The Best and Worst Bargains at Sam’s Club

Since toilet paper is such a necessary item, stores constantly offer big packs at reduced prices. Oftentimes, these sales easily beat the prices available at Sam’s Club. If you want to conserve a little cash, look for discount deals in your local grocery store and refrain from buying one huge pack of toilet paper at Sam’s Club.

If you buy soda in bulk from Sam’s Club, you end up paying more than you would if you bought in smaller quantities from your local grocery store. You can cut down the price of your drinks even further by waiting to purchase soda until it goes on sale at a non-bulk store. Either way, it’s not worth the higher price tag to buy your drinks in bulk from Sam’s Club.

While it might be convenient to buy your electronics from Sam’s Club, it’s not the most cost-effective choice. Sam’s Club and other bulk retailers rarely offer the best prices on electronics. Don’t bother buying your new tech at Sam’s Club—you can find the same offerings somewhere else for a much better price.

While detergent often goes on sale in other stores, it’s rarely available at a reduced price at Sam’s Club. You may have to buy detergent more often, but you’ll end up saving more money if you buy somewhere else and skip the big tubs at Sam’s Club.

In addition, the Kirkland Signature bacon seems to be of better quality than the Sam’s Club bacon. The strips crisp up nicely and the flavor is more enjoyable than its Sam’s Club counterpart.

Like other common grocery store items, cereals are often put on sale in other stores. Sam’s Club, on the other hand, rarely offers promotions for their cereals. By looking out for sales and using coupons, you can save yourself a ton of money on already-cheap breakfast staples.

While you might not think of buying such a large supply of sugar, taking advantage of Sam’s Club’s low prices will save you quite a bit of cash in the long run. Plus, if you use sugar rarely, you probably won’t have a need to buy a new bag for quite a while.

Slightly spicy, a little salty, and creamy enough, Stonemill Kitchens jalapeno and artichoke dip will get you hooked. If there are many of you at home, consider buying more than one jar the next time you visit Sam’s Club, because the first thing you’ll know is that you’ve eaten it all and want more!

If you like Chicken Bites, Waffle Fries, or Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, you’ll love these Member’s Mark Southern Style frozen products that taste very similar. Plus, you’ll get your money’s worth! All you have to pay is $9.98 for 3lbs of Chicken Bites, $4.98 for 4 lbs of Waffle Fries, and $15.98 for Chicken Sandwiches.

Sam’s Club is an especially frugal choice for frozen food. You can find huge bags of quickly cooked treats at impossibly low prices. These frozen packs are especially useful if you have a large family to feed, but you’re still trying to stick to your budget. A few frozen corn dogs here and there might just do the trick to save a little money on groceries for your brood.

Fifteen rolls of paper towels are available for around $18 at Sam’s Club. In comparison, you can buy a 12-pack of paper towels for roughly $14 at Walmart. The savings won’t be enough to leave you with tons of extra pocket money, but the few cents you save per roll will add up after a while. Plus, more rolls of paper towels in your home means fewer trips to the grocery store to get new packs.

For example, a 40-count pack of Lance crackers costs under $7 at Sam’s Club, whereas a 20-count pack costs over $5 at Walmart. Stock up on all your favorite pantry items next time you go to Sam’s Club. When you head to the checkout, you can relax in the knowledge that you’re actually saving yourself money, even if your bill is pretty high in the moment.

When buying books, online stores like Amazon have much better prices. You might have to wait a few days to receive your items, but you’ll save quite a bit of money. Even better, you can cut out books together and add some serious padding to your budget by getting a library card or borrowing digital versions of your favorite novels from online libraries.

Particularly around Halloween and other holidays, Sam’s Club is one of the best places to purchase bulk candy. You can find huge bags of goodies with over 200 sweet treats for just $15. While you might have to practice a little more self-control if you bring those candies home, the low prices of these treats are just too good to ignore.

Finance experts say it’s better to buy your canned goods at normal grocery stores. You rarely need such large quantities of canned products, and they’re simply not priced well at Sam’s Club. If you wait and shop at the grocery store, you’re sure to come across plenty of discounts that will save you lots of money in the long run.

Buying in bulk from Sam’s Club is especially prudent if you’re hosting a party at your home. Instead of forking over wads of cash for a few individual bottles, buy a case at Sam’s Club. You’ll save money and you’ll have plenty of drinks to entertain your guests.

While the cheesecake looks delicious, you can find dessert of a similar quality for a reduced price at Walmart. If you really want to impress your taste buds, head to Target and buy a high-quality Cheesecake Factory cheesecake for just a dollar more than the cheesecake available at Sam’s Club. Either way, try to resist the urge to toss a Sam’s Club cheesecake into your shopping cart—it’s just not worth the money.

In fact, Sam’s Club may be the best place to buy bulk sports drinks. A 28-pack of Gatorade sells for under 50 cents per bottle at Sam’s Club. That’s even less expensive than the Gatorade available at Costco. Don’t hesitate to buy your Gatorade from Sam’s Club. It’s unlikely you’ll find such a large quantity for a better price anywhere else.

This is an all-purpose recipe, and the frosting that covers the cinnamon rolls is a classic. However, you’ll be surprised—and very happy!—to find that the rolls have been cut in half, like a layer cake, so that icing can be inserted in the middle as well. A truly sweet and absolutely delicious dessert!

While you might be able to find deals on coffee at Sam’s Club, you’re better off just buying it from the grocery store. Coffee is often put on sale at Sam’s Club when it’s close to going bad, and it’s unlikely you’ll be able to finish off a large pack before your coffee surpasses its ideal time frame.

In addition, the meat available at Sam’s Club is often of a higher quality than the meat in the regular grocery store. You’re saving money and you’re eating better food—there’s really no reason to buy your meat anywhere else.

By picking up a pack of toothbrushes at Sam’s Club, you can save yourself a nice chunk of change. Plus the pack is big enough that you shouldn’t have to shop for new toothbrushes any time soon.

However, you can also find high-quality beach chairs for a significantly lower price on Amazon. Plus, you’ll have more options available online to get something that’s really suited to your needs. While it might take a little longer to arrive at your home, waiting to buy your beach chairs from an online retailer will definitely make your wallet happy.

For example, buying a pack of 100 prescription pills will run up a bill of around $40 at Walmart. In comparison, the same pack can cost just $10-$12 at Sam’s Club. By buying your prescription drugs from a warehouse, you can save anywhere between 25% to 77% on each purchase. With savings like that, buying your prescription drugs at Sam’s Club is a no-brainer.

Pasta can be found in any grocery store and most supermarkets often run sales on their popular brands. Sam’s Club, on the other hand, doesn’t often offer significant price reductions. Rather than buying your pasta at Sam’s Club, peruse the sales at the grocery store, where you should be able to find a box for just $1. Plus, you’ll have more pasta options available to you at the supermarket than you’ll find at Sam’s Club.

However, you should check the expiration date of the battery before you buy a pack. Make sure the date is a few years away to ensure that you actually get a chance to use the batteries before they go bad.

A five-pack of toothpaste at Sam’s Club is available for just under $11. While that sounds that good deal, you can get more than double the amount if you buy your toothpaste at Dollar Tree. Picking up a pack of toothpaste from Sam’s Club might seem convenient, but you’ll make a little extra room in your budget by shopping somewhere else for your dental hygiene needs.

For $42.98, you get an assortment of 12 strawberries dipped in different chocolates and covered with unique sweet decorations. All comes in a signature gift box with a ribbon printed with “Happy Birthday”. When it’s time to pay, you can even have a little note added to your gift, which will be fully prepared on the day of delivery.

A 24-pack of 16.9oz water bottles costs only $3.99 at Sam’s Club. That’s roughly $.17 per bottle. You can buy multiple packs and keep them in your fridge, or you can simply pick up a pack whenever you stop by the store. Either way, you’re unlikely to find better prices on bottled water at your local grocery store.

The same packets of Idahoan are available for a few cents less at Walmart. But you can also buy a 10-pound bag of potatoes at Walmart for just $3.94. It might take a little more time, but making your mashed potatoes with the real thing isn’t only healthier, it will also save you money.

Unless you’re eating tater tots day in and day out, eight pounds should last you a long time. By keeping this pack in your freezer, you always have a side when you’re in a rush. Other stores sell much smaller quantities of tater tots for similar prices, guaranteeing that you save money when you buy this item Sam’s Club.

Unfortunately, cheese tends to go bad. Unless you’re convinced that you’ll eat two pounds of cheese in a week or so, it’s probably better to leave this purchase on the shelf. Instead, buy smaller blocks from your local grocery store to ensure that you don’t lose half your money to mold.

However, when you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that this price is actually a good deal. The price of the Cheetos averages out to $.38 per ounce. In comparison, an 8.5oz bag of Flamin’ Cheetos sells at Target for just under $4, which makes the cost around $.44 per oz. Not only will you save a few cents by buying your Cheetos at Sam’s Club, but you’ll also have smaller packets that are much easier to carry around than the large bags often sold in grocery stores.

While Sam’s Club offers a large size that could easily feed your entire family and more, you can find the same box of frozen lasagna at Walmart for a few cents less. Although those cents might not matter in the moment, they’ll certainly add up over time. Go where the deals are and refrain from buying your lasagna at Sam’s Club. Your wallet will thank you.

A 36-pack of Polar Treats Ice Cream Novelties is available for just over $10 at Sam’s Club. The pack includes three different kinds of dessert, all of which are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. At this price, each treat only costs $.29. With savings like that, you’ll never have to skip dessert.

Sam’s Club offers a pack of 1,152 baby wipes for just $20. That breaks down to around 2 cents per wipe, which is incredibly affordable compared to some other brands. Not only will you have plenty of baby wipes to take care of your every mess, but you’ll also feel a little less frustration every time you have to go out and buy a new pack.

Instead of buying the higher-priced party supplies at Sam’s Club, head to Dollar Tree for all your party-planning needs. Most of the things you buy will end up in the trash anyway, so what’s the point of spending any more than you absolutely need to?

Plus, if you have a Sam’s Club membership, you’ll receive an even better price for your tires. The workers will also match the price if you happen to find cheaper tires at a competitor. There’s really no way to lose when you purchase tires from Sam’s Club.

Money-saving experts suggest buying charcoal at Sam’s Club, as the large quantity will save you money in the long run. The charcoal at grocery stores is priced significantly higher, especially considering the smaller amount you receive with each purchase. This is one item you can buy in bulk without fear.

Even if the clothes are designer, many popular brands will put out less expensive lines meant for warehouses and outlet stores. While the clothes look nice, they’re often low quality. There’s no use buying clothes if they’re going to fall apart after just a few wears. Knowing that the warehouse lines are cheaper, it’s better to fork over a little more cash for clothes that will hopefully last longer.