How To Get the Most from your Sam’s Club Membership
How To Get the Most from your Sam’s Club Membership is a great question! Buying in bulk or stockpiling is something many families do to save money these days. With many wholesale clubs out there, It is clear to see why; It makes sense in your wallet. Sam’s Club is a Walmart-owned wholesale club that has been around for quite a few years and if you have a membership there, you know that there are plenty of savings, but here are some tips to help you save even more and get the most from your Sam’s Club Membership. I have personally been a member at Sam’s Club for years.
How To get the Most From Your Sam’s Club Membership:
- A membership to Sam’s Club can cost you $45 annually, so make sure it will really be worth it for you to spend this amount. If you only go in there to make a couple purchases here and there, you might have a hard time justifying the cost. While this membership is lower than other wholesale clubs, keep in mind that $45 wasted is still $45 wasted. You can also go with a “Plus” Membership that gives you extras like coupons and instant savings if you will use it enough.
- Get a friend or another family member to split the cost of the membership with you. While the official rules regarding the membership state that you can only add one complimentary member and they must be a household member, that doesn’t mean you can’t take someone with you and make joint trips together. Have someone else pay for half of the membership while one of you is the cardholder and go together.
- Get a “bulk buddy”. Similar to having someone split the cost of the membership with you, you are allowed to bring up to two guests with you into the store. If a giant package of paper towels is not something you need or have room for, but the price is good, split the cost of it with a friend and then split the goods.
- Know what to buy. Some things are not a good deal. For instance, stay away from things like giant boxes of plastic zipper bags or laundry detergent. You can get these much cheaper in smaller quantities and often free with coupons at the grocery store.
- Know when the discounts happen. Generally speaking, meat can be a good deal at Sam’s Club, but they mark it down on manager’s special in the mornings. Get there early for the best selection of discounted products.
- Make sure to check out the clearance section. One thing that is pretty unique to Sam’s Club for the most part is the fact that they have a clearance section. You will find it in the back of the store in most cases and it will have all kinds of products and even furniture. These are often store models, but they are in excellent shape.
- Make sure you know the insider tips such as buying seasonal items and looking for the price codes. Prices ending in a “1” generally mean it has been discounted and seasonal items are often at great discounts.
- Make sure not to use too much of the items you buy-or too little. Just because you have a giant container of something doesn’t mean you should use more. You will not be saving yourself any money if you do. Also, just because a giant container is a great buy, doesn’t mean it is worth it if you waste it before it goes bad. Be mindful of your usage of items before you purchase. If you waste the item you are flushing your savings down the drain.
- Consider purchasing your Sam’s Club Membership as a groupon. Last year we posted a great deal before Christmas so if you are considering a membership keep your eyes out!
- One way to save money at Wholesale Clubs if you decide to become a member is to “gap” your membership. When your membership is nearing expiration stock up on items to last you three to six months and as you run low on these products then renew your membership. By doing this you will pay the membership fee every 15 to 18 months versus every 12. It is one way to save yourself some money when it comes to paying for the membership fees.
The biggest thing to remember is that just because an item is sold in bulk does not mean it is better price than purchasing the smaller size with a manufacturer coupon, especially if you shop at a store that accepts manufacturer coupons (and if they double coupons).
However our experience shows that if you are NOT using coupons or if you store doesn’t double then you will do really well shopping at Sam’s Club. You should carry a calculator and create a price book when you shop so you can divide the total cost by the amount in the package (Unit Price) and compare if you can get it for a lesser price at the grocery store using a coupon.
Be sure to always stop by the Freeosk for a free sample when you scan your card too!
Ways To Save:
How to Shop at Whole Foods without Spending your Whole Paycheck
5 Ways to Increase Your Savings at Target
7 Ways to Save Money Without Couponing
Stockpiling Posts:
How to use the freezer to stockpile
Melissa is a football and soccer mom who has been married to her best friend for 24 years. She loves sharing recipes, travel reviews and tips that focus on helping busy families make memories.
We used to be members of the local Sam’s Club here in Florence. We found when our son was born that we could get the special formula and also diapers and wipes cheaper than at the grocery store (that was also prior to our coupon knowledge). But I can appreciate your article about how to get the most out of your sams club membership, maybe we need to consider trying them again, especially if we can get a break on the fee or make shopping trips with another family.
Now that double coupons have ended for us you may find that you do well there! Thanks for sharing!
We have always bought our tires, toilet paper, paper towels, diapers, and formula for our first child. The diapers and formula for us were much cheaper.
Love the gap idea! I may try to talk my husband into that.
We always bought our diapers, wipes and formula too! A great money saver for us!
I’m a member at all three top food wholesale places. These are great tips. I also find that different wholesale stores carry different items so check out each one before deciding which one to join.
Great tips! Right now we only have Sam’s Club in our area but I am hearing we are getting a Costco soon.
I disagree about the detergent. I don’t coupon and find Sams brand to be cheaper then going to Walmart and works just as well. I have used it all, from the big tub to the pods and the fabric softener. Buying in small amounts is not worth it to me as I have to do a lot of laundry.
It depends on if you are using coupons and if your store doubles or not. If you are using coupons and your store doubles you can get smaller bottles for less. However, if you are not using coupons then I agree.
Yeah, you can get laundry detergent for about $1 a bottle for most big-name brands, through combining coupons with BOGO sales and sometimes even making use of rebates. Tide you can get for $3 that way on occasion. I am stocked to the hilt on detergent every year for very little $ output. Sam’s membership is great especially if you are buying big-ticket items and can’t get them reduced elsewhere through price-matching. However, Walmart is good for big-ticket items as well. We got a canoe at Walmart and saved 50% compared to its price and shipping charges at other retailers. I also like Sam’s for their prices on coconut oil, white vinegar (has 100’s of uses), herbs/spices, pecans, and sometimes clothing.
I think we may be from the same area (we are getting Costco next year and we got Sam’s in our city last year). We got 20$ coupon when we first signed into Sam’s Club and we got the 20$ gift card this year when we paid for the second year. We are buying a lot of things – from tires to toilet paper and usually waiting for the promotions but if the membership costs 25$ it’s not too hard to “Get the money back” 🙂
We are not but those are great tips!
I have found that their milk is at least a dollar if not more cheaper than even our local wal-mart. Which is nice when you have somebody in the family that drinks a lot of milk, I can typically get a gallon for $3.00 where as at Wal-Mart or our grocery store it’s over $4.00 a gallon.
Great to know!
Spices are a lot cheaper at Sams.
So true!
With how much my family drives the gas prices more then pay for the membership
We don’t have a Sam’s Club with fuel center 🙁 How big of a savings to you see?
Seconded! If you come back to this post (or anyone else knows), this would be great to know. We don’t have a Sams nearby but the town my husband commutes an hour to does! I hate the fact that he drives so far, but believe it or not, it makes MUCH more sense economically for us to live where we do and him work where he does. :-/
No, I totally understand that!
I was just shopping at Sam’s today and I got gas for $1.74 a gallon in Georgia. My local Wal-Mart gas prices today are 1.88 per gallon. The gas prices are awesome!
How come Sam’s doesn’t take coupons like BJ’S does? Or is it just the one here in Morgantown, WV?
No Sams take them at all.
How are y managing to get detergent for free???