Why pay for the most expensive part of your Thanksgiving meal? Especially when retailers like BJ’s Wholesale Club are willing to give you a whole Thanksgiving turkey for free.
That’s right — BJ’s is just one of many grocers who will give you the main course without charging you a cent. You will have to jump through a couple of hoops to earn the free dish. And you can only earn the freebie if you make an eligible purchase during the offer window (the most recent window was Nov. 1 – 9, 2023).
Whether or not you’ve gotten a free BJ’s turkey coupon in the past, here’s what to know for 2024.
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1. BJ’s free turkey offer will get you a free fresh or frozen Butterball turkey (up to $25 value) in November.
In 2023, the shopping window to earn your BJ’s free turkey started on Nov. 1 and ended on Nov. 9. To earn your free turkey, you had to make a qualifying purchase of at least $150 in one transaction by the end of the earning window. After that, you got a BJ’s coupon for a free Butterball turkey in your digital account between Nov. 11 – 22.
You could then redeem your coupon for a free bird anytime between Nov. 11 – 22, 2023.
TIP: The BJ’s free turkey coupon can be redeemed in person, with BJ’s pick-up, or with BJ’s same-day delivery.
2. You have to spend $150 (after discounts) in one transaction to earn your free turkey.
In the past, BJ’s made you buy very specific items to qualify for a free turkey. But starting in 2022, they switched things up and let you qualify for the free turkey simply by spending $150 in a single transaction. The only stipulation was that you spent that $150 on a single order between Nov. 1 and 9, 2023.
But if you’re a regular wholesale club shopper, you know how easy it is to spend $150 in a single trip, since you’re buying everything in bulk! Remember, the $150 threshold had to be reached after discounts and BJ’s coupons were applied (but before taxes and fees).
Are there any items that don’t count toward the $150 minimum spend?
Of course. Here’s the list of things that didn’t count toward the $150 minimum spend in 2023:
- Alcohol
- BJ’s Gas
- BJ’s Home Improvement services
- BJ’s Optical purchases
- BJ’s Travel purchases
- DoorDash or Instacart orders
- Gift cards
- Lottery tickets
- Membership fees or add-ons
- Propane
- Protection plans
- Shipping charges (if you shop BJ’s online)
- Tobacco products
- Warranties
3. Remember to clip (and activate) your digital turkey coupon before you buy your bird.
It isn’t enough to just spend $150 and unlock your free turkey automatically. After you meet the minimum spend, the free turkey coupon gets uploaded to your digital account. But you’ll need to activate it first to redeem your savings with BJ’s.
You can activate your free turkey coupon online or in the BJ’s app — just clip the coupon and save it to your account. Otherwise, you’re going to get charged for your bird at checkout.
4. Get your choice of a fresh or frozen turkey — but not the organic ones.
BJ’s lets you pick between a fresh and frozen turkey for your BJ’s free turkey freebie. The earlier you claim your free turkey offer, the more likely it is you’ll want to buy frozen so it stays fresh until the actual holiday feast.
The only limitations are that the Butterball turkey can’t be priced at more than $25, and the store has to actually have turkeys in stock during the redemption period (last year it was Nov. 11 – 22, 2023).
5. You’ll need a BJ’s membership to get the free turkey deal.
Even though the BJ’s free turkey offer pops up a few weeks before Thanksgiving, it pays to be free-turkey-ready early. First, make sure you have a BJ’s Wholesale Club membership (you can purchase one online). The standard Club membership is $55/year, and the Club+ membership (which gives you 2% back in rewards) costs $110/year.
Sometimes, you can find a BJ’s membership discount, though. In the past, we’ve seen offers like a Club membership for $20, or a $30 Club membership with an additional $30 BJ’s gift card after signup.
If there’s not a current membership deal when you’re shopping for one, be sure to check Groupon for a deal.
TIP: You can also save money on a new BJ’s membership by using their military discount or teacher discount, which are both 25% off (plus you get a $10 gift card).
6. Set up your digital BJ’s account to see the free turkey offer.
If you spend $150 in a single transaction at BJ’s within the offer window but you don’t have their app yet, you may have already earned that free turkey coupon without even knowing it!
You’ll want to set up your digital BJ’s account ASAP to take advantage of this deal. Basically, if you don’t have a digital account, there’s no free turkey coupon for you.
It’s super easy to get your online portal up and running. Here’s how to do it:
- Visit the sign-in page.
- Scroll down until you see the text that reads “Already a Club Member?”
- Click on the “Create Online Account” button and follow the prompts.
7. This is one offer Costco and Sam’s Club don’t match.
BJ’s free turkey offer is unique among wholesale clubs. While Costco and Sam’s Club will sometimes give away free turkeys or hams to their employees around the holidays, they don’t usually run a free turkey promotion that’s just for shoppers.
TIP: Sam’s Club and Costco don’t get in on the fun, but plenty of other grocers have free turkey offers in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.
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