Before signing up for a Sam’s Club membership, it’s important to confirm whether the savings clearly outweigh the cost. Otherwise, it’s a waste of money.
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You can determine whether a membership is worth it by comparing the annual membership fee to the total savings you expect to earn over the year. Monthly figures are included only to show how savings can add up over time.
Cost of a Sam’s Club Membership
Sam’s Club offers two membership options:
- Club membership: $50 per year
- Plus membership: $110 per year
At times, Sam’s Club runs limited-time savings offers on memberships. For example, earlier in February, the Club membership was $25, and the Plus membership was $70. The membership’s cost should serve as your baseline. Any savings you receive throughout the year need to at least match that amount.
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Minimum Spend for a Club Membership
Because the membership fee is $50 per year, you only need to save $50 over 12 months to make it worth it. With typical Sam’s Club savings of roughly 10% to 25% compared to traditional grocery stores, that means spending about $200 to $500 in a year for the membership to pay for itself.
- Using a 10% savings rate, you’ll need to spend $500 per year, or about $42 per month, to save $50 and break even on the membership.
- If your savings are closer to 15%, you’ll need to spend $334 per year or about $28 per month.
- If your savings are closer to 25%, you’ll need to spend $200 a year or about $17 a month.
Minimum Spend for a Plus Membership
The Plus membership is $110 and includes 2% cash back.
- Using a 10% savings rate, you’ll need to spend $1,100 per year or about $92 per month to break even.
- If your savings are closer to 15%, you’ll need to spend $734 per year or about $61 per month.
- If your savings are closer to 25%, you’ll need to spend $440 per year or about $37 per month.
With the 2% Sam’s cash rewards, you could reach your minimum spend more quickly. For every $100 you spend, you’ll earn $2.
The Bottom Line
The basic Club membership pays for itself at about $500 per year in spending, while the Plus membership requires $1,100 per year, unless cash back and any perks, like free shipping, reduce the amount of spending needed to offset the membership fee.
When using a Sam’s Club membership, the best strategy is to make purchases around items that are already part of your budget, such as:
- Toilet paper and paper towels
- Laundry and cleaning supplies
- Pantry items
- Pet food
- Bottled drinks
By doing so, you will save on the items you need and avoid spending on those you don’t.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s the Minimum You Should Spend at Sam’s Club To Make Membership Worth It
