WALMART VS SAM's CLUB

[scmickeygal]

I just got a Sam's club membership today. Can anyone tell me if this actually saves anyone money? Is It cheaper by the unit? I have a hard time psychologically buying ketchup for like $6. Anyway, can someone share with me if its cheaper or not?

 

[runwad]

I think as with most stuff "it depends" some things with a sale and a coupon from the store are cheaper you need to know your prices to be able to compare, but a few things I think are cheap from sams and I always get are 3# of bananas for $0.99, the packets of cheese & peanut butter crackers, get 45 for 3.87, (somewhere close to that) they have the best birthday cakes, but the price is escaping me but I know cheaper than a grocery store....and their meats!! I love Sam's meats, the pork chops are the best!! I always go first thing in the morning and they have them marked down for quick sale if it's the expiration date on the package, I just take them home and pop them in the freezer. Oh and I buy a 5# tub of country crock butter spread for something like $2 lasts my family forever!!

 

[WillCAD]

Sure it is.

The biggest caveat to buyiong from Sams Club is that you will be getting stuff in much larger quantities than you would from WalMart or some other store. But if you compare unit prices, almost everything is cheaper at Sams.

Once in a while WalMart will have a sale that will be cheaper than a Sam's Club regular price, and sometimes WalMart's Equate in-store brand stuff is cheaper than the name brand equivalents that you can get at Sam's. Case in point - I use Zantac all the time, and the Equate version from WalMart is way cheaper than the name brand Zantac 75 at Sam's Club. However, the name brand Zantac is more expensive at WalMart than it is at Sam's.

Shop around a little and compare prices of stuff you get all the time, and you'll see for yourself where the best savings can be found.

 

[luckymommy]

ditto about the meats. We buy most of our meat there. Its good because you can get it in large quantities, freeze it and never have to worry about having something on hand for dinner. Its also good for those quick snacks or munchie type foods...

 

[merekc]

I would watch your prices, because I disagree that everything is cheaper. Some items are not when you figure it out per unit.

However, I still think it is good to have a Sam's Club membership. Items that we save on:

1. Digital photo processing is like $.14 each. Cheapest place locally to get them done (if you don't want to do online).
2. Tires. This alone is worth the membership. We just saved over $150 on tires for our car and they were Michelin.
3. Meats. We also get good deals on meats.
4. Treats/snacks. We always buy the kid's treats we need to take to school because we get such a great deal. I love the iced sugar cookies. They are 24 for $4.95 (or something like that), and I believe to buy that quantity at Walmart would be about $10.
5. Gas! Some of our Sam's Clubs offer gas, and I find some are a significant savings of $.05 - $.10 cheaper (but I've seen times where they weren't).
6. Milk is about $.20 - $.50 cheaper.
7. We also find a lot of good deals on clothes. I saw some Carter's baby outfits for $11 on sale at Kohls, I got them for $6 at Sam's. And at the end of the season we find tons of good deals as well. These same outfits went down to less than $4.
8. Sam's also offers the cheapest lunch in town. A drink and a large hot dog for $1.50.
9. Toys - at christmas I found some cool toy sets. They weren't necessarily cheaper than other places, but they offered more pieces, so a better deal for your money and a cooler gift.

Hope you enjoy your membership.

 

[ginna74]

"I think as with most stuff "it depends" some things with a sale and a coupon from the store are cheaper you need to know your prices to be able to compare, but a few things I think are cheap from sams and I always get are 3# of bananas for $0.99, the packets of cheese & peanut butter crackers, get 45 for 3.87, (somewhere close to that) "

I get the crackers and the bannanas too! I get cheaper milk, and today I just got a big box of 4 different ice cream stuff for 8 dollars and there was 40 in there!!!! I go there every payday now . I tend to see the name brand stuff as being more expensive. but there are good prices if you price shop with the stores in your area. I got a five pund bag of shedded cheese for 8 something and I am affraid it is going to go bad! I mean it is 5 pounds! when it was fourth of jully time I got a watermelon for 4 something and was it good! Their fruit has always been good. their hamburger buns and hot dog buns are cheap, if you buy the double pack, itis 2 something. I get a huge pack of sams club plates and they last a loooong time.Ok I just love sams and don't know why I neverhad it before.

 

[MrsPete]

There's no hard and fast answer to your question: Some things will be cheaper at Sam's, while others are cheaper at Walmart. Your best bet is to start a price book and compare unit prices (i.e., the per-ounce cost for catsup).

Then there are other factors:

If you paid for your Sam's club membership, you must recoup the membership cost before you can realize any savings on purchases. It's easy to forget this initial cost.

Regular stores run loss-leaders and sales; we don't actually have Sam's Club here, but I don't think sales are common in warehouse stores.

Usually the warehouse stores sell huge containers (or multi-packs); will you use it all before it goes bad? If a portion goes un-used, you have to factor that into your cost. Similarly, do you have storage space for those large portions? If keeping bulk purchases around is inconvenient for you, then it's not worth the savings.

What about brand availability at the two stores? I'm fine with most store-brands, but there are a few things that my family prefers.

 

[Muushka]

Sure it is.

The biggest caveat to buyiong from Sams Club is that you will be getting stuff in much larger quantities than you would from WalMart or some other store. But if you compare unit prices, almost everything is cheaper at Sams.

Once in a while WalMart will have a sale that will be cheaper than a Sam's Club regular price, and sometimes WalMart's Equate in-store brand stuff is cheaper than the name brand equivalents that you can get at Sam's. Case in point - I use Zantac all the time, and the Equate version from WalMart is way cheaper than the name brand Zantac 75 at Sam's Club. However, the name brand Zantac is more expensive at WalMart than it is at Sam's.
Shop around a little and compare prices of stuff you get all the time, and you'll see for yourself where the best savings can be found.

Have you checked into the Member's Mark (Sam's brand) of this medicine?
It is dirt cheap.

To the OP, no, I would not buy a huge bottle of ketchup at Sams because
1. it is too big and I don't want to have to keep any bottle that big in the refrig
2. I can usually get it buy one get one free at grocery stores, and it is cheaper (per OZ) and smaller in size, easier to store

But I will buy 4 LBS of butter at Sams for around $7 because
1. I cannot ever get it cheaper in the grocery store
2. I can freeze the other 3 LBS

Shopping is really a game. You have to learn the rules, study the different plays and save save save , but very rewarding

 

[ginna74]

oh I get the ketchup and mustard too, the family goes through these fast

 

[CajunDixie]

the OP, no, I would not buy a huge bottle of ketchup at Sams because
1. it is too big and I don't want to have to keep any bottle that big in the refrig

You don't have to store Heinz in the frig.

I save the price of our membership in buying just contacts! Everything else is just icing on the cake. I try to buy books secondhand or use our library but when a new book comes out that I can't wait to read then Sam's is the cheapest place. Cases of sports drinks are another huge savings for our family.

 

[WDWorBUST]

As everyone else has said you just need to watch prices and know what will work for you. I will say that not everything is cheaper at Sams though. We have just learned what is that we use and what isn't. But it isn't that unusual to check something and it actually be more expensive per unit. Do check their pharmacy too though. The one time I had to get a prescription that wasn't covered by my insurance at all Sams was definitely the cheapest.

 

[babiesX2]

I like Sam's Club because the carts have 2 child seats at the front of the cart. The candy prices are good, but I don't like DD13 having that much candy at once. The diapers are the same price as buying them in the store. The quantity is just larger. I agree about the toys having extras. The food samples make each trip fun!

 

[DaisyLynn]

Someone mentioned the cakes at Sam's. OMG!!! They are the best at a great price! A friend of mine got her wedding cake there. All of her guests commented on how delicious it was and that it was "the best ever"! She just got a few basic cakes, some tiers and had her florist decorate with silk flowers..and voila! Beautiful cake at just a fraction of the cost!

A little OT, but had to add that in!

 

[nbodyhome]

The savings on milk makes it worth it to me - I save about $1.00 per gallon when I buy it at Sams over the grocery store.

I buy meat a few times a month there - usually ribs and flank steak, I save money on both. I buy snacks for my husband at great prices - beef jerky, pork rinds, boxes of the 50 pack potato chips, and pistachios. I get clothes there at great deals. Great price on the 3 pack of whipped cream.

I have Costcos, BJ's and Sams - and buy different items at each. It has been well worth having the memberships!

They have good deals on books and such too - I don't buy many of those, but sometimes for gifts. I bought my stepfather a nice Levis sweater at a good price yesterday for his birthday. I picked up some Reeboks a couple of weeks ago, and nice pajama bottoms for me yesterday.

I don't buy everything at the warehouse clubs - usually not paper products and such, I don't usually find those as good a deal. I like BJ's because I can bring coupons (I usually buy my Splenda there, sometimes though at Sams). I buy my cooking oil at Sams too.

There are a lot of great prices to be had - but not everything is going to be cheaper.

 

[moniot]

Sam's is so worth the membership for us.

Shredded Cheese - bag it up in smaller bags and in freezes great
Milk, sour cream, string cheese, hot dogs, chicken breast, some canned products, parm. grated cheese, fresh veggies are much cheaper at our club.

My favorite though is the click and pull feature. I place my order online (that gives me a chance to check totals while I shop) then 24 hours or less later I can stop by and pick it up. That sure helps with impulse purchases.

I have been very happy with the Member's Mark products. You can't beat there clearance and holiday stuff.

Electronics and appliances also. The prices might appear the same as other places but I have discovered that sometimes the products will have more features.

You do have to know prices. Maybe if the amounts are overwhelming you could find someone to split things with. I do that quite often.

 

[nbodyhome]

Someone mentioned the cakes at Sam's. OMG!!! They are the best at a great price! A friend of mine got her wedding cake there. All of her guests commented on how delicious it was and that it was "the best ever"! She just got a few basic cakes, some tiers and had her florist decorate with silk flowers..and voila! Beautiful cake at just a fraction of the cost!

A little OT, but had to add that in!

I forgot about that - we bought our wedding cake and cupcakes at Sams, the cakes there are GREAT! Very inexpensive, too. I think we paid about $25.00 between the cake and 24 cupcakes. We picked up flowers for our wedding there too, for about $40.00 total. And they have terrific prices on photo developing too.

 

[WillCAD]

Have you checked into the Member's Mark (Sam's brand) of this medicine?
It is dirt cheap.

Last time I checked, my Sam's Club didn't have Members Mark ranitidine tabs, but I haven't checked in a long time. I will certainly look the next time I'm in the Club!

 

[ICF]

You can also usually save a least $ .05 / gallon on the gas from Sams Club too.

 

[ginna74]

"Shredded Cheese - bag it up in smaller bags and in freezes great"

ty for the thought, I never even thought of that!

 

[staceyfe]

I must admit I know my prices pretty good. Like others have said, some things are a bargain and some are not. Some things I buy

Peter pan peanut butter: 5# for $6.26
rawhide dog bones (2 labs here): $10.xx for 11 bones
member's mark dishwasher detergent: 5.88 for 2 100oz boxes
gummy vitamins for DS: $10.28 for 220 (@ w-m they are about $4.25 for 60)
100% juice boxes case for about $7-8 (ok, maybe that's not a great deal but I'm not sure on the price here)
store brand all-beef hot dogs: box of 100 for about $15--I separate them into freezer bags; they're great hot dogs

Things i've noticed that are not a great deal:

velveeta 2# cheese (sold in a package of 2, it cost more than 2 individual blocks at WM)
buying stuff you don't really need
It's easy to go to Sams and spend some major money. They have so many convenience foods. If you're on a budget it's a good idea to be disciplined and avoid the premade chicken pot pie and individual packed nutter butters.

I've yet to buy a big ticket item there but am holding out hope for a refrigerator!