5 Household Staples Where Sam's Club Edges Out Costco
Going to the grocery store used to be a pleasant errand, but with prices and inflation out of control, it’s a game of strategy. Where can you get the best deals on monthly household essentials, especially if you are both a Sam’s Club and Costco shopper?
MoneyLion contacted Elisabella Ricca, personal finance and consumer analyst at TopCashback, to put Costco and Sam’s Club head-to-head in order to find out which one is truly cheaper when it comes to what you need to buy for your house every month.
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Here's how some of the most popular products from Costco and Sam’s Club stacked up against each other.
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1. Toilet Paper
When looking at some of the best and most essential stuff for your bathroom, Sam’s Club is currently offering the best value on toilet paper from Charmin, according to Ricca.
Ricca found that a 32-roll pack of Charmin Ultra Soft 2-Ply Toilet Paper sells for $29.38 at Sam's Club, which comes out to 92 cents per roll. At Costco, Ricca discovered that a 30-roll pack of Charmin Ultra Soft 2-Ply Toilet Paper is $34.99, which costs $1.17 per roll.
“Sam’s Club provides the better value for this product,” surmised Ricca.
2. Paper Towels
When looking at paper towels, Ricca highlighted that Costco and Sam’s Club both offer their own store-brand products, yet only one retailer is the winner when it comes to price.
“Costco sells its 12-pack of Kirkland Signature Paper Towels for $23.99,” explained Ricca. “On the other hand, Sam’s Club sells its 15-pack of Member’s Mark Select & Tear Paper Towels for $20.93. In this case, Sam’s Club wins because it includes three extra rolls at about $3 less.”
3. Trash Bags
In the trash bag category, Ricca noted how both Costco and Sam’s Club offer comparable store-brand options. Still, if you do the math, one of these stores keeps you from throwing money in the garbage.
“[...] they both offer 200-count 13-gallon scented kitchen trash bags,” Ricca went on to say. “At Costco, Kirkland Signature Flex-Tech 13-Gallon Scented Kitchen Trash Bags cost $22.49, while Sam’s Club Member's Mark Power Flex 13-Gallon Tall Kitchen Trash Bags are currently at $19.98. That means Sam’s Club will save you $2.51 on this product, giving it the slight edge.”
4. Cleaning Supplies
Ricca pointed out how both Sam’s Club and Costco offer the same three-pack of Lysol Disinfectant Spray cans, yet the price difference is more significant with this product.
At Costco, Ricca discovered that Linen-Scented Lysol Disinfectant Spray costs $24.99, which makes the per-can price $8.33. Meanwhile, Sam’s Club currently sells the same Lysol Disinfectant Spray for $15.98, or about $5.33 per can.
“For this cleaning item, Sam’s Club is the clear winner on value, as it costs nearly half the price for the same amount of product,” Ricca stated.
5. Laundry Products
“Costco and Sam’s Club both offer the same 170-fluid-ounce Gain + Oxi liquid laundry detergent that provides enough detergent for 159 loads,” Ricca described.
At Costco, a 170-fluid-ounce Original Gain + Oxi Liquid Laundry Detergent costs $23.99. However, a 170-fluid-ounce Gain + Oxi Liquid Laundry Detergent costs $19.98 at Sam’s Club right now. Ricca crowned Sam’s Club the winner yet again, with roughly $4 more value for the same product.
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.
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