Should I Get a Sam's Club Membership?

Updated on April 13, 2011
M.C. asks from Ann Arbor, MI
17 answers

I buy the following items quite frequently: Goldfish crakers, Life cereal, peanut butter, and diapers. I clip coupons, but find that I am running from store to store chasing deals on those items. For those of you moms who are members, do you have to buy an item in bulk before you get a good deal at Sam's or do you buy just one package at a discounted price, such as peanut butter?

Thanks for your advice.

M.

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So What Happened?

Thanks ladies. I got my Sam's membership yesterday and stocked up on the items. The membership has already paid for itself. I have to buy adult briefs for my elderly mom. From what I've researched, Sam's has the most reasonable bang for your buck when it comes to adult incontinence products.

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T.C.

answers from Dallas on

I am very happy with my Sam's membership and usually buy meat and laundry detergent there. Plus t paper and paper towels. One thing that you should know about Sam's is they do not accept coupons. I agree the online ordering system is great since they will pull everything you need and you just pick up and pay. I have noticed that the online price can sometimes vary from the in store price.

We love it and use it all the time.

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K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

We have a Costco membership mainly for their brand of formula. It is $16.00 vs $30.00 for the name brand formula. We also buy their brand wipes. The $50.00 membership fee is totally worth it for us.

As far as peanut butter, around here, skippy is on sale ALL of the time for .99 and we stock pile it until the next sale. With sales like that, it is cheaper to buy at a grocery store than a club.

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M.R.

answers from Rochester on

I keep my membership because we buy Huggies diapers and Sam's brand wipes for the kids, we usually get a significantly better price on gas, we buy Hunt's tomato sauce in bulk for pizza sauce, I buy the huge container of animal crackers, Cheerios, peanut butter (2 pack), and a lot of our seasonings that we use frequently. We also buy olive oil and parmesan there because we go through it pretty fast. If you go to the Sam's website you can look up prices on items for your local store. I like to do that the price shop online since some things are cheaper (price/lb) at our regular store vs. Sam's. You could see if they have a trial membership or trial day/week. The specific items they carry vary, so they might not have the brand of something that you prefer. It is always helpful to check before spending the money on a membership.

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B.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

One thing I like about Sam's is that they have their inventory online. You can go online and check and see if your local store carries Goldfish crackers, Life Cereal, peanut butter, etc, at what price and for what quantity. Then you will know if it is worth joining.

The nice thing about Sam's is that they have guest passes where you can come in and look around. I believe they will even let you buy at a slightly higher price. You could do that so you can see all of their offerings.

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D.S.

answers from Saginaw on

I have a membership but am debating about not renewing....some items are cheaper with a coupon or on sale, but you have to chase the deals or stock up when they are on sale. Sam's Club is convenient to get what you want when you need it, but it also comes in huge quantities. Non food items won't go bad, but items like cereal or goldfish crackers will go bad if you don't eat the entire box before it goes bad. There are some items that are less expensive, but others are the same price or even a little more. The membership costs $35 and it takes a long time to make up that money. I used to get gas, pictures developed, and things like juice, gatorade and peanut butter. I have found that the Exxon Mobil card is free and give 15 cents off per gallon if you buy gas at their gas stations. Snapfish and Shutterfly are less expensive and they mail the pics right to my home. I have found that Meijer has a bulk section that the same size peanut butter and other items are the same price as Sam's Club, but I don't have to pay the membership fee.
Sam's Club offers a trial period for free sometimes. There are coupons that let you go in for one day without paying the membership. Maybe you and a friend could split the cost of the membership and go together and maybe split items that you both use, then you don't end up with so many rolls of toilet paper :)

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

I just renewed my membership. It happens to be that you can get both. If you want bulk of something it will be there. If you want a giant bottle of peanut butter it is there. Pop is expensive. And some other things are too. But for the most part we are happy.

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W.M.

answers from Nashville on

I love Sam's! Rarely do I buy the bulk stuff like toilet paper but if I did, it would be even better! I love Sam's for the one of a kind items they have. I always find something really neat seasonally. They have books, cd's, etc at great prices. They have clothing that is usually a name brand. They have really cool outdoor items, patio sets, good priced tv's, you can buy vitamins in bulk. I love it and look foward to seeing what they have come up with that is new everytime I go!
you do have to buy in bulk. There is nothing that is not in bulk. peanut butter probably comes in either a huge container or it may come with two containers. but it doesn't go bad so it is worth it. they have cereal and goldfish in really big boxes or with two attached. diapers are in bulk too, there really isn't anything not in bulk. you can usually get a free pass so you can see if you like it or find a friend to take you as their guest before you buy one.

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J.K.

answers from Cleveland on

We love our Sam's Club membership. We frequently buy animal crackers, Life cereal, nuts, yogurt, dog bones, and granola bars so being able to buy these things in bulk is worth every penny. However, we would never be able to consume other things, like fruit, before it goes bad. So, it is good for some things, and not so good for others. My kids love going there also for all the yummy samples!

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A.M.

answers from Lakeland on

We love our Sam's membership! We go every 6 weeks or so and I am not running around to other stores all the time. We buy diapers, wipes, formula, all our cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, all kinds of frozen foods, juices, breakfast foods and my husband even gets most of his office supplies there. We live 25 minutes from the closest grocery store and so it is easier for us just to travel the hour to go to Sam's every 6 weeks than to go to the regular store every week.

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K.T.

answers from Chicago on

I think it is worth the $40 fee. I bought diapers, wipes and formula when my son was young. I have the room to store the bulk and I saved time by only going to the store once a month or every six weeks. Probably saved some additional $ by not going to the unnamed store (begins with a T) as I always pick something else up that is really cute! It is important you only buy the things you use and will use before it expires. It is really easy to get carried away and tempted. There liquor is the same or sometimes more. However, I found switching to the Sams brand Member Mark for papertowels and olive oil has saved some $ and I didn't sacrifice any quality either. And I buy dog food there, name brand at a good savings.

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L.M.

answers from New York on

I have a BJ's membership, and it is a huge savings for our family. Yes, you do need to purchase most items in bulk However, most items have a long shelf life.

I recommend you price out the items at your local store for your frequently purchased items. Then check the prices at Sam's Club.

If you walk into any type of warehouse club and tell them your interested in becoming a member but would like to look around, they'll give you a pass.

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P.O.

answers from Harrisburg on

I renewed my membership, but for me it is working more like insurance. I have yet to go there on a regular basis to buy bulk items for the family. Maybe because what I use regularly sometimes cost less at other stores - I mostly use the card when I have a party or something that I need to cater and finish the items one time.

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A.Y.

answers from Detroit on

You can score great deals on peanut butter and diapers at Amazon. If you join Amazon Mom (it's free) you get the prime shipping too.

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K.S.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I have a Sam's Club membership and like it. i get some non food things there too like clothing. Just got Speedo swimsuits for my kids there and they were only $12.88 and I like the fact that they were a modest style. We buy Fish Crackers there and the way my kids eat them there is no danger of them going bad but you do have to watch some of the stuff if you don't consume the item fast enough. Some of the prices are better, some the same and some are more so you do have to watch and check out the costs. I would go for it and try it for a year and see if you save and if it is more convenent for you

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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

Yes sams is cheaper than costco membership fro one and for two i am pretty sure everything you indicated is at sams coscto doesn't have alot of the stuff you mentioned. I had both at one time and the cereal and peanutbutter i am picky about along with some other stuff and when i would go to costco i bearly could get anything i needed unless it was there brand or a brand i don't use. SO I am for sams go for it

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K.G.

answers from Fort Wayne on

we love our sam's mambership. and their diapers Members mark I believe is what they are called are excellant. just like huggies little movers. and they are cheaper. they have jiff peanut butter you get two big jars for I believe is $7 and the goldfish is just the regular chedder BIG box for I want to say its 7-8$ the membership is $35 and if you have a sams that has fuel their fuel is usually about .05-.10 cheaper than at the station. Everything is bulk but not bulk like their toilet paper its nothing crazy. its worth the money. you will find yourself shopping more there then the regular grocery store.

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K.B.

answers from Tulsa on

We buy meat there and repackage it because it is much cheaper than the grocery. We are not into the bulk really, but we saved the membership fee in one month just on meat. also, i get clothes and shoes there really cheap.

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