Costco membership question

[Super_savermom]

So it's time to renew our costco membership. What is the best way to do that? To renew? My husband signed up with his company last time and got a business membership. Or should I sign up this time as a new member cause you get the $10 gift card, right?

[Midnightly]

unfortunately there is no bonus for renewing... and they keep your name in the system for a number of years so you can't cancel it and start a new account we let our account lapse for something like 5yrs and when we signed back up again sure enough they had all our previous info still in their system

[Marnie7]

You are right, you are better to take out your own new membership (Gold Star membership) rather than renew as an add on under your business membership. It is the same price either way, and yes there is often a promotion to get a $10 gift card with a new sign up (which you would be considered as, not a renewal). The best value is to sign up for the $100 Executive membership on which you earn a 2% cash back reward on most of your purchases. If at the end of the year you have not earned more than $45 (the extra it cost you to go Executive instead of Gold) they will refund you the difference so that you are not out any money. And they truly do that without any hassle whatsoever.

[krazytwacy]

Usually anytime you sign up a friend you each get a 10 cash card. That is the promotion. I would check it though.

[ChristieJ]

You are right, you are better to take out your own new membership (Gold Star membership) rather than renew as an add on under your business membership. It is the same price either way, and yes there is often a promotion to get a $10 gift card with a new sign up (which you would be considered as, not a renewal). The best value is to sign up for the $100 Executive membership on which you earn a 2% cash back reward on most of your purchases. If at the end of the year you have not earned more than $45 (the extra it cost you to go Executive instead of Gold) they will refund you the difference so that you are not out any money. And they truly do that without any hassle whatsoever.

OP, it's more worth it for your husband to renew his business membership and give you the free spousal card. A Business membership costs $50, versus a Gold Star member, which costs $55. Check out the site below for more info:
http://www.costco.ca/Membership/Memb...spx?lang=en-CA

[terr994]

$55? I paid $100 for gold...sad thing is I have only been there once, don't even know why, thought it would be good for us but I am stuck on WM...

[Lillon]

I now mostly use mine to buy gas ( Warden Lawrence location), yogurt, frozen yogurt ,print my pics and any sale they may have

[anything]

I hope other location can have gas also!!

[Newfiegirl]

I'm the 2nd person on my father's membership as he set that up when I was a student and mom doesn't go on her own. They keep suggesting we upgrade though I have a feeling we would need to get separate memberships then. Our spending varies as the year before last we ended up buying a large tv for us plus another slightly smaller one as a communal gift for MIL. Then this year we bought a few pieces of furniture. But it's hard to know what you will spend as they don't credit you backwards.

[sniperc151]

If there is a Costco Gas bar most people will save their initial membership fee through just buying the cheaper gas at Costco (usually discounted 2-3 cents per liter) 1800 liters per year (35 per week) will pay for your gold star membership.
Personally I have the executive membership which earns 2% back on all in store purchases, I have yet to not "make money" off that membership.
The executive membership is only worth it if you plan on spending over $2250 in one year at costco. If you consider just groceries that may be hard to do, but add Christmas presents, electronics, DVD's books, etc most people will end up doing that.
Remember that gas purchases do not count for the 2% back.

[Marnie7]

OP, it's more worth it for your husband to renew his business membership and give you the free spousal card. A Business membership costs $50, versus a Gold Star member, which costs $55. Check out the site below for more info:
http://www.costco.ca/Membership/Memb...spx?lang=en-CA

Yes if you do read that link, it says that a business membership is $50, a business add on (which is what you are if your husband signed up through his company) is $55.

Also Terr994 that $100 you spent is an Executive membership, just a Gold Executive (meaning you don't own a business) and you can get it refunded if you don't use it.

Newfiegirl, if you and your father do not live at the same address any longer then yes you will be split up if you upgrade. You can have them look at your shopping history to see what you spend on average per year.

[Nikita1]

$55? I paid $100 for gold...sad thing is I have only been there once, don't even know why, thought it would be good for us but I am stuck on WM...

Hi I am not totally sure but I was told a few months ago when I first signed up that if I found I did not use my membership I could cancel it at no fee and they would give me a full refund...even if I cancelled it 6 months after I got it...we don't use it and I am seriously thinking that I will cancel a it is just not worth it for us. I am stuck on couponing and there no manufacturer's coupons allowed at Costco...it is just not a deal for us at all. And we don't live close to one either it is about 50 minutes away in a bigger city that we often go to.... thinking about it....

[ChristieJ]

Yes if you do read that link, it says that a business membership is $50, a business add on (which is what you are if your husband signed up through his company) is $55.

I believe the OP is entitled to the free spousal card that her husband gets. I have signed up under a business membership, and, as a bonus, I also pay for my four other employees, as add-ons. Even my staff members, who are add-ons, are entitled to a free supplementary card.

[dandyprat]

So what is the difference between a business and a regular card?
coz there is only a $5 price difference

[Nicole013]

It's expected that businesses will use Costco more therefore they'll spend more, therefore a lower cost of the membership. I'm not sure if it's that way any more, but it used to be that Business members could get in an hour earlier than personal members.

I have an executive membership now; we use costco quite a bit, but the fact that they'll refund the difference between the Exec and Gold Star membership if you don't make it back is great - I figured I couldn't lose on it.