How to Save at Sam’s Club With or Without a Membership

A Sam’s Club membership will help you save on groceries, household essentials, electronics, and more with members-only warehouse prices, but it’ll cost you a little upfront. Groupon Coupons has everything you need to know about membership costs and savings hacks, as well as how to shop at Sam’s Club even without a membership.

Get exclusive membership deals with our collection of Sam’s Club coupons.

Sam’s Club Membership Costs

Sam’s Club offers two types of memberships, Club ($50/year) and Plus ($110/year). Both programs include a complimentary membership for someone in your household, plus a discounted rate ($45/year) for add-on memberships (up to 8 for Club; 16 for Plus). Here’s a quick look at the key differences between the two programs:

Club Membership

With this level of membership, you’ll get access to Sam’s Club’s huge inventory of items at members-only prices, but you won’t get the convenience of free shipping and free curbside pickup. If you use your Sam’s Club Mastercard, you’ll earn 1% back (versus 3% back as a Plus member) on in-club purchases.

Best for: Those who do the majority of their shopping in-store.

Plus Membership

The Plus Membership comes with loads of perks, including early shopping hours and up to 5% back with Cash Back Rewards and Sam’s Club Mastercard. You’ll also get 20% off a complete pair of eyeglasses, as well as access to 600+ generic prescription medications starting at $4.99.

Best for: Those who prefer to shop online, or those without insurance who need the additional pharmacy and optical perks.

Membership Benefit: Additional Savings at the Pump

Sam’s Club Fuel Centers save members on average 7–10% each time they fill up at the pump. Considering the spikes in gas prices these days, those savings alone make a Sam’s Club membership worth it. Make sure you check out our guide to saving on Sam’s Club gas to get the most out of every fill-up!

Good to know: Some Sam’s Club locations will allow non-members to take advantage of their fuel center, so it’s best to check with your nearest location before signing up for a membership you don’t need.

Best Times to Shop at Sam’s Club

Depending on what you’re shopping for, a visit to Sam’s Club could be a lot less pricey.

The Sam’s Club One-Day sale, which normally falls on the second Saturday of November, is a great way to get a head start on your holiday shopping. This is the time to save big on TVs, gaming consoles, iPhones, laptops, appliances, mattresses, and much more.
Sam’s Club also offers category sales at various times of the year where you can save on big-ticket items like TVs and appliances. Be sure to sign up for Sam’s Club emails to stay on top of these sales.
Shop during Black Friday and Cyber Monday for doorbuster deals.

Savings Hack: Keep our Sam’s Club Sales Calendar bookmarked so you’re ahead of the curve when it comes to the best sales of the year.

More Ways to Save on Sam’s Club Memberships

Sam’s Club Student Discount

College students can get a free $15 eGift Card with their membership when they register with UNiDAYS.

Sam’s Club Military Discount

As a thank you for their service, Sam’s club will give a free $10 gift card to active military members and veterans who enroll or renew their membership. Learn more about Military membership at Sam’s Club.

Sam’s Club Groupon Deal

Groupon periodically runs deals for up to 66% off Sam’s Club Memberships. This deal is not live at the moment, but check back here for updates. And in the meantime, get a $45 gift card when you sign up for a Club membership.

How to Shop at Sam’s Club Without a Membership

You can shop at Sam's Club Pharmacy, Optical department, and food court without a Sam’s Club membership. Here are a few more ways to get around that annual fee:

Shop at Sam’s Club with a Friend

If you’re not a member but you have a friend that is, you’re allowed to join them on their shopping trips and get some shopping done with their membership!