Puna Costco Buyers Club

08/14/2026

I will be going this weekend, likely tomorrow afternoon to Costco join in and save! Call or text 808-991-5155

How to Stretch Your Food Stamp Dollars at Costco (Puna Costco Co-op)

Costco accepts EBT/SNAP for eligible groceries — fruits, veggies, meat, dairy, bread, f1rozen food, snacks, and more. Membership is required. The lowest-tier Gold Star membership is $65 per year (plus tax where applicable). The membership fee itself cannot be paid with EBT.

On Hawaii Island, Instacart is available but does not deliver perishable or frozen items from Costco. The only practical option for cold and frozen groceries is shopping in person at the Kailua-Kona Costco.

Important Costco rules:
• A member can bring up to two adult guests. Guests can walk the aisles and put items in the cart.
• Only the member is allowed to complete the purchase at checkout. A non-member guest cannot simply pay with their own card (including EBT) while using the member’s membership card.
• Costco Shop Cards (gift cards) can be used by non-members. Only members can buy them. Minimum purchase is usually $25.

How the Puna Costco Co-op works around the restrictions:

1. Authorized Representative (cleanest legal route)
Client designates the co-op shopper as an authorized representative through Hawaii DHS. The member can then use the client’s EBT card at the register.

2. Ride-along with Shop Card option
Client rides along as a guest ($40 ride-along fee applies).
A Costco Shop Card (minimum around $25–$40) is used so the non-member can make a purchase.
Options:
• Client buys something from the driver’s list with the Shop Card, or
• Client buys a small item (like toilet paper) with the Shop Card and pays for the rest of their groceries with EBT.
This creates a valid transaction path for the non-member.

3. Client gets their own membership
Gold Star is $65/year. Then they can shop and pay with EBT themselves.

Other rules that matter:
• Only the cardholder (or a properly authorized representative) can use the EBT card.
• Non-food items and hot foods must be paid separately.
• Never take or use someone’s EBT card without official authorization — that is fraud.

Result: bulk Costco prices + reliable cold-chain delivery of frozen/cold items = more food for the same SNAP dollars.

Contact the Puna Costco Co-op for details on how to set up authorized-representative status, use the Shop Card option, or join a run.

07/26/2026

How to Stretch Your Food Stamp Dollars at Costco (Puna Costco Co-op)

Costco accepts EBT/SNAP for eligible groceries — fruits, veggies, meat, dairy, bread, f1rozen food, snacks, and more. Membership is required. The lowest-tier Gold Star membership is $65 per year (plus tax where applicable). The membership fee itself cannot be paid with EBT.

On Hawaii Island, Instacart is available but does not deliver perishable or frozen items from Costco. The only practical option for cold and frozen groceries is shopping in person at the Kailua-Kona Costco.

Important Costco rules:
• A member can bring up to two adult guests. Guests can walk the aisles and put items in the cart.
• Only the member is allowed to complete the purchase at checkout. A non-member guest cannot simply pay with their own card (including EBT) while using the member’s membership card.
• Costco Shop Cards (gift cards) can be used by non-members. Only members can buy them. Minimum purchase is usually $25.

How the Puna Costco Co-op works around the restrictions:

1. Authorized Representative (cleanest legal route)
Client designates the co-op shopper as an authorized representative through Hawaii DHS. The member can then use the client’s EBT card at the register.

2. Ride-along with Shop Card option
Client rides along as a guest ($40 ride-along fee applies).
A Costco Shop Card (minimum around $25–$40) is used so the non-member can make a purchase.
Options:
• Client buys something from the driver’s list with the Shop Card, or
• Client buys a small item (like toilet paper) with the Shop Card and pays for the rest of their groceries with EBT.
This creates a valid transaction path for the non-member.

3. Client gets their own membership
Gold Star is $65/year. Then they can shop and pay with EBT themselves.

Other rules that matter:
• Only the cardholder (or a properly authorized representative) can use the EBT card.
• Non-food items and hot foods must be paid separately.
• Never take or use someone’s EBT card without official authorization — that is fraud.

Result: bulk Costco prices + reliable cold-chain delivery of frozen/cold items = more food for the same SNAP dollars.

Contact the Puna Costco Co-op for details on how to set up authorized-representative status, use the Shop Card option, or join a run.

07/17/2026

Aloha Puna ʻohana,

Let’s plan a trip for tomorrow, Saturday, July 18.

Tired of burning gas and time on the long drive to Kona Costco? Or paying ever rising Hilo prices!

Join the Puna Costco Buyers Club and save money together through consolidated runs. No Costco membership required. Not everything is in huge packages. If it’s just you, we can find what you need in the size you want

Here's exactly how it works:
- Text your shopping list to 808-991-5155 (8am-8pm).
- I shop at Costco with my Gold Star membership and catch the daily member-only specials. With the special deals they’re only visible at the store. I will text you with the deal and if you want it, you can go ahead and send extra cash.
- Frozen and perishable items go straight into real chest freezers in the truck (not coolers) so everything stays solid the whole trip.
- I deliver door-to-door in Puna or to a predetermined pick up area
- You pay the Costco total + 20% service fee (cover gas/time). You get a receipt for your order direct from Costco.
- We accept Cash, Zelle, CashApp.
With PayPal, Venmo, Square (Facebook payments) a 3% Service fee applies

The more of us in the club, the better the deals and the more regular the runs become. No big commitment — just text your list when you need something.

Text 808-991-5155 to get on the next run. Mahalo for supporting local, practical solutions!

07/01/2026

I don’t just haul frozen food from Costco… I can haul whatever fits… Right now I am hauling trash, filling water, filling propane tanks for someone. Have you been putting off hauling away those old appliances?  Need a trash run?
Call now and take advantage of the rain that has stopped me from cutting yards today 808-991-5155 

07/01/2026

Aloha Puna ʻohana,

Just a regular local in the Costco lot with the truck and real chest freezers, keeping it humble. No Instacart means no perishables from them. East Hawaii Buyers Club does Kona runs too but no alcohol, no ice cream. Sean uses ice coolers for those deliveries.

You can pay that 20 percent Instacart markup for dog food and TP, please do. But when you want frozen food or fresh veggies that stay solid with no melt water after the hot drive, call us.

Consolidated run Friday or next Wednesday. Gold Star specials like Haagen Daz at 66 cents. Text your list to 808-991-5155.

20 percent service fee, minimum applies, group discounts. Cash, Venmo, Zelle, whatever.

ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia. What's in your freezer that needs the real deal? Mahalo. 🌺

07/01/2026

Aloha Puna ʻohana,

What's in your freezer? What runs out first — blueberries, chicken tenders, kalua pork?

If you're tired of running out or making the long trip to Kona, join our consolidated Costco run on Friday or next Wednesday.

Real chest freezers + temp proof photos = frozen solid delivery right to your door.

Gold Star membership means I can take advantage of daily in-store member-only specials. Last time they had Haagen Daz bars for just 66 cents a piece!

If something good comes up that’s over your order amount, I can text you to see if you want to add it.

Call or text (808) 991-5155 (8a-8p) if you have questions about the service or what’s available at Costco.

20% service fee, minimum applies, group discount for consolidated orders. We accept cash, Venmo, Zelle, CashApp, or PayPal (3% fee).

Text your shopping list to (808) 991-5155.

ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia. “There is no great work that cannot be accomplished when shared collectively.”

Mahalo!

06/30/2026

We don't just delivery frozen stuff...

Aloha Puna neighbors,

New week. Looking at a Kona run Tuesday or Wednesday (Costco + possibly Lowes or other stores if it fits) if we can get enough consolidated orders to cover gas and time. Airport drop-off/pickup also available when it works with the schedule.

Real chest freezers in the truck with timestamped temp photos so frozen goods stay solid the whole way.

20% service fee, minimum applies, group discount for 2+ households consolidated.

Text your shopping list to 808-991-5155. We'll only go if the numbers work.

Mahalo!

06/23/2026

Aloha Puna neighbors,

It’s likely to rain tomorrow, but who knows — we can’t trust the weather people, especially on this island with all the microclimates. Either way, no grass cutting for me, so I’ve got a window to run to Kona Costco if we can get enough folks together for a consolidated delivery.

We load frozen and perishable items into real chest freezers for the trip and send timestamped temp photos on every delivery so you know everything stayed solid the whole way back to Puna.

Same door-to-door convenience as other local services, but with proper chest freezers instead of coolers so your ice cream, berries, meat, and other frozen items actually arrive frozen.

20% service fee on your order — same rate as other door-to-door options, but you get documented frozen-solid results the whole trip. Minimum fee applies to keep each run viable. Group discount when 2+ households consolidate on the same trip.

If you want in on this week’s run, text your shopping list to 808-991-5155 or comment below. The more consolidated orders we get, the better it works for everyone.

No over-promising — we’ll only go if the numbers make sense. Mahalo for supporting practical local delivery that actually delivers on the cold chain.

Stay dry (or whatever the microclimate decides)!

06/22/2026

Aloha Puna,
Welcome to the Puna Costco Buyers Club page.
We do consolidated runs to Kona Costco and deliver using real chest freezers in the back of the Ranger so your frozen goods actually stay frozen solid from Kona to your door.
How it works:

You send your list
We shop + load into real freezers
Door-to-door delivery in Puna
Temp photo + receipt every time

This is still in the early/test run stage. Once we have the rhythm and insurance fully confirmed, we’ll open it up more.
If you want in on the next consolidated run, just comment “next run” or DM your list.
Frozen solid. Local. Honest.
Let’s make it work for Puna.