Membership Fees Ambushed Our Budget — Here’s Our Fix
However, these factors do not influence our editors' opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews. Here is a list of our partners. When a pile of annual membership fees renewed in the same month and blew past our budget, we built a $647 per year sinking fund so surprise renewals never rattle them again. Updated Aug 18, 2026Fact CheckedHow is this page expert verified?NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.More on our editorial rigorAddas a preferred source on Google NerdWallet is committed to editorial integrity.Helpful ResourcesHow to Pay Off Debt: Top Strategies for 2026Credit Score Ranges: What They Mean and How They WorkHow to Budget Money in 5 Steps28 Proven Ways to Save MoneyThe other day, my husband popped into our banking app to check the balance on our shared credit card. This card is where we charge all our family’s joint expenses. His jaw dropped. “We are majorly over our budget,” he said. “Groceries are high, but not this high.”We got out some paper and went line-by-line, itemizing the charges. Turns out a handful of membership fees had all renewed in August, eating into our budget by a couple hundred dollars. These are memberships we want to keep, so we decided to set up a sinking fund to cover the costs throughout the year. 💳 Here’s the math: li>ol]:pl-4 [&>li>ul]:pl-4 [&>li]:mt-2">AAA, for all those inconvenient car issues: $103/year Dropbox, for our cloud storage where we keep shared documents and photos: $120/yearCredit card rewards fee, for all those travel points: $95/yearAmazon Prime, for shopping convenience: $139/yearWarehouse memberships: Costco Executive ($130) and Sam’s Club basic membership ($60) for a combined $190/year That’s $647 for the year — or roughly $54 per month. If we divide that number in half, we get our individual contributions: $27. We set up recurring, automatic transfers each month for $27 each directly into our new "memberships" sinking fund. We keep our money in a high-yield savings account. I love that we earn interest on our savings. Plus, our account lets us label each savings bucket so it's not all lumped together. When I log in, I know exactly how much we've saved toward each goal. After breaking down the total membership costs into smaller chunks, we both felt the stress melt away a bit. Our memberships help our household run smoothly, and it feels good to know we can save for them over time. Now, this time next year, we won’t be shocked when we pull up our credit card balance — we’ll be prepared. » Budget still feeling shaky? Learn how to budget money in 5 stepsExplore more onThe Financial Glow UpMoney News You Can UseMaking MoneyPaying Your BillsPersonal FinanceAddas a preferred source on Google NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539NMLS Consumer Access |Licenses and Disclosures California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #60DBO-74812 Insurance Services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no.OK92033) Insurance Licenses California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #603L288 You also can open a Cash Account offered by Atomic Brokerage which allows you to earn interest on your cash through a cash sweep program. View Important Cash Account Disclosures. Neither Atomic Invest nor Atomic Brokerage, nor any of their affiliates is a bank. Investments in securities: Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, May Lose Value. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Before investing, consider your investment objectives and the fees and expenses charged. NerdWallet™ | 4150 N Drinkwater Blvd, Suite 200, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
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