With the end of inflation nowhere in sight, many consumers are buckling down on their shopping habits. For some, that means limiting discretionary spending and avoiding products with prices that have been hijacked by ongoing shortages, such as milk and eggs. It’s also challenged shoppers to get more savvy with their grocery budgets. One way they’re achieving this is by doubling up on store memberships, specifically at Costco and Sam’s Club.
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A Sam’s Club membership will run you $50 a year — so for many Costco members who already pay $65 in annual fees, it doesn’t make sense not to double up. In a recent Reddit thread, shoppers voiced their opinions on the new dual-membership trend.
"Sam’s membership cost is so low, no reason to pick just one," reasoned one Redditor, adding that "both [memberships] is the answer."
"I have both for now. I honestly don’t find either to be vastly superior," reads another comment. Someone else shared, "They each have items I want to buy that each pay for the membership cost in savings, so I keep both memberships."
"To me, it’s worth having both," wrote a fourth, citing Sam’s low membership cost. "I like some produce from Sams better than Costco believe it or not. Sams has plenty of these that I use that Costco doesn't have."
One shopper admitted they "double dip all the time," noting that "some things Sam's does better than Costco, and some things Costco does better than Sam's."
A consumer loyal to Costco said the wholesaler is their "primary" grocer, though they "still use Sam’s for stuff Costco doesn’t carry."
Others argue the giant grocers "complement each other."
"A lot of produce are actually the same products with the same packaging. Sometimes Costco has San Pellegrino on sale, sometimes Sam's Club. Gas line is shorter at Sam's Cub, but Costco has some really good Kirkland products," one person pointed out.
A Costco-Sam’s Club dual member added: "Both places have their sales. So for items like Tide Pods, one or the other is bound to have it on sale when you need it."
Another Redditor wrote, "Sam’s Club is way less crowded. They also have more name-brand products…[though,] I still prefer Costco for the house brand item quality."
Someone else summed it up best: "It honestly depends on how you shop and how you feel about the quality."
"They both have great positives. Sam’s is pretty consistent about the products they carry, but Costco has new stuff all the time. If you can afford them both I would, and I do," chimed in one user.
