Joining a membership club can have its ups and downs, but taking advantage of a membership deal is one way to make the decision a little easier. When there are so many paid memberships to choose from — for places like Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's, and Walmart (via Walmart Plus) — it all comes down to picking the one your family is going to use the most.
And of course, if you’re going to sign up anyway, let’s find a deal to save you some money!
My best advice is to sign up for whichever one has the best membership deal happening at the time — and to use store promotions to make the deal even sweeter. And never, ever pay full price for a membership. There will always be at least one membership that has a deal going on.
We researched all the top memberships to find their current deals. With this guide, you can make the best decision for you, your family, and your wallet. And if you’re wondering if wholesale clubs are really cheaper than other stores, we have the scoop on that, too.
For more smart shopping tips and savings hacks, download the KCL app or text HACKS to 57299.
Costco Membership Deals
If you’ve ever asked yourself, is a Costco Membership worth it? — the answer is usually yes. Especially when you can find a Costco membership deal, like the Groupon deals we see where you can join for essentially 50% – 75% off.
For example, in early April 2024, you could get a $40 Costco Shop Card when you joined as a new member for $60 with Groupon offer. We also see occasional Fetch offers that get you a $10 - $20 rebate when you join as a new member.
Keep in mind that we recently shared the news that a Costco membership fee increase is coming Sept. 1. So if you sign up now, you can lock in the current rate for your first year.
KCL TIP: If there's not an active Costco membership deal happening when you're ready to join, check if you're eligible (or if someone in your household is eligible) for the Costco military discount or the Costco teacher discount. We've also gotten postcards in the mail offering a free $30 Costco Shop Card when you join as a new member.
Sam's Club Membership Deals
Sam’s Club is one store where you’ll always find some sort of membership deal happening throughout the year. Almost monthly, there are Sam’s membership deals — like the only one happening now where new members can join for as low as $25 (regularly $50).
Sam’s Club will also offer membership deals on their upgraded Plus membership where you can save about $40 on the cost of your first year of Plus. A Plus membership gets you everything that comes with basic membership, but you get a few extra perks like free shipping, cash rewards, and early hours so you can shop before everyone else.
How these offers work:
Select "Get Deal at Sam's Club" below to activate the offer.
Create an online Sam's Club account with your name, email address, password, and mailing address.
Continue to the billing information section to complete your order.
You can start shopping right away with your digital membership card in the Sam’s Club app. All you have to do is log in!
BJ's Membership Deals
BJ’s is another wholesale club like Sam’s where there’s typically a deal happening if you know where to look (Groupon is usually a good place to start). If you’re lucky, you might even find a BJ’s membership deal that makes it free.
For example, in early 2023, we found a BJ's deal where you could get a new BJ’s membership for 100% off! You just had to pay $30 for the membership fee, and you got a $30 award added to the primary membership account 24 hours after enrollment. The only stipulation was that you had to spend your award within 30 days.
KCL TIP: Teachers and service members can also claim a BJ's membership deal year-round. The deals on a regular BJ's membership are sometimes better than the offer for service members, though, so you'll want to check that. And if you're on the fence about joining, you can try out BJ's for free with a One-Day Pass.
Amazon Prime Membership Deals
It feels like just about everyone these days has an Amazon Prime membership. But if you’ve never had a Prime membership before, you should know there are a few Amazon Prime discounts up for grabs.
Unfortunately, there's never really a jaw-dropping deal for Amazon Prime like the other memberships mentioned above. And just about every year, Amazon membership prices increase. Currently, Amazon Prime is $139 for the year or $14.99 per month, unless you’re eligible for a discounted membership. You can always try it out for 30 days for free.
Since Amazon Prime membership deals are like a unicorn, first check to see if you qualify for a lower-cost Prime membership with the Amazon Prime Student discount or an Amazon Access membership.
Even with a discounted Amazon Prime membership, you’ll still get access to all of the best Amazon Prime member benefits. And Amazon is always loaded with stuff under $5 that ships for free!
Walmart Plus Membership Deals
Walmart Plus is the newest of all these membership programs. You’ll normally pay $98 for a year of Walmart Plus, or $12.95 per month, but you can try it out for free for 30 days.
Walmart Plus lets you plan a Walmart shopping spree without leaving your house or paying shipping fees. If you make a weekly order through Walmart Plus, you can save hundreds of dollars. My favorite part of being a Walmart Plus member is getting returns picked up from my home with the Walmart return policy. And you get early access to their big sales like Walmart+ Week.
Walmart Plus members are also eligible to earn Walmart Rewards. So not only are you getting orders shipped to your house for free, but you’re also earning money on your orders.
Gym & Fitness Membership Deals
When we hear about current gym membership deals, we’ll post them right here.
Orangetheory Fitness
Right now, you can try your first 1-hour class free at Orangetheory Fitness when you visit their website and locate the “free class” button.
You’ll be asked for your credit card information, but you will not be charged unless you opt-in for a membership.
Joggo Membership
Audiobooks
Head to Amazon for an offer of a free 30-day trial of Audible Premium Plus. With this trial, you’ll receive one credit per month to buy any premium selection title. If you keep this offer after 30 days, it’ll automatically renew at $14.95 per month. However, you can cancel penalty-free at any time.
More Membership Deals and Free Trial Offers
Consider us experts at finding the freebies and deals you need to know about. Here’s what we’ve found lately.
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