Most people think of Sam’s Club as a place to save money on bulk groceries, household essentials and gas. But a membership comes with additional perks that can make shopping more convenient and potentially help you save even more.
Warehouse club memberships have evolved beyond bulk buying, with benefits that now include features like curbside pickup, mobile checkout and member-exclusive savings opportunities.
If you’re considering a Sam’s Club membership, it’s worth looking beyond the headline discounts. These lesser-known benefits could help you get more value from your membership.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more – straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice – straight to your e-mail.
Skip the checkout line with Scan & Go
(Image credit: Getty Images)
With the Sam’s Club app, you can use Scan & Go shopping to save time at checkout. Once you open the app, you scan every barcode as you shop. You’ll check out and pay using the app, then show your exit code at the door.
There’s no need to stand in a checkout line or unload items from your cart.
Scan & Go isn’t just for shopping on the main Sam’s Club floor. You can also use it to order items from the café and pick them up on your way out. The app also works at the gas pump — scan the QR code to pay, so there’s no need to swipe a card or wait for assistance.
The warehouse can get very busy, especially on weekends, so if you’re shopping at peak times, the Scan & Go feature can help save you valuable time.
Let Sam’s Club load your groceries with curbside pickup
(Image credit: Getty Images)
With Curbside Pickup, you don’t even have to step inside the store. Sam’s Club Plus members can schedule pickups from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., while Club members can use the service from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Place your order through the Sam’s Club app, choose a pickup time and drive to the store. When you arrive, an employee will load your order into your vehicle.
Curbside Pickup can be especially useful when you’re short on time or want to avoid navigating crowded aisles. It may also help curb impulse purchases by keeping your shopping focused on the items you planned to buy. Since the service is free, it’s an easy way to save both time and money.
Use your membership for pharmacy and vision savings
(Image credit: Getty Images)
You can save even more on everyday essentials by taking advantage of Sam’s Club’s pharmacy and optical services. The retailer offers discounts on many prescription medications, including more than 600 generic drugs available for $10 or less.
You can use the Sam’s Club website to compare prescription prices before you fill a prescription. The pharmacy also fills many pet prescriptions, which can save you an extra stop.
Sam’s Club also offers savings on eyewear. For example, Plus members can currently buy one pair of prescription glasses and receive 40% off additional pairs.
These benefits can help offset the cost of a membership. If Sam’s Club offers a lower price on a medication you take regularly, the savings could add up over the course of a year and potentially cover the cost of your membership.
Make sure you’re earning Sam’s Cash rewards
(Image credit: Susana Gonzalez/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sam’s Cashis the retailer’s rewards program, allowing members to earn rewards on qualifying purchases. Plus members can earn 2% Sam’s Cash on eligible purchases made directly through Sam’s Club, while all members can earn rewards when using the Sam’s Club Mastercard.
As your rewards accumulate, you can redeem them for purchases on SamsClub.com, through the app or toward your membership renewal. You can also cash out your rewards at Member Services.
If you pay off your Sam’s Club Mastercard in full each month, using the card regularly can help you maximize your rewards. And if you frequently make large purchases at Sam’s Club, it may be worth comparing your annual rewards earnings with the cost of a Plus membership to see whether an upgrade makes sense.
The Sam’s Club app does more than show deals
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Your Sam’s Club app can also get you access to member-only deals:
- Instant Savings offers: Browse the Instant Savings book in the app to get special deals. There’s no need for coupons, and the discounts are automatically applied at checkout.
- Digital receipts: Your receipts are stored digitally in the Sam’s Club app for up to three years, making them easy to access whenever you need them. Digital receipts can simplify returns and exchanges, and they can also be useful for tracking business expenses, documenting HSA-eligible purchases or organizing records for tax purposes.
- Fuel station access: You can use the app to locate gas prices available only to Sam’s Club members. You can also use the app to pay at the pump.
- Membership and purchase management: The app makes it easy to manage your membership, track orders and view your purchase history in one place. You can also place and monitor Curbside Pickup orders directly from the app.
Is your membership paying for itself?
A Sam’s Club membership can be an easy way to lower everyday shopping costs, especially if you take advantage of the retailer’s current membership promotion. Through July 5, new members can join Sam’s Club for $15 for the first year, down from the standard $60 annual fee. The Plus membership is also discounted to $50 for the first year, a savings of $70 off the regular $120 price.
While many shoppers join for bulk groceries and member-priced fuel, the membership can deliver additional value through perks such as Scan & Go checkout, curbside pickup, pharmacy savings and optical discounts. For households that regularly use these benefits, the savings can add up throughout the year.
Before joining, consider how often you’ll shop at Sam’s Club and which membership tier best fits your needs. Frequent shoppers may find that the added rewards and convenience benefits included with a Plus membership help offset the higher annual fee, while occasional shoppers may find the standard Club membership offers plenty of value at a lower cost.
