Sam's Club is famous for its relatively low prices, which many shoppers find very attractive. One thing that attracts many shoppers to Sam's Club is that it accepts food stamps or EBT payments to let you enjoy SNAP benefits.
SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is essentially an American federal program created to assist low-income individuals and families in buying essential food products.
In more than its 600 stores, Sam’s Club takes EBT payments, thereby allowing the disadvantaged members to cash in on their food stamps.
They can use their food stamps to purchase only the approved food supplies and beverages. However, there is a caveat here!
Sam's Club lets you use your food stamps as EBT payments only in-stores! You cannot use your food stamps to purchase items from Sam’s Club’s online shopping portal or Instacart.
Food Stamp Benefits
EBT cards are a form of government assistance that has been around since the early 2000s. They’ve had many different names, and they were a part of the supplemental nutrition assistance program.
The federal government provides food benefits through these.
1. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/SNAP Benefits
SNAP is just the upgraded version of food stamps. Instead of physically carrying them around, people can now have their food stamps accepted using an EBT card.
2. Temporary Assistance For Needy Families/TANF Benefits
TANF is another use of EBT cards. The federal government allows flexible use of an EBT card for needy families so they can purchase essential household items in addition to food.
Plus, with TANF, you could withdraw money from an ATM, like you usually would, with visa cards or debit cards. Now you can use this cash to make additional purchases similar to Sams Club cash cards.
Shopping at Sams Club with EBT
If you haven’t shopped at Sams Club yet, you probably don’t own its membership card. If you’re among the non-members, you won’t be able to enter the Sams Club warehouses.
You’ll have to purchase a Sams Club membership first. Making purchases in person is only possible for Sams Club members.
You can shop at Sams Club, but only if you’re with a member or you have someone else’s membership card.
What items can you buy with food stamps at Sam's Club
The best thing about using your food stamps to make purchases is that you can make EBT payments using your food stamps to buy a variety of the healthiest and most nutritious ebt eligible items.
Sam's Club is also famous for offering its customers relatively large quantities of food at some of the best prices, and the Club helps consumers of its products to save significant amounts of cash.
Sam's Club offers many food products that usually qualify to be included in the SNAP program.
Our list below gives you a sneak peek into some of the items you can purchase at Sam’s Club using your food stamps!
- Dairy products
- Cooking oil
- Vegetables
- Bread and Cereal
- Juice, Water and soda
- Canned and frozen fish and meat
- Dairy products.
- Fruits
- Meat and Seafood
- Snack such as chips and nuts
- Spices
- Canned and frozen fresh fruits and vegetables
What items can’t you purchase with your food stamps at Sam's Club?
As much as there are many items you can buy with your food stamps, many are restricted too! These prohibited items include:
- Foods that are usually hot at the point of sale
- Alcohol such as Wine and beer
- Healthcare products
- Supplements, vitamins, and medicines
- Pet food
- Toiletries
- Cleaning supplies
- Cigarettes and other tobacco products.
- Gas
- Clothing
- Hygiene items
- Cosmetics
Using EBT Card for Unapproved Food Items
If you’ve somehow managed to make an unapproved food purchase, there are still consequences. The government won’t let you off the hook.
Here’s all that could happen if you find yourself in this situation.
- A 3-month ban for the first unapproved purchase
- A 1-year ban for the second unapproved purchase
- A 2-year ban for the third unapproved purchase
How Do I Buy Items From Both Lists?
If your purchase includes approved and non-approved EBT items it’s totally doable but you need to be organized.
I suggest separating items in your cart and making 2 separate purchases.
How do you use EBT at Sams Club?
Follow these steps to use your EBT card to pay at Sams Club!
1. Register a SNAP account in the state you live.
2. You will be issued with an EBT card that has a self-created PIN which you will use to buy your groceries.
3. Look up the balance on your EBT card to ensure you have enough money to buy the items you need. Checking the balance will help the checkout process happen smoothly and guarantee your transaction does not get canceled.
4. When you want to pay for your purchases, your cashier usually rings up your food items.
5. You must then swipe or insert your card at the point-of-sale (POS) and enter your PIN.
6. You need to inform your cashier of the specific account, either SNAP or Cash, from which to charge your order.
7. You can re-enter your PIN on the POS keypad to confirm if the charges are correct.
8. Often, a supervisor or manager will require you to provide photo identification to verify that the EBT you want to pay with is under your name.
9. The purchase total will then be deducted from your SNAP or Cash account as per your directions.
It is always essential to keep your receipt during your shopping, and it will help prevent mischarges and show you the latest balance on your EBT card.
Can you use your food stamps for online purchases at Sam’s Club?
Sam’s Club does not currently accept food stamps and EBT payments for any transactions related to your online purchases and the orders you have done through the Instacart app.
However, Instacart recently began taking EBT payments for a handful of stores and grocery stores in select states.
Another essential fact is that Sam’s Club usually offers curbside pickup via its Sam’s Club app. The primary goal here is to ensure customers enjoy a quicker shopping experience.
Is the Return Policy Different for EBT Purchases?
No, By Law store will have to honor same return policy that exists on regular purchases to all EBT purchases. This policy even extends to food and grocery items.
So if you’re not completely satisfied with an item, you can bring it back to Costco at ANY time for a full refund or exchange.
FAQs
1. Does Sams Club accept EBT cards?
Yes, it does! It accepts EBT cards at all its spots, but you must be a member to buy items in-club without incurring a service fee.
2. Can you use EBT Online at Sam’s Club?
At the moment, Sam’s Club does not allow customers to buy groceries online using their SNAP EBT Cards.
3. Can I Buy Gas with my EBT Card?
No, But you can make an ATM withdrawal with your EBT card and take cash out of your “Cash Account” and use that to buy gas.
Be sure you understand the cash withdrawal limits on your EBT account before doing this as it might not be worth the savings.
4. Can I Use My EBT Card for Grocery Delivery?
No, you can't use your EBT card to make your grocery delivery order at Sam's Club.
Conclusion
Sam’s Club usually accepts EBT as payments using your food stamps. However, the only restriction with using EBT at Sam’s Club is it limits you to using your food stamps in-stores and not online.
Food stamps come in handy for customers to purchase food products in bulk and stock up for unforeseen financial predicaments that may emerge in the future!