Back in the day, specifically around 2018, people were obsessed with finding a bj's membership renewal coupon 2018 because, let's be honest, paying full price for a warehouse club membership feels like a personal failure. We’ve all been there. You’re standing in the checkout line with a cart full of 48-roll toilet paper packs and a rotisserie chicken, and suddenly you realize your card expired three days ago. The cashier asks if you want to renew for the full $55 or $110, and your heart sinks.
You want the deal. You need the deal.
In 2018, BJ's Wholesale Club was aggressively fighting for market share against Costco and Sam's Club. This was a golden era for coupons. They were handing out $25 renewal offers like candy. If you weren't paying attention, you were basically throwing money away. Even though we’re looking back at that specific year, the mechanics of how those deals worked—and how you can still find them today—haven't changed as much as you'd think. It's about knowing where the "hidden" buttons are on their website and which mailers actually matter.
Why 2018 Was the Peak for the BJ's Membership Renewal Coupon
The retail landscape in 2018 was weird. Amazon was crushing everyone, and physical clubs had to prove they were still relevant. BJ's, which is primarily an East Coast powerhouse, started leaning heavily into digital "Add-to-Card" coupons.
If you were looking for a bj's membership renewal coupon 2018, you probably found a lot of "Inner Circle" deals. Back then, the standard Inner Circle membership was usually $55. However, savvy shoppers were finding targeted mailers that dropped that price down to $40 or even $30. Some even reported getting $25 gift cards back upon renewal, essentially making the membership almost free for a year.
It wasn't just about the price tag, though.
It was about the timing. BJ's has always been notorious for sending out renewal notices three months before your actual expiration date. They want you to lock in early. In 2018, the trick was to ignore those first three notices. Why? Because the fourth notice—the one that arrived right before or just after your membership lapsed—usually contained the "we miss you" discount.
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The Difference Between Inner Circle and Perks Rewards
You had choices. You still do.
The Inner Circle is the basic tier. In 2018, the renewal coupons for this level were everywhere. You’d find them on sites like RetailMeNot or even through local PTA fundraisers. The "Perks Rewards" tier, which usually costs double, rarely had straight-up coupons. Instead, the "deal" was the 2% cashback.
If you spent more than $250 a month at BJ's in 2018, the Perks Rewards membership paid for itself. Most people didn't do the math. They just saw the $110 price tag and ran for the hills. But if you were a heavy spender, that was the real "renewal coupon" hidden in plain sight.
Where Those 2018 Deals Actually Came From
Ever wonder why some people got a $25 renewal and you didn't?
It's usually regional. BJ's operates heavily in states like Florida, New York, and Massachusetts. In 2018, they were expanding in places like Michigan and Ohio. When a new club opens, the renewal offers in that entire region tend to get much more competitive.
- Valpak Envelopes: Remember those blue envelopes in the mail? In 2018, they were a goldmine for BJ's coupons.
- Groupon/LivingSocial: These platforms were still huge. You could often buy a "new" membership for $25, but the fine print usually blocked existing members. The workaround? A spouse or roommate signing up.
- In-Club Service Desk: Sometimes, just being nice worked. People would walk up to the desk in 2018 and mention they saw a promotion online but didn't have the code. More often than not, the manager had an override code.
Honestly, the most reliable bj's membership renewal coupon 2018 came from the "Expired Member" strategy. If you let your membership stay dead for 30 days, BJ's would almost certainly send you a "Please Come Back" offer that was better than any renewal code you could find on a forum.
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The Military and Student Discount Factor
BJ's has always been better than Costco when it comes to specific demographics. In 2018, they had a robust military discount program. If you were active duty or a veteran, you could often get a discounted membership that included a $10 or $20 bonus.
Students weren't left out either. Many universities on the East Coast had partnerships where students could grab a membership for a fraction of the cost. If you were a student in 2018 looking for a renewal, you usually had to go through a specific portal on the BJ's website that verified your .edu email address.
Digital Coupons vs. Paper Coupons
2018 was the year BJ's really pushed their app. They wanted people to stop clipping physical paper. This created a bit of a divide.
The physical bj's membership renewal coupon 2018 usually had a long string of numbers (a "market code") on the back of a postcard. You’d have to hand it to the person at the desk. But the digital offers were tied to your account. If you logged into bjs.com and saw a "Special Offer for You" banner, that was usually your best bet.
The problem with the digital ones was that they were often "one-click" renewals. If you clicked it, you were charged immediately. The paper coupons gave you more leverage because you could talk to a human. I always tell people: if you have a physical coupon from a mailer, bring it to the club. Sometimes they accidentally stack it with a digital promotion. Not always, but it happened enough in 2018 to be a "thing" on thrift-shopper blogs.
How to Handle Your BJ's Renewal Today (Using 2018 Tactics)
While 2018 is in the rearview mirror, the psychology of the warehouse club remains the same. They want your recurring revenue. They hate "churn"—which is just a fancy word for people who don't renew.
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If you're hunting for a deal now, look at what worked then.
- Check the "Promotions" tab in your email. Search for "BJ's" and "Membership." Often, they send a discount code that gets buried under ads for patio furniture.
- The "Cancel" Bluff. If you call their customer service line and say you're thinking about switching to a competitor, they might offer you a "loyalty" discount. It's not a "coupon" in the traditional sense, but the result is the same: less money out of your pocket.
- Third-Party Platforms. Sites like Rakuten or TopCashBack often have "referral" bonuses for BJ's. While these are usually for new members, sometimes they have specific renewal incentives if you click through their portal.
The "New Member" Loophole
Is it worth it to just start over?
A lot of people in 2018 tried to close their account and open a new one to get the $25 "New Member" rate. BJ's caught on to this. Usually, you have to be "inactive" for six months to count as a new member. If you try to use the same address and phone number, their system usually flags it.
However, if you have a roommate or a spouse who hasn't been a primary account holder, they can sign up as a new member. You get the cheap rate, and they can add you as the "household member" for free. It’s a bit of a hassle, but if you’re trying to save $30, it’s the most consistent way to do it.
Final Insights on Saving at BJ's
The hunt for a bj's membership renewal coupon 2018 taught us that loyalty doesn't always pay—at least not in the way you'd think. The best deals go to the people who are willing to walk away or who wait until the very last second to pay their bill.
BJ's is a business. They want that $55 or $110. But they'd rather have $40 from you than $0.
To maximize your savings, always check your physical mail about a month before you expire. Ignore the first letter. Wait for the second or third. And if you're really tech-savvy, keep an eye on the "My Coupons" section of the BJ's app. Sometimes a renewal discount is sitting in there waiting to be "clipped" to your card, and you wouldn't even know it unless you looked.
Next Steps for Savvy Shoppers:
- Check your current expiration date in the BJ's app to see if you're within the "renewal window."
- Search your physical mail for any Valpak or direct BJ's mailers before paying the full price at the register.
- Compare the cashback you would earn on the Perks Rewards tier versus the cost of a basic Inner Circle membership to see which one actually saves you more in the long run.
- Verify if your employer or local credit union offers a "Corporate Membership" discount, which often bypasses the need for a standard renewal coupon.