I Tell All Of My Friends About These Costco Items Available To Everyone—Even Non-Members
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A Costco card is the key to unlocking some of the world's best shopping deals. Where else can you buy a freshly cooked rotisserie chicken, a 24-pack of paper towels, and a Dyson vacuum under one roof—and grab a hot dog on your way out? The bulk warehouse is, bar none, our favorite place to shop.
But the chain has come under fire recently for cracking down on their membership policies. Employees are much stricter about card sharing than ever before, which has sparked outrage and prevented people from taking advantage of the chain's discounted products.
We honestly think the membership is so valuable that it's worth the $60 annual fee. But if that's not in your budget, or if you don't have the space at home to buy all of your basics in bulk, don't worry. There are still ways to take advantage of Costco's high-quality inventory and low prices without a membership card.
We've rounded up the six things you can buy from Costco as a nonmember. While many of the items on this list come with caveats, they are great resources to keep in your back pocket.
Prescription Medication
Costco says that everybody can fill their prescriptions at Costco’s pharmacy—whether you’re a member or not. This service is available both online and at physical warehouse locations.
Alcohol
This isn’t a universal policy, but you can take advantage of Costco’s discounted liquor without a membership in certain states. Laws in some states prohibit the sale of alcohol through a membership; that means there’s usually a separate storefront next to the main warehouse that offers Costco spirits to the public. Want to see where your state stands? Here's a roundup of which states have Costcos that sell liquor.
Health Screenings
Many Costco warehouses have health centers, but you may not know that they’re all operated independently—which means they’re open to the public. Different locations offer a variety of services, ranging from eye exams and hearing tests to heart and diabetes screenings. Make sure to stop by or call ahead of time to see which services are available at your local warehouse.
Gas
Gas is theoretically limited to members, but there’s a Costco-approved workaround that can be used by nonmembers (as long as they’re friends with a cardholder). All you need is a Costco Shop Card—a rechargeable gift card that can be purchased at the warehouse. Whenever you want to get deeply discounted gasoline, just activate the pump with the Shop Card. You can still pay with your preferred debit or credit card, so you won’t need to constantly refill the card.
Items On Instacart
Instacart isn’t just available at standard supermarkets. The grocery delivery service also offers goods from Costco, and you don’t need a membership to place an order. It’s a great resource if you specifically want Costco-exclusive products, like the fan favorite Kirkland pesto or the bakery section’s beloved lemon blueberry loaf. But there’s a catch: the prices are higher than they are in-store.
Items On Costco.com
Costco’s website is another great resource for shopping as a nonmember. The warehouse partners with several well-known brands to sell their products for far less—including mattresses, luxury skincare, and cookware.
But, just like with shopping on Instacart, there are a few drawbacks. First, many of the products on the website are for members only. There are still plenty of items available to the public, but nonmembers are subjected to a 5% surcharge on those products.
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