At first impression, it can seem kind of ridiculous to pay a store to let you shop there. I mean, aren’t we the ones doing them the favor by giving them our money?
But once you join Sam’s Club and start shopping, you can really start to see the savings add up. A big part of that savings comes from switching to Member’s Mark products.
Member’s Mark is the Sam’s Club store brand, but it doesn’t offer your typical low-quality generics. The products are so popular because they’re that magical combination of good and cheap. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Member’s Mark 3-ply tissues
We go through a truly ridiculous number of tissues in our house, and we’ve tried all the brands. After lots of thorough testing, we now exclusively buy Member’s Mark tissues.
You’ll find a box of the 2-ply tissues in nearly every room of the house, handily placed for quick sneezes. But when the sniffles or allergies hit, we break out the Member’s Mark 3-ply, which are my top tissues from any brand I’ve tried.
2. Member’s Mark aluminum foil
The purchase of a charcoal smoker last summer more than doubled our typical foil usage, and gave us the incentive to try Member’s Mark foil. We’re now big fans.
We especially like the 18″ foodservice foil for smoking. The rolls are an excellent length — you don’t use up one roll per rack of ribs, like some brands — plus the foil itself is wide and sturdy, holding up to sharp ribs and heavy sauces.
Pro tip: If you have a toaster oven, the pre-cut Member’s Mark foil sheets fit nicely on the smaller trays and are super convenient.
3. Member’s Mark bird seed
The two giant trees in my front yard are home to what seems like all of the birds on the block, and those little monsters can empty a bird feeder in mere days. So buying my bird seed in bulk from Member’s Mark lets me keep the hoards at bay without emptying my wallet at the hardware store.
In particular, the premium nut and fruit blend seems to be a big hit with everyone in the neighborhood, from the little nuthatches to the big jays and woodpeckers.
Another thing that’s for the birds? Spending a fortune in Sam’s Club without maximizing your credit card rewards. Check out our favorite cash back rewards cards to start earning on your Sam’s Club purchases.
4. Member’s Mark toilet paper
We may use it to literally wipe our bums, but most of us have great respect for the humble toilet paper roll — and strong opinions on the best types (and how to hang it #TeamOver). We were a Charmin household for many years, but we’ve since made the switch to Member’s Mark. It’s been good for our budget, and even our most discerning tushies are happy with the switch.
5. Member’s Mark kitchen towels
If you’re a baker, take a look at the Member’s Mark flour sack towels. These basic tea towels are my go-to for tossing over dough while it rests or rises. They launder well, are fairly absorbent, and are an excellent size.
I can also recommend the Member’s Mark hospitality hand towels for throwing over a shoulder while cooking or washing dishes. (They’re also great for all those inevitable spills while changing the water in your aquarium or performing your weekly Sysiphyian homage by cleaning out the duckweed.)
6. Member’s Mark original guacamole
Anything avocado goes brown within hours of opening, so these individual servings can be a good way to get your guac fix over a few weeks. The flavor is good and it goes great on quesadillas.
Keep in mind that even these little cups won’t last forever. If you can’t go through perishables before they expire, avoid buying them at Sam’s Club. You may pay more per unit at the grocery store, but you’ll probably save money overall since you aren’t throwing out spoiled food.
On the plus side, there are excellent grocery rewards credit cards out there. Click here to see some of our favorite cards for maximizing grocery store rewards.
7. Member’s Mark Ultra paper plates
I’m not normally one for disposable dishware, but I’m also a big believer that sometimes you just need to do what you need to do to make your life easier. If that means everyone has turkey off of paper plates, well, I bet it tastes just as good.
We ate off of Member’s Mark paper plates for several weeks after our big move last year while we tried to find and organize, well, everything. I was very pleased with the quality and sturdiness, and definitely felt as if we got good value for our money.
Not your typical store brand
It’s easy to shrug off store brands because most of them are the definition of the phrase, “You get what you pay for.” Happily, Member’s Mark products are, generally, the exceptions to the rule. Even better, you can try them without risk thanks to Sam’s Club’s excellent return policy. That’s a win-win!
