There are several wholesale clubs that use their combined purchasing power to buy wholesale from their suppliers and advertise that they will pass that savings on to the average consumer. Buying wholesale is always better than paying retail for any item that can be bought. The higher the amount of any one thing will lower the costs will be for you is the main idea behind the concept of wholesale.

There is a basic annual membership fee to pay to belong to one of these wholesale clubs. There is also an exclusive membership available for additional money that offers perks that the basic members cannot take advantage of. However the big question is does the average consumer actually save money in the long run when they buy wholesale at one of these clubs?

The basic fee can start at $ 45 and be as much as $ 60 annually. During a time when every dollar makes a difference, you will want to know that you are not throwing money into the wind. If you are spending just as much money at a wholesale club as you are at a retail store, then you are actually wasting the money you paid in an annual fee.

To answer the question honestly and completely, the main factors to saving money is you and what your personal shopping habits are. If you buy impulsively then you do not always make choices that save you money. A shopper that comes prepared with a list and knowledge of the products that they purchase the most saves money more often than not.

With the items that you know you usually buy, take time to know what the wholesale store and the retail store are selling by price per unit. The overall price will not matter if the item is being sold in different quantities. When you buy wholesale, the items are usually super sized in comparison to those sold in retail stores. You may be buying those paper towels at a better overall price but if you are actually paying an additional two to five cents per unit then you are really not saving anything.

These clubs allow you to buy wholesale but remember that they are like any other business. They need to make a profit to stay in business. Some item will be at a good wholesale price but some item will cost just as much as they would in a retail store. The wholesale clubs are hoping that you will buy the retail priced items out of convenience of not having to run to another store.

Remember to purchase the items that you need. Any store will try to entice their customers to purchase more. Placing an item on the ends of aisles gives the impression that there is a great discount to be had with that particular item or the impression of product scarcity.

To buy wholesale or to buy retail will not matter if you are buying things that you do not need but just had to have because you knew were getting a bargain.