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Why We Have a Costco Card Even Though There Isn’t a Costco Nearby

October 11, 2022 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

Have a Costco Card Even Though There's No Costco Nearby

Our family has had a Costco membership for over ten years. We love Costco! Thanks to food intolerances, we have a special diet and cannot eat gluten or dairy; we also try to eat organic for most of our produce. Thankfully, Costco has organics at an excellent price, and they also have some gluten-free and dairy-free food that is reasonably priced. However, when we recently moved, we discovered the nearest Costco was 90 minutes away. Even so, we decided to renew our membership, and now we have a Costco card even though there isn’t a Costco nearby.

Why We Renewed Our Membership

You may wonder why we renewed our membership because we’re not going to drive 90 minutes every week or two to stock up on Costco groceries. While that’s true, a Costco membership offers excellent benefits beyond the store.

Car Rentals

We travel a lot for work and pleasure. If we’re traveling far, we like to use a rental car since our vehicles are 18 and 9 years old. The only way we rent cars is through Costco’s travel page because it saves us so much money! For instance, last year, we were able to rent a minivan for 15 days for $1,000, and we had unlimited mileage. Without our Costco card, the minivan would have cost us at least $600 more. So that one car rental alone made our Costco membership card worthwhile.

Electronics

We’re a family of five, so we need a lot of electronics! My husband and I each have laptops for work, and the kids have their own for school. We now buy our laptops exclusively at Costco.

Why? There are several reasons.

Warranty

Have a Costco Card Even Though There Isn’t a Costco Nearby

Costco has a two-year warranty on laptops, and if you use a Costco credit card for the purchase, you’ll get an even longer warranty. The first year the warranty is covered by the manufacturer, but Costco concierge service is an intermediary between you and the manufacturer, ensuring the repair goes smoothly. In the second year, Costco covers the repairs. For example, my son’s Chromebook had a problem, and when we called the concierge service and they couldn’t fix it, they told us to bring it back to a local Costco, and then they replaced it with a new one for free!

Customer Service

We’ve had to use the concierge service with several of our laptops; they are always so helpful and kind. They go out of their way to ensure you’re satisfied and that your device is repaired in a timely manner.

Final Thoughts

The travel discounts and electronics warranties are the primary reasons we have a Costco card, even though there isn’t a Costco nearby. However, I have heard rumors that Costco is building a location 30 minutes from us, which would make having a Costco membership even more advantageous.

Read More

How to Authorize Another Person to Your Costco Membership

Is a Costco Membership Worth It When Living Alone?

Costco Can’t Be Beat for Large Purchases

P.S. if you want a list of which Costco Laptop are the best, consider going over to cleverdude.com, they recommend the Lenovo Legion 5i (for gamers) and the HP 15.6 Touchscreen (for everyone else).

MelissaB
MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in New York, where she loves the natural beauty of the area.

www.momsplans.com/

Filed Under: Frugality, Saving Tagged With: Costco, electronics, laptop

How to Authorize Another Person to Your Costco Membership

April 5, 2021 By MelissaB 1 Comment

How Many People Can Be on Your Costco Membership?

Costco continues to be a popular chain in the United States, and it’s growing throughout the world.  As of 2020 there were over 550 Costco stores in the United States.  While the vast majority of Costco members renew their membership every year, there are still some Americans who do not want to pay for a Costco membership.  Luckily, Costco makes allowances for that.  If you don’t currently have a Costco account, you’ll want to understand Costco’s guest policy as well as how many people can be on your Costco membership.

Costco’s Guest Policy

Any member can bring up to one guest with them to the store.  However, only Costco members are allowed to make purchases.  If your guest wants to make a purchase, you will need to buy the items, and your friend will need to pay you back.

How Many People Can Be on Your Costco Membership?

Each Costco member who has a Gold Star membership is allowed to have one additional person on their membership.  This person must be in the same household and 18 years or older.

How at Authorize Another Person to Your Costco Membership

Adding an authorized user to your Costco membership is simple.  Just sign in to your account, click “My Account,” and go to “Account Details” to add the person you would like.   Then, that person can pick up their membership card at the local Costco you choose.

You can also easily change authorized users using the same steps.

How Much Is a Costco Membership?

Is a Costco Membership Worth It When Living Alone?
Photo by Henry & Co. on Unsplash

For people who don’t own a business, Costco offers two main membership types:

Gold Star Membership

A Gold Star Membership is Costco’s most basic type of membership.  This membership costs $60 per year, allows you one free household card, and is valid at any Costco worldwide.

Executive Membership

If you shop at Costco frequently or have a large family or hungry teens, you may want to consider upgrading to an Executive Membership, which costs $120.

An Executive Membership also includes one free household card and is valid at any Costco worldwide.  However, it has additional, significant benefits.  These include annual 2% reward on qualifying Costco purchases (this check is sent to use once per year, usually in the month your renewal is due), additional benefits on Costco Travel products and increased savings on other Costco services.

We have an Executive Membership, and each year, our 2% reward check is greater than the additional $60 this membership costs over the Gold Star Membership, essentially making this upgrade free.  Plus, we reap all the other benefits of an Executive Membership.

Final Thoughts

If you are on the fence about getting a Costco membership, try to see if a friend with a membership will let you accompany them to the store so you can see what it’s like, what products are offered, and how much they cost.

If you have a Costco membership, don’t forget to add a household member on to your Costco card for free.

Read More

Is a Costco Membership Worth It When Living Alone?

Costco Can’t Be Beat for Large Purchases

Products That Save You Money

MelissaB
MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in New York, where she loves the natural beauty of the area.

www.momsplans.com/

Filed Under: Frugality, Married Money, Saving Tagged With: Costco

Products That Save You Money

March 8, 2021 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

Products That Save Money

Every year, there seem to be more and more expenses competing for our money.  But rather than spending money on disposable or one-use items, consider investing in some of these products that save money.

Around the House

There are so many products that save money for around the house!  This is only a small sampling of what is available:

Deep Freezer

Investing in a deep freezer can save you a significant amount of money because it allows you to buy foods in bulk when they’re at their lowest prices.  Using this method, you never pay full price for food.  Our family has a deep freezer, and we buy a ¼ side of beef every six months to one year.  We get a wide variety of meat at a much cheaper price than we could buying it retail at the store.

Just make sure to keep an inventory of freezer contents and rotate your foods regularly so nothing goes to waste.

Drain Snake

If you have a plugged drain, there is no need to call the plumber if you have a drain snake.  We have three girls in our home with long hair, and the drain snake has kept us from having to call the plumber more times than I can count.

Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat allows you to reduce your heat or air conditioning when you’re not home and then automatically increase it 30 minutes or so before you return home.  This lets you return to a comfortable home.  Programmable thermostats can easily save you hundreds of dollars every year in energy costs.

Wool Dryer Balls

Wool dryer balls take the place of dryer sheets.  These balls only cost about $10 to $12 for a six pack, and they will last for months.  These are definitely much cheaper and more eco-friendly than buying dryer sheets.

Vinegar

Products That Save Money
Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash

Vinegar may be the item that saves you the most money on this whole list.  Vinegar can be used to replace so many cleaners and other items you may currently buy.  We use vinegar to clean our toilet and bathtub.  We also use it as a weed killer.

Food/Drink Consumption

Food is most people’s largest expense behind a mortgage/rent or a car payment.  But there are many, many products that save money in this area.

Coffee/Espresso Maker

If your Achilles’ heel is coffee, don’t run to the coffee shop every day.  Instead, invest in a coffee or espresso maker and make your brew at home.  (Plus, you’ll save time not waiting in line at your favorite coffee joint.)  The savings here are significant.

Herb Garden Kit

Buy a herb garden kit and set it on your window, and you’ll never need to buy fresh herbs again.  Not only does this save you the expense of buying herbs (that often come in packages to big to be used before they go bad), but it will also improve the taste of your food, which may make you less likely to go out to eat.

Bottle Emptying Kit

At first, this may seem like a silly purchase.  I regularly tip bottles upside down to try to get the remaining contents out.  However, frequently, bottles like dish soap can’t stand up when upside down.  Instead, they fall to the side.  As an alternative, attach a bottle emptying kit to the lid, and the stand holds the bottle in place while the ingredients run down for your use.

This kit can be used for condiments, oils, shampoos, hand soaps, dish soaps.  When you consider every item where you can use all of the contents instead of leaving a bit at the bottom, you will save money with a bottle emptying kit, though it may take years.

Female-Related Expenses

For female related needs, there are many ways reusable items can save you money.

Period Panties

Using period panties reduce the need to buy disposable tampons or pads.  While these panties cost around $20 each, they can be used for two to five years, if cared for properly, netting you a significant savings.  Plus, as part of the CARES Act, you can now be reimbursed for buying period panties by your FSA account.

Menstrual Cup

Likewise, a menstrual cup can be used for one to two years.  At $40, one of these could quickly save you money if you replace disposable tampons for it.

Reusable Bamboo Make Up Remover Pads

If you’re currently using disposable make up remover pads, consider switching to reusable bamboo make up remover pads.  You can buy a 20 pack for $3.99 on Amazon, and, according to Good Housekeeping, they can last you for over 500 to 1,000 washes!

Subscription/Membership Services

Some people adamantly refuse to pay money to save money when it comes to subscriptions and memberships, but I disagree.  Paying for these can be an excellent way to save money.

Amazon Prime

Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

An Amazon Prime membership costs roughly $130 a year (including taxes).  While that sounds like a lot, our family finds that the membership pays for itself in many ways.  Many other Americans must feel the same.  As of 2019, there are over 90 million Amazon Prime account holders in the United States (Fortune).

For our family, the free shipping alone covers the cost of an annual membership.  However, an Amazon Prime account can also save you money on entertainment—take advantage of Amazon’s free movies and TV shows as well as music, books, and magazines.

Costco

Costco is another membership-based company that can save you money.  We save a lot on organic food and foods that cater to our many food intolerances including almond milk, gluten free pancake mix, and other items.

In addition, their clothes are very reasonable, as are their restaurant gift cards.  Don’t forget their discounts on car rentals or their discounted gas.  Also, one of my favorites is their two year warranty and concierge service on products like computers and televisions.  There are many, many ways having a Costco membership can save you money.

Final Thoughts

While most of these products that save money require that you spend money up front, the investment is worthwhile for the amount of money you’ll be saving over the next few years.

What are your favorite products that save money?

Read More

Costco Can’t Be Beat for Large Purchases

Is a Costco Membership Worth It When Living Alone?

5 Ways to Save on an Amazon Prime Membership

Free Alternatives for Things You Currently Pay For

MelissaB
MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in New York, where she loves the natural beauty of the area.

www.momsplans.com/

Filed Under: Frugality, Saving Tagged With: Amazon Prime membership, Costco, save money

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