Buying gift cards at warehouse stores like Costco can be a great way to get extra value from your Costco membership. You can regularly save 10%, and some gift cards will give you discounts of 30% or more. That includes big brands like Uber and Instacart — as well as some others that may surprise you.
While gift cards do make great gifts, you don’t have to give them away. Look for brands you buy regularly, whether that’s movie tickets, eating out, or gaming. For example, if you often order pizza from Domino’s, you can pick up $100 worth of gift cards for just $74.99. What’s more, if you’re a Costco executive member, most gift cards qualify for your 2% cash back.
It’s worth checking regularly to see what’s available online or in-store. Costco’s gift card selection is always changing, and there are sometimes extra savings to be found. Here are five lesser-known gift cards to watch out for.
1. Spafinder
The only thing that beats a bit of pampering is when that pampering comes at a 20% discount. Spafinder has over 20,000 locations in the U.S. Your gift card will give you access to all kinds of services, including massages, facials, and salon treatments.
You pay: $79.99
You get: Two $50 eGift cards worth $100
You save: $20.01 (20%)
2. Roblox
I haven’t met anyone under the age of 18 who doesn’t love Roblox. The gaming platform has something for everyone, from virtual worlds to individual games. It’s free to set up an account, but — as any parent will tell you — you need to pay to do anything beyond the basics. If your kids or younger relatives are eager Roblox fanatics, this is the gift card you need.
You pay: $44.99
You get: $50 digital gift card
You save: $5.01 (10%)
3. Go City Passes
If you’re the type of sightseer who likes to cram a lot in, Go City passes could be for you. The pass gives you free access to as many attractions as you can fit in. For example, in New York, that includes the Empire State Building, the Edge, the One World Observatory, and more.
Costco online has two-day Go City passes for New York, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Oahu right now. The company boasts it can save you up to 50% on top attractions. You’ll save even more with a gift card.
You pay: $179.99
You get: A two-day Go City pass. In New York, that’s normally worth $259.
You save: $79.01 (over 30%)
4. Landry’s restaurants
Costco sells a couple of different restaurant chain gift cards, so look to see which one is best for your tastes and local area. Landry’s is the company behind eateries like McCormick & Schmick’s, Rainforest Cafe, and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The gift card is valid in over 400 restaurants throughout the U.S., with a heavy presence in Texas.
You pay: $79.99
You get: Two $50 eGift cards worth $100
You save: $20.01 (20%)
5. Theatre, concert, and sports tickets
Keep an eye out for tickets to your favorite shows. To give you an idea, as I write this, Costco members can get two three-day tickets to the GoldenSky Country Music Festival in Sacramento for $299. Buying them directly would cost $232 each — $464 for two. Using the gift card would cut the cost by more than a third.
In fairness, it’s a relatively limited selection ticket-wise. Even so, Costco currently offers tickets to Cirque du Soleil in several cities, music festivals, and shows of well-known performers. You can also get discounted gift card tickets for top sports events, including football, baseball, and NASCAR.
How to maximize your gift card savings
We’ve seen how you can score some great savings by buying Costco’s gift cards. Watch out for extra discounts, as these can save you even more. For example, Costco often sells a $500 Southwest Airlines eGift card at $449.99. But every so often, you can get it for $429.99.
Plus, you may also be able to earn rewards on your gift card purchases:
- Costco Executive members: If you’re an Executive member, gift card purchases are eligible for your 2% cash back reward. The only type of gift card that doesn’t qualify is the Costco Shop Card, the warehouse giant’s own card.
- Costco credit card rewards: Some — but not all — credit card companies allow you to earn rewards on gift card purchases. It’s worth finding out if yours does and double-checking to see if there’s a fee or whether it might be treated as a cash advance (and therefore subject to immediate interest charges).
Whether you’re opting for popular gift cards or lesser-known ones, you can use gift cards to snag some serious discounts. That said, it’s similar to shopping a sale — don’t buy gift cards just because of the offer. If you weren’t already planning to go to that GoldenSky Country Music Festival, you’re spending money, not saving it.
