired items to a point. I would never buy produce for one person. I eat lots of veggies but cannot finish 5# by the time it is no good by myself. Be aware if you go out of country find out which credit cards they accept. Canada only accepts Mastercard. US only accepts Visa. By the way, i love costco and would dearly miss it despite not needing 5# of tomatoes at a time or 96 oz of something else.
Another savings if you live near the border...the membership in Mexico is a lot cheaper. My nephew purchased one for $25 or 30 last year while he was visiting.

FYI: I know you area only asking about Costco, BUT.......BARE does trial memberships at that other mega warehouse club, the membership card is only good for one day, but you can still buy whatever you want and the shops are posted several times a year with no rotation.

It is worth it just for the huge $7 bottles of yummy Kirkland sangria. You're welcome.

I heard the Rotisserie chicken is amazing!

I think it's worth it. If you use your membership to fill up your tank weekly, then the membership will pay for itself. And Costco sells top tier gas. I agree the chicken is delicious. I did a shop where I applied for the credit card and was paid well for acceptance. I've been a member for a long time. They pay their employees a living wage and I like to support that.

My Costco buys historically:

Cheapest out of pocket flu shot
Spa Finder gift cards
Boxes of candy and such for school events/fundraisers
Vitamins
Nuts
Protein bars and school snacks
Movie tickets

OMG how could I forget? I just bought tires! Definitely a good buy.

Costco is amazing. My husband and I go every week. Sometimes we don't even buy anything, or we will just get some strawberries and protein bars. The week would not be the same without going there. It's worth it even if you don't end up mystery shopping there.

My husband and I, at times lack any sense of restraint. We will "just run in to get tp and a slab of smoked salmon" , next thing you know it's a $300 tab - but we SAVED (?) so much money.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2019 01:06PM by Monk-N-Nut.

And the other thing I like about Costco is that they often have "local" products so if you are on vacation and have to bring something back to friends/family you can go buy the local stuff at Costco much cheaper than in the tourist stores or even grocers. When I went to Hawaii I got a great deal on a six pack of Macadamia nuts. The same exact size and brand all the stores there sold but at half the price. They often have cheaper local beers too.

I call Costco the "$400.00" store for that very reason. My hubby has no willpower for things he thinks he wants, but maybe doesn't really need. In NJ you don't need a membership to get gas. Somebody sued years ago and they changed it so anyone can get gas at the Costco's now. Is that not how it is in all states?

I have a BJ's membership through an MSC. I like BJ's over Costco because their bulk items are smaller. For instance, instead of getting a 6 1-pound packages of ground turkey at Costco, I can get 3 1.33-pounds of ground turkey from BJ's for $10. The rotisserie chickens at BJ's are awful.

@MrsChaney wrote:

It's worth it. I got my membership just to do shops thinking since I have a 2 person household I would never need to actually shop there. Now I go once a month to shop and I love it. The samples, the cheap gas, and the deals on stuff like: toilet paper, paper towels, canned goods, cheese, eggs, and things I can freeze make Costco a great thing for a large OR small family. I look forward to my monthly Costco run, whether I have a mystery shop or not.