4 Affordable Must-Haves From Sam's Club

As life gets more expensive, many consumers want to trim their spending. Shopping at cost-effective retailers is one way to do that. Some people find that joining warehouse clubs like Sam's Club helps them save money when buying groceries and household essentials. If you're a new member or considering joining, you may wonder which Sam's Club items offer the most savings. Here are a few affordable must-haves sold at Sam's Club.

1. Rotisserie chicken

Many Sam's Club shoppers swear by the rotisserie chickens. At your local club, you can get an entire roasted chicken for $4.98. This is a steal, considering there's minimal work involved in putting a meal on the table. What can you do with a Sam's Club rotisserie chicken?

Some ideas include shredding the chicken and adding it to soups or fresh salads, using the meat to make chicken enchiladas, or making a creamy chicken salad for sandwiches.

2. Member's Mark paper products

It's no secret that paper goods like paper towels, napkins, and toilet paper can be costly, but many shoppers buy them regularly. If you're not brand loyal, you can save money by purchasing Member's Mark or Sam's Club's private-label products.

If you have the room to store bulk paper goods, the prices are affordable. It's a good idea to start with a pack and compare it to what you already use to get a feel for quality. The last thing you need is worse-quality paper towels and toilet paper.

Here's an example to illustrate the savings. The Sam's Club website lists Member's Mark Super Premium 2-Ply Select & Tear Paper Towels (150 sheets/roll, 15 rolls) for $19.98. The pack features 1,031.3 square feet of paper towels, so you'll pay around $0.02 per square foot.

Target sells its 2-ply, Triple Make-A-Size Paper Towels in an eight-roll pack for $15.99. Each roll has 147 sheets, and each package has 530 square feet of paper towels. If you bought two packs, you'd get slightly more paper towels and 1,060 square feet of product for $31.98 -- a price of $0.03 per square foot. The Maker's Mark paper towels are a better buy.

3. Garbage bags

Many shoppers buy garbage bags regularly -- and they're not cheap. Sam's Club sells trash bags in bulk at an affordable price. You can keep more money in your checking account by purchasing them at your local club. Let's compare pricing for a popular name-brand product.

Anyone can shop at Walmart without a membership. The retailer sells an 80-count pack of unscented Hefty Ultra Strong Tall Kitchen Trash Bags for $14.96, which is almost $0.19 per bag. Sam's Club sells the same product in a 150-count container for $18.48, around $0.12 per bag. You'll save money and get nearly double the bags when buying them at Sam's Club.

4. Household cleaning supplies

Another affordable must-have for your Sam's Club cart is cleaning supplies. These products can be pricey at traditional retail stores and grocers, but you can get a deal when buying in bulk at Sam's Club. One example is Cascade Platinum Plus ActionPacs Dishwasher Detergent. At Walmart, a 62-pack sells for $22.94, or $0.37 per soap pack.

At Sam's Club, the usual price is $22.98 for an 81-pack or about $0.28 per soap pack. At the time of writing, they're on sale for $5 off. At the discounted price of $17.98, each soap pack is about $0.22 each. Sam's Club frequently runs sales on everyday essentials like this.

Changing your shopping habits could save you money

Many shoppers benefit from a Sam's Club membership. If you have a club nearby and are looking to save money, you may want to consider changing your shopping habits. Becoming a member and buying everyday essentials here could help you reduce your overall spending. If you need help stretching your money further, you may want to start budgeting. Monitoring your spending and setting goals is easier when you use one of the best budgeting apps.