Clever Tricks To Save You More Money At Sam's Club

How do I get the most out of my annual Sam's Club membership? Every would-be warehouse club member and seasoned bulk buyer has likely asked themselves this question at some point or another. They've probably also wondered whose membership perks are better, Sam's Club or Costco, not to mention where they would store flats of paper towels.

Those who are already Sam's Club members might wonder whether or not their jumbo-sized carts really are full of savings, or just impulse buys of cartons of Member's Mark cheesecake miniatures, rolls and rolls of paper towel, and more premium ground beef than their family can eat in a month. Whether feeling stuck repeating basic purchases or overspending on too large of orders, even die-hard warehouse club members can start feeling frustrated with their memberships.

But there's more to big-box shopping than simply buying big boxes of stuff. Of course, it always pays to keep eagle eyes on Sam's Club's Scan & Go savings, Instant Savings, and markdown offers in the back of the store. Sam's Club even offers open-box deals from time to time and likely tolerates some gentle haggling for floor model merchandise. But we're talking going a bit above and beyond the usual sales-shopping tactics into a new level of club savings. Both wary and weary Sam's Club shoppers can tap into a surprising amount of savings if they're willing to be a little more clever, committed, and creative.

There are two tiers to Sam's Club annual memberships: Club and Plus. The Club membership starts at $50 every year, with the option for adding secondary members. The Plus membership, meanwhile, starts at $110 a year, also with the option to add secondary members, and to earn up to $500 back on purchases. These memberships are periodically on sale, but no matter when you buy yours, you can save by splitting its cost with someone else, as well as your purchases.

Sam's Club is historically lenient with who can be added as secondary members to accounts. Take advantage of this by splitting your official membership costs with another household's leader — or unofficially, by teaming up with groups of friends, office mates, or nearby family members so shared membership is extremely inexpensive. Maybe someone in your group loves hitting the aisles, while another dreads setting foot in the store. Whatever the case, figure out a rotation for your own in-house grocery delivery service, and select your membership's official card-holding members.

Take the savings even further by splitting up purchases with your Sam's Club shopping buddies. Almost every material item at the store can be split up into smaller portions, from lunch meat to toilet paper to detergent, and beyond. While splitting up the cost of a Sam's Club purchase requires trust, time, and a calculator, even splitting an order two ways doubles your own savings.

Even if you prefer keeping your Sam's Club membership all to yourself, there are smarter ways to split your grocery order up for more savings. Take Sam's Club's rotisserie chicken. This item usually costs right around $5, and multiple, not to mention different, meals can be made from it. You could, for example, cut two leg portions from the chicken, then shred the chicken breast and other chicken. Portion out the shredded chicken into plastic bags, and store in the freezer for future meal prep.

Execute this re-portioning on a larger scale for other groceries that can be frozen, too. Milk, cheese, lunch meat, vegetables, and many other perishables considered to be a "waste" to buy in bulk due to potential spoilage can be frozen in smaller portions for later use — and greater savings. You can get super creative and meal prep your own stir fry mixes or one-pan sides.

The same re-portioning principle applies for otherwise ungainly (yet inexpensive) jars of sauce, soups, and dry goods like rice and pasta. Using a split-and-store method, or even a split-and-store-and-share method, for bulk groceries can spread savings across a season, rather than just a one-week grocery order you race to use before it goes bad. Sam's Club also has plenty of lower-cost Member's Mark items that are already inexpensive, especially seasonally. Research which of your preferred produce items freeze or store well, and take the time to prepare space for them. This kind of prep especially pays off when paired with meal planning.

There's a certain thrill-of-the-hunt to shopping that gets super-sized when buying in bulk. Of course, if you don't actually have the money to buy every Member's Mark item or limited-time deal in Sam's Club, a full cart purchased on an empty stomach might be a problem. Get through the impulse-buy bonanza blues by doing a pre-shop before you actually buy your Sam's Club order.

Head to the store some mid-week evening before heading home, or on a lunch break. Treat yourself to a cheap Sam's Club Cafe pizza pretzel, and then "shop" to your heart's content using your phone's camera. Snap a picture of every deal you want to buy while you munch on your treat, or even better, a few free samples, if the store is serving them.

When you return home, look over your photo "purchases." Consider how much of your income you should be spending on groceries right now, and determine which items you saw on the pre-shop that you will actually buy for your upcoming real shop. Compare unit prices to be sure you're getting a good deal. Do all the math or meal planning you need to do, and make room in your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Then, make a list — and stick to it. Return to the store and shop away. You'll be shocked at how much of the impulse-buying you got out of your system with the Sam's Club pre-shop, and how much more frugal you are when putting what you've already accounted for into your cart.