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The holiday season will be here before we know it. In the coming weeks, you may find yourself hitting a series of stores in an effort to avoid last-minute holiday shopping.

Costco is one store it pays to check out for holiday gifts, decorations, and more. Not only is the store known for its everyday low prices, but Costco already has holiday sales running so you can get a jump start on tackling your list.

Generally, shopping at Costco requires you to have a membership. A Gold Star membership costs $65 a year, or you can upgrade to an Executive membership for $130 and get 2% cash back on your purchases.

If you don’t like the idea of paying for Costco access, you should know that technically, you can do your holiday shopping there without buying a membership. But there are pitfalls to going that route.

How to shop at Costco for the holidays without a membership

If you’re eager to benefit from Costco’s low prices but you don’t want to shell out for the membership fee, you could always do your shopping online. Anyone can place an order on Costco.com and have it delivered to their door.

But there are a couple of drawbacks. First, you’ll be charged 5% more for your order as a non-member. And whether that surcharge makes sense to pay will depend on the extent of your savings.

If you see an item you want listed on Costco.com for $100 and the next-best price you find is $110 at another retailer, then it’s worth paying a $5 non-member surcharge. But you should also know that Costco’s in-store prices are almost always cheaper than its online prices. So for the most part, you won’t be getting the maximum savings by shopping online as a non-member.

You can also get into a Costco store for free by tagging along with a paying member or having that member buy you a Shop Card (Costco’s version of a gift card). But in either situation, you’re reliant on somebody else for Costco access.

If your neighbor who you want to shop with only goes to Costco once a month and won’t be heading there until late November, you might miss out on some of the current deals. Similarly, if they drag their feet in buying you a Shop Card, you may get stuck shopping later in the month, at which point you may wind up more stressed.

Consider the many benefits a Costco membership offers

While you can shop at Costco without a membership, whether you should is a different story. Before you decide that a membership isn’t worth paying for, consider the many benefits.

In addition to savings on holiday items, a Costco membership gives you access to perks like affordable groceries; cheap, high-quality gas; and reasonably priced travel packages. It also gives you benefits like low-cost eyeglasses, extended warranties on electronics, and discounted gift cards to a variety of popular restaurants and entertainment venues.

Plus, you can enjoy added savings at Costco by using the right credit card when you shop there. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for Costco.

Finally, don’t forget that Costco guarantees every customer’s satisfaction with its memberships. If you join and shop for the holidays but find that you don’t need the membership after that, you can always cancel and get a refund.

All told, there’s really nothing to lose by signing up in November so you can access Costco whenever you want and enjoy lower prices than what you’ll typically see online.

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Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.