If You Work One of These 5 Jobs, You Get a Free $30 Costco Shop Card When You Join

If you want to join Costco, there's no way around the membership fees. A basic Costco Gold Star membership costs $60 annually. The Executive membership, which comes with a variety of benefits including 2% annual rewards, costs $120 per year. 

While Costco doesn't offer free or discounted memberships, some new members qualify for an additional perk. Depending on your profession, you may get a $30 Costco Shop Card when you sign up.

Which professions qualify for a $30 Costco Shop Card?

If you work in one of the following five jobs, you'll qualify for a $30 Costco Digital Shop Card when you join as a new member.

1. Teacher
2. Medical professional
3. First responder
4. Government employee
5. Military (includes active-duty and retired military, veterans, and their spouses and dependents)

You'll need to enroll in automatic renewal using a Visa credit card to be eligible for this new member promotion. You'll also need to use ID.me, a digital identity verification service, to confirm your employment status.

You won't be eligible if you've had a Costco membership within the past 18 months. The offer is limited to one per household. Provided you meet all the requirements, you'll receive your Costco Digital Shop Card via email within two weeks of signing up.

College students can also qualify for a $30 Costco Digital Shop Card. But first, they'll need to sign up for UNiDAYS, a platform that provides various student discounts. As with the other new member promotions, you'll need to opt for auto renew using a Visa and won't qualify if you've been a member in the past 18 months. The one-membership-per-household rule also applies.

How can you use a Costco Digital Shop Card?

A Costco Digital Shop Card can be used pretty much in the same way you'd use any retailer-specific gift card. You can use your Shop Card at any Costco warehouse in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada, and also at Costco.com and Costco.ca. You can't, however, use it at gas stations or food courts.

Does the $30 Shop Card make a Costco membership worth it?

As long as you'll use the $30 Shop Card, the new member promotion essentially makes your first year of a basic membership 50% off. Though the $30 Shop Card is certainly a nice perk for those who qualify, it's probably not going to be the determining factor in whether a Costco membership is worth it for you.

Generally speaking, a Costco membership may be worth it if:

• You're feeding several people and have plenty of room for storage.
• You have time to plan ahead and do your own grocery shopping, rather than relying on a delivery service.
• You need to fuel up your vehicle frequently and live near a Costco gas station.
• You plan to take advantage of other Costco perks, like discounted travel deals, auto services, and home services.

A Costco membership often isn't worth it if:

• You live alone and have limited storage space.
• You don't have time to shop at a giant warehouse.
• There's no nearby location, or there's an alternative like Sam's Club that's more convenient.

If you decide joining Costco is worth it, you may want to boost your rewards by using a credit card, like the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi. You could also use the rewards credit card of your choice, but keep in mind that when you shop at Costco or other warehouse clubs, you typically don't earn rewards in the grocery category.

Should you sign up for a Costco membership and decide the price isn't worth it, don't forget to cancel your membership for a refund before it automatically renews. You'll generally need to cancel at least two business days before the first day of your renewal month.