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There are certain expenses in life that are virtually impossible to avoid – like utility bills, groceries, and gasoline. And when you’re buying gas, it’s often worth going to a wholesale club if you’re already a paying member. Chains like Costco and Sam’s Club are known for their competitive gas prices.
However, there is one major downside to buying gas at Sam’s Club that also applies to Costco. Fortunately, however, there is a way to offset this.
A big disappointment
When you join Sam’s Club, you have a choice. You can pay $50 per year for a basic membership or $110 per year for a Plus membership.
The main benefit of Plus membership is that you get 2% cash back on your Sam’s Club purchases, so if you shop there often, you can end up getting a lot of money back—so much that you can pay the entire $110 fee and still have some money left at the end.
But unfortunately, the 2% cash back bonus from the Plus membership is not valid for gas purchases at Sam’s Club. And the same goes for Costco, by the way. If you pay double the amount for the Executive membership at Costco, you won’t be eligible for the 2% cash back at the pump there either.
Create your own petrol rewards
It’s annoying when you don’t get cash back with your Plus membership at Sam’s Club gas stations. But the good news is that if you apply for a gas gift card, you can get additional cash back by showing it when you fill up. Some cards offer 3% or 4% off gas, so you can more than make up for the missing 2% off your Plus membership.
Should you buy gas at Sam’s Club?
Since Sam’s Club offers great gas prices, it might be worth it to fill up your car at one of their stations – especially if you’re already planning on buying groceries and other items. However, whether you should drive to Sam’s Club just to fill up your car is questionable.
First, it’s generally not worth driving too many extra miles to save money per gallon. If gas is $0.20 cheaper per gallon at Sam’s Club and you buy 14 gallons, that’s a $2.80 savings. But if you end up using almost a gallon more gas to drive there and back from Sam’s Club, you could cancel out that savings.
Plus, the lines at the gas station at Sam’s Club are often long, especially during peak shopping times like Saturdays and Sundays. It’s OK to skip a little gas if it saves you time during a busy week.
Finally, you should know that while Costco offers TOP TIER™ gasoline, which supposedly results in better performance, Sam’s Club does not. That doesn’t mean that the gasoline you find at Sam’s Club is in any way inferior to regular gasoline. It just means that it doesn’t have the same designation as Costco’s gasoline.
All in all, if you’re a frequent gas user, you can save money by filling up at Sam’s Club. But it’s also worth researching gas prices in your area using apps like GasBuddy or other sources. Just because Sam’s Club is known for its cheap gas doesn’t automatically mean it’s the best deal in town.
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We strongly believe in the Golden Rule, and editorial opinions are solely our own and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the advertisers involved. The Ascent does not cover all offerings in the market. Editorial content on The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool’s editorial content and is produced by a different team of analysts. Maurie Backman does not own any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns a position in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
