Bensmom Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 We are 2 hrs. from the closest Sam's. My dh wants to look into getting a membership. I like the idea of saving by buying in bulk, but with the cost of gas so high, will we actually be saving? Are the prices worth it? Do they sell the same basic products as Walmart, only in bulk? :bigear: poll to follow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriwether Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I kept my membership when we moved one hour away. I think it was worth it, but we usually went to Sam's Club when we were going to town anyhow. I wouldn't get a membership two hours away unless I already headed that way at least every other month anyhow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 When we were 30 minutes away it was fine. Still a little far, but worth a once-a-month trip. When we moved a little farther away, maybe 45 minutes each way, I never got out there. Basically if you could end up there once a month without adding a ton of miles to your usual routine, then sure. If you go every other month, you may find there's a storage issue... two months of toilet paper and frozen chicken take up some room. I personally like an every-two-weeks routine. Our current Costco is right by DH's work, so I do the major shopping trip once a month and DH drops by two weeks later for a few more things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodhaven Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I didn't vote, but I don't think it would be worth it unless you were going to shop there weekly or every two weeks. Or if you have plans on purchasing large items and can get a discount. We don't have a Sam's, but we have a Costco which is 20 minutes away. Even that 20 minutes is a bit much some weeks. But I go often and purchase most of my groceries there. We have also purchased mattresses, and other household items from them, so I get my money back on the membership fees. I don't know if Sams operates like Costco. Do they give you a check back for a percentage of what you spend over a certain amount each year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 We dropped our SC membership a few years ago. The store is in the opposite direction of the area where we normally shop, which makes it out of the way for us. It's only a 20-min drive away but still, when you're only getting a couple items it's not worth the hassle. Then they dropped a couple of items we used to get only there because they were a great deal. We don't buy a lot of brand-name canned or boxed goods--store brands are cheaper than SC. So the only other thing was to get meats and tp. It just wasn't worth it for us. I would not do it if I was 2 hours away. Your time would be better spent checking on sales and Manager's Specials. Kroger here reduces breads and meats when they're about to expire. They're a great deal when you can get them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 We purchased a SC membership twice. The reason we got it in the first place is because we were trying to throw a party in a town that only had SC and not Costco. We ended up renewing it after the party but then let it lapse the following year as we never used it. We are Costco people. I love Costco. However, a 2 hour drive would also cause me to drop my Costco membership! No way I would do that unless I normally went to that area once a month or so. Our Costco (and Sams) is about 15 miles away from us but is also happens to be near several HS things that I do (I would love to move closer since almost everything we do is in that area!) Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I shop at our Sam's Club at least every other week, sometimes more often. But, it's right here in town. I am not sure if I save any money or not, but I prefer to buy in bulk and our local stores just don't carry items in those sizes. Here's the catch though- when I go less than weekly, I end up filling the back of the minivan with food items, and the middle section with paper towels, toilet paper and other really large items. If I take the children with me, I actually have to limit my purchases so everything fits. So, if the club were two hours away, I would have a hard time purchasing enough to justify the cost of the membership plus gas as I wouldn't be able to carry it all home. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I love Sam's, but I don't think I would drive that far to get to one. Unless, I was going that far for other errands on a regular basis. If you were going to make a big purchase that year (say for a mattress or throwing a major party), it would be worth it. You can always order items online too if you are a member. I am not sure how high shipping is though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Our closest SC is also 2 hours away (each way). We have a membership because it has been gifted to us. We do use it, but when we're going to be down that way anyway. We usually have a huge long list by the time we get there (like now). It wouldn't be worth it to go at all if we had to make a special trip. I think if we had to purchase the membership ourselves we wouldn't. We would probably just "break even" between the cost of the membership and the actual savings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 For our family, we found we were only saving money on a few items compared to the grocery store. Combined with the price of a membership and gas, it would definitely not be a good deal for us. We only have a membership for Sam's or Costco when my husband's employer pays for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 No. Not worth it. For me. And I have one very close to my house! But it depends what you buy, maybe? I find the sale prices at regular stores on some things (like paper towels and toilet paper) are way cheaper than their everyday prices. Some people are going to buy things like mattresses, and I don't know if that works out to be a bargain or what. They seem to have at least an annual "no membership required" day where everyone gets in, and then supposedly you can go to "check it out" and pay 10% extra, but my husband says it's kind of a hassle to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61Keys Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I love Sam's but would not drive 2 hours to get there unless I had to go to the area regularly. I shop there every week. I usually buy meats and fresh veggies. We stock up on paper goods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 We use Sam's here, it's local and purchasing our gas at Sam's is our biggest savings. I wouldn't drive more than 1/2 hours or so though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 For me yes it is worth the drive. Now where I live Walmart is that far away too so for me it is a one trip and get everything needed. I would get it for one year and see how you like it. The membership fees are not expensive anyways, $40 for one year no big deal. Then you have a year to decide if you want to do it again or if it was not worth it to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 When we lived in NM Sams was 2 hrs away. We still had a membership. One word: Tires. The warranty is THE best. We have had oodles of replacement tires -over and over again. When it was 2 hrs away we only went 4 times a year. Still, we'd stock up, and we got tires. The Sams locally is even better. They have after season sales- I've purchased lego sets for 60% off retail. Plus we get all of our gas there- dh drives several hundred miles a month for work so the .03 discount adds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I didnt vote either. Ive had a SC membership. $40/yr and at the time, yes it was worth it (NOT for food IMO). We got a scanner/printer/copier there for $80 that lasted until last month and that was a few years ago we got it. We would buy Diapers, Wipes, Cat Food, Cat Litter, Dog Food, Dog Bones, Paper Towels and TP. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ But now? No its not worth it for us. Wed only buy PT and TP. Maybe Cat food, thats it. We didnt buy their food because its a ton of food and i just dont think it was a good deal or anything. I mean we make tons of Kool Aid, but i dont need 100lbs of sugar laying around. KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyhappymama Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I love shopping at Sam's and buying in bulk, but I don't think I'd pay for it if it was 2 hours away. Unless I had another reason to be in that location fairly regularly, like once a month or so. But to make a special trip? No, the gas would eat away any potential savings. As an aside, I do find it very interesting which items are worth buying at Sam's and which are not. When we were unemployed last year, I started tracking the items we regularly buy by price and size and was surprised to find that some items are a *great* deal at Sam's and others are not at all. So when I do our big shopping each month, I end up having to do some shopping at Sam's, some at Walmart, and some at our local grocery store. Fortunately, all are within a reasonable driving distance, but if Sam's was 2 hours away, I'd go with another option instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) Sam's has the most amazing warranty on eyeglasses. The initial purchase prices are very good, as well. My brother in law is an optometrist (out of state), and he has offered to get us back-up glasses at his cost, but he can't beat Sam's Club. He has a friend who is an ophthalmologist who buys his contact lenses from Sam's Club to resell to patients because he gets the best deals there. But for us, the unconditional one-year warranty on eyeglasses means we will keep our membership. A couple of years ago, middle ds dropped his eyeglasses on the floor in a crowd, and they were stepped on before he could grab them. It was just a couple of weeks short of a year since we had bought the glasses. Sam's replaced them at absolutely no charge to us. Youngest ds has a VERY strong prescription. A few weeks ago, he ordered a new pair, and went with a different style of frame. When they came in, he just didn't like them. Once again, Sam's replaced them at no charge. I buy other things at Sam's as well, but I could do without those other things. Not having Sam's for glasses alone would cost us big bucks. Edited May 25, 2012 by MyThreeSons clarified Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I would get it for one year and see how you like it. The membership fees are not expensive anyways, $40 for one year no big deal. Then you have a year to decide if you want to do it again or if it was not worth it to you. :iagree: I think the promotion they have going on is nationwide - Join and you get a $20 gift card good at Walmart or Sam's. That would make the membership only $20, and after a year you could decide if it's really worth $40. Even at $40 though, it's not a bad price for you to try it out. For us it wasn't worth it when Sam's was only an hour away (we now have one 15 min. from us), so I wouldn't join if it was 2 hours away. YMMV though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 No. Not worth it. For me. And I have one very close to my house! But it depends what you buy, maybe? I find the sale prices at regular stores on some things (like paper towels and toilet paper) are way cheaper than their everyday prices. Some people are going to buy things like mattresses, and I don't know if that works out to be a bargain or what. They seem to have at least an annual "no membership required" day where everyone gets in, and then supposedly you can go to "check it out" and pay 10% extra, but my husband says it's kind of a hassle to do it. I agree. If we ate a lot of processed food, it might be worth it - quasi-extreme couponing probably would have a better return in that case - but we don't. We buy in bulk at our localish butcher, and at a produce wholesaler (or farm stands, in season), get better prices than we did at SC, and don't have to pay a membership fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 If we ate a lot of processed food, it might be worth it :confused: Sam's, as well as Costco and BJ's have a lot of fresh food, including local produce. In addition to food there are household goods, tires, electronics, and even books. I never really equated a warehouse club with processed food, though of course they sell plenty of that too. I wouldn't base my decision to join on how much processed food we do or don't eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriwether Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 :iagree: I think the promotion they have going on is nationwide - Join and you get a $20 gift card good at Walmart or Sam's. That would make the membership only $20, and after a year you could decide if it's really worth $40. Even at $40 though, it's not a bad price for you to try it out. For us it wasn't worth it when Sam's was only an hour away (we now have one 15 min. from us), so I wouldn't join if it was 2 hours away. YMMV though. :lol::lol:Sorry. The bolded cracked me up. We average 4 gallon of milk/week. Sam's is an average of 50¢/gallon cheaper. Milk alone is worth the savings to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssavings Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Milk alone is worth the savings to us. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 :lol::lol:Sorry. The bolded cracked me up. We average 4 gallon of milk/week. Sam's is an average of 50¢/gallon cheaper. Milk alone is worth the savings to us. :lol: I didn't even think of the whole point of this thread when I wrote YMMV. Is it worth the drive? YMMV. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 :confused: Sam's, as well as Costco and BJ's have a lot of fresh food, including local produce. In addition to food there are household goods, tires, electronics, and even books. I never really equated a warehouse club with processed food, though of course they sell plenty of that too. I wouldn't base my decision to join on how much processed food we do or don't eat. Yes, you're right. I wasn't clear in my musings. In my experience, SC prices on most fresh foods is not appreciably different than my local grocery store and, other than meat, you can't really store those items long-term. (the stuff from their freezer - ie, processed food - seems to have a better price point over smaller grocery store packages, and long term storage ability) So, 2 hrs away doesn't seem all that great. I had a membership 20 years ago, and off and on until about 5 years ago. Last time it was time to re-up, we did a lot of comparison shopping for things we *actually* purchase (not lots of 5million coffee stirrers, for instance) and really didn't find a good reason to continue. Literally, the only thing my husband saw an advantage in was toilet paper (and then only because he works in the same town as the one 45 minutes from home)... Totally not reason enough to keep the membership, even with 5 of us, lol. The two hour drive is why we also don't have a Costco membership, and they have a much better selection of items we do actually purchase regularly. Sorry for the confusion and the judgy-sounding thoughts. I just abbreviated my long-form thoughts. Sometimes, brevity is not best. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OH_Homeschooler Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 We lived an hour away from the one we were members of. We found it mostly made us want to buy way more than we needed, and I think the fact that it was a two-hour round trip was part of the problem. Not only did we have to get our money's worth, we had to get our time's worth as well. And gas prices certainly don't make it a bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I like Sam's, but I wouldn't travel 2 hours to get there. Ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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