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Shopping at Sam's Club can be a fantastic way to save money on everyday purchases. But though the per-unit savings can be quite attractive, buying certain goods there is not so cost-effective.
Some things at Sam's Club are just a waste of money. When planning your next Sam's Club run, strike these 14 items off your shopping list.
Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.
Fresh produce
Sam's Club specializes in bulk savings, but fresh fruit and vegetables have short shelf lives. When bought in bulk, they often spoil before you can eat them.
Save your veggie purchases at Sam's when you need 20 pounds of carrot sticks and red peppers for a party tray.
Lotion
It turns out lotion isn't shelf-stable, or at least not as shelf-stable as one would like. Once you unseal a bottle, it's generally good for 12 to 24 months, although you should still adhere to any expiration dates stamped on the bottle.
Old lotion won't harm you, but it won't be as effective. If not stored properly, harmful bacteria can build up.
Milk
If you're not a heavy dairy drinker, hold off on purchasing it at Sam's Club. It only sells milk by the gallon, while other grocery stores sell it by quart or half-gallon. This gives you time to consume the milk before it goes bad.
Diapers
As a mom who has used Maker's Mark diapers before, I can tell you I am not a fan. Compared to Pampers or Huggies, they leak more often. Plus, they're not even the cheapest.
Per unit, Member's Mark diapers start at 17 cents each, matching Target's pricing for Up & Up, which doesn't help you save money shopping. Target, however, has regular diaper promotions that make their diapers much cheaper, like spending $50 to $100 on diaper goods to get a gift card of $10 to $30.
Shampoo and conditioner
As with body lotion, shampoo and conditioner can lose effectiveness with age. Don't buy that jumbo three-pack unless you and your whole household use the same hair products.
Beyond wasting your money, you could be hurting your hair. Over time, ingredients separate and become unstable, leading to bacterial contamination that causes irritation, dryness, follicle damage, and even hair loss.
Cooking oil
Sam's is known for selling cooking oil by the gallon, but you should skip it unless you have an army-sized family. Cooking and olive oils are good for up to four months.
Expired cooking oils can cause healthy fats to break down and harmful free radicals to start forming, not to mention the rancid taste that comes with it.
Spices
While spices typically can't go bad (unless they get contaminated with other food products), they can go stale and bland over time.
Unopened, ground spices lose their potency quickly and typically don't last beyond six months.
Flour
Expiration dates don't always mean much, and well-sealed flours can safely last for years. However, other flours that contain rye, almond, or buckwheat have a shorter shelf life and go rancid more quickly. You're better off buying smaller quantities that you'll definitely use.
Gift wrap
Buying gift wraps, especially in holiday-themed prints, can be a ginormous waste when purchased in packs of four or more. You'll likely tire of the paper before you go through the entire roll, and dollar stores offer a cheaper way to get new-season variety every year.
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Salmon
Sam's Club sells fresh salmon at the bargain price of $10.37 per pound. However, the farm-raised salmon you'll find at the discount retailer has numerous health concerns.
Farm-raised salmon contains persistent organic pollutants (POPs) linked to type 2 diabetes, obesity, and an increased risk of stroke. Red dye is added to color their gray-tinged flesh pink, and they also contain higher levels of saturated fat.
Fresh chicken
Along with Greek yogurt, fresh chicken is another popular grocery item that can be cheaper at Walmart.
Chicken runs at $2.67 per pound at Walmart versus $2.88 per pound at Sam's Club, but at times, Walmart's savings can be even greater.
And even if Sam's were a couple of cents cheaper per pound, given the club fee of $50 per year, the savings in poultry may not be enough to justify your membership.
Books
Books are another item to skip over on your next run to Sam's Club. They're not necessarily badly priced, but they're not the cheapest you'll find, and the assortment is random and limited. You can find a better variety of books with attractive prices at other stores.
Gift cards
Some shoppers swear you should always buy gift cards at Sam's Club, but I would advise against it. On more than one occasion, I've been gifted a gift card (properly rung up) from Sam's Club that didn't work when I tried to redeem it.
Additionally, for true deal seekers, many gift card portals offer a much wider selection of gift cards and far deeper discounts.
Bottom line
Sam's Club can be a fantastic store to save money, but not every item is a deal. Beyond the pitfalls of buying in bulk, review prices carefully. Amazon, Target, Costco, or even Walmart often have better "deals" than the popular warehouse giant.
Regardless of where you shop, consider paying with one of the best cash back credit cards to help you save more on your next shop.
More from FinanceBuzz:
- 12 ways to pocket up to $300.
- Are you a homeowner? Get a protection plan on all your appliances.
- 10 little weird hacks Costco shoppers should know.
- Learn how to escape the paycheck-to-paycheck grind.
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