Can i go inside costco without a membership

No, you don't need to convince a member to get you in.

A Costco membership sure has its benefits (like these hidden Costco perks, just to name a few). But those of us who haven’t decided to commit to the $60-a-year membership yet can still take advantage of those unbeatable deals. And the store totally condones it.

Sure, you could stock up on items at costco.com, but non-members pay an extra five percent and can’t access the members-only sales. You also probably already know Costco members can bring up to two guests into the store to take advantage of the big-box deals. Of course, that leaves the obvious problem of relying on that friend to get you in. If you do your shopping Monday mornings but your friend can only go on the weekends — when you’re totally booked — you’re out of luck. Thankfully, there’s another sneaky way to get into the store without a membership and without being a guest. Here’s the best time to shop at Costco.

Use Gift Certificates

Like most stores, Costco offers gift certificates in the form of its Costco Cash Cards. The thing is, it can’t control who those cards go to. The superstore touts the cards as a “convenient way for members to pay,” but the small print allows non-members to use them, too. Just ask a friend to pick up a card for you (using your money, of course) and you can get anywhere from $25 to $1,000 in store credit to spend at Costco. With your Costco Cash Card in hand, you can get into the store and do your shopping just like any other shopper, without tagging along with another member. While you’re there, keep an eye out for this Costco price tag symbol that signals you to stock up.

The tricky part is that Costco only allows members to buy and refill the cash cards, so getting your hands on one gives you the flexibility to shop on your own time. If you plan on shopping there often, the cost of a membership is probably worth it. But if you just need to stock up for a one-time event, a cash card could save some major moolah — especially if you pair it with these tips for saving money at Costco.

More Non-Member Costco Perks

Keep in mind, too, that even without a cash card, non-members can fill prescriptions, get their hearing and vision checked, and eat at the food court. Score! These are the 12 things Costco employees won’t tell you.

Plus, check out these products DIYers shouldn’t pass up at Costco:

[Source: MentalFloss]

More than 94 million members pay so they can buy in bulk and access Costco's best products and deals. But there are several ways to benefit without paying to join.

Unless you're going shopping alongside a member, you typically need your own paid annual membership, a basic version of which costs $60. Costco also offers a Gold Star Executive Membership that costs $120 a year and offers a 2 percent cashback reward up to $1,000.

Is a membership worth it? Generally, it would be, if you spend at least $600 a year there, Joanie Demer, co-founder of The Krazy Coupon Lady, tells CNBC Make It. Other experts suggest that it could make sense if you have kids, pets, prescriptions and/or a car.

Or consider trying out these hacks that could help you skip the membership and still some save money.

Get a Costco Cash Card

Ask someone with a membership to pick you up Costco Cash Card next time they're shopping. It's the store's version of a gift card and it will get you in the door whether you have a membership or not, Demer says.

No need to feel guilty: "Members and non-members may use the Costco Cash Cards to shop at any Costco location in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and online at Costco.com," according to the terms and conditions of the card.

This hack has been around for years, and Demer doesn't expect Costco to get rid of it anytime soon. "They're extremely confident in the offering and in the addictive properties of the Costco shopping experience. So that's why they still have it and it's working out for them," she says.

This hack is best for people who only shop at Costco occasionally.

Log onto Costco.com

You don't need a membership to shop at Costco.com.

Going this route, however, does have some drawbacks. First, you'll have to pay a 5 percent surcharge as a non-member. Second, prices may be lower — up to 20 percent lower in some cases — when you shop in-store. And a lot of items are not available, including many fresh groceries.

Costco.com offers 2-day delivery for its members, with free delivery on orders of $75 or more. But non-members will need to make do with 3-5 day shipping.

Use Instacart

Non-members can also have their groceries delivered from Costco via Instacart. The grocery delivery app lets personal shoppers to pick out your groceries and deliver them to you. It's generally available in cities around the country, but you can check out the full list of available metros online.

Again, prices through Instacart are higher than those found in the store, according to Costco. And you also will have to pay service and delivery fees, which vary depending on your location.

But you can choose from about 2,000 available grocery items, and same-day delivery, sometimes in as little as two hours, is available.

Shop select products

Because of state and local laws, you can buy alcohol and prescriptions at Costco without a membership, according to the Krazy Coupon Lady. That includes immunizations such as flu shots: Costco is among the cheapest places to get those done if you don't have insurance.

If your local Costco has an optical department, you also can book a cost-effective eye exam with an on-site optometrist without a membership. And if you're hungry afterwards, you can swing by Costco's in-store food court. Anyone paying cash can chow down on Costco's $1.50 hot dog combo.

Other alternatives

Depending on your circumstances, even something that's well-priced at Costco may not make sense for you. Because Costco often sells products in bulk, you need to be able to eat any perishable food before it goes bad, for example.

"I think people feel like, 'Because I'm paying for a membership, everything here is a great deal,'" Demer says, but that's not actually the case. Even if you head to Costco regularly, you need at least one other place to shop as well: "Otherwise, I'm willing to bet you're buying enough things that aren't good deals that you're kind of wasting the savings you're acquiring."

If you're a devoted coupon clipper, you may be better off, in many cases, at your local grocery store. That's because Costco doesn't accept manufacturer coupons, although they do have their own coupons and promotional offers.

And if you do a lot of online shopping, consider Amazon's Subscribe & Save. You don't need to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of this service. It lets you save up to 15 percent on items, many of them sold in bulk, that you can select to be delivered automatically at a desired interval.

Don't miss: 9 foods and grocery items you should always buy at Costco

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