Grocery shopping at membership clubs can save you up to 15% on your grocery bill Leave a comment
Membership clubs can generate these savings for grocery shoppers because membership clubs generate profits primarily from the annual membership fees and less from the sale of goods. Essentially, the membership clubs have agreed with their members that they provide high-quality goods at very low prices to their members. That is why shopping for groceries at membership clubs will save you money over shopping at grocery stores. A recent survey by AARP found that commonly purchased groceries that cost $81.60 at the grocery store could be purchased at a membership club for $68.94 or 15% less. Grocery shopping at membership clubs can save you a lot of money.
| Food | Sam’s Club Unit Price | BJ’s Unit Price | Costco Unit Price |
| Baked beans (per pound) | $1.36 | $1.34 | $1.28 |
| Bananas (per pound) | $0.49 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| Beef round top roast (per pound) | $4.98 | $5.39 | $5.99 |
| Caesar salad kit (per bag) | $3.80 | $3.69 | $5.99 |
| Chicken noodle soup (per pound) | $1.62 | $1.62 | $1.46 |
| Chocolate chip cookies (pounds) | $0.42 | $0.42 | $0.42 |
| Eggs (24 pack) | $1.67 | $2.80 | $2.50 |
| Ground beef (per pound) | $4.18 | $3.99 | $3.99 |
| Jelly (per pound) | $1.33 | $1.52 | $1.52 |
| Ketchup (per pound | $1.34 | $1.55 | $1.58 |
| Margarine (2/30oz tubs) | $1.54 | $2.27 | $1.95 |
| Marinara sauce (per pound) | $1.07 | $1.31 | $3.97 |
| Mayo (per pound) | $4.99 | $4.75 | $4.75 |
| Milk (per gallon | $0.83 | $0.91 | $0.92 |
| Mixed berries (3lbs) | $2.40 | $5.33 | $4.23 |
| Orange juice (per quart) | $1.78 | $1.90 | $2.23 |
| Pasta (per pound) | $1.42 | $1.44 | $1.25 |
| Peanut butter (per pound) | $1.72 | $1.92 | $1.83 |
| Pretzels (per pound) | $4.04 | $4.04 | $5.14 |
| Red bell peppers (each) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Rice (per pound) | $0.70 | $0.56 | $0.05 |
| Rotisserie chicken (per pound) | $1.66 | $2.80 | $1.66 |
| Shredded cheese (2/16oz bags) | $2.94 | $5.00 | $2.66 |
| Sparkling flavored seltzer (per quart) | $1.67 | $1.96 | $1.69 |
| Total | $68.94 | $81.33 | $81.60 |
| Tuna (per pound) | $5.20 | $3.20 | $5.14 |
| Vanilla ice cream (per pound) | $1.40 | $3.00 | $3.78 |
| Water (48 pack) | $0.45 | $0.59 | $0.19 |
| White bread sliced (2 24oz loaves) | $2.05 | $3.50 | $1.95 |
| Wild salmon filets (per pound) | $10.98 | $11.99 | $11.99 |
Note: Prices are based on comparison shopping of 30 similar sample items on Long Island, on October 5, 2023. Given the different sizes, we looked at unit prices to provide an accurate comparison.
Source: BJ’s, Costco, Sam’s Club