There are many good reasons to get a Costco membership. Cheap gas is one of them — especially these days.
But if you are not persuaded to plunk down the membership fee, there is an overlooked way to get Costco gas without joining the warehouse club.
You can simply pay for the gas with a Costco gift card, also known as a Costco Shop Card.
Believe it or not, Costco says this is OK. On its website, you can read the following in the Costco Fuel Q&A section:
“The fuel station is open to Costco members only. There is an exception: Costco Shop Card customers do not need to be Costco members.”
So, all you need is access to Costco Shop Cards, and you will be pumping cheaper gas in no time. Unfortunately, getting your hands on such cards as a nonmember can be tricky.
According to Costco’s Shop Card Q&A section, you must be a member to purchase Shop Cards. So, your best bet is to find a friend who has a Costco membership and ask that person to buy the cards for you. Members can buy them in warehouses and online, where denominations range from $25 to $2,000.
If you are uncomfortable making such a request, you may need to get creative — such as asking family and friends to purchase Costco Shop Cards in lieu of gifts on your birthday and at the holidays.
However you go about it, getting your hands on Costco Shop Cards has the potential to save you a bundle in gas costs over the course of a year. The beloved warehouse club’s gas typically costs 20 cents less per gallon than the market average, according to CNN.
Of course, there are plenty of other ways to save on gas. Read about them in “7 Smart Ways to Save Money at the Gas Pump.”
And for more ways nonmembers can take advantage of Costco’s low price, check out “7 Ways to Shop at Costco Without a Membership.”
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