Walmart Vs. Sams Club

[recon19d]

Is it cheaper to prep at Sams Club and buy in bulk, or near the same to just shop at walmart and skip the membership fee to Sams? The wife and I recently got a membership there and were curious of others experiences on whats worth while getting and what to pass up. Thanks gents!

 

[Turn Key]

If you choose the Sams Club, you can buy gas and save some more. The "Executive membership" at Costco is $110 now this gives you back 2% of your purchases at the end of each year. This is more than enough to pay our annual membership fee.

The only thing that I may buy from Walmart is ammo.

TK

 

[rockhopper46038]

Can you buy pallets of ammo at Sam's Club, line you can buy pallets of ketchup? If so, it might be worth a look.

 

[recon19d]

Can you buy pallets of ammo at Sam's Club, line you can buy pallets of ketchup? If so, it might be worth a look.

hahah...only in a perfect world.

 

[other dave]

Whether it's Sam's or Costco I WILL NOT pay ANY store for the privilege of shopping there!

 

[cosermann]

Keeps out the riff raff.

 

[teddy12b]

I prefer Sams because I think it's worth the fee. I make up the cost of the fee almost entirely on the first trip after renewing. I like the stackable boxes all the canned foods come in and how it's easy to stack and move it once at the house. Overall I think Sam's is a good place, but Walmart also has good deals too. I could care less if I can buy ammo where I buy food. There's no one perfect prepping on-stop store, but Sam's is pretty good for food. Last time there I spent about $250 and my back hurt when I was done unloading and storing.

 

[CathyInBlue]

On any given product, you have to check the cost per unit at both/all places. I've found that occasionally, Wally World has a better deal on product X than Sam's Club. In general, though, you'll easily find a set of deals on products at Sam's Club that more than compensate for the membership fee. Plus, you can buy in bulk at Sam's in ways that you would have to make special arrangements to do at Walmart.

 

[Johnny C]

And... If you are military or work for the feds, you get a free membership at Sams.

 

[eldirector]

We buy in bulk at Sams and Costco a few times a year. More than makes up for the membership fee.

 

[Davis0023]

Sams is a great choice and the money saved pays for the fee within a trip maybe two tops. Just off things like laundry soap and fabric softener.

 

[6mm Shoot]

The wife and I try to shop where we get the best deals.

AT Sam's we pick up stuff like Olive oil, dog food and bulk goods they are cheaper than at Kroger's or Wally World.

If Kroger's has a sale on can goods like the 10 for $10 then we stock up on can goods from them.

Most of the stuff we eat is canned by the wife. She cans every thing. Beans, chili, soups,vegetables, meat and as I said just about every thing we eat. She calls it heat and eat.

I think it"s great. If I want Chili I don't have to cook a pot, I just open up a jar and heat it and eat it. It tastes just like you had made a pot because it is your chili or soup that has been canned.

That is how we do it. We buy the stuff that is on sale and stock up. Every month we shop at all three stores around us. We buy what is on sale at one of them for what we need. Now we have enough food between what the wife cans,what we grow, what we buy canned, we have enough food to last us over a year.

Now we do buy some stuff that is dried like eggs, potatoes, milk, onions and stuff like that in number 10 cans. It is easer to store and a lot lighter.

So to answer your question. We shop from every one to prep.

 

[Turn Key]

And... If you are military or work for the feds, you get a free membership at Sams.

Where is the closet actual Post Exchange ( PX ) on a military base to Indy?

Growing up my Dad made a monthly trip to the base and stock up at their PX for meat and all common grocery products, liquor as well, he had a wonderfully stocked bar.

TK

 

[Bunnykid68]

Walmart runs specials and sells stuff below cost sometimes, like soda pop. Soda pop and other things at Sams will never be as cheap as the Sales Specials. Sam's sells stuff at a much lower mark-up than Walmart on average. I buy most of my meat there, batteries and other assorted sundries.

 

[ClydeB]

Is it cheaper to prep at Sams Club and buy in bulk, or near the same to just shop at walmart and skip the membership fee to Sams? The wife and I recently got a membership there and were curious of others experiences on whats worth while getting and what to pass up. Thanks gents!

Its going to depend on what you buy.

Take something we all need. T.P. According to their respective websites.
Charmin Ultra Soft Bath Tissue. Same size rolls.
Sams Club -36 Rolls - $18.89 - 52.5 cents a roll.
Walmart - 24 Rolls - $12.97 - 54 cents a roll.
Not a whole lot of difference. But its not like its going to go bad. I know I do not want to run out of it. And I already have a membership. So I get the Sam's Club pack.

Plain old white rice.
Sams Club - Riceland 50lb bag - $16.59 - 33.2 cents a pound
Walmart - Great Value 20lb bag - $11.86 - 59.3 cents a pound
At 134 lbs of rice, Walmart costs the same as Sams Club and a years membership. That less than 3 bags of that Riceland rice.

Pinto beans.
Sams Club - 10lb bag - $8.39
Walmart - Great Value 8lb bag - $8.48
Pay more for less?

See a pattern here? Of course I picked items I knew there was a cost difference. But if you are a prepper and doing bulk staple buys. Sam's club is better than walmart when the items are stocked in both places. Its a shame you cannot get decent buckets, lids, mylar, and O2 absorbers at either place. But thats another topic...

 

[recon19d]

And... If you are military or work for the feds, you get a free membership at Sams.

SERIOUSLY?? I never knew that..Ive been missing out for years. I have to look into that

 

[recon19d]

The wife and I try to shop where we get the best deals.

AT Sam's we pick up stuff like Olive oil, dog food and bulk goods they are cheaper than at Kroger's or Wally World.

If Kroger's has a sale on can goods like the 10 for $10 then we stock up on can goods from them.

Most of the stuff we eat is canned by the wife. She cans every thing. Beans, chili, soups,
vegetables, meat and as I said just about every thing we eat. She calls it heat and eat.

I think it"s great. If I want Chili I don't have to cook a pot, I just open up a jar and heat it and eat it. It tastes just like you had made a pot because it is your chili or soup that has been canned.

That is how we do it. We buy the stuff that is on sale and stock up. Every month we shop at all three stores around us. We buy what is on sale at one of them for what we need. Now we have enough food between what the wifes cans,what we grow, what we buy canned, we have enough food to last us over a year.

Now we do buy some stuff that is dried like eggs, potatoes, milk, onions and stuff like that in number 10 cans. It is easer to store and a lot lighter.

So to answer your question. We shop from every one to prep.

So are you saying she will make a big batch of chili, then can it up? Or what? Im intrigued, That sounds like an awesome idea. Making single serving meals like that.

 

[recon19d]

To clarify- You DO NOT get a free membership, You mearly get $15 gift card once you enroll and pay the $40/$100 membership.

 

[eldirector]

So are you saying she will make a big batch of chili, then can it up? Or what? Im intrigued, That sounds like an awesome idea. Making single serving meals like that.

That what we do as well. In addition to all of the normal canned/frozen stuff, my wife makes up meal-sized portions and freezes (or cans) them. I've got chili, ham-n-beans, spaghetti sauce, pulled-pork, and lasagna ready to heat-n-eat.

 

[GhostofWinter]

The wife and I try to shop where we get the best deals.

AT Sam's we pick up stuff like Olive oil, dog food and bulk goods they are cheaper than at Kroger's or Wally World.

If Kroger's has a sale on can goods like the 10 for $10 then we stock up on can goods from them.

Most of the stuff we eat is canned by the wife. She cans every thing. Beans, chili, soups,
vegetables, meat and as I said just about every thing we eat. She calls it heat and eat.

I think it"s great. If I want Chili I don't have to cook a pot, I just open up a jar and heat it and eat it. It tastes just like you had made a pot because it is your chili or soup that has been canned.

That is how we do it. We buy the stuff that is on sale and stock up. Every month we shop at all three stores around us. We buy what is on sale at one of them for what we need. Now we have enough food between what the wifes cans,what we grow, what we buy canned, we have enough food to last us over a year.

Now we do buy some stuff that is dried like eggs, potatoes, milk, onions and stuff like that in number 10 cans. It is easer to store and a lot lighter.

So to answer your question. We shop from every one to prep.

So are you saying she will make a big batch of chili, then can it up? Or what? Im intrigued, That sounds like an awesome idea. Making single serving meals like that.

That what we do as well. In addition to all of the normal canned/frozen stuff, my wife makes up meal-sized portions and freezes (or cans) them. I've got chili, ham-n-beans, spaghetti sauce, pulled-pork, and lasagna ready to heat-n-eat.

That's one of the ways we do it here as well. Make a double or triple batch then can th leftovers. We also buy large quantities of sale items and cook them up and/or can them also. For instance, we found ground beef on sale a couple of weeks back. As a result I canned 13 quarts of chili (after using it for a meal), 13 pints of sloppy joe meat (after using it for a meal) and 20 pints of beef taco meat as well as 12 quarts of vegetable soup.

Personally I do my canning based on what items are on sale. I figure that prices aren't getting any cheaper, and this allows me to get more bang for my buck.