If you’ve been to a wholesale club warehouse, you know the thrill of the cavernous interior with snacks, spices, and home office staples stacked to the ceiling. You know the joy of the scent of food samples in the air. But you also know that “holy crap” feeling at checkout when you go overboard. Here are several tried-and-true ways to save at wholesale clubs in general, as well as tips specific to the big 3: Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s.
General Tips for Saving Money at Wholesale Clubs, part 1
Split bulk purchases with a friend or neighbor. You’ll both save money without having a full case of canned chickpeas or two giant bottles of lemonade when you only need one. If you’re good friends, you can try signing up for a family plan, which can be cheaper than purchasing a plan on your own.
Buying in bulk can be a great way to save, but not if things spoil before you finish them. Freeze perishables, like bread, meat, and cheese, to make your investment worthwhile.
Along those same lines, some items will be cheaper, but they can degrade or lose potency over time. Those items include: liquid detergents, olive oil, spices, and some skincare products.
Before you shop, look for discounts on your favorite deal platforms, when shopping in-store or online. Not only can you save money with coupons and cash back offers, but you’ll often see perks like membership renewal incentives and perks for referring a friend.
You can also purchase and then shop with discounted gift cards from a site like GiftCardGranny to save a bit extra.
General Tips for Saving Money at Wholesale Clubs, part 2
If your club has a pharmacy, compare prices with where you typically purchase medications (check for your pets’ medications, too), as the savings can be substantial. You also don’t need to be a member to shop at the pharmacy and take advance of the savings!
Some wholesale clubs may also offer free health screenings for diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart health.
Need glasses or contact lenses? Wholesale clubs have optometrists on-site for exams as well as discounted glasses and contacts.
Plan to fill your gas tank while you’re there. Wholesale clubs offer members-only discounted pricing.
Check out Sam’s Club Travel, BJ’s Travel or Costco Travel for savings on lodging, car rentals, flights, and more. Booking through your wholesale club often allows you to get upgrades and add-ons that you wouldn’t get otherwise.
House brands will usually have the best prices. Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s all have their own house brands, including Kirkland from Costco, Member’s Mark by Sam’s Club and Richelieu Foods and Berkley-Jensen from BJ’s.
Bargains on booze can be had at all three chains. BJ’s even has its own private label liquor brand, Wellsley Farms.
How to save money at Costco
Start shopping from the back to the front – the front, known to employees as “action alley,” tends to contain pricier items and impulse buys, thanks to its higher foot traffic.
See everything on sale at your local Costco using the Monthly Coupon Book. It’s updated each month with the newest sales, but it cannot show you in-stock quantities by location.
There are many ways to save on Costco’s website:
– The New Lower Prices page for newly reduced items.
– The Treasure Hunt page offers limited-time deals.
– The While Supplies Last page for items that are being phased out.
– The Costco Next page directs shoppers to Costco-affiliated suppliers who will ship discounted items directly.
If you don’t shop at Costco enough to justify purchasing a membership, non-members can shop online for a 5 percent surcharge, which still may be enough of a discount to beat other competitors’ prices.
Asterisks on pricing signs indicate that the item won’t be restocked, so buy as many as you need now! This most often applies to seasonal items, but there are lots of other items (like home decor and apparel) too.
Both Instacart and Shipt will deliver your Costco orders right to your door – especially handy if you prefer to shop online, have trouble lifting large bulk items, or don’t have transportation (toting your bulk purchases on public transportation isn’t fun!). You don’t need a Costco membership, but the prices will be higher than they are for members.
Avoid paying for shipping on your Costco online order by purchasing at least $75 of non-perishable groceries. And since non-perishable groceries are among the best bulk items to purchase, this is a no-brainer.
How to save money at Sam’s Club
Visit the “Savings” section of Sam’s Club’s website ahead of your shopping trip to see what’s on sale. Marking these promotional items electronically loads the discounts onto your membership card – like an automatic coupon! Deals are updated regularly and are subject to store availability.
Time is money, so save both by skipping the long checkout lines. You can download the Scan & Go app to scan your items as you shop, then check out from anywhere in the store (read: while you enjoy free samples). It’s a great way to check out contact-free.
Check out the Tire & Battery Center next time your vehicle needs a little TLC. Sam’s Club members get free flat tire repairs – even if you bought the tires elsewhere – plus free battery testing and wiper blade installations. Also, if you do buy your tires at Sam’s Club (they’re known to have great prices), you’ll enjoy free 24-hour roadside tire service.
Plus Members – who pay $100 per year instead of $45, gives you access to Early Shopping Hours, which are 8-10am.
For every $500 Plus members spend, you’ll earn $10 back in cash rewards. This is pretty simple if you shop for a large family often or own a business and buy supplies in bulk.
How to save money at BJ’s
Unlike other wholesale clubs, BJ’s accepts manufacturer’s coupons. They also allow you to stack those coupons with BJ’s in-store deals and coupons.
Stock up on BJ’s coupons several ways:
– Sign up to receive their company magazine, BJ’s Member Journal.
– Download their app
– Digitally clip coupons from their My Coupons section online
– Sign up for their email list
On BJ’s website, click on Deals and Coupons. There is a dropdown menu of several savings pages, including:
– Coupons, which are general coupons.
– Clearance, which are deep discounts on items that are being phased out or that are season.
– WOW Deals, which contains special pricing on electronics.
BJ’s members don’t save just at their warehouses – the wholesale club partners with businesses like AT&T, IdentityForce, and more to offer members discounts on partners’ products and services.
For you night owls, many BJ’s locations are open late – until 10 pm weekdays – where Sam’s Club and Costco close at 8 or 8:30 pm.
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