4 Sam's Club Shopping Hacks

If you're a Sam's Club member, you probably know what it's like to buy more than you expected. There are so many good deals to be found, and once in the store, it's easy to remember other items you need. Whether you religiously stick to a shopping list or you buy whatever moves you, there are so many ways to save money.

1. Check out Sam's Club's Instant Savings

The Sam's Club "Shocking Values" program is currently on pause, but you still have access to Sam's Instant Savings Book (ISB). By scrolling through the ISB, you can quickly see what's on sale and what's been deeply discounted. And if you're working from a shopping list, you can easily see if what you're looking for is included or decide if you want to substitute one of the items on your list for a product that has been discounted.

As the holidays approach, Sam's ISB can be a lifesaver for your personal finances. Not only will you find great deals on gifts people want to receive, but if you're not quite sure what you want to buy, the ISB could provide you with inspiration.

2. Pre-purchase a discount

Did you know there are websites where people sell gift cards they don't want? For example, a person may receive a $50 Walmart gift card as a birthday present. They're not interested in using it, so they sell it on a site like CardCash or Raise. Now, instead of paying the full $50 for the card, you purchase it at a discount. Let's say you find a Walmart gift card with a face value of $50, on sale for $35. Because you can use Walmart gift cards at Sam's Club, you've already scored 30% off.

These sites sell all types of gift cards, including old-school plastic cards that are mailed to you, printable e-cards, and electronic gift certificates that can only be used online. Be sure to scroll through all the Walmart and Sam's Club cards on sale to ensure you're getting the lowest price.

3. Enter a portal

Plenty of reputable cash back portals will send you money for every Sam's Club receipt you scan. Here's a brief list of absolutely free portals worth signing up for:

• Ebates
• Dosh
• Mr. Rebates
• Ibotta
• BeFrugal
• Rakuten
• Giving Assistant

Once you receive payment from one of these portals, it can be used to replenish your checking account or build your savings account.

4. Get even more back

Sam's Club accepts all sorts of payment, including Sam's Club gift cards, cash, checks, debit cards, American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. Let's say you pay using one of our best cash back credit cards:

• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
• Discover it® Cash Back
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Depending on the card you use, you're eligible for 1.5% to 5% cash back on purchases. By using both a cash back app or portal and a rewards card, you're doubling up on savings.

If the primary reason you shop at Sam's Club is for the savings, why not magnify them by adopting a few hacks? Any money saved is money you can use to pay other bills, save for an important event, or tuck away in an emergency savings account.

We may not barter or haggle over prices much in our country, but we sure have a lot of other ways to put money back in our pockets.