Why You Should Never Have a Costco Membership Card!

In some states in the United States, it is illegal to require a membership for the purchase of alcohol, so you can buy alcohol even if you do not have a Costco membership.

Alcohol at Costco is very cheap. In addition, Kirkland brand alcohol is of high quality, tastes good and represents about half the price of most branded spirits. Here is a list of states that allow you to legally buy alcohol in this store without being a member:

• Arizona;
• California;
• Connecticut;
• Delaware;
• Hawaii;
• Indiana;
• Massachusetts;
• Michigan;
• Minnesota;
• New York;
• Texas;
• Vermont.

Be aware that many employees are not aware that it is possible to buy alcohol without membership, so expect them to check with a manager before allowing you to buy your favorite drink.

You need a Costco payment card for this, but the Costco website indicates that Costco members and non-members who use the Costco payment card can purchase gasoline at the gas station.

If you are already a member of another warehouse store (such as Sam’s Club or BJ’s Wholesale Club) or an Amazon Prime account, why become a Costco member in addition?

The main reason people shop at Costco is that it saves them money by buying items in bulk. Obviously, it doesn’t make much sense if you live alone. Of course, it may seem tempting to stock up on ground beef, but how much food can you eat before it expires? Saving money is not very smart if you can’t eat this huge yogurt pot before it expires. There is a limit to what one person can eat, and since Costco sells its products in bulk, chances are you’re tired of the monotony of eating the same thing over and over again.

You can use the Costco pharmacy (and get its low prices) without being a member. Whenever you need your medication, simply ask your doctor to call the pharmacy, then go to the Costco pharmacy as you would in any other pharmacy.

This is where you have to take the time to be honest with yourself. If you don’t cook much and go to restaurants frequently, Costco is probably not for you. Everyone is lazy from time to time and it is sometimes nice to order a pizza instead of making the chicken breasts you have in the meat compartment of your refrigerator. If you are the type of person who likes to plan his meals in advance and do a lot of meal preparation for the week, then a Costco membership could be perfect for you. But if the restaurant next door knows your culinary preferences by heart, avoid taking out a subscription for Costco.

If you have no control over your shopping impulses, Costco is a store you should avoid. In fact, he uses many sneaky little tricks to encourage impulse buying, whether it’s setting up his stores, moving items or offering time-limited items that will only make the average consumer want to buy more.

If you like to decide what you want to eat for dinner depending on the season, then Costco probably won’t suit your lifestyle. Many people like to buy and eat locally, and spending the day at the farmers’ market is a great way to find inspiration for dinner. That’s why a Costco membership is probably not the best solution for you if that’s the kind of thing you do.

Here’s a secret that may surprise you: you don’t need to be a member to enter a Costco store. The easiest way to do this is probably to find a friend who is a member and accompany them on their next shopping trip. Technically, only members can make purchases, but as long as your friend lets you scan his membership card at the checkout, you can pay for your own package of 30 rolls of toilet paper.

Another way to get in without a membership card is to get a Costco Cash card. This gift card allows you to shop without a subscription, using the value of the card to pay for your one-gallon bottle of maple syrup and your three-pound bag of lemons. Only members can purchase Costco Cash cards, so again, you will need to know someone who is a member to get one.

If you get a membership simply because you want to save a lot of money on everything you buy, some items sold at Costco are not much cheaper than if you bought them in a traditional grocery store. Some cheeses and organic milk, for example, don’t seem to be such a good deal compared to buying in your local supermarket. It is, therefore, better to list the items you buy most often and check the prices at Costco, then compare them to what you normally pay. You may find that the savings are not large enough to offset the annual membership fee and, perhaps, the trip to Costco. Because unlike some local grocery stores, you can’t find Costco everywhere!

If you really need to get your hands on some Costco products, you can shop on Costco.com or via Instacart, but non-members pay slightly higher prices, as well as shipping fees, if applicable.

In case you decide to become a Costco member there are a few options about this membership. The basic membership is called Gold Star membership. At a price of $60, this is the minimum you can spend to enter the store and start buying a portion of Kirkland brand products – which is often 20% cheaper than most other brands in the store – in your extra-large shopping cart.

Membership in the Gold Star Executive is the other option for individuals. This is twice as expensive as the basic membership, but think about how much you could spend in the store each year. Since you get a 2% discount on your purchases (in the form of a Costco gift certificate to spend in-store), spending about $3,000 per year ($250 per month) is enough to offset the extra $60 you spent on the more expensive annual subscription. Think about it: if you buy, for example, a new iPhone or an HDTV, you’ll get that $3,000 in no time. Members also benefit from additional benefits on certain Costco services.

Finally, if you own a business, Costco offers the opportunity to become a Business Gold Star and Business Gold Star Executive member. Professional subscriptions cost the same as individual subscriptions, but you can buy items for resale and purchase additional membership cards for your account. In addition, Costco Business Center’s special business centers stock everything from vending machine snacks, janitorial supplies, office equipment, electronics, and business equipment.

With a Gold Star or Executive membership, you can get a second card for another member of your household; all you need is for them to live at the same address as you. These household members receive their own photo ID card and can use it to enter the store and shop on their own – you don’t even need to be with them.

Unless you have a huge amount of storage space in your home, buying bulk items can mean you’ll end up with a huge bag of dog food in your room or a 25-pound bag of jasmine rice in the trunk of your car. Costco rarely sells small products, so unless you have enough storage space in your home, it is best not to go to Costco.

Costco gas prices are quite legendary, but if your nearest Costco is a long drive away, it may not be worth the cost of a round trip plus the wear and tear of your car. It’s not a good deal if you end up spending all your savings on gas plus the cost of your time to get to another city just to do the shopping.