Shopper reveals little-known hack to avoid paying $60 Costco fee

A savvy shopper has revealed how you can shop in a member’s only bulk-buying supermarket without paying the costly annual fee.

A little-known Costco hack that enables you to shop at the budget retailer without paying the membership fee has gone viral.

The bulk-buying supermarket is almost synonymous with its $60 per year fee, but one savvy woman has now revealed how you can get inside its doors without forking out for the privilege.

And while many Cotsco apologists argue that you definitely get bang for your buck, if you could avoid the membership altogether... why wouldn’t you?

The Australian shopper, who runs a shopping tips and tricks account @littlebirdie_toldme, made the money-saving revelation on TikTok recently.

“Do you want to shop at Costco without the membership?” she asks in the handy clip.

For more stories like this, go to kidspot.com.au

An Aussie shopper has revealed a little-known hack to avoid the $60 Costco membership fee. Picture: TikTok/@littlebirdie_toldme

The trick lies in “shop cards” the supermarket offers to non-members, which are like gift cards that can be loaded with any amount from $25 to $999.

They can be used to pay for any services, merchandise or even a Costco membership in any of the 15 stores across Australia.

But there’s a catch. These shop cards need to be purchased by an existing member and they can’t be used online or at petrol stations.

People still rave about the shop cards on the Costco website, with some saying they’re a “game changer” for shopping without the commitment.

“I am so happy that Costco offers non-members Costco shop cards. I give these to friends as a gift so they can give Costco a try without committing to a year-long membership. They all tell me they’re easy to use too,” one customer wrote.

Another said: “Our daughter sent us a Costco card and I was won over and am now a full member!”

It comes after it was revealed cash-strapped Australians were turning to the wholesaler amid the cost of living crisis. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Aussies turning to Costco amid cost of living

It comes after it was revealed savvy Aussies are turning to a US-supermarket in a bid to save money amid the cost of living crisis.

Thanks to inflation rising to seven per cent and interest rates hovering above six per cent, shoppers have been re-evaluating where and how they spend their money, notably questioning whether Woolworths, IGA, Coles or Aldi are the best options anymore.

It seems, Costco is being heralded a lifesaver, with some stating it’s even worth the drive if you don’t live near a location.

This article originally appeared on Kidspot and was reproduced with permission