While Sam's Club Doesn't Do Coupons, This One Membership Perk Can Save You A Lot

Sam's Club is one of the most affordable places to shop for groceries — but before you can get your hands on the cheapest rotisserie chickens and food court hot dogs, you have to swing the initial membership fee. However, the up-front cost may be worth it for some, as it brings quite a few perks alongside entry into the store. One thing that might trip up a first-time Sam's Club shopper is the fact that the retailer doesn't accept manufacturer's coupons; in this way, it's similar to other discount grocery stores like Trader Joe's. However, that's not to say that Sam's is entirely without extra savings. Namely, once you've signed up to be a Club member, you have access to Instant Savings.

Sam's Club's Instant Savings Program applies discounts to some of the already-low-cost everyday items available in the Club or online. It might be $9 off K-cup pods, $1 off breakfast sausage, or $2 various cans of sweet peas — the possibilities are truly endless. When a discount is available, you might not know until you are checking out. There's no need to cut, carry, and scan (or copy and paste) coupons with Instant Savings; the available discounts are applied automatically to your total in store or your cart online. And yes, it also works with the convenient Scan & Go option that Sam's Club offers via the mobile app.

Sam's Club members don't have to worry about whether or not they are snagging extra discounts while shopping, thanks to the Instant Savings Program. But what if you want to preview future sales so you can plan ahead for your next grocery trip? Sam's does send out a mailer booklet with all the items included for a given period — but, your membership preferences have to be set to allow you to receive physical mail. If you don't want more paper crowding your mailbox that will eventually be thrown away, you can also head to the savings page on the Sam's Club website or mobile app to browse through the literally hundreds of items that are discounted.

Instant Savings offerings usually last four weeks, with new discounts broadcasted at the start of each month, but that rule is not written in stone; some savings last longer and some end sooner, depending on the exact details of the coupon. The booklet and the website will both indicate how long you have to buy the items until the price reverts back to the full cost. Both options will also showcase if the deal is available exclusively in stores or online.

While perusing the Instant Savings page, you might notice some items marked "Scan & Go Savings." These discounts only apply if you use the Scan & Go feature on the Sam's Club app as you shop in-store. Much like the Instant Savings deals, these are also automatically added at check-out.