4 Ways to Give the Gift of Costco This Mother's Day

Mother's Day is less than two weeks away, so it's time to put our thinking caps on and decide what to get Mom to show our love and appreciation this year. The thing about moms is, they're often tough to buy for. They can be picky and opinionated, and generally, if they see something they want, they buy it for themselves. Where does that leave us frustrated daughters and sons who are tapped out on gift ideas, but still want to impress Mom with a thoughtful gift this May 12th? Costco might have the answer.

Whether your mom is a Costco superfan or someone who's never set foot in the store but has always wondered about the treasures that lay inside the vast warehouse club, here are four gift ideas for you.

1. Give the gift of time -- take her on a Costco date

This one hits close to home for me, and this is what I personally plan to do for my own mom. See, my mom has never been to a Costco store, as she lives almost an hour away from the nearest location. She does love a good bulk deal, however, and is always intrigued by my own stories of my Costco shopping trips and the savings I reap there.

So, my plan is to pick her up one afternoon (probably a weekday shortly before or after Mother's Day to avoid the weekend crowds), treat her to lunch, then spend a couple hours wandering Costco's aisles and filling our cart together with Costco's numerous deals. Quality time, a nice meal, and getting to check out Costco, all with her favorite person (that's me!), should make for a pretty fantastic Mother's Day, if I do say so myself.

2. Costco joggers for the superfan mom

I'm jumping clear to the other end of the spectrum for this one. Got a mom who has not only been to Costco, but adores and raves about it? Maybe she also enjoys being comfortable? How about this pair of Costco Wholesale Ladies' Logo Joggers? They come in sizes XS to XXL and two color options (black and gray). Better yet? They have pockets! Mom can lounge around in her new joggers and wear her Costco fandom loud and proud. These joggers are priced at a very reasonable $16.97. And if you buy online through May 12, you can save $15 by spending $50 on qualifying mix-and-match clothing or shoe purchases.

3. For the gift-giving traditionalists: Flowers and sweets

Maybe Mom doesn't live nearby and has always really enjoyed the good old-fashioned gift of a floral bouquet or gift basket. Good news: Costco has your back here too.

Is there really anything worse than browsing a flower or other gift delivery site, selecting a nice, reasonably priced item, then getting to the checkout page and discovering that your gift has almost doubled in price due to the shipping and handling charges? I mean, sure, Mom is worth it, but why waste all that extra cash if you don't have to? Do your credit card tab a favor and buy one of Costco's deliverable gifts instead. Not only is the base price cheaper, but you won't pay for shipping and handling!

I found two examples to show you how Costco can save you here: The first, a beautiful Rainbow Tulips Floral bouquet. And the second, for the mom with a sweet tooth, a 24-count box of Cheryl's Assorted Cookies (if you've never had Cheryl's cookies, I highly recommend them!). See how they compare:

As you can see, the difference is stark. Be sure to check out Costco's numerous deliverable gift items before ordering from anywhere else.

4. Buy Mom her own Costco membership

So, Mom likes deals and has a Costco store nearby, but hasn't bitten the bullet and joined. Why not buy her a membership of her own that she can use all year long as she pleases? You can purchase Costco memberships online. A basic membership will set you back $60, and an Executive membership, earning Mom 2% back on her purchases, comes to $120 for the year. If Mom is already a proud Costco member, you could also buy her a Costco Shop Card that she can use to renew or upgrade her current membership.

Let Costco do the tough part

Picking out a gift for Mom this Mother's Day doesn't have to be hard on your brain, or on your personal finances. We love and appreciate our moms all year round, so lean on Costco to find the perfect way to say "thank you" this year, and watch her face light up!