So can anyone tell me why I should shop at Sam's Club?

[cuzisaidso]

What do you get there that are great deals?

[slharbi]

I know for me it is the only place I can buy Mountain Dew in the 16.9 oz bottles.

I also get all my photos done there because 5x7 photos are only .38 and 8x10 are like a $1.

[cuzisaidso]

That's an awesome price for the photos.


Is there anything you can do there without a membership?

[wendypsaves]

Use the pharmacy - but you probably already knew that! ;)

[cuzisaidso]

So, photo developing requires membership? I'm going to check the FAQ's to see how much membership is.

[Timedess]

look around. shop one day, with a 'guest pass'. but they do mark up your purchases w/o membership.

i get yeast (bulk), olive oil, vanilla, nuts there. i used to get a lot more there than that- before i found hcw! i will be discussing with dh whether we will renew our membership next june or not. $35 isn't worth it to me anymore- not when i now know i CAN do better elsewhere! the only deals i haven't found almost as good or better are on the vanilla and olive oil. i can stock up on the vanilla before we 'quit', and i doubt i'd use an EXTRA $35 per year buying 'other' olive oil!

[megcellent]

Well, I used to shop at Sam's Club frequently to "save" money ... that was before I started couponing. I think there is a perception, then when you shop at wholesale outlets like Sam's that sell in bulk, that you are buyings goods at a lower cost than you would in a grocery store. While that is true on occasion, its not true a lot of the time. There are a few things that are still a "good deal" to me. I don't always catch all the great deals that are posted here. A few on my list:

Trash bags - I've never been able to find cheap trashbags that were hefty (dependable, not the brand). I'll try to post the specifics when I get home.
Charcoal - I have bought a 2-pack of 17lb bags for $7-$9, I believe.
Ranch dressing powder mix in a canister - can't remember the price, but i remember calculating the cost one time and it was much cheaper than what I would pay in my area for the same product with coupons at the grocery.

I've also heard some people get loaf bread and produce and even meat at a good price there, but i've always lived so far away, i've never even looked into transporting it 2 hours home.

Oh, one more thing - they have a good selection of frozen food - reasonable prices for finger snacks like you would serve at an afternoon wedding reception or brunch without the hastle of cooking it yourself. Sometimes convenience is worth the extra dollar or two.

If you are a heavy couponer in a good market with access to lots of different stores to coupon at, I don't think the membership would be worth it.

[Timedess]

we own our own business- basic business membership is $35/year. i think the regular people membership is that price too. they used to markup the 'regular' (advantage) members' purchases, but i honestly don't know if they still do that or not. hth!

[pennywatcher]

Do they carry printer ink? I know Costco used to carry a package with the black and five color cartridges for my Epson printer at a considerable savings.

I have some friends who love the Sam's Club cheesecake.

[wendypsaves]

Renee, if they still have the Cupboard in Denton - you may be able to buy olive oil in bulk there.

and back on topic - I'd probably split the cost of membership with a friend or shop with someone who already has one.