If you’ve ever made the mistake of going to Costco on an insanely busy weekend, then you know how chaotic it can be. That’s why it’s good to bring someone with you on those crazy shopping days. Luckily, there are two membership perks you can utilize to do just that. The first being that every member is allowed to bring up to two adult guests. This means you can make the most of your Costco haul and bring a friend, coworker, or family member. And the second is you and another member of your household can each have a membership card. That means you and your partner or spouse can shop at Costco and enjoy the food court food as much as you like. However, this perk does come with a major caveat. You can only make purchases if the name on the membership card also matches the name on the form of payment you plan on using.
This policy is easy to follow when you bring a guest that doesn’t have a Costco membership. However, this truly complicates the checkout process for married couples who share the same bank account. With shared accounts, only one name appears on the bank card. And if your name isn’t the one present on the card, a cashier will most likely ask you for another form of payment. The same thing will happen if you go to the self checkout line, your payment will be declined and you’ll be asked to try the payment method again. Not only is this embarrassing, but it’s completely unfair since plenty of married couples share an account. In fact, a recent Bankrate survey found that 44% of Baby Boomers (ages 60 to 78), 36% of Gen Xers (ages 44 to 59), and 33% of millennials (ages 28 to 43) have combined their finances with their spouse.
How to properly check out as a married person
The best way to avoid this checkout mishap is to come prepared. If you know you’re shopping alone, make sure to have a few forms of payment available at your disposal. While some locations might accept cash, it’s also good to have contactless options as well. You can easily add a debit card or credit card to the wallet app on your phone.
Just know that Costco doesn’t accept all forms of payment. Currently, they accept all Visa cards, most pin-based debit and ATM cards, and personal checks from current members. They also accept traveler’s checks, EBT cards, the Costco Shop Card and a few other non-conventional payment methods. And these options get extremely limited if you plan to shop online. And, unfortunately, the same applies to Costco gas stations. You need a Costco membership and an acceptable form of payment to pump at their stations.
If you and your spouse share a joint account and your name isn’t present on the card, you can always send them to do the shopping for you. But if you regularly do the shopping, it may be worth contacting your bank to request your own card for the shared account. Or you can postpone your shopping trip until you’re both available to do it together. Yes, it’s annoying to rearrange your plans, but it will prevent you from having to worry about being denied groceries because you don’t have an acceptable form of payment. Plus, you won’t accidentally break a vital Costco membership rule.
