The Smart Advice is to Join and Save

Are you a joiner? That term used to refer to people who were very social and took the opportunity to join just about any club or organization that came along. We all knew a few of this type in high school and college. They were on multiple teams, in at least a half dozen clubs, volunteered for local causes, and almost always found time to get involved in student government. No one could ever figure out how they got decent grades and ended up being successful in their careers.

It’s one of the great mysteries of life. Today’s joiners are a different breed. They seek to cut their expenses and sniff out bargains by signing up for retail and wholesale clubs that offer huge discounts on all sorts of items, from books and beauty products to groceries and medical marijuana. There are dozens of clever ways to save money, and these folks seem to be on the trail of most of them. Here are a few of the clubs you can join in order to snag serious savings on various products and services.

Barter Organizations

One of the oldest of the savings outfits, barter organizations have gotten a new lease on life in the computer age. Consumers can now join several clubs at once and increase their chances of trading their old stuff for someone else’s new stuff. The cool part of the new system is that it offers millions of products on hundreds of websites. You can literally find just about any item you’re looking for. The trick is to locate a trader who is willing to accept what you want to exchange for it.

Online Book Clubs

Modern book societies are more streamlined than those old book per month entities. When you sign up for a free account in an online club, you’ll be able to download multiple titles per month, store them on your computer, and read them at your leisure. Some of the fee-based PDF book sites offer good value and often have new released of fiction and non-fiction on their lists.

Marijuana Subscription Services

Signing up for a weed subscription box with a reputable marijuana service can save you thousands on your medical or recreational cannabis every year. Most offer cancel anytime, easily reschedule options for customers who want the option to change their minds, but few do. If you’re a fan of MMJ, medical marijuana or its recreational counterpart, and live in a state where it’s legal to order, you stand to save off the retail cost of the product. These services are rather new but are rapidly gaining in popularity in states where MMJ is legal.

Wholesale Clubs

If you aren’t getting your groceries at one of these places, you’re missing out. Based on typical membership fees of about $50 annually, you stand to save around $1,000 by buying your food items in bulk. Most cities have at least one wholesale retailer, many have three or more. If you ask about a short-term membership, a few managers will let you test-drive the store just to see if you really can save money by buying groceries this way.

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