Best Warehouse Club Buys

Wine and Beer

Wine, liquor and beer prices can be 35% lower than at the supermarket or at your local liquor store. Some states require warehouse stores to let non-members buy alcohol there as well, so if you don't belong to the club, ask about this loophole.

Next: Meat

Meat

You can usually find high quality meat at better prices than the supermarket or your local butcher. Like everything at a warehouse club, the portions can be big, so just be sure you will either be able to eat it all or freeze it so you don't throw your savings away on wasted food.

Next: Prescription Drugs

Prescription Drugs

Our homework showed that warehouse clubs routinely charge up to 50% less than local pharmacy chains. Depending on the drug, you may even beat the $4-a-month prescription offerings at superstores like Walmart and Target. Call the pharmacy at your warehouse club to compare prices. We also found great savings on over-the-counter medicines like allergy medication and pain relievers.

Next: Pet Meds

Pet Meds

Flea, tick and heartworm medication for dogs is expensive. You can save a bundle by purchasing this medication at a warehouse club. We found their prices beat our local vet and many online pet retailers by as much as 20%.

Next: Electronics

Electronics

You can find some amazing deals on electronics at warehouse -- especially on TVs and computers. Plus, we were very impressed with the generous warranty and return policies at most warehouse clubs. In most cases, you’ll get a 90 day return policy — almost unheard of in age where more and more retailers are getting stingy with tight return policies. On top of that, you still get any rebate being offered!

Next: Diapers

Diapers

Bulk boxes of diapers at your warehouse club are a fantastic buy. You'll pay 40% than the price in other stores even with special promotion prices and coupons. Some warehouse stores may even honor manufacturers’ coupons, so ask your store if they do and save even more.

Next: Tires

Tires

Next time you need new tires, be sure to check the prices at your local warehouse store. You may be very pleasantly surprised. We checked three models -- a sports car, family sedan and an SUV -- and in all three cases, the warehouse price beat our local tire shops or big automotive outlets. In all three cases, we would have saved more than $100 if we needed to replace all four tires.

Next: Gift Certificates

Gift Certificates

Most warehouse clubs now sell discounted gift certificates. For example, our local store recently had two $50 gift cards for Wolfgang Puck or McCormick & Schmicks seafood restaurant on sale for $79.99. A $50 iTunes gift card costs $46.99. We also found a pack of five movie tickets on sale for $37.50. With the prices at our theater, that’s like getting one ticket free.

Next: Cooking Ingredients

Cooking Ingredients

If you cook on a regular basis you can save a lot of money buying all types of ingredients in bulk from spices to flour to sauces. Daria loves the big discount she gets on olive oil (she’s a great chef!). Things like salt and sugar keep for a very long time so you don't have to worry about them going bad before you use it all. But remember, don't assume you are getting a deal. Look at the size of each item and the cost and compare it to how much it would cost at a regular store. If it’s twice as much as you usually buy, but it’s also twice as expensive then you're not getting a deal.

Next: Seasonal Items

Seasonal Items

Most warehouse stores offer excellent deals on seasonal items such as patio furniture and barbecue grills. Be sure to comparison shop, but you can often also find good deals on things like outdoor play sets and inflatable pools.

Next: Books, DVDs and CDs

Books, DVDs and CDs

Many warehouse clubs have fantastic selections of books, CDs and DVDs at great prices. We found some books and CDs at our local Costco that even beat Amazon’s prices! You'll find some of the best deals on box sets. For example, we found multiple 3-disc CD box sets for $15.99 -- almost 25% less than the next best price we found anywhere else.

Next: Golf Balls

Golf Balls

I can't remember the last time Daria paid full price for golf balls. She loves the big discount she gets on new, brand-name golf balls at our warehouse club. You can save as much as 35% -- a big savings!

Next: Personal Care Items

Personal Care Items

Personal care products such as shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash, toothpaste, etc. are great items to buy at your warehouse club. You don't have to worry about buying the larger sizes because many of these items do not carry “use by” labels.

Next: More From the Dolans

More From Dolans.com:

Warehouse clubs are a great way to save money (if you are a savvy shopper and follow our tips!) without scrimping. But don’t stop there! We have dozens of simple ways to help you save on all of life’s necessities without making big sacrifices. Let us show you how to cut your cable costs, travel for free and much more, all at Dolans.com!