Sam's Club "Plus" Member--good or Bad Choice?

Updated on June 24, 2013
M.C. asks from Ann Arbor, MI
9 answers

I was a regular member of Sam's for 2 years. My regular membership expired two months ago and I wasn't planning on renewing since the only reason I had the membership was to purchase Depends for my elderly mom who has since passed away. Needless to say, I ended up at Sam's Club to buy bulk snacks since I"m constantly feeding the neighborhood it seems. I figured it was way cheaper to buy snacks at Sam's than anywhere else. Well, I was checking out and about to renew my regular membership when a sales associate approached me and told me that the Plus membership is way better. It's $100 as opposed to $45. I'm just having second thoughts here because I wonder if I got suckered. I made a quick decision on her sales pitch...urghh.....I hate when these things happen!:) I read the Plus membership online and it seems to offer more advantages than the regular. I guess I am just looking on here for some reassurance as I know many of you shop at Sam's.

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B.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Personally I find the regular membership to be sufficient and do not know of any benefits beyond the extra monthly savings on select items. If there is more than that than I am naïve.

If you do not see the benefit beyond the regular membership then I would stop at the membership desk the next time you are there and request to a refund and be converted to the regular membership. I believe their memberships are satisfaction guaranteed so like Jill said, you could take a wait and see approach.

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C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I haven't shopped at Sams in a long time. I have a Costco membership.

If you are not using the membership regularly - it's a waste of your money. If you are using it for your typical grocery shopping - it might be worth it.

So if you upgraded? You should be shopping there more frequently than you were in the past!

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J.Y.

answers from Chicago on

I had one for nine months and had only saved $12 in coupons by having it. They willingly refunded me the difference in membership fees. Maybe try it for awhile and see if you save. If not, you won't be out anything.

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R.M.

answers from San Francisco on

If it's the same as Costco's version, then yes, if you shop enough, it's a good deal. We get the more expensive Costco membership, I think it's $100 or 110 these days, and in return we get cash back percentage. Our Amex card is our Costco card, and each year we get approx. $150 cash back coupon from Costco and another $150ish from Amex. Both of these can only be used at Costco. We probably spend $600 plus per month on this Amex card, mostly at Costco. So we definitely get our membership money back, and then some.

Anyway, I'm assuming that the Sam's Club Plus membership works the same way.

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S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

If you use the regular and don't do a lot of special sales like eye glasses and trips it is not worth it. We had it for one year to see if we did anything more and the answer was no. It is just a way to get you to spend more of your money with them.

We shop at Sams after hubby has doctor visit as that is the closet Sams to our home. The regular fee to me is enough and we do buy enough to get that back but I wouldn't put out any more money than necessary.

the other S.

PS We have had a Sams membership for over 20 years and it is just recently that they have been "pushing" the higher membership = $55 more out of your pocket.

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T.W.

answers from Las Vegas on

We had a Sam's club plus membership cause I was talked into it and I ended up cancelling it. It is nothing like Costco's plus membership. They cost the same, the big difference is that with Costco's plus, you get money back at the end of the year on what you spent all year. Sam's club doesn't do that. Sam's promises that with their plus membership that you will get coupons on the things that you buy there...not true. They have a set list of things that they set up as coupons, and it isn't based on what you buy. You also don't get money back at the end of the year. With that said, my husband and I went to Costco to compare when our Sam's membership ran out. Sam's has much more of a selection and also better prices on many of their things! Hope that helps! :)

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O.O.

answers from Kansas City on

Not me. I don't spend my money at Sams OR WalMart.
I might look into Costco--at least they pay a living wage and benefits.

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B..

answers from Dallas on

Sorry, can't give you reassurance. We just decided it was not worth the price. We have done it for about a yr now and it didn't save us much, if anything when you figure in the price.

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D.M.

answers from Savannah on

All we have here is Sam's, and the Plus membership is perfect for us. During the school year, we can get in as early as 07:00 (before they open at 10) if we need things, and we end up being the go-to family for unit functions. As in, the CO gives us a list, gas money, food money, and asks us if we'll go to Sam's for the various supplies. I get gas money out of it, and it helps out the unit, so to me it works out in the end. Now, if we had a Costco nearby, I'd be all over that, but Sam's is here, so it works out.

1 mom found this helpful
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