Membership | Credit Card | Gas | Photos | Pharmacy | Tires | Sam's Club Sales | Non-Member Savings
When you think about Sam's Club, you probably picture aisle after aisle of massively discounted bulk groceries. And while that's a big part of what makes Sam's Club one of the top membership clubs in the U.S., that's just the beginning. Whether you're in the market for tires, Ultra HD TVs, contact lenses, or home playground equipment, you'll find it all at Sam's and at a huge discount. But there is an annual cost to become a Sam's Club member (between $54–$75), and the Groupon Coupons team wanted to make sure it is worth your while. We've dug into the numbers, and we think a Sam's Club membership is a good deal, especially if you take advantage of the myriad ways to save.
Just in case you didn't know, Sam's Club is a membership-based shopping center where you can buy almost everything from gas and tires to groceries and furniture. You can even shop online and then pick up your purchase at the store. And for all the latest Sam's coupons, check out Sam's Club page on Groupon Coupons.
GROUPON DEAL ALERT: Get a 12-Month Sam's Club Membership for $25
Sam's Club Membership
How Much is A Sam's Club Membership?
A Sam's Club membership is required to take advantage of the store’s best savings. There are two types of Sam’s Club memberships: the Basic Club and the Sam’s Plus. The Club Basic costs $50/year, and the Plus membership costs $110. The best membership option for you will depend on your shopping and benefit needs.
What's the Difference Between The Club vs Plus Memberships?
The basic Sam's Club membership gets you instant savings on top of members-only pricing. All members are eligible to apply for a Sam's Club Mastercard and its cash back rewards up to 5%. Plus, you’ll enjoy savings on fuel and get some free services at the Tire and Battery Center. The cost of this membership is only $50 per year.
The upgraded Sam's Plus membership comes with the same benefits as the Club and lots of extra perks. These include early shopping times, a 2% cash reward per qualifying purchase (no Sam’s Club Mastercard needed), and free shipping every day with no minimum purchase. That’s not all. Sam’s Plus members also get select prescriptions for just $4 and discounts on glasses with free shipping on contact lenses. The cost of the Plus membership is $110 per year.
On top of these low prices, Sam's Club is always running special monthly member deals that offer instant savings on everyday items like groceries and higher-ticket items like tools and furniture. To maximize your savings, we highly recommend checking back often for the monthly deals.
Does Sam's Club Offer Deals on Membership?
Yes! Groupon works closely with Sam's to run deals on memberships. Right now, you can get the Basic Membership for $25 (normally $50). You can also check out Sam's Club coupons page for new coupons & discounts daily.
How to Shop At Sam's Club Without a Membership:
Use Instacart: You will pay a little more in delivery fees, but shopping through Instacart is by far the easiest way to get your hands on metric tons of goodies without a membership. [Check out the latest Instacart promo codes & deals at Groupon Coupons.] This only works in select areas.
Ways to Save at Sam's Club
Members can expect to find savings across all the categories offered in-store and online. We’ll cover just a few of those categories to help you get the most savings possible.
Sam's Club Credit Card
Currently, Sam's Club offers two types of credit cards: the Sam's Club credit card and the Sam's Club Mastercard. Neither card has an annual fee. The Sam’s Club credit card isn’t much of a value. The card doesn’t earn cash back or rewards, it only works at Sam’s Club and Walmart locations, but not at Walmart.com or Walmart gas stations, and the APR is as high as 28.90%.
With the Sam's Club Mastercard, though, the more you shop, the more you'll save. Need to fill up the gas tank in your car? Use your Sam's Club Mastercard and get 5% cash back (up to the first $6,000 per year, then it reduces to 1% after). Plan on eating out or ordering in? Then your Sam's Club Mastercard will earn 3% cash back on all dining purchases. All other purchases earn 1% cash back. In total, Sam’s Club Mastercard users can earn up to $5,000 in cash back rewards per year, but the rewards are only redeemable once per year and only at Sam’s Club.
Sam's Club Gas
Having a Sam's Club credit card isn't the only way to save a ton of cash with your membership. Sam's Club offers member-exclusive prices at the pump that can help you save 10%–20% on every single tank of gas! Combine that with 5% cash back rewards from the Sam’s Club Mastercard and you could save BIG over the course of a whole year.
If you were wondering: Sam’s Club sources its gas from several suppliers instead of a single one, but the gas is covered by the Satisfaction Guarantee for quality.
Sam's Club Photos
Do you have photos from a recent vacation, family get-together, or special outing that you’d like printed? Sam's Club has you covered with low prices on photo printing services. The Sam's Club's Photo Center offers home movie and photo transfers, framed prints, mounted prints, and stationery cards. Along with competitive prices on these services, you can take advantage of even more savings and get your photos printed for less. Just visit photo.samsclub.com and click "Offers" at the top of the page to be taken to a page with even more member-exclusive. Plus, photo orders always qualify for free shipping, no matter how big or small!
Sam's Club Pharmacy
The Sam’s Club Pharmacy is a treasure trove of savings for members. All members now have access to generic drugs that start at just $4! And Plus members can get 10 select generic prescriptions for FREE. Sam's Club Pharmacy is part of the America's Pharmacy program—a prescription savings program that is free for Sam’s Club members and provides discounts at more than 62,000 participating pharmacies.
It is important to note that the prescription savings program is not insurance nor is it a Medicare prescription drug plan. In fact, it can't be used in conjunction with any other insurance or federal/state healthcare programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid.
Sam's Club Tire & Battery Center Discounts
The gas pump isn’t the only place to find car savings at Sam’s Club. Members get free flat tire repairs, battery testing, and wiper blade installation. In the Tire and Battery Center at Sam's Club, regular and specialty tires are available at affordable member prices. But free is even better than a good price. If you buy tires at Sam’s Club and have them installed there, you’ll also get free 24-hour emergency roadside assistance, road hazard protection, and lifetime (of the tire) balance and rotation. As with any free service, there are pros and cons. Services are available only to active Sam's Club members and tires with a 2/32nds or less tread remaining will not be serviced.
Sam's Club Sales
The low prices that come along with a Sam’s Club membership aren’t the only way to save. There are also tons of sales events.
- Instant Savings: Check out these member-only deals for extra savings on categories throughout the store.
- Sam’s Club One-Day Sale: Most people think Black Friday is the start of the holiday shopping season, but they’re wrong. The Sam’s Club One-Day Sale, typically held the second Saturday of November, is a great kickoff to the holiday season. Members can save big on TVs, gaming consoles, iPhones, laptops, appliances, mattresses, and so much more.
- Category Sales: Sam’s Club regularly has sales in specific categories. When you’re in the market for high-ticket items like a new TV, tires, or a mattress, check the Sam’s Club website first. If nothing else you can use the buying guides to make the best choice.
Can You Shop At Sam's Club Without A Membership?
Unfortunately, Sam’s Club doesn’t allow non-members to shop either in-store or online in most cases. But there are a few ways non-members can score deals:
- Club Cafés: Non-members can take advantage of the awesome food court, known for its pizza and hot dog and soda deals.
- Liquor: Non-members can get the same great deals on spirits, wine, and beer as Sam’s Club members.
- Sam’s Club Optical Center: Members and non-members alike can take advantage of the low prices on eye exams, eye glasses, and contact lenses. A Sam’s Club membership can offer extra incentives on some services.
- Sam’s Club Pharmacy: Members and non-members alike can also visit the pharmacy to save, especially on generic prescriptions. Sam’s Club basic and Plus memberships do come with more savings.
- Tag Along with a Member: Active members can bring up to two guests with them in store. Non-members aren’t actually allowed to make a purchase, but you can ask the Sam's Club member to add your items to their order when checking out.
- Sam's Club Guest Pass: Sam's Club no longer hosts open houses or gives out guest passes for non-members to shop in store.
