3 Surprising Benefits of a Sam's Club Membership
Image source: Getty Images If you're tired of spending a boatload of money on groceries and household essentials, then it could pay to join a warehouse club like Sam's Club. A basic Club membership at Sam's Club costs $50 a year, while an upgraded Plus membership offering 2% cash back on purchases costs $110.Alert: highest cash back card we've seen now has 0% intro APR into 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. Plus, Sam's Club members get to enjoy perks like low-cost gasoline. If you drive frequently, the savings on gas, coupled with your grocery savings, could more than make up for your annual membership fee. And if you pair a membership with the right credit card, you can boost your fuel savings even more. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for gas.But the benefits of joining Sam's Club go well beyond these perks. Here are a few you may not realize you get access to as a member.1. Curbside pickupOne drawback of shopping at warehouse club stores like Sam's Club and Costco is that they tend to be crowded. That could make for an unpleasant experience, and it can be time-consuming.Costco doesn't offer the option to have your orders picked up curbside, but Sam's Club does. And if you're a Plus member, your curbside pickup is always free, no matter how much you spend.As a regular Club member, you get free curbside pickup for orders of $50 or more. But that's not a hard threshold to meet when you're buying things in bulk.Not only can curbside pickup be convenient when you're short on time, but if you're a parent without child care who dreads the idea of hauling an infant into a packed warehouse club store, this service could be a lifesaver. You can roll up to the curb with your sleeping child in the backseat and collect your order without them being any the wiser. 2. A generous return policyAt Sam's Club, you don't have to worry about getting stuck with purchases you regret. Sam's Club will take back almost any item at any time, making it one of the most flexible retailers with returns. However, you should know about a few exceptions. For electronics and major appliances, you get 90 days to make a return. For commercial heavy equipment, you get 30 days (but that's also something the typical Sam's Club member probably isn't buying much of). One area where you get a bit less leeway is cellphones. Sam's Club only gives you 14 days to make a return. And gift cards, event tickets, custom-made items, and prescriptions cannot be returned, period. You'll also need to check with your local club store to see if it accepts returns for alcohol, cigarettes, tires, batteries, eyeglasses, and hearing aids3. Free hearing testsHearing issues can affect people of all ages. Sam's Club stores feature state-of-the-art testing equipment to detect hearing issues for people who are 19 years old or older. And the best part? Annual follow-up screenings are free.That's an especially important thing for seniors, since original Medicare doesn't cover hearing tests as part of its benefits. Rather, Medicare enrollees have to pay for those out of pocket, so getting a screening at Sam's Club for free is a huge benefit. These are only some of the less obvious perks Sam's Club members get to enjoy. If you're interested in joining, it pays to do some digging to learn about the many benefits a membership gives you.Alert: highest cash back card we've seen now has 0% intro APR into 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. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money 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 positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Getty Images
If you're tired of spending a boatload of money on groceries and household essentials, then it could pay to join a warehouse club like Sam's Club. A basic Club membership at Sam's Club costs $50 a year, while an upgraded Plus membership offering 2% cash back on purchases costs $110.
Alert: highest cash back card we've seen now has 0% intro APR into 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.
Plus, Sam's Club members get to enjoy perks like low-cost gasoline. If you drive frequently, the savings on gas, coupled with your grocery savings, could more than make up for your annual membership fee.
And if you pair a membership with the right credit card, you can boost your fuel savings even more. Click here for a list of the best credit cards for gas.
But the benefits of joining Sam's Club go well beyond these perks. Here are a few you may not realize you get access to as a member.
1. Curbside pickup
One drawback of shopping at warehouse club stores like Sam's Club and Costco is that they tend to be crowded. That could make for an unpleasant experience, and it can be time-consuming.
Costco doesn't offer the option to have your orders picked up curbside, but Sam's Club does. And if you're a Plus member, your curbside pickup is always free, no matter how much you spend.
As a regular Club member, you get free curbside pickup for orders of $50 or more. But that's not a hard threshold to meet when you're buying things in bulk.
Not only can curbside pickup be convenient when you're short on time, but if you're a parent without child care who dreads the idea of hauling an infant into a packed warehouse club store, this service could be a lifesaver. You can roll up to the curb with your sleeping child in the backseat and collect your order without them being any the wiser.
2. A generous return policy
At Sam's Club, you don't have to worry about getting stuck with purchases you regret. Sam's Club will take back almost any item at any time, making it one of the most flexible retailers with returns.
However, you should know about a few exceptions. For electronics and major appliances, you get 90 days to make a return. For commercial heavy equipment, you get 30 days (but that's also something the typical Sam's Club member probably isn't buying much of).
One area where you get a bit less leeway is cellphones. Sam's Club only gives you 14 days to make a return. And gift cards, event tickets, custom-made items, and prescriptions cannot be returned, period. You'll also need to check with your local club store to see if it accepts returns for alcohol, cigarettes, tires, batteries, eyeglasses, and hearing aids
3. Free hearing tests
Hearing issues can affect people of all ages. Sam's Club stores feature state-of-the-art testing equipment to detect hearing issues for people who are 19 years old or older. And the best part?
Annual follow-up screenings are free.
That's an especially important thing for seniors, since original Medicare doesn't cover hearing tests as part of its benefits. Rather, Medicare enrollees have to pay for those out of pocket, so getting a screening at Sam's Club for free is a huge benefit.
These are only some of the less obvious perks Sam's Club members get to enjoy. If you're interested in joining, it pays to do some digging to learn about the many benefits a membership gives you.
Alert: highest cash back card we've seen now has 0% intro APR into 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. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money 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 positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
