5 Awesome Things You Can Get at Costco Without a Membership
We already know that Costco is an amazing place to save money if you’re already a member. But what about those who can’t justify paying the annual membership fee? It turns out that Costco can still do you some favors. Take a look:
1. Pharmacy and Immunization Services
As long as you have a doctor not to fill your prescription, you can get your prescription medication at Costco and take advantage of their low prices. Also, if you need an immunization, you can get that at Costco without a membership. The offer the lowest prices around for things like flu shots and pneumonia shots.
2. Get Your Eyes and Ears Checked
Whether you’re a member or not, you can call and make an appointment for hearing or optical services. Unfortunately, you’d have to have a membership to buy glasses or hearing aids, but you could also try the “$10 trick” in the next section below.
3. Use a Costco Gift Card
If you want to buy a big ticket item, like a flat screen TV, for cheaper at Costco, you can take advantage of their prices by using a Costco Cash Card. Non-members are able to use these gift cards in stores and/or at Costco.com or Costco.ca. However, the tricky part is that you need to be a member to purchase or reload a card. Here’s how Wise Bread suggests getting over this hurdle:
One way to get around that is to ask a friend or family member with a Costco membership to buy you a $10 prepaid cash card. Some stores may only have $25 cash cards available. Another is to buy a Costco Gift Card online. You can use the cash card to get into Costco and pay for part of your purchase. You can then pay the remaining balance with cash, debit card, or American Express credit card.
Also, cash cards are accepted at Costco gas stations.
4. Buy Booze
According to Wise Bread:
The availability of liquor in your local state depends on both company policy and state legislation. But in several states, such as California, for-profit membership stores cannot exclude the general public from purchasing alcoholic beverages.
A Costco employee confirms that you can buy alcohol without membership when state law and company policy allow it, however, the employee also notes that most employees don’t know this rule and may call a manager to confirm. Just be patient, and if the state law is on your side, you can protect your right to buy cheaper booze.
Just make sure that you bring either cash, an accepted credit card or an American Express card, as those are the only acceptable methods of payment for your cheap booze.
5. Eat at the Food Court
Take advantage of $1.99 pizza or a hot dog/soda combo for $1.50 at many Costco locations around the country without a membership. Just bring cash as most of their food courts are cash only.
Check out more great Costco tips!
