Did you know that you can shop Costco WITHOUT a membership? According to this article I read on the Plastic Jungle Blog, you can enter and shop this members-only retailer with a Costco Cash Card instead.

That’s great news because it means you can GIVE a Costco gift card without fretting over the recipient’s membership status.

Who Wants a Costco Cash Card?

There is always something I WANT at Costco, but have to exercise self-control to keep out of the cart. How fun would it be to shop Costco with a gift card instead!?! Sign me up!

A Costco Cash Card makes a great gift for:

• Mother’s Dad – Yes, there are groceries galore. Explain that this gift card is only good for personal shopping. Then hold her to it!
• Father’s Day – Does he even know there are golf clubs, tents, batteries, and more inside this super store? I’m not sure I want my husband to find out.
• Graduation – Grad can stock up on everything from business suits to printer paper and a year’s supply of deoderant.
• Family – Besides the mundane things each family needs, Costco has great equipment for family playtime such as camping, water skiing, snow skiing, tennis, and backyard equipment. I’m not sure I want my kids to see this stuff either.

Costco simply works for a broad range of occasions and people–including Thank You gifts for coach, teacher, admin, and beyond.

Can Costco Deliver?

One drawback of a Costco Cash Card is that it is not fancy–in the least. But I think you can get around this limitation with a few tips.

Double your Discount

Costco also sells discount gift cards for local restaurants and attractions. If you take advantage of Plastic Jungle’s discount Costco Cash Card, you’re already saving 2% on your purchases. If you use THAT cash card to purchase a gift card AT Costco, then the savings increase. You’ll stack a 2% Plastic Jungle savings onto a roughly 20% Costco gift card savings. Nice.

I just spent most of the day at the LDS Family History center in Oakland helping a friend track down her ancestors. She’s going on a trip next month to Germany and wanted to know more about her heritage before embarking on the journey.

Online tools

Although the real help we received came from the genealogist at the center who helped us crack the code, the tools we used are available to everyone online. Primarily, we used Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. Both have online tutorials to get you started.

Make History a Gift

I hadn’t thought about giving the gift of history as a bon voyage present until today. But watching my friend gather information that will ultimately shape her journey, help her decide where to visit, and move churches and gravesites to the top of a list previously filled only with tourist attractions inspired me. Now I think a kickstart into family history would be a wonderful gift for anyone taking a trip or starting an even bigger journey.

Consider a gift subscription to Ancestry.com for the following:

• Family Vacation – maybe they’ll find new places to visit.
• Newly Married – for the merging of family trees.
• New Baby – learn more about the gene pool you’re drawing from.
• Graduation – he passed world history, now it’s time for personal study.
• Significant birthday – find out who you really are.
• Anniversary – genealogy is more fun to do in pairs.
• Bereavement – maybe not immediately, but it can be therapeutic to find out more about the people waiting for us on the other side.

Make it Personal

While at the Family History center, the computers were abuzz with people searching, pondering, and digging for clues. And there was no shortage of personal stories either. Consider delivering a gift of history with a personal narrative of your own. Tell about the first time you met this person, character traits you admire about him, or your hope for the future in finding his past. Tie the gift card and your thoughts onto branches of a potted tree that can be planted to commemorate this occasion.

What do a candlestick, a Rascal Flatts CD, and a hot pink hoodie have in common? They are all things that I received as gifts from someone I love. When I look at these items, I think fondly of the giver who knew me well enough to get me exactly what I wanted.

Risk of Gifts

One benefit to giving someone an actual gift (rather than a gift card) is that the recipient is likely to think of you (the giver) every time he or she puts the present to use. It’s a risk, of course. Because if the recipient returns the gift or throws it in the back of the closet, they won’t be thinking of you at all. They might even be shaking their head, wondering what the heck YOU were thinking. (Size XL? Really? Purple? I never wear purple! Does she think I’m a big, fat Barney?!?)

Make a Gift Card Memorable

Though I do remember most of the gifts I’ve purchased myself with gift cards received, the bond isn’t quite as strong. Often it’s because the gift card seemed to fly out of my wallet as fast as it went in. And tracing the lineage of the gift takes too much mental muscle. More often, I would say, gift card gifts can be forgotten.

But there are ways to extend the memory of the gift cards you give:

• Make it Multiple. A friend of mine received a gift card for 10 free car washes as a thank you gift. His car was clean for a year. He thought about his benefactor every time he got into his fresh smelling car. A car wash gift card would be great for a family, for him, for her, or for Father’s Day!)
• Make it Reuseable. A gift card worth keeping around is one that can be used over and over again. Think $50 on a Starbucks card or $100 on a Jamba Juice card. Since the recipient is unlikely to use the entire dollar amount in one outing, he or she will have several free drinks on you.
• Make it Tweet-Worthy. Think adventure. Get a gift card to a fun restaurant, go-kart racing, hot air balloon ride, the opera, or something else out of the ordinary. Don’t push too far, but thinking a little out of the comfort zone is okay. Then when your friend updates his status or tweets his adventure, you’ll be the one he or she thanks.

Who cares?

The point of a giving a gift is not to be the center of attention. But if you’re worried your gift card might get lost in the shuffle of more showy gifts, then put a little thought into making the gift card be one that creates a lasting bond rather than one giant ruffle.

Got a TWEEN headed to Hunger Games this weekend? Let me help you save money before you blow it all on ticket prices and concessions. CardPool: AMC Theatres Gift Card are 15% off. Look for the MOBILE GIFT CARD OPTIONS if you’re going to the movies this weekend. Download and use directly from your phone. Plastic Jungle: AMC gift cards are discounted 14% on 3/22-3/23. Buy one now! These aren’t digital, but good savings if you have plans to go later in the week. GiftCards: Regal Theaters are on sale for 12% discount. Also only available as plastic. Won’t get in time for this weekend, but can definitely help with a future movie or gift.

Give a Gift

I love to give movie snacks or popcorn with a movie gift card. It’s simple and also works for most people. Download this cute “It’s Movie Night” gift tag to personalize your gift or let me do the work for you.

Another inspiration from Pinterest. I love the cooking theme. To turn this into a gift card holder, I would scale down the accessories inside the oven mitt and throw in a gift card to the cooking store, The Container Store, or Target Perfect and Practical You can save money on this idea if you buy discounted gift cards from Williams Sonoma at Plastic Jungle! This gift card holder is not only adorable, but also practical. It’s perfect for: Wedding: Help newlyweds set up. Graduation: Off to college. Birthday: For the cook. Thank you: “for the helping hand.” Father’s Day: With BBQ style. New House: Brighten the digs. Tailor your budget This gift can be tailored to your budget. Go high-end with a beautiful oven mitt and accessories from a top notch cooking store. Or save money, buying the oven mitt and goodies at the dollar store, saving the bulk of your money for the gift card.

Source: olderandwisor.blogspot.com via Shelley on Pinterest

I love the idea of giving an Ancestry.com Gift Membership this holiday season. I started doing genealogy about a year ago. And though I don’t have much time to devote to the activity, I feel compelled to nurture my family tree whenever I can.

Who would enjoy this gift?

Give an Ancestry.com Gift Membership to:

• An Individual. Great idea for someone interested in family, in need of a new hobby, or who likes to use the computer.
• A Teenager. Kids are better at computers than adults, and genealogy can be interesting and addictive. It’s better than video games! An activity like this could bring the whole family together.
• A Family. This would make a great family gift from you or from your entire family. (“From our extended family to yours”)
• Blended Family. All of our families are blended in one way or another. Start researching the family tree and see how alike we all are.
• Newlyweds. What a fun way for the new couple to merge tree branches and start a family tree of their own.
• New Parents. Researching our family tree took on new meaning when I put my children at the beginning. This would make a great baby shower gift.
• Someone in Mourning. Researching family lines might help him deal with the future by connecting to the past.

This gift would also be a wonderful sentiment on Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Grandparents Day.

Make the Gift Membership Fun

My ideas for making a genealogy gift membership more personal:

• Christmas Tree. Attach the gift membership to a mini-Christmas tree. Tie it on with a bow or make it into an ornament.
• Tree for the yard. Attach the gift membership to a tree that is ready to plant. They can grow both trees at the same time.
• Garden tools. They can use both tools for cultivating.
• Seed packet. Smaller than a tree, easier to mail. Deliver a gift membership for growing a family tree plus seeds to grow a real tree or plant.
• Family picture. Doing genealogy is about connecting families and finding out who you are. Deliver a gift membership with a picture of your family or their family. Or find a picture frame that says, “Family.” (I’ve seen several).
• Miracle Grow. Using Ancestry.com is like putting Miracle Grow in your garden. With the tools on this site, growing your family has never been faster, easier, or produced better results.
• Book on Genealogy. Deliver the membership with a book or a list of websites to help the recipient get started.
• Time. Volunteer to help with the effort. Doing genealogy together is like solving a mystery or putting together a puzzle. You’ll have fun as a team.

Through a series of events this past year, family has become increasingly important to me. And not just my own family. I’m compelled to bridge the gap with my in-laws, step relations, and distant relatives. We may not see each other daily. but we are all part of the same family tree. Ancestry.com is helping me see that–both literally and figuratively.