Sam’s Club is known for saving shoppers significant money. Because of their affordable pricing, it’s a very attractive option for EBT users, even if they have to pay $45 for an annual membership to gain access. But it begs the question, does Sam’s Club take EBT as a form of payment? I set out to answer this question and a bunch of other related questions that will make using your EBT card a very simple task.

Does Sam’s Club Accept EBT?

Yes.

You can use EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) at ALL Sam’s Club in the United States.

What’s the Difference Between SNAP, EBT, and Food Stamps?

SNAP stands for “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program” and is essentially “tech savvy” food stamps.

So instead of getting actual paper food stamps, you’ll get your benefits on a plastic card, similar to a debit card, which is called an EBT card.

Your EBT (or SNAP) card is then used just like a debit card at Sam’s Club.

See Also: Does Costco Take EBT or Snap? All the Facts You Need to Know

What Foods Are Eligible for Purchase at Sam’s?

Here are a few of the most popular items you CAN buy with your EBT card at Sam’s…

– Meats – Includes beef, chicken, fish, and turkey.

– Produce – Includes both fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.

– Dairy – Think things like milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.

– Plants and Seeds – If you can grow it for food, you can buy it with your EBT card.

– Breads/Cereal – These are typically a great deal at Sam’s.

– Non-Alcoholic Drinks

– Snack Foods

What Items Can’t I Buy With my EBT Card?

Here are the major items you CANNOT buy…

– Alcohol 

– Tobacco Products 

– Hot “Already-Cooked” Foods – This includes items from the Sam’s Club food court.

– Diapers – This one really surprises me. Fortunately, there are many ways to get free diapers if you need them.

– Live Seafood

– Paper Products

– Health Items

– Pet Food

– Cleaning Items

– Women’s Hygiene

See Also: 7 Clever Ways to Shop at Sam’s Club W/O a Membership

Can I Use My EBT Card at Self-Checkout?

Yes.

Your EBT card is an allowed payment method when using self-checkout at Sam’s, and is great way to pay if you’re at all embarrassed about using EBT.

You can even do a split payment if you don’t have enough money on your EBT Card.

Once you swipe your card it’ll tell you how much money is on your card.

Then you just swipe your card again and enter your PIN.

The amount on your EBT card will be deducted, then you can use a credit card to pay for the remaining balance.

PRO TIP: HOW TO PAY REMAINING BALANCE

Keep in mind that you MUST use a credit card to pay the remaining balance as the self-checkout machine WON’T accept cash, even SNAP cash.

What is Sam’s “Scan & Go” Service and Should I Use It?

Yes, definitely use it.

Scan & Go is Sam’s smartphone app that you can download for free and start using immediately.

You just walk around the store, scan items, and put them in your cart.

When you’re done shopping, you just complete your purchase on the app, and as of 2024, you can choose EBT as your payment method.

The great thing about the app is it tells you immediately if the item you just scanned can be purchased with your EBT card.

PRO TIP: BEST WAY TO USE “SCAN & GO”

The best way to make it happen is to pull your shopping cart into a quiet aisle and use the Scan & Go app to scan all the items in your cart. Next, keep your receipt pulled up on your smartphone and show it to the worker at the door when exiting. Done and done.

Can I Shop With a Friend Who’s a Member and Use My Benefits?

No.

In order to use your EBT card (or SNAP benefits) at Sam’s Club, you must pay the $45 annual membership fee.

Can I Use my EBT Card on Sam’s Website?

No.

Unfortunately, you can’t shop the Sam’s website and use your EBT card, you’ll have to go to an actual store to make it happen.

Can I Use EBT on Sam’s Club “Curbside Pickup”?

No.

Curbside pickup orders at Sam’s are not eligible for EBT as your payment method…YET.

The same goes for Sam’s Same-Day Delivery service.

The reason it doesn’t work is because curbside pickup orders use SamsClub.com and the website still doesn’t accept EBT.

Hopefully this will change soon as many shoppers have complained about this to Sam’s Club management.

Can My Family Members Use My EBT Card?

Yes.

But…the only way family members can use your EBT card at Sam’s (or anywhere else) is if you list them when you fill out the benefits application form.

This includes your spouse, parents, and children.

Won’t work if you list your girlfriend or boyfriend, you must be married.

Note: I’ve been told this policy could vary by state, so be sure to do the research on your particular state.

See Also: Sam’s Return Policy: We Make Sense of It For You

Does Sam’s Also Accept WIC?

No.

WIC, which stands for “Women, Infants, and Children”, is a supplemental federal program offering healthy food and nutrition education.

Unfortunately, Sam’s Club is not an authorized WIC retailer and thus not accepted at their store.

But not all hope is lost as most grocery stores DO accept WIC.

Notably, this includes national retailers like Safeway, Target, and Walmart.

Ask the Reader: Do you regularly use your EBT card at Sam’s Club? Is it an easy process? Let me know if this article is missing any information and I’ll be sure to add it.

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart.

If you’re looking for work in the retail space, a terrific option could be applying for a job at Lululemon. Not only are they a fun working environment, but the Lululemon employee discount is top notch and one of the most generous in the apparel space. But before you apply, you should know the “in’s and out’s” of their employee discount as it’s a little different than most. Here’s exactly how it works.

How Much is the Lululemon Employee Discount?

Depends.

Depending on how many hours per week you work, you’ll either get a 60% or 40% employee discount respectively.

As a Lululemon employee, you’re able to purchase anything that they sell at a discount.

It’s fair to say the Lululemon discount for employees is one of the best around.

Discount Is Different for Full Vs. Part Time

Full time employees get a 60% discount while part time employees only get a 40% discount.

Part time employment at Lulu is considered under 40 hours per week.

See Also: Lululemon Return Policy: We Cut Thru the Confusion

PRO TIP: “WE MADE TOO MUCH” DISCOUNT

The secret sauce for saving money with the Lulu employee discount is to buy from the “we made too much” clearance section. The discount is 75% on this stuff, on top of the sale price, which makes it pretty easy to stock up at close to 90% off the retail price.

The Discount Can Be Used Online and In-Store

Thanks to Lulu employee, Maddy, for letting me know that you absolutely CAN use the discount online.

She also told me that when using your employee discount online, you can ONLY ship items to the address that is on your Lulu ID.

Previously, I was unable to find any information about using the discount when shopping the Lululemon website so I thought it was “in-store thing” only but fortunately that’s not correct.

See Also: Here’s How to Save 15% with the Lululemon Military Discount

Family Members, Friends, & Spouse Are Eligible

But only once a year.

Thanks again to employee Maddy for letting me know that once a year Lulu lets their employees shop for friends and family…but they DO put a limit on on much you can spend.

Other than the “once a year” friends and family perk, Lululemon specifically states that only “the employee” can use the discount and they seem to be a stickler to this rule.

A couple Reddit forums have documented abuse of their policy and subsequent firing.

Bottom-line, if you abuse their employee discount, and buy stuff for your friends, you’ll probably get fired…not worth the risk.

See Also: Lululemon First Responder Discount: Score an EASY 15% Off

IS THE “I LOVE YOU, MAN” DISCOUNT STILL A THING?

Unfortunately, it went away back in 2021. The “I Love You, Man” discount allowed employees to use their discount to purchase Lulu clothing for their husbands and boyfriends.

Be Careful Buying Only to Resell on eBay

Be VERY careful.

In other words, don’t get caught as buying at a discount only to resell for a profit is a “fire able” offense.

If you chose to buy stuff for yourself and end up selling it on eBay instead of keeping it, that’s against corporate policy….but I’m not sure how Lululemon would police this practice.

With that said, I’m not sure it’s worth the risk for a small profit (after eBay fees).

PRO TIP: LULU WILL TRACK EMPLOYEE SIZES AND AMOUNT SPENT

I had an employee tell me that management at her store tracks employee sizes and how large their purchases are. That seems a little “big brotherish” to me, but apparently that’s how they police the discount. I think this is really good info to have before you apply for a job.

Side-note (10/25/24): There has been a scam going around online of people texting, pretending to be a Lululemon employee, offering to buy discounted items using their discount. Do NOT fall for it, it is 100% a scam. You will lose your money, guaranteed. 

Ask the Reader: Do you have any other info on the Lululemon employee discount? Let me know in the comments and I can add it to this article.

By Kyle James

These days many retail stores like Target, Home Depot and Verizon have some pretty solid military and veteran discounts. So it made me wonder if the biggest online retailer, Amazon, offers the same. Here’s everything I discovered about the Amazon military discount…unfortunately it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

Amazon’s Military Discount Is a Little Different

As of this writing, Amazon does not offer a “standard” military discount that gives vets and active military a percentage discount on all their purchases.

But fortunately, not all hope is lost as they do offer two ways for service members to save some money.

1. Veteran’s Day – Back in 2019, Amazon offered a 6-day $40 annual discount on Amazon Prime for vets and active military right around Veteran’s Day.

While they haven’t done it since, there’s a great chance Amazon will offer a Veteran’s Day discount in the future so it’s good to keep a lookout for it.

2. Free Shipping to APO/FPO boxes – This discount is pretty cool and worth breaking down…

How To Take Advantage of the Free Shipping Discount

Just add your APO or FPO address to your Amazon account as your mailing address, and you’ll automatically qualify for free shipping.

No Prime membership required.

See Also: 90+ Places Where Heroes Get a Veteran or Military Discount

Some Items Are Exempt From the Free Shipping Discount

Because Amazon, and 3rd party sellers, won’t ship certain items to Alaska, Hawaii, or overseas, it reduces the amount of eligible items for this discount.

Specifically, most liquids, chemicals, and really heavy (or bulky) items aren’t eligible to be shipped to APO and FPO boxes.

Once you add items to your virtual cart on Amazon, it will tell you if it’s actually eligible for free shipping.

See Also: Best Buy Military Discount: All the Info So You Cave Save

Family Members and Spouses Are Eligible

To be eligible for the free shipping offer they need to be stationed with you overseas and have their name attached to your Amazon account.

I have a friend who is stationed in Germany and he told me his wife and 2 teenage kids take advantage of the free shipping often and they DO NOT have a Prime membership.

One More Amazon Benefit to Veterans

Over the past decade, Amazon has hired thousands of vets (and their spouses) via their Military Hiring program.

Amazon recognizes their leadership qualities and skills and actively tries to hire them into leadership roles that offer excellent employee benefits.

So if you’re recently out of the military, Amazon is a great place to start your private sector job search.

Ask the Reader: Have you taken advantage of the Amazon military discount for free shipping to APO or FPO addresses? Was it an easy process?

By Kyle James