Have you been thinking about signing up to Sam’s Club to try and cut down on your grocery bills?
If you are on the fence about committing to a club membership, there are some ways around purchasing a membership and testing out if you will benefit from shopping at Sam’s Club.
Sam’s Club is currently offering a free membership for new shoppers. You can sign up for a membership for $45, and receive a gift card worth $45 within 3 days of your membership activation. If you’re planning to shop regularly at Sam’s Club, renewing their membership is worth it.
Below are listed ways to shop at Sam’s Club to see if the products offered in the warehouse are right for you.
Day pass
You can purchase a day pass from Sam’s Club, and it is a free one-time shopping pass. The catch, though, is that you will be charged an extra 10% on your purchase.
This would be a good option for a one-time shopping trip to see if Sam’s Club is a right fit for you. Buying this pass repeatedly does not make a lot of sense from a financial standpoint; a membership would be a cheaper route if you decide to become a regular Sam’s Club shopper.
Using this pass repeatedly and paying the 10% on your purchase will add up pretty quickly.
Shop online
You do not need to be a member to shop online at Sam’s Club, but there is a 10% service fee if you decide to purchase anything as a guest. This is another excellent way to check out what Sam’s Club has to offer and if you would benefit from a membership.
Even checking out what products are offered online without making a purchase, but giving you a better idea if a membership would benefit you.
Add-on member
If you have a friend or family member that belongs to Sam’s Club, you could be an add-on member to their account. The 10% service fee is waived, but there is a fee to add someone to your membership.
Another option, if you want to avoid fees altogether, you can have your friend or family make your purchase for you and then pay them back.
Open house
Sam’s Club hosts open houses throughout the year for non-members to check out the warehouse before committing to membership. This is a great event to mark on your calendar if you are curious about joining. Check the Sam’s club website for when the next open house is.
Prescriptions
You can purchase your prescriptions at Sam’s Club without a membership. You also are not charged any service fees for your purchase of medications. You can even stop in to get your flu shot at the pharmacy without membership or any extra fees.
Food court
If you are out and about and want to stop to refuel, you can enjoy a nice meal at the Sam’s Club food court without a membership, and there is no service fee to dine at the food court.
Alcohol
You can purchase alcohol from Sam’s Club without a membership. There is also no service fee for the purchase of alcohol.
Optical center
Purchasing a membership is not required to see the optometrist at Sam’s Club. You can have an eye examination with no membership, but the catch is, you will need a membership or a day pass if you want to purchase any products from the optical center.
Photo center
You do not need a membership to print photos and shop in the photo center in Sam’s Club.
If You Want to Buy Membership
If you’re considering buying a Sam’s Club membership, there are two options when signing up for a Sam’s club membership.
Club Mmembership: This is $45 a year and includes the following perks.
- Instant savings
- Sam’s Club Mastercard
- Fuel
- Tire and battery center
- Complimentary membership
- Add-on membership
Plus Membership: This is $100 a year and offers all the perks as the club membership, plus a few more, including:
- Early shopping
- Pharmacy
- Optical
Here is a list of ways to get around buying a membership to Sam’s Club. You can use certain warehouse features without ever purchasing a membership, or you can use some of these options to test run to see if you will benefit from buying a year-long membership.
If You Want a Refund on Your Membership
Suppose you sign up for a membership at Sam’s Club and then decide that it is not something you will use often enough to justify a membership. You can get a full refund for your membership fee.
This is an excellent assurance that if you change your mind, you’re not out any money. Here’s how to get your refund:
- The customer service desk at Sam’s Club can cancel your membership and issue a refund.
- Call Sam’s Club if you cannot make it in and cancel your membership and receive a refund.
- You can also cancel online. This is the most convenient and fastest route to getting your membership cancelled and your money back.
With such an excellent refund policy and so many options to shop at Sam’s Club without ever purchasing a membership, you do not need to stress yourself out by worrying about throwing your money away on a membership.
