3 Little-Known Drawbacks of a Sam’s Club Membership

This post may contain affiliate links which may compensate us based on your interaction. Please read the disclosures for more information.

Thinking of joining Sam’s Club? Read on to see why you may want to reconsider. [[{“value”:”

Joining a warehouse club store could make it possible to save money on groceries and other household essentials, even though there’s a fee to sign up. At Sam’s Club, you’ll pay $50 a year for a basic membership, or $110 a year for a Plus membership that gives you 2% cash back on your purchases. But the savings you reap as a result of your membership might more than make up for the fee you pay.

That said, there are certain pitfalls you might encounter if you decide to join Sam’s Club. Here are some less obvious drawbacks to keep on your radar.

1. It could open the door to overspending

Sam’s Club is loaded with deals on not just groceries and things like cleaning products, but everything from apparel to electronics. Because your brain might be wired to assume you’re getting a great deal, you may find it hard to say no to tempting purchases when you do your Sam’s Club shopping. But that could lead to frequent overspending on your part — and a giant credit card bill you have a hard time paying off.

If you decide to give Sam’s Club a try, one way to prevent this is to shop with a list and pledge to stay out of aisles that don’t contain any items you want to buy. If you don’t walk into the apparel section, for example, then you’re unlikely to bring home clothing you weren’t planning on buying.

2. It could cause undue stress if your home lacks storage space

Finding the room to store your Sam’s Club purchases could be a challenge if your home doesn’t offer much storage space. It’s a nice thing to save money on paper towels by purchasing them in bulk. It’s another thing to have to keep them in your bedroom, where you risk tripping over them every night, because your tiny storage closet is already full.

Similarly, if you have a smaller fridge or freezer, then you might have a hard time storing bulk perishable goods. And sure, you could try shuffling things around to make the occasional bulk purchase work. But Refrigerator Tetris is not the sort of game you want to force yourself to play on a daily basis.

3. It could make budgeting more difficult

Shopping at a store like Sam’s Club often means shelling out more money at once for certain purchases. Let’s say you normally buy one box of tissues at a time when you do your shopping. You might pay less on a per-box basis at Sam’s Club. But if you’re buying 12 boxes at a time, it’s a larger outlay all at once.

All told, buying household and grocery items in bulk could make it harder to stick to your budget. So if you’re on a tight one, you may be better off sticking to buying smaller quantities.

Stores like Sam’s Club offer plenty of value, especially if there’s one conveniently located where you live. But before you rush to sign up for a membership, keep these drawbacks in mind so you don’t regret your decision or end up accidentally making your life more difficult.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until nearly 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

“}]] Read More