5 Sam's Club Scan & Go Tips That Make Every Shopping Trip Faster
If you've ever braved a Sam's Club on a Saturday afternoon, you know the checkout line can stretch longer than the frozen food aisle. If you’re a big fan of splurging on passes at amusement parks that help you skip the wait, then Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go was basically designed with you in mind -- but it's still seemingly one of the most underused features in warehouse shopping.
Sure, it’s a checkout shortcut, but it's also a budget tracker, a savings tool and a line-skipping superpower all rolled into one free app feature. The popular health influencers Cavindertwins say that’s the only way they shop, especially during busy weekends and holiday season traffic.
Discover More: This Budget Habit Can Save Families $1.5K a Year on Groceries
Read Next: 13 Subtly Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money — That You Should Do, Too
So it’s time to get the Sam's Club app, tap Scan & Go and confirm your preferred payment method so you can seamlessly buy in bulk without any inconvenience. Here are five tips to make every grocery run faster.
Consider This: The Best Sam's Club Deals To Grab Now Before Summer Ends
1. Hunt the Yellow Shelf Tags for Exclusive Discounts
Scan & Go lets you speed up your trips, but that doesn’t mean it won’t also save you a ton of money if you know where to look. According to Consumer Affairs, the yellow shelf tags throughout the warehouse signal Scan & Go-exclusive savings that activate only when you scan the specific item and complete your purchase in the app.
You can get discounts on everything from knocking $4 off Dixie insulated cups to $10 off bulk pallets of paper towels. Remember to keep your eyes low as you peruse the shelves, as yellow tags typically dwell near the bottom shelf.
2. Let the Running Total Be Your Built-In Budget Tool
Budgeting is hard, especially in this economy, so having a financial tool in the palm of your hand goes a long way to saving you money while you shop.
The app keeps a live running total of everything you've scanned as you shop, so there are no checkout surprises, which is a pretty practical and savvy move for any budget-conscious shopper. Seeing the number climb in real time helps you make smarter swap decisions on the fly rather than experiencing sticker shock at the register.
3. Use It at the Food Court, Too
Skip the line in more ways than one, because nothing is better than buying a prepared meal when you have a $200 grocery haul in your cart ready to go home. Scan & Go extends well beyond the main floor to the degree that Sam's Club rolled out mobile food court ordering through the app, letting you place your order from your phone and skip any wait in the café.
So splurge very little as The Sam's Club café hot dog combo, which includes a quarter-pound all-beef hot dog and a large fountain drink, typically only costs $1.38 to $1.50. Yes, it seems this puts them in direct competition with Costco, but ordering via Scan & Go means you can have it ready by the time you're done with your first aisle.
4. Check the ‘Scan & Go Offers In Club’ Page
Before you make your grocery list and check it twice, make some power-user moves by checking the “Scan & Go Offers In Club” to find items that are marked with a red banner and updated regularly by location, according to the foodies over at TastingTable. This means you can edit which brand of grocery staples you go with before your trip to make sure you know where you can save some money.
Scanning it before your trip takes 60 seconds and tells you exactly which items carry Scan & Go discounts that day. Items and discounts vary by club, so previewing the list lets you plan your route through the store rather than hunting blindly.
5. There’s a $1,000 Daily Limit (But That’s Easy To Plan Around)
So this is probably a budgetary stretch for most shoppers, but in case you are planning on going hard at Sam’s Club, keep in mind that the Scan & Go app features a $1,000 daily purchase cap. Again, for most trips that's a non-issue, but if you're stocking up for a party, a business or a major household refresh, hitting that limit means switching to a staffed register for the overflow.
Editor’s note: Prices and availability are subject to change.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion: