14 Surprising Sam’s Club Buys That Beat Dollar Tree Prices

Out-of-control inflation makes finding the best deals absolutely essential. While dollar stores are a staple for budget-conscious shoppers, customers are questioning one retailer's affordability. Dollar Tree's recent departure from the $1.25 model left some consumers looking for a new way to save.

Enter Sam's Club. While you will pay an annual fee just to walk through the door, this warehouse retailer's bulk buys often have a lower price-point per-piece/quantity than what you'll see at Dollar Tree.

Which picks make a Sam's membership worth it? Here are 14 of the Club's best bargains that beat Dollar Tree's prices.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

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Price: $2.98

Whether you're planning a party or searching for inexpensive snacks, Sam's price per ounce on generic wavy ridges chips is a better bargain than Dollar Tree.

Compare $0.19 at the warehouse club for a 16-ounce bag to $0.25 at the dollar store for a smaller five-ounce size.

Price: $19.88

Both of these stores sell name-brand laundry detergent. And if Gain is your top pick, the warehouse club is the best bet.

Score a 159-load, 170-ounce bottle of ultra-concentrated Gain + Oxi for $0.12 per ounce at Sam's. Dollar Tree sells a much smaller six-load, 10-ounce bottle for $0.15 per ounce.

Price: $8.48

This is one baker's bargain you can't pass up. Nab a massive 25-pound bag for $8.48 ($0.34 per pound). In comparison, Dollar Tree sells two pounds for $1.50 (or $0.75 per pound). That makes Sam's generic less than half the price.

Price: $18.98

Party prep just got easier, and cheaper. We spotted this 204-count of strong, durable 10-inch ultra dinner plates for $0.09 per piece. An almost identical item (Dollar Tree's Heavy-Duty 10-inch Ultra Paper Plates) costs $1.50 for a 10-count. That equals $0.15 per plate.

Price: $5.48

Serve a spaghetti dinner for less with this low-priced pasta. Sam's sells a six-count of one-pound boxes for $5.48. Dollar Tree's 20-ounce single pack costs $1.50. At that price, you would pay over $7 to get the warehouse club's quantity.

Price: $8.12

The five-quart (160 ounces) pail of rich, dreamy vanilla ice cream is one of Sam's best freezer deals.

Even though the $8.12 is higher than Dollar Tree's $1.50 price (for Founders Street Vanilla Bean Ice Cream), the cost per ounce just doesn't compare. You'll pay $0.05 per ounce at the warehouse club and $0.11 at the dollar store.

Price: $9.34

Sam's Club sells 1,750-count packs of these brand-name cotton swabs for $9.34. And bonus, the warehouse retailer occasionally puts this item on sale. We found a limited-time $2 off deal that took the price down to $7.34.

A 200-count pack of private label line swabs costs $1.25 at Dollar Tree. While the price difference between the two retailers is negligible, you don't have to settle for a generic at Sam's.

Price: $3.98

Stay hydrated with this 40-pack of 16.9-ounce bottles. For $3.98, this Sam's deal is a steal.

You'll only pay $1.25 for a six-count of Pure Life Bottled Water at Dollar Tree. But don't let the low price fool you. Sam's bulk buy is $0.10 per bottle, while the discount retailer charges almost $0.11 more.

Price: $17.98

Get 24 cotton-polyester blend OEKO-TEX Certified washcloths for $17.98 ($0.75 per piece) at Sam's Club. Dollar Tree charges $4 for a five-piece "dollar plus" pack from Home Collection ($0.80 per piece).

Price: $7.98

Store everything from tools to boots in this 27-gallon 20.6-by-30.6-inch heavy-duty storage container.

Nab this deal for $7.98. At $5, Dollar Tree has a lower-priced product in stock. But the retailer's Edge Plastics tote only features five gallons of storage space.

Price: $10.88

We compared prices for cozy throws at both stores, and Dollar Tree had the best price by $0.88. That said, Sam's scored more points for a larger size and better quality.

Price: $9.68

Canned sauce is a bulk buy that won't go bad quickly. That makes it an affordable option to scoop up, especially when you can score 12 of Sam's generic 15-ounce cans for $9.68 ($0.81 each).

A single can of Del Monte Tomato Sauce costs $1.50 at Dollar Tree.

Price: $10.77

These "fancy" napkins only look expensive. You can snap up a six-pack of 110-packs for $10.77 at Sam's Club ($0.02 per piece). You'll only get 100 in Dollar Tree's $3 deal ($0.03 per piece).

Price: $9.98

At $9.98 for 114 ounces, you can feel confident layering the beloved brand's tomato ketchup on everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to French fries.

Dollar Tree has a smaller 14-ounce bottle from Hunt's for $1.50. You would need to pay over $12 to get Sam's bulk-buy quantity from the other store.

Keep in mind, bulk buys don't always make financial sense. If you can't use the quantity or don't have the storage space, Dollar Tree is often the more affordable option.

How can you make the most of your next Sam's Club haul? Avoid wasting money on items you won't need. Hint: Identify staples you burn through quickly and compare prices per piece before you invest in what seems like a bulk bargain.