Image source: Getty Images
Some people shame the gift card as a Christmas present, but truthfully...sometimes a gift card is all a person wants. This is even more true if you, like me, aren't good at picking out presents. Then, a gift card is probably all a person wants from you.
Regardless of your feelings toward gift cards, one of the best places to buy them is Costco. True, the warehouse has a limited selection, and the price might be higher than what you're willing to spend. But if you're buying for multiple people, you could buy gift card bundles from Costco and carve out money to add to your savings account. Here are just a few gift card categories you could choose from.
1. Gaming gift cards
For the gamers in your life, Costco can help you give them all a present. Right now, you can buy four $25 Sony PlayStation or Xbox gift cards for $89.99. That's a savings of $10. The gift cards are electronic, so you'll have to be creative with how you wrap them (print them out, put them in a card). But with 10% of the gift card value built into the bundle, it's a present that helps your personal finances, too. Other gaming gift cards include:
- Nintendo eShop $50 digital card ($44.99)
- Roblox $50 digital card ($44.99)
- Four Roblox $25 digital cards ($89.99)
- Four Candy Crush $25 digital gift cards ($79.99)
2. Multi-brand restaurant gift cards
Costco sells numerous restaurant gift cards. But one of its best values is Landry's Multi-Brand Restaurants & More. The card has a $100 value (two $50 e-gift cards), but sells for $79.99 online. These gift cards allow the receiver to buy food at over 400 restaurants, such as Bubba Gumps, Morton's Steakhouse, and Rainforest Cafe. Check out the full list of participating restaurants. There are exclusions, but this option is more versatile than other gift cards that Costco sells.
Another good multi-brand card is the San Diego Restaurant. This one is also worth $100, but sells for an uber low price of $69.99. The restaurant list is more exclusive and the card is limited to a few states, like Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas. But for the foodies in your life, it could be what they want.
Finally, check out the Kahala Brands gift card. This one works at seven brands: Cold Stone Creamery, Baja Fresh, Planet Smoothie, TacoTime, Blimpie, Pinkberry, and sweetFrog. This card has a $100 value but sells for $79.99.
3. Entertainment gift cards
While gaming cards could appeal to younger kids, Costco's entertainment gift cards might be the better gift. While its selection isn't vast, Costco does offer great value for sports and arcades. Here are some cards you can find online.
- Two Topgolf $50 digital gift cards ($79.99)
- Four Bowlero $25 digital gift cards ($79.99)
- Two Main Event $50 digital gift cards ($74.99)
- Two Dave & Busters $50 digital gift cards ($79.99)
In addition to these, Costco also sells two $50 digital gift cards for Spafinder for $79.99. It also has travel gift cards, like a $500 Airbnb gift card for $449.99.
Be careful of limitations
Because Costco is basically losing money on these gift card bundles, it has restrictions on how many you can buy per membership. For example, Costco limits its Airbnb gift card to one per membership, while its Southwest gift cards are limited to five.
In other words, if you see a gift card that you like, buying it for someone else may mean you can't buy it for yourself. Oddly enough, that limitation makes these gift cards not just great deals but ideal Christmas gifts, as they can embody the generosity that Christmas is supposed to represent. Take a look at the gift cards on Costco's website or inside your local warehouse and see if you can find a bundle your friends and family might like.
Alert: highest cash back card we've seen now has 0% intro APR until 2025
If you're using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our experts love this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee.
In fact, this card is so good that our experts even use it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
