3 Underrated Perks of a Sam's Club Plus Membership

If you're a fan of saving money, then it pays to consider getting yourself a Sam's Club membership. But should you stick with a basic membership for $50 or upgrade to a Plus membership for $110?

At more than double the cost, there had better be a good reason to buy the more expensive membership, right?

Well, there is. With a Plus membership, you earn 2% cash back on your Sam's Club purchases, up to a total of $500 a year.

But that's not the only reason to consider a Plus membership. Here are some lesser-known benefits you can enjoy.

1. Early shopping hours

Hate crowds? Then you may not enjoy shopping at Sam's Club if your local store tends to have a lot of foot traffic.

However, a Plus membership can potentially solve that issue, since some stores offer early shopping hours to those with the upgraded membership. Incidentally, this is a perk that Costco used to offer to people with Executive memberships but has since done away with -- much to many customers' disappointment.

But getting into Sam's Club early isn't just about the convenience of shorter lines and fewer shopping carts to bang into. You may also be inclined to make smarter purchasing decisions if you're less stressed due to the store being less crowded.

If you're seeing massive lines forming around you, you may be more apt to throw items into your cart quickly to get out of there without thinking your purchases through. If you have a more relaxed shopping experience, you can assess your individual purchases more carefully.

2. Savings on pet medication

Owning a pet can be a more expensive prospect than expected. Forget about the costs you know to plan for, like food and supplies. All it takes is for your pet to be diagnosed with an ailment or condition, and bam -- consider your budget busted.

Now it's a good idea to put pet insurance in place so you're protected from catastrophic costs in the event that your pet needs surgery, hospitalization, or intense, ongoing treatment. But even with insurance, you could face high out-of-pocket costs for medication -- especially if your pet needs medication for a pre-existing condition your insurance won't cover.

The good news is that Sam's Club offers a host of pet medications at affordable prices. For example, if you get your pet's medications through Sam's Club, you can save extra as a Plus member on formulas to prevent ticks, heartworm, and other common dog ailments.

3. Extra savings on optical purchases

Wearing glasses isn't something most people choose. Rather, it's an obligatory expense when you can't see well enough on your own. But the cost of eyewear can be exorbitant, especially if you don't have great vision insurance (or you don't have any at all).

One good thing about the Sam's Club Plus membership is that it gives you access to added savings on eyeglasses -- namely, you can get 20% off your purchase if you're not using insurance. There's also no limit on that 20%, so if you need prescription glasses and sunglasses, or you want a backup pair of glasses in case your main pair breaks, you're covered.

A Plus membership could do you a world of good

These are only some of the benefits you might enjoy with an upgraded Sam's Club membership. So even if you're new to the store, you may want to go all in and sign up for the Plus membership from the start. And if you're a loyal Sam's Club member already, you may want to upgrade your basic membership to a Plus membership to enjoy added perks.

Remember, $3,000 in annual Sam's Club spending allows you to break even on your Plus membership upgrade, since 2% back on that sum equals the $60 extra it'll cost you. So if you're already in the habit of spending that much per year, or you anticipate hitting that limit in the coming year, then upgrading could make a lot of financial sense.