Using a Costco Cash card to shop without a membership

[Megma]

My mom has a Costco membership for her business but lives in another state, so I cannot shop with her using her membership. However, it appears I can use her member number to get a Costco Cash Card (ie gift card) online and have it shipped to my house which I can then use to shop without having to have my own membership.

I have her member number because she gave me one of her cards thinking I’d be able to use it since it’s a business account but I cannot.

I don’t want to pay for a membership because I don’t think I will go there more than 3-4 times a year since I’m in a two person household a lot of the produce is in too big of packages and even some of the meat etc. but I can see buying some meat and household goods (cat litter, TP, etc) so I don’t see enough value in it for me. I fully admit this is me being beyond frugal an just plain cheap.

Has anyone done something like this? Ordered the cash card, shipped it to themself and then used it to shop? It appears it will let me enter any shipping address and pay with any person’s credit card online. It seems like an easy work around to getting a membership.

[madamwitty]

Posting to follow.

It seems like this would be the perfect solution for my parents, who like Costco for certain things but it's not worth getting a membership (they are retired, empty nesters).

[letired]

My parents used to give me gift cards for xmas/my birthday before I got my own membership. As of ~5 years ago, I could defs go and spend the gift cards without a membership. Haven't checked recently.

[cats]

We did this--when we last moved Costco became inconvenient for regular shopping, so we dropped our membership and asked some friends to buy us gift cards (which we paid for). I do usually flash my expired membership card going into the store, but have never needed it to check out. Also, if your purchase is more than the value of the gift card, you can pay it with CC no problem.  Last time I went we had a gift card balance of 48 cents and made about $300 in purchases, no membership required!

[ysette9]

My sister used to use my mother's old card that didn't have a photo on the back. It worked for a long time when she old paid in cash, but eventually she was caught and the card confiscated. She ended up getting a membership for Christmas that year.

I know you can buy through Instacart without a membership, but at that point you should just suck up the $50/year and get your own.

[Shade00]

I've never done what you are planning to do, but when I was looking for a cheaper food alternative for my dogs, I wanted to try Costco's Nature's Domain without buying a membership - just in case my dogs didn't take to it. I bought a Costco cash card off Ebay or something and just paid the rest of it either in cash or card. Can't remember which. As I recall, there was no problem at all. Thankfully, my dogs took to the food and I got a membership. I save that $55 in the first 2 or 3 months of the year in dog food alone.

[Megma]

Ok so it seems in principle, I can use a gift card to shop and even spend over the gift card amount, that is good to know, thanks cats! I think I will try ordering 1 card and see what will happen with the purchase and shipping of the card. If I like it, maybe I'll get a membership in future.

[kenner]

That's how I've been shopping at Costco for the last couple years, although shopping mostly means gas and a few staples for me--get a cash card and then use it in store or at the pump.  In store a manager has to tell the register to accept it, but I've never had any problems.

[CDP45]

Membership is only $55/yr, and you'll easily pay for it on the gas pump savings alone. The return policy is incredible, and the savings are easily 50% for many items. Like loafs of bread are 50% the Kroger or Safeway price. Chinook salmon is like 40% less than typical. Adiddas running shoes are $30, where can you find them for that price? All in one place!