25 Great Ways to Save at Warehouse Clubs

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Warehouse stores like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club promise their shoppers that, in exchange for a membership fee and a no-frills shopping experience, they’ll deliver discounted

prices on quality goods, often sold in bulk quantities.

It’s an offer that millions of budget-conscious consumers — or just those who enjoy the thrill of hunting for deals in cavernous warehouses — have bought into. As of mid-October 2024, 29

percent of Americans had shopped at Costco in the previous 12 weeks, 24 percent had shopped at Sam’s Club and 12 percent had made purchases from BJ’s, according to Coresight Research. Retail

experts say warehouse stores can offer exceptional value to their members — including those who aren’t shopping for a large family. “As long as you are shopping regularly at these wholesale

stores, you can save a lot of money, and it’s well worth the annual fee,” says Kimberly Palmer, a consumer expert at personal finance website NerdWallet.

Still, shopping at warehouse stores can lead to overspending if you don’t have a plan. So before you clear out your trunk — or your pantry — to make room for your next warehouse club haul,

read these tips to optimize your savings.

With all three of the largest warehouse clubs in expansion mode, it’s increasingly likely that you’ll have more than one local warehouse to choose from in your area — and all three allow

members to shop online. But there are some notable differences between them.

BJ’s, for example, has the widest selection of products in-store, with more perishables packaged in smaller quantities, while Costco has more out-of-store offerings, such as travel and

home-improvement services. Meanwhile, Sam’s Club has the most name-brand products and has invested the most in its digital shopping experience.

All three clubs offer membership refunds to customers who are unsatisfied with their experience. 

“When you’re getting a discount, the membership fees are easily overshadowed by the discounts that you’re getting,” says Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com.

Even so, the less you pay for a membership, the easier it is to make up for that outlay when you shop. 

A base membership costs $65 per year at Costco, $55 per year at BJ’s and $50 per year at Sam’s Club — but it’s common to see promotions that can lower the price via discounts, gift cards or

other incentives.

BJ’s and Sam’s Club offer membership deals for groups like veterans, educators and government employees, and Groupon recently offered a Costco deal that provided new members with an instant

$45 gift card to spend at the retailer. Customers ages 50 and older can get a 60 percent discount off membership at Sam’s Club.

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to buying groceries at warehouse stores is that the stores often sell groceries in bulk, increasing the chance that perishables, such as fresh

fruits and vegetables, will go bad before you’re able to use them. So don’t buy more than what you know you’ll use.

Also, keep an eye out for more shelf-stable products, like canned goods or frozen fruits and veggies, which take longer to expire. “No matter what the price is, if it’s going to expire

before you finish using it, then it’s not a good deal,” says Kristen Markel, who runs the blog Warehouse Wanderer. 

Splitting meats into meal-size portions and freezing them can extend their shelf life considerably. Markel suggests investing in a vacuum sealer to package up and further extend the life of

items in your freezer.

Other perishables might require a little additional work. For example, you can extend the life of potatoes by storing them in a cool, dark place in a breathable container, such as a

cardboard box or a paper bag, or transferring dry goods like sugar or rice into sealed jars, suggests Annette Economides, co-publisher of MoneySmartFamily.com, a website that offers

budgeting tips and resources. 

groceries

Higher food prices have 12 percent of shoppers looking to purchase more groceries in bulk and 16 percent looking to shop at more affordable grocery stores, according to a 2024 survey by

Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability. That makes warehouse stores an increasingly popular option for food purchases.

A September analysis by the trade publication Warehouse Focus found that Sam’s Club had the lowest prices on a basket of 96 grocery items, but shoppers at any of the warehouse stores could

save about 30 percent on groceries compared to Walmart and 54 percent compared to the cost at a supermarket.

While you’ll find savings on name-brand products sold at warehouse clubs, you may spot even better deals on groceries sold under the house brand (Kirkland at Costco, Member’s Mark at Sam’s

Club, and Wellsley Farms and Berkley Jensen at BJ’s), which typically sell at about 20 percent less than comparable brands.

Purchasing the store brand doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing quality. In fact, the opposite could be true: In many cases the quality of private brands exceeds that of the national product,

according to Michael Clayman, editor of Warehouse Club Focus, an industry trade publication.

Savings abound in warehouse stores, but it’s still up to you to confirm that a price is better than what you’d pay elsewhere. For example, in-season produce — berries in the summer, apples

in the fall — is typically cheaper at grocery stores than at warehouse clubs, says Economides. “The produce items can be a good deal, but you have to know your prices,” she says. “When

something is on sale at a grocery store, it’s probably going to be a better deal.”

You can use a free mobile app like Flipp to see weekly circulars for your local grocery stores and measure warehouse prices against supermarket specials. Be sure to look at the product’s

unit price, which breaks down the total cost by serving or per ounce, making it easier to compare prices of products packaged in different quantities.