Does the Burger King Kids club have a membership card? I need some useless ID.
June 24, 2008 2:24 PM Subscribe
Apparently Costco now enforces the "address rule" to let someone use that second card in your household. In effect, if they don't have ID that proves they live in the same place you do, they can't get a card. So my question is this...how do I get a lot of free ID for someone?
Since I've had my costco membership these past 7 years I have always tried to use my second card to help someone less fortunate. A struggling actor, an ex girlfriend with a crap job, a random intern who needs the cheap gas.
The standard routine has been when I renew, I ask if their economic circumstances still have need for it. If they do, they keep it. If not (which has always been the case. apparently the card is good luck) I give it to someone else.
Well this year I met a struggling student with dreams in showbiz and offered to give her the card for the year. So I took her down to the membership desk, she handed over her ID and the burly clerk informed me that unless she could prove her residence was the same as mine, it was no joy in Costcoville for her. She needed some ID with her name and my address on it.
Which brings us to my call to arms. What ID can I get for her by emailing for free that has an address, not just a name on it? Dairy Queen Discount Card? Hertz Gold Membership club? Republican Party?
I don't want to PAY for any of the ID. Otherwise it starts becoming almost more cost effective to get her a second membership. Which defeats the whole point of my easy charity activity. I also don't want to do any mail forwarding for her which gets more complicated than I'm interested in.
But if it's useless ID that can be gained by filling out online forms and springing for a few stamps then bring it on. She might even be interested in the Telly Savalas like deals that being a member of the Players Club might bring.
Since I've had my costco membership these past 7 years I have always tried to use my second card to help someone less fortunate. A struggling actor, an ex girlfriend with a crap job, a random intern who needs the cheap gas.
The standard routine has been when I renew, I ask if their economic circumstances still have need for it. If they do, they keep it. If not (which has always been the case. apparently the card is good luck) I give it to someone else.
Well this year I met a struggling student with dreams in showbiz and offered to give her the card for the year. So I took her down to the membership desk, she handed over her ID and the burly clerk informed me that unless she could prove her residence was the same as mine, it was no joy in Costcoville for her. She needed some ID with her name and my address on it.
Which brings us to my call to arms. What ID can I get for her by emailing for free that has an address, not just a name on it? Dairy Queen Discount Card? Hertz Gold Membership club? Republican Party?
I don't want to PAY for any of the ID. Otherwise it starts becoming almost more cost effective to get her a second membership. Which defeats the whole point of my easy charity activity. I also don't want to do any mail forwarding for her which gets more complicated than I'm interested in.
But if it's useless ID that can be gained by filling out online forms and springing for a few stamps then bring it on. She might even be interested in the Telly Savalas like deals that being a member of the Players Club might bring.
This post was deleted for the following reason: You're basically asking how to cheat Costco out of a membership fee? This seems kind of less-than-cool. -- cortex
I don't have any good ideas for quick ID, but if you haven't already, you might want to check with your Costco that they'll take any old name/address ID. Our Costco is really strict about this, and will only accept a driver's license or something equally as official. I had this problem when I crashed on a friend's couch for a few months and wanted to help share the load by picking up the Costco bill, so I feel your pain.
posted by weezetr at 2:38 PM on June 24, 2008
posted by weezetr at 2:38 PM on June 24, 2008
This is fraud.
posted by grouse at 2:38 PM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by grouse at 2:38 PM on June 24, 2008 [1 favorite]
So you're asking us how to help you get around company policy/defraud Costco?
I'm trying really hard not to be a jerk, and I tend to object to the "you have to pay to shop here" policy, but maybe Costco realized that it wasn't cost-effective for them to let people's friends (not saying these people are your buddies, but you know) have cards?
To answer your question, they won't take anything other than an official, government issued ID. Maybe a utility bill if the person at the counter is in a good mood. If the person is your intern, and you run your own business, maybe there's a way to get a business membership that employees can use? Surely they can't expect employees to live with their boss.
Either buy these people a membership if you want to do something charitable, or take them shopping with you when you do go and put it all on your card to split up later. (Yes, I admit, I'll do this with my mom. We don't live at the same address.)
posted by AlisonM at 2:39 PM on June 24, 2008
I'm trying really hard not to be a jerk, and I tend to object to the "you have to pay to shop here" policy, but maybe Costco realized that it wasn't cost-effective for them to let people's friends (not saying these people are your buddies, but you know) have cards?
To answer your question, they won't take anything other than an official, government issued ID. Maybe a utility bill if the person at the counter is in a good mood. If the person is your intern, and you run your own business, maybe there's a way to get a business membership that employees can use? Surely they can't expect employees to live with their boss.
Either buy these people a membership if you want to do something charitable, or take them shopping with you when you do go and put it all on your card to split up later. (Yes, I admit, I'll do this with my mom. We don't live at the same address.)
posted by AlisonM at 2:39 PM on June 24, 2008
AlisonM is right: if you want to be truly charitable you should buy them a membership.
To be honest, I feel like an asshole taking a hard line against Costco (who is clearly not hurting for cash blah blah blah etc) but they did make this rule for a reason. (And they will enforce it -- weezetr is absolutely right that they'll have ID requirements, it's unlikely that any form of free ID will cut it.)
posted by kate blank at 2:45 PM on June 24, 2008
To be honest, I feel like an asshole taking a hard line against Costco (who is clearly not hurting for cash blah blah blah etc) but they did make this rule for a reason. (And they will enforce it -- weezetr is absolutely right that they'll have ID requirements, it's unlikely that any form of free ID will cut it.)
posted by kate blank at 2:45 PM on June 24, 2008
(And, for whatever it's worth, I'm officially struggling/poor right now too and could use the cheaper stuff. But I still say this is shady.)
posted by AlisonM at 2:46 PM on June 24, 2008
posted by AlisonM at 2:46 PM on June 24, 2008
2nding grouse (except that it's not really fraud in the technical sense). This isn't any better just because the victim is a corporation.
posted by toomuchpete at 2:51 PM on June 24, 2008
posted by toomuchpete at 2:51 PM on June 24, 2008
Less than $1 a week is all it costs to give a gift membership I think that's a real cheap price to pay for being charitable and avoid coming off as a jerk.
posted by jaimev at 2:55 PM on June 24, 2008
posted by jaimev at 2:55 PM on June 24, 2008
Before this gets deleted, am I the only one who finds this to be creepy as hell? I really hope you're 25, bub.
posted by shownomercy at 2:58 PM on June 24, 2008
posted by shownomercy at 2:58 PM on June 24, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
go change your costco address in the system to her address. Tell them that you've moved and would like to change your address.
Then, after the address change, get her the card.
Once she has the card, go on a different day, and switch the address back.
posted by unexpected at 2:37 PM on June 24, 2008