Sam’s Club (and other warehouse stores)

I shop at Sam’s Club. It costs me $40 a year to keep my membership there. So if I don’t save more than $40 a year there, it’s not worth it. But I’ve figured out that in cheese ALONE we cover the membership cost, plus some (we eat a lot of cheese!). Here’ some strategies to get the most out of your bulk store shopping:

• If it goes bad before you can eat it all, it’s not worth it (I don’t buy very much produce there, as we can’t always eat it fast enough).
• Make sure you have a place to store all of it. There’s some things I don’t buy there simply because it’s just too big for our little home.
• Only buy it if it’s something you use (don’t buy it just because it’s a good deal).
• Make sure to shop there enough to cover the cost of your card.
• Make a price list. Keep track of the unit price of things you buy and compare it to the unit price at regular stores to see what really is a better deal. I’ve learned a lot of things are cheaper at Sam’s but not everything. For example a lot of produce I can buy cheaper at other stores, especially if it’s on sale.

My price list isn’t finished yet, but here’s some items I’ve found cheaper at Sam’s Club:

Raisins

11.2 cents/oz.  Great Value brand at Walmart

10.9 cents/oz. Sunmaid brand at Sam’s Club

Honey

19.5 cents/oz. Hill Country Fair brand on sale at HEB

18.7 cents/oz. Buleson’s brand at Walmart

13.2 cents/oz. at Sam’s

Cheddar Cheese in a block form

$3.74/lb. Hill Country Fair brand at HEB

$2.6/lb. Sam’s

Parmesian Cheese

40.25 cents/oz. HEB sale

31.1 cents/oz. Kraft at Sam’s

Liquid Hand Soap

6.25 cents/fluid oz. Hill Country Fair at HEB

5.75 cents/fluid oz. Equate at Walmart

4.7 cents/fluid oz. Sam’s