Membership clubs are very helpful when you're on a budget that doesn't allow you to buy as much of an item as you'd like. These memberships offer discounts and other perks that help you get more of that product with better terms. It is possible to not use a membership wisely, however; either you end up not taking advantage of it, or you end up with too much to deal with. If you're in any sort of membership club associated with a brand or store, you have to find the right balance to really get the best of those benefits.

Group Purchases

If you're eligible for discounts on purchases or for free shipping, group your purchases together as much as you can. Plan ahead if these are items that you constantly use like motor oil. Calculate how much you really need so that you don't overbuy and end up with items you'll never use; another option is to split a purchase with a friend so that you both benefit from a discount while stocking up. When you group purchases, you'll also make it easier to qualify for price-dependent deals, like free shipping and additional bulk pricing on top of basic discounts.

Keep Track of Your Points

If the club you're in issues points that lead to rewards or additional deals, keep track of them. You might not always get a notice that you have enough points for something, and you don't want temporary deals to pass you by. You also want to be sure there are no technical mix-ups that cost you points. And, if the points expire, you want to see if you can use them beforehand.

Evaluate Those Special Offers Carefully

Many times club memberships offer special deals and free items. Many times these are nice to receive. But many times, the free deal just sticks you with more stuff that you didn't need. That's not to say the free stuff is useless; it's just not the right stuff for you. Since it does you no good to have extra stuff hanging around, evaluate those deals carefully to be sure that you or someone you know can really use the deal.

Overall, these customer membership clubs are excellent deals as they're free to join (other than allowing information collection when you buy items) and can save you some money. You may want to track your spending with them, too, to see just how many benefits you get from the membership over a specific range of time. Look for something like an Amsoil preferred customer membership near you.