I am looking for advice on joining Sam's. I want to know anyone's input on whether you think it is a good deal or not, and if so, what type of things you purchase from Sam's.
When we were newlyweds we got a membership and got to shopping. I needed flour, and so clearly the 20 pound bag at Sam's seemed like the logical choice. Three years later, when I had barely made a dent in the first 10 pound bag, I realized the error of my ways.
The best benefit I know of is an $ .87 coke and free sample lunch on Saturdays, but I'll take any input anyone has to offer.
5 comments:
i shop there for diapers and milk. whereas a gallon of 2% milk is right around $4 everywhere else i've looked, i just paid 3.38 for one at sam's yesterday. diapers: the nice pampers are only 21 cents per in size three, whereas anywhere else you'd pay 25 to 30 cents. they also have good prices on movies and electronics, so i like going there for christmas presents. oh, and tires are very reasonable there, plus you get lifetime rotation when you buy a set of four.
i didn't think i'd use my membership, and at first i didn't but i do now. bulk food items are starting to seem more necessary as my family grows. . .
I don't think it is worth it, especially since we have to drive to LR to go to Sam's. (For years I've been hearing rumors about Conway getting a Sam's. Just rumors, it seems.)
Unless you are buying a big-ticket item (e.g, a TV), I don't recall the savings being that much better than Wal-Mart. Once you take the membership fee and the time, money, and ecological impact of the drive to the LR into account, I think you would come out behind.
You can also get lifetime tire rotation at Wal-Mart and some other tire shops as well, though I have sworn off of the WM Tire-and-lube. They did nothing but screw up my car and give my mis-diagnoses. I buy my tires from tirerack.com and get them mounted at Austin Brothers.
If you are in LR already, my brother-in-law swears by the diapers at Babies-R-Us (the premium house-brand, if I recall correctly).
It has been several years since I have been in a Sam's, but I haven't seen a reason to get a membership (and you know how cheap I am).
Top 5 reasons why I like Sam's:
1. I can always buy some sort of meal or desert for community group if I have no time to cook (and people like it!)
2. With a business membership, you can go for extended hours and there are some tax exempt benefits.
3. Frozen Edamame
4. Cheaper Carters brand clothes
5. Really great produce. Lately we have been getting pineapples, peppers, spring salad and baby cukes (which Addie likes for breakfast) for a good price and super tasty.
Of course we go more now that there is one a few miles from our house. And on a random note, I saw the Dugger family there last week (while getting dinner for community group).
I love Sam's, but haven't figured out how to put it into the budget and make it all work out in the end. Some things we love getting there are frozen chicken breasts, produce, Tyson Dino nuggets, toilet paper, paper towels ($13 here lasts us over 8 months), kid clothes, mac and cheese, cereal, toothpaste, Lysol disinfectant cleaner (yellow--$6 lasts over 8 months), and on and on. With all that said, I only go about 2 times a year and I think my in laws pay for our membership. So, I don't know if it is a better deal, but I sure do love it!!
I didn't know you had a blog! Exciting!
I have a SAMs card, and I love it! Being a missionary in a country where buying in bulk is unheard of, SAMs is a joy for me. You can get cheap movies at SAMs as well. My parents always get their detergent there as well...it's good for them. Just a thought. YAY SAMs!!
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