Want to Give Costco a Try? Use This Trick for a 'Free' Trial

There are many ways to interpret "free."

In my opinion, the free trial is the best concept to come out of the massive machine that is retail marketing. You get to actually experience the thing you're thinking of buying -- without any nasty effects on your finances.

But not all free trials are created equal.

At the top of the free trial food chain are those that are actually 100% free. No credit card required. Then there's the free trial* -- fine print included. These typically require you to put in your payment information, but you aren't charged until the free trial ends. Finally, you have the "free" trial. Not so much a free trial as it is a flexible return policy.

That last one is what Costco offers.

Cancel your membership at any time

There's no real free trial for a Costco membership. They don't typically offer guest passes or other temporary options for testing the proverbial waters.

Instead, Costco offers a fairly generous return policy on their membership purchases. Basically, any time you want to cancel your membership, you can -- and you can do so for a full refund.

Here's what it says on Costco's site: "We are committed to providing quality and value on the products we sell with a risk-free 100% satisfaction guarantee on both your membership and merchandise."

And also: "We will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are dissatisfied."

What all this breaks down to is that you can join Costco, do some shopping, decide it isn't for you, and cancel the membership for a full refund. You could even give it a shot for a few months to make extra sure it isn't working out.

If you're positive a Costco membership isn't for you, there are two ways to cancel:

• Speak to a customer service member at your local warehouse
• Call the customer service line at: 1-800-774-2678

For folks near a Costco location, heading in to cancel will be your simplest solution. The phone option tends to have a bit of a wait according to reports.

Some things don't require joining

Depending on your Costco needs, you may not have to join at all, refundable membership or not. There are a number of ways to shop Costco without a membership, to varying degrees of effectiveness.

For one thing, if you're shopping Costco online, many items don't require a membership to order. You can simply create an online account at Costco.com, add items to your cart, and check out. (Don't forget your Visa credit card, since Costco doesn't accept other card networks!)

The downside to this workaround is that there are just as many -- if not more -- items that require a membership to order as those that don't. For some items, you won't even be able to see the advertised price without a membership. Plus, you'll be stuck with a 5% upcharge for not being a member.

Another option is to pick up a Costco gift card (they call them Cash Cards). This will give you access to the store where you can shop as if you're a card-carrying member. The caveat? Only members can buy the Cash Cards, so you'll need a friend with a membership (or an eBay workaround).

Of course, if you have a friend with a membership, the simplest solution may be to tag along with them. You won't be able to make purchases yourself -- only the person with the membership can technically check out -- but you can add a few important items to the cart and pay your friend back after the fact.

Is Costco right for you?

Sure, you can find a lot of deals at Costco. But not everyone has the need -- or storage space -- to buy in bulk. If you're not sure whether you'll really get your money's worth out of a Costco membership, however, you can use this trick to give it a try. The only thing on the hook is the time it may take to cancel your membership.