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Membership Cards That Save You Money



There are so many things today that are just not worth what you pay for them. They are advertised as items that will help you save money but end up costing you in the end. Fortunately, there are actually some things in life that are worth a lot more than what you paid for them. Today, I would like to take a look at a few club memberships that may charge a small fee but can really help you save in the long run.

Listed below are a few membership cards that are definitely worth the money:

AAA

AAA stands for the American Automobile Association. The company has been around for over 100 years and can save you money on just about anything. AAA discounts save money on automotive services, financial services, travel services, insurance, dining, and entertainment. A membership costs under $65 a year. I cannot tell you how many times I have found AAA’s service a godsend. AAA has been useful for everything from changing a tire to saving money on concert tickets. A AAA membership card can even be used to get a discount on hotels and sporting events.

Warehouse Club

Everyone should be a member of some type of discount warehouse club. Membershi- only warehouse clubs charge an annual fee to members for the privilege of buying discounted goods in bulk. Sam’s Club, Costco, and BJ’s Wholesale Club are all dream locations for bargain hunters. The décor and environment may not be as nice as your local grocery store, but the savings are great. Besides, where else can you buy a giant jar of pretzels that will last you a whole year?

Grocery Store

There was a time when you needed to clip coupons to save money at the grocery store. That was before the invention of the discount membership card. You can get a discount on everyday items while shopping by joining your local grocery store’s membership program. In my area Giant, Safeway, and Superfresh all require customers to use discount cards to purchase items on sale. Some of these cards can be used at local gas stations to save money on gas. Best of all, many grocery store discount cards are free!

Amazon Prime

If you use the Internet a lot, chances are good that you shop at Amazon quite a bit. Amazon sells books, clothes, movies, video games, sports equipment, groceries, toys, and electronics. Amazon is the number one e-commerce site in the United States. Shipping costs can add up pretty quickly if you want to buy an item from Amazon and get it in a reasonable amount of time. An Amazon Prime membership lets you get free two-day shipping on every item that you buy and next-day shipping is just $3.99. An Amazon Prime membership is just $99 a year. That’s a pretty sweet deal if you are a regular Amazon shopper!

AARP

One of the best things about getting older is joining the American Association of Retired Persons, also known as the AARP. If you are 50 or older, you are eligible to join AARP. AARP members save money on everything from dining to health insurance. The savings even extend to cell phone service, Internet service, legal services, and travel packages. All of these benefits are available for just $16 a year. Who knew that getting older meant bigger savings?

What memberships do you have that you think are worth the money?

(Photo credit: freiheitskampfer)

Mark Riddix is the founder and president of an independent investment advisory firm that provides personalized investing and asset management consulting. Mark has written financial columns for Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area newspapers and is the author of the book, "Your Financial Playbook."