Costco Connection - March 2009

inside costco

A pleasant surprise
Costco American Express
rebates help members weather
the tough economy
By Will Fifield

A FLOWER SHOP owner in Arizona was able to buy items for his business that just weren’t in his budget, thanks to his Costco American Express rebate coupon. A family in Virginia used their rebate coupon to buy groceries and household staples in order to stretch their personal budget. A member in Idaho had been saving for a food processor. Her rebate coupon enabled her to get a very high-quality model that makes cooking at home easier.

They may use their annual rebate coupons in different ways, but Costco members across the country are finding that the money they earn back from their TrueEarnings^® Card

from Costco and American Express is helping them weather the economic downturn.

“We use our American Express–Costco cards for all of our purchases,” says David McKeough, a member in Pennsylvania. “It’s money that we’d be spending anyway, but the great thing about using our card is that we’re able to use the rebate checks to do things that would otherwise be next to impossible.”

Costco members earn a n annual rebate by using the TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express at Costco and all the other places that take

American Express Cards. The rebate coupons are part of the las t page of February’s statemen t.

There is no limit on this rebate, so the

more you spend the

more you earn

back. The rebat e expires in August,

but most mem - bers have no trouble spending it before then.

The TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express is fee-free with your paid Costco membership and offers cash back in the following percentages:

3 PERCENT cash back at restaurants as

2 PERCENT cash back on travel expense s

1 PERCENT cash back on eligible well as on gasoline purchases at Costco gas stations and other domestic gas stations that are not part of a retail or grocery chain

purchases elsewhere—including Costco

The rebate coupons

are part of the last page
of February’s statement.
There is no limit on
this rebate, so the more
you spend the more

you earn back.

While some members use the money they earn back in very practical

ways, others use the money for purchases that

enhance their lives but elude their pocket-

books—things such as big-screen televisions,

R eap the reward T O SIGN UP for a TrueEarnings Card, a pply at the membership desk of your l ocal Costco warehouse. To apply online, v isit Costco.com, click “Membership,” then click “The TrueEarnings^® Card from Costco and American Express.” Follow the prompts to the “Apply Now” link,

under the “For Personal Use” or “For Business Use” headings.— WF

ALL ILLUSTRATIONS: MEDIA BAKERY

surround sound systems, kitchen and other household electronics, computers, cameras and myriad other items.

“Considering the economy and gas prices, we used our cash rebate at Costco to spoil ourselves on things we now consider splurges,” says

Bobbi Green, a Costco member in Washington state.

“We got lots of baby back ribs and steaks for our freezer so we can grill anything we want. Spending our ‘bonus’ this way didn’t make us feel guilty at all.” C