There are many reasons to purchase a Sam’s Club membership. It has some perks that a Costco membership doesn’t, and if you shop well, you can save a bundle.
But a membership that’s a minimum of $50 per year isn’t always worth it. It can be easy to overspend at the warehouse club, and unless you have endless storage and refrigeration space, you have to be careful about purchases since almost everything is in bulk.
Paying for the privilege of shopping may not be up your alley anymore, so if any of the following reasons to end your Sam’s Club membership resonate with you, it might be time to reconsider shelling out the annual fee.
You can find savings somewhere else
Sam’s Club isn’t the only membership store out there. Costco is a well-loved warehouse club (even famous people like to shop there) with over 900 store locations worldwide.
There’s also BJ’s Wholesale Club, with locations in over 20 Eastern states.
But if you love shopping online and don’t care about bulk purchases, you might consider ditching the warehouse clubs altogether. Walmart, of which Sam’s Club is a subsidiary, offers a Walmart+ membership, which comes with perks like savings on gas and free deliveries.
And there’s always Amazon Prime. It offers a slew of benefits, like free same-day, one-day and two-day shipping, Prime Video and even prescription savings.
You don’t have to be a member to shop there
There are ways you can shop at Sam’s Club without a membership.
For instance, you don’t need to be a member to buy alcohol at locations that sell it. You can also visit the optometrist there and fill a prescription at the pharmacy.
Shopping on the Sam’s Club’s website is another option, but you’ll need a guest membership to do so, and you’ll pay a 10% service fee on each order.
If you live with someone who has a membership, you may be able to get a free card. Sam’s Club memberships come with one free household membership card, which can be used by another member of your household who’s at least 18 years old.
There’s no nearby store
Sam’s Club has nearly 600 U.S. locations, but they’re not in every state. So getting to one near you may not be feasible, especially if you’ve recently relocated.
If you no longer live near a store and don’t find that ordering online suits your needs, that’s a sign that it’s likely time to end your membership.
Your household size is now smaller
Whether you’re an empty-nester or newly single, you may find it harder to either store or consume the bulk purchases Sam’s Club is so well known for.
You can freeze some products or stock up your pantry with others, but the bottom line is that everything comes with an expiration date. Throwing out spoiled or stale food is the same as throwing out cash.
Another consideration is household items like toilet paper or paper towels. Finding the space to store these items after purchasing them in bulk can be daunting in a smaller space, and you may not be able to justify the cost of membership anymore.
