While Costco might be the best destination for bulk shopping, it’s not the only store of its kind, as Sam’s Club has long been a rival to its domination. This is especially true with Sam’s Club being backed by Walmart giving it plenty of money and opportunity to break Costco’s hold on the market.
However, just because Sam’s Club exists doesn’t mean it’s the absolute best shopping experience for bulk everything. Yes, you’ll find supersized quantities of toilet paper, t-shirts, and fresh produce, but not all of Sam’s Club products are worth buying in bulk for various reasons.
15. Buy: Snacks
Grabbing snacks at Sam’s Club is a great idea.
There is no question there are food items you should avoid at Sam’s Club, but snacks aren’t one of them. Unfortunately, you can’t have three snack meals daily, but you can get some pretty good value at your local Sam’s Club. The best part is that the expiration date on many of these items, like chips, is far off, so you don’t have to worry about finishing them in one sitting.
14. Buy: Chocolate Chunk Cookies
You can’t go wrong with chocolate chunk cookies.
Who can say no to chocolate chunk cookies? It doesn’t matter where you get this dessert, as everyone in the family will love them. The reality is that Sam’s Club offers not just excellent value on this item, but the taste is worth a separate trip to bring these home.
13. Buy: Peanut Butter Pretzels
Try only to eat one bag of peanut butter pretzels.
The Member’s Mark peanut butter-filled pretzels are undeniably one of the most popular items at your local Sam’s Club. This salty product is full of warm goodness that will make you feel good inside, even if there is a little guilt afterward. Plus, you can’t go wrong with anything filled with peanut butter on the inside. Just don’t eat them at all in one sitting.
12. Buy: Gatorade Bottles
It’s hard to ignore the outstanding pricing on Gatorade at Sam’s Club.
One of the more surprising values at Sam’s Club is Gatorade, which can be great if you have athletes in the family. Perfect for Saturday’s soccer lessons, you can save on picking up a 28-count 12-ounce pack of Gatorade bottles, which is not only less than what Costco sells but also less than that of both Walmart and Target.
11. Buy: Member’s Mark Eggs
Sam’s Club eggs are well-priced and delicious.
In a world where egg prices are under a microscope, take advantage of member pricing on Member’s Mark eggs at Sam’s Club. This choice is more specific to cage-free eggs, where you can currently get two dozen for $8.24, compared to other grocers that may not even offer cage-free eggs. You can get 18 large brown eggs for $5.52 at Sam’s Club in February 2025 compared to $6.19 at Target.
10. Skip: Canned Goods
Try to avoid canned goods at bulk retailers.
Ironically, this is yet another instance where buying in bulk might save you money, but it’s not a good idea. Canned goods at Sam’s Club may offer you great value, and you get a lot of food for the money, but the problem is that you get almost too much. Once again, you’re in a situation where you have to eat these fast enough before they go bad. You can likely skip this product unless you’re having a family gathering.
9. Skip: Electronics
Skip the electronics purchase at Sam’s Club.
It’s okay to compare this consideration to Costco, as it’s very easy to recommend buying electronics at Costco due to its unique offerings and industry-leading discounts. The opposite is true for Sam’s Club as you get products that appear to be last year’s generation, all at prices that don’t feel like you are getting a great value.
8. Skip: Gift Wrap
There is no reason to spend extra money on too much gift wrap you won’t use.
When it comes to gift wrapping, Reddit makes a sticking point that this feels like a waste of money at Sam’s Club. There is a definite concern that buying bulk gift wrap sounds like a great plan until you have to do the actual gift wrapping. You’re much better off purchasing gift wrap at the dollar store and saving money that you can use toward the gifts themselves.
7. Skip: Diapers
If you want quality diapers, skip the private label and stick with Huggies.
While it might seem ideal to purchase in bulk, diapers at Sam’s Club, especially those from Member’s Mark, are not worth buying. Not only does the quality not hold up to what you can find with Pampers or Huggies, but knowing how frequently Target runs deals on diapers, it’s almost a sure thing you can find them cheaper.
6. Skip: Clothes
Don’t worry about buying clothes at Sam’s Club. They are likely from last season.
There is something about buying Kirkland clothes at Costco that gets customers excited. However, the reality is that buying clothes at Sam’s Club likely means you are buying last season’s fashion. This isn’t to say the value isn’t there, but any deals are likely more about Sam’s Club getting rid of the previous season’s style than anything else.
5. Skip: Sunscreen
Buying sunscreen in bulk might mean losing money if you don’t use it quickly.
Summer is only a few months away, so the desire to buy sunscreen in bulk at a local Sam’s Club will grow. However, buying a three-pack of sunscreen at Sam’s Club might make you feel like you are saving money, but unless you’re using it all in one summer, you can skip it and buy one bottle at a time.
4. Skip: Toilet Paper
Toilet paper might sound like a good bulk purchase, but the pricing is deceiving.
While it’s true that paper products are regularly cheaper when you buy in bulk, this isn’t necessarily true for toilet paper. The reality is that as frequently as toilet paper goes on sale at local grocery and Target stores, you can find it cheaper regularly.
3. Skip: Soda
As tempting as it might be, don’t buy soda at Sam’s Club.
Unfortunately, anytime you try to buy soda (or pop!) at your local bulk store, there is a pretty good chance you’ll find better pricing at a local Walmart or grocer. Unfortunately, buying in bulk likely means you are overpaying.
2. Skip: Bulk Medicine
Instead of buying medicine at a bulk retailer, stick to your local pharmacy.
Saving on cold or flu medicine sounds excellent, especially if you have a family. However, when you buy these in bulk, you run the risk of hitting expiration dates before you have the chance to use an entire bottle.
1. Skip: Fresh Produce
The “fresh” produce at a bulk retailer can quickly turn not-so-fresh.
Unfortunately, skipping this option at Sam’s Club regarding fresh produce is perfectly okay. While there is no question that bulk savings are a worthwhile consideration, so too is having a long shelf life with fresh produce, which Sam’s Club does not generally provide.
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