Membership has its privilege, and Costco card holders know this better than most. A shopper of this warehouse retailer can stock up on a lifetime supply of the chain’s beloved chicken bakes with Caesar salad dressing while also purchasing a big old diamond ring to pop the question, all in one trip. A membership to Costco is a demarcation that you’ve arrived financially and have money to drop on this annual expense. But what about the poor, financially struggling college student who subsists on ramen and brings home their laundry for mom to take care of on the weekend? Does Costco offer this individual a hand-up with student discounts? Not directly, as you need to go to UNiDays. But what do you get and how does it work?
If you are a student, you can join Costco as a Gold Star member through UNiDays, a free app that exclusively offers student discounts. Joining through this platform will get a $20 shop card to use toward a purchase. If you join as an Executive member, you can get a $40 shop card to offset the cost of your membership. A shop card is Costco’s version of a gift card, and it can be used by both members and nonmembers when shopping both online and in person; however, only members can purchase these cards.
You can also have your parents add you to their account
But before you pull out your credit card or some cold hard cash, it’s important to note that a Gold Star membership will set you back $65 and an Executive membership is $130. It’s a little bit of an investment, but as a student, you can use that shop card to try any Costco food court item you wish. And you can certainly use it to purchase some peanut butter pretzels – one of the more popular Kirkland Signature salty snacks – for when you are studying for finals or crashing on a paper.
Costco memberships are only available for individuals 16 years of age or over. If you don’t qualify or if a Costco card isn’t in your budget as a student, you can ask your mom or dad if they will let you have a card through their account. A primary member can get one additional card for someone who is 16 years or older and is living at the same address. If they veto that request, you can always ask for shop cards. In addition to stocking up on food or buying drinks for a sorority or fraternity party, having a card will also allow you to purchase gas at a Costco that sells it, or take advantage of its auto center so your tires are in tip-top shape.
