Citi is planning to make changes on the Citi Costco card that will go into effect on January 19, 2025.
- Costco gas will start earning 5% cash back, EV and other gas stations will remain at 4%
- Card will change design from grey to black
Relatively minor changes and don’t think it makes the card worth applying for but the 5% at Costco gas is useful if you already have the card and get gas there.
Hat tip to reddit
If they can match the metal card that Sam’s provides, I am here for it. At this point, this card limit is $18k, so I can’t afford to close it.
Sam’s Club card still beats this, especially the Plus version. Much easier to redeem cash back too
You have to do the same w/ Costco card. Besides, the membership fee is a pittance compared to how much you save buying at Sam’s compared to something like Kroger. Lower gas prices and 5% back on the card is all gravy. What you’re describing is being penny-wise and pound-foolish
I save about $60 per year by doing Sam’s Club Plus switching on and off. I’d have to buy a lot of gas to justify losing that savings.
I have a regular citi card. Not costco. It pays 5% on one category which is groceries for me.
My question is will they let me get a 2nd account with a different card that I can use to get 5% on gasoline?
Thanks
I searched for a better place to ask but there were hundreds of posts.
To clarify, I am not a costco member and not interested in driving a half hour to save on gas. But I do go 4-6 times a year with a costco gift card and a few times a year I pay a 5% surcharge to buy online.
You can’t get the Citi Costco card without a Costco membership so I’d look at maybe the Shop Your Way Citi card that gives 5% on gas (points redeemable for only gift cards though). If you have a P2, you can get another Custom Cash card to use that one only on gas.
Thanks for the update.
A really mediocre improvement to be sure.
Wow! I pretty much exclusively get gas at Costco as it’s 2 min from work and I use this card for all gas purchases.
Nice to see a positive change instead of taking something away like price match or extended warranty.
Yeah but they are charging more for membership. That’s lame they make enough why up it when we are all having a hard time paying bills and have kids. Inflation is bad and gas is going back up. And unless you spend a lot you don’t get That much cash back I shop almost every day and it barley got me any cash back. Im not trying to be mean just real.
Given that costs have risen so much, a 8% increase on a once-in-several-years basis is not unreasonable. Certainly less than inflation. If $5 breaks your bank, you’re planning badly.
I’ll pay that to keep the riff-raff away. I’d already pay another $50 to have an hour of semi-exclusive shopping
Actually means no more bouncing around 5% gas category offers (unless it’s a UR offer on the Freedom Visa version) so that’s nice.
This is pretty cool. We pretty much exclusively get gas at costco, and I’ve either had to juggle VISA cards with 5% gas category or just settle for 4% gas if no category is available. I don’t like that we have to wait a whole year to get the cash back, but the time value of the 4% is less than the extra 1% cash back
I don’t use this card for anything other than Costco gas and I don’t like to wait for a whole year to get the around $100 cashback from my gas spending so I was planning to use PalPay 5% cashback debit card at Costco gas starting in 2025, but this news changed my plan.
I don’t understand why costco has such a good reputation. It seems to be more customer hostile than most of the other stores I’ve shopped. Their stupid rebate system on the card and exec membership is just one of the many annoyances. Their produce costs more than the grocery store. Their tire warranty is now effectively useless. You have to stand in line to receipt check. I think there are only two or three items that I am maintaining my membership for and I am thinking of just scrapping it once I get the refund checks
Most things are more expensive, but a few staple items and the super cheap hotdog and pizza for our weekly family outing are great. Gas purchases throughout the year pay for our membership.
Costco toilet paper, water bottle, rotisserie chicken, $1.50 hot dog,…are cheaper than elsewhere. People can walk around Costco store and take all the samples for lunch in the weekend.
Got two chickens and had hot dog/pizza lunch date with wife yesterday. We save a ton at Costco. Ours has great cheese. Beer from a world-class brewery down the street from us for less than at the brewery. Eyeglasses, tons of stuff. By the way, it was about the most packed I have ever seen it. I agree their produce could use some help; especially examine potatoes before buying.
We’ve had nothing but good experiences at Costco. Purchased tires for two vehicles cheaper than every other store around us. Schedule quick and free tire rotation on grocery trip runs. Our monthly prescriptions are significantly less than every other pharmacy around us. The prescription savings alone pays for the membership several times over. We find their OTC meds to be much cheaper as well.
There are certain food items we consume quite frequently and can find them much cheaper at Costco in bulk. I don’t mind the receipt check. I’ve never waited more than a minute or two to get through that line if there is one. It’s a great way to cut down on theft which impacts prices.
YMMV I guess.
This really is it. For everyday items, you need to have a pulse on price/quality in your area and shop selectively. For larger purchases it gives you another (often good, sometimes not) option up your sleeve.
Definitely YMMV. We save a ton in allergy meds and gas. Everything else like paper products, water, etc. is a bonus.
This for sure. Many things are cheaper in bulk there, but not everything is a great deal compared to the local grocery store.
One example is kids organic mac and cheese, one box at grocery store is around $4. Costco? 12 boxes for $16. If you have younger kids, this is a steal. Eggs right now a lot cheaper too. Some produce is usually cheaper like organic blueberries.
They run a tight operation quite the opposite from BJ’s. BJs you can keep getting new discounted memberships every year, same address, they don’t care. Walk right in the door without showing membership. Costco that won’t fly. Price adjustments at BJs or my local grocery store they just open the drawer and practically toss the money at you. Costco you have to wait for a manager override key, they used to even write it down on a paper log. They do everything by the book.
They are a little behind the times with tech however, only recently did they add the ability to check stock on items in local warehouses, self checkouts were only added within the last few years, still no scan and go(BJs has it now in addition to Sam’s). And it does get annoying how they move things around so much. This is done on purpose to make you try and “hunt” for what you need and increase the chances you see(and buy!) something else you wouldn’t have if you went to the usual spot where something always is.
To each his/her own.
My family only goes to Costco for certain frozen, refrigerated, or snacks that can’t find in some of the local shops. The receipt checks are YMMV. I usually find that men or younger people “check” the receipt faster (at least at my local stores).
And yet, it’s almost impossible to find a spot in the parking lot most of the time.
Yeah obviously I am in the minority and they aren’t hurting for my business, but I can’t but feel they are sucking more and more over the years
Except they’re not. They are making the slimmest of margins on their items so it could be cheap for members. If you read any of their earnings reports, you’ll see that if it wasn’t for the memberships, they would be losing money every year. Thankfully my exec pays for itself. If it didn’t I would downgrade.
It is a good store, but overhyped. It feeds on the Wal Mart haters. I like Sam’s as good in my town, so I use Sam’s.
Costco prices are never the absolute lowest but if you need something, you will get it at a fair price. Just looking at eggs for instance, two dozen eggs for $7.99 when it is one dozen for $7.49 at Aldi.
I’ll just add to everyone proving this comment wrong that their car rental rates can’t be beat and I’m pretty sure cruise and other vacation prices are by far the best too.
Costco Travel is most often the best deal, but not always. Autoslash has found better deals about 45% of the time, YMMV.
how is it better than paying prepaid Visa/MC from Ink Cash 5%?
Or, buying Costco gift cards as part of the online shopping category for BoA Cash Rewards, if you qualify for the 5.25% rate.
Or even just stopping in store with us bank smartly or USBAR
Who said it was better than anything?
I don’t think anyone claimed it was
Can you pay at pump with those? I tried yesterday at Meijer with a brand new one and it failed. I guess could always buy a Costco Shopping Card.
I have never had luck with paying with a VGC or MCGC at the pump at Costco. They work fine at the register though, and the VGCs at least drain properly.
yall just use the prepaid cards to buy Costco shop card then use the shop card to pay at gas station.