Membership fees can cost $50 or more per year. And even though some things can be up to 40 percent cheaper, you’ll need to be a savvy shopper to truly save. Here are three ways to know if these merchandise behemoths fit your budget:

More than groceries

Clubs carry more than just groceries. They have everything from flat screens to tires. Savings on those major purchases can make up for the cost of membership. If you’re in the market for something big, it might be worth it to join. Just don’t get in the habit of buying something because it’s cheaper than it would be somewhere else. You’ll end up taking home something new every time you go in for some simple food items.

You can use it

Big families can really benefit from bulk buys. Those that have the resources to use it all can really save. You can also save if you have the storage space. Extra-large cuts of meat can be frozen and huge packs of paper towels can be stored for later use. If you don’t have the storage space or resources to use the products, it might not be worth it.

You’re a good host

If you host a lot of events, warehouse clubs can lead up to big savings. They have plenty of deals on frozen appetizers and cheap deals on alcohol. Paper plates and plastic cups are also a major score.

What is equity?

You can have equity in an asset that you own. The largest asset you probably own is your home, which is certainly an investment. Let’s use it as an example. Equity is the difference between what you owe on a home against what it’s worth. So if your home is worth $100,000, and you owe $80,000, then you have $20,000 of equity in your home – 20 percent. Some people have negative equity. They owe $100,000 and their home is only worth $80,000.

You can also have equity in small assets, like a knife set or a flat screen TV.

What are equities?

Equities are generally seen as stocks issued by a company. If you buy stock in Facebook after its IPO (initial public offering), then you own equities in that company. You have a piece of the pie, and therefore, you get to vote and make decisions about issues that have to do with Facebook.  If a company you own stock in performs well, then your stock becomes more valuable. It does the opposite if the company doesn’t do well. Basically, the better a company does the more money you make.

How to buy

In order to buy stock in a company, you’ll need to hire a broker. A good broker will guide you while you’re investing and help make the best choices for your situation.

Check rates regularly

Knowing where the current currency conversion rates stand can help you figure out if you’re getting a good deal. There are plenty of ways to check. If you have a smartphone, think about grabbing an app – XE has a pretty good one. Google’s currency converter is convenient and easy to use.

Practice your math skills

If you’re traveling to Europe, get familiar with converting euros to dollar amounts. It can really save you some time and some cash. That 1 euro cup of coffee might actually be $1.30. A 5 euro trinket might be $6.50. And a sweatshirt for 50 euros might actually be around $65.

Pay in cash

Some hotels abroad offer cash discounts. Your credit card is probably required to book the room, but you might be able to pay in cash when you check out. But keep in mind that you’ll need to carry a large amount of cash in order to do this, which may mean a trip to the ATM. And your credit card might carry a lower currency conversion fee than your debit card.

Limit trips to the ATM

It’s best to take out large cash withdrawals and limit your trips to the ATM. It cuts down on fees. Just make sure to keep the cash hidden well. Use a money belt or other concealed pouch to carry the cash close to your body.

What are some of your currency exchange travel tips?

Maintaining a balance

You may be getting a good interest rate on your high-interest checking account, but your credit card might be killing any potential earnings. Maintaining a large balance on a credit card that is charging you monthly interest can diminish your hard-earned cash, especially if it’s a high rate. Keep your high-interest checking account, but start paying more of your credit card balance off every month. If you can, pay it off in full monthly.

Skipping out on retirement planning

Your company 401(k) is basically free money. You put in up to a certain amount per year, and your employer matches the amount up to a certain percentage. Your 401(k) also provides tax incentives, which means increased savings and less cash going to the government.

Buying new

Some things are better new – like a toothbrush – but other items are necessarily better fresh. For example, a new car depreciates tremendously as soon as you drive it off of the lot. Why purchase a $30,000 new 2012 vehicle when you can buy an earlier model of the same car for half of the price? When you’re about to make a purchase, consider whether or not you can buy the item used and get comparable quality.

What are the money mistakes that you try to avoid?

One-size fits all

Don’t be fooled. When it comes to investment, one-size never fits all. If you’re guru is stuck on a specific investment product, you’re probably dealing with a pusher, and you should take your business somewhere else.

Your portfolio should be filled with different types of investments. I like a good mix of stocks, bonds and cash equivalents. Each situation is different. The younger you are, the more risk you can take on. If you’re about to hit retirement, your consultant should calculate for that and dial down your risk.

No specialty

If you’re investment guide claims he/she is a jack of all trades in the investment world, you’re probably not getting the best advice for your situation. Financial consultants can specialize in a variety of different areas, just like doctors. Find one that fits your needs. If you’re looking for a retirement planner, find an adviser that specializes in that area.

Lacks strategy

Financial planners are usually pretty good at long-term investment strategy. If your adviser doesn’t have a plan for your retirement accounts, you might be in trouble. The government can take a big chunk of your money once you start withdrawing for retirement. Unless you plan to put that money somewhere, you could lose out on a lot of potential savings.

Should I use my credit card?

Answer: yes

Your credit card is probably the most convenient way to exchange while abroad. It also usually happens to be the cheapest. But to be on the safe side, call up your credit card company before you start traveling and ask them about fees. If your fees are high, you may want to consider picking up a new card – especially if you’re going to be traveling quite a bit. Consider a card with no foreign transactions fees, which more large institutions are starting to carry.

Are banks a good way to exchange?

Answer: sometimes

It can occasionally be a good idea to get a small amount of cash from your bank before you travel. But abroad, you’ll most likely get a better currency conversion rate by using your debit card at the ATM. Give your bank a ring before you start traveling and ask them about all fees associated with currency exchange. You’ll probably find that you’ll save the most by taking out large cash withdrawals while abroad to minimize your trips to the ATM.

Can prepaid cards be beneficial?

Answer: yes

Prepaid cards are convenient. You load them up with foreign currency before you travel, which means you lock in your exchange rate. They act just like a credit card, but they are safer – if they’re stolen, there’s no risk of credit card fraud. Most companies will allow you to freeze it in case of theft, in which case they will send you a new card to use. Check out the Travelex prepaid Cash Passport or the American Express prepaid card.

Here are four money apps that can help you increase your savings:

Mint.com

The Mint app, which is free, allows you to budget and keep track of all of your finances. It’s been named Best Finance App by the 1^st Annual App Awards. Mint downloads your banking data directly to an account that organizes everything for you. The app allows you to check up-to-date information on your account and your budgets. You can make decisions about purchases on the fly by consulting your budget first. It’s also password protected, so safety isn’t much of an issue.

Pageonce

You can automatically pay your bills and track your money with the Pageonce app. It allows you to see what is happening with all of your bank accounts for free. The app offers real-time alerts and notifications. And it even allows you to track frequent flier miles.

Venmo

This app allows you to pay friends, family or business associates instantly. You link your credit card or bank account to the app. If you need to pay a friend back for dinner, you just find the person in your contact list on your smartphone and send a direct payment to their bank account. There are no transactions fees for the service.

DebtTracker Pro

This money app allows you to track all of your debt information. Input all of your loan information and manage it via a payoff plan. It allows you to use different scenarios to give you an idea of how much paying more of the principal each month will increase your savings.

Certified financial planners are schooled in the investment world. But not all planners are made equal.

Here are three tips for finding a good financial planner:

Look for the certification

Anyone walking down the street who knows a little bit about finance can call themselves a planner. Unfortunately, these amateurs can really get you in trouble. Look for a planner with credentials. They should be a designated Certified Financial Planner or Personal Financial Specialist. Check for the certification, ask them where they received it and take your time to talk to it about it. The last thing you want to do is put your money in the hands of someone who doesn’t know what they are doing.

Use your internet connection

The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards website can help you find a certified planner who fits your needs. Not all planners specialize in the same type of finance, so it’s important to find one that knows about what you’re looking for. You can also check out the Financial Planning Association site.

Don’t rule out references from friends and family, which can be very valuable leads for investing with a good planner.

Avoid the push

If a financial planner seems to be pushing you to invest in a particular product – like an annuity or specific family of mutual funds – you might want to reconsider. Some companies ask their planners to push certain products to their clients, but those products aren’t always the best for your situation. Figure out what she/he is selling and how much the firm makes from that particular sale.

It used to be that transaction fees would be a pretty big surprise on your bill – I’ve had a few big surprises for sure. The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibly and Disclosure Act of 2009 did away with those surprises — companies now have to show foreign transaction fees as a separate line when you apply.

Look in the fine print

Card companies will generally either charge a flat fee per transaction – around $5 – or a percentage. The percentage can vary from 1 to 3 percent of the total amount. Visa and Mastercard networks tend to charge a little bit more, around the 1 percent per transaction area. That can get expensive, which is why it pays to read the fine print before you start swiping your card.

Cards with no foreign transaction fees

Some credit card companies, like Discover and Capital One, have eliminated foreign transaction fees on all of their cards. Other companies are also starting to carry more cards without foreign transaction fees. But you should beware — some of these cards require high credit scores or annual fees.

Call your company

It’s best to call your credit card company before you travel and ask about fees. Weigh the costs of your credit card’s fees against other methods of currency conversion. For example, using your debit card to get cash out of an ATM, depending on your bank, might offer a better rate. On the other side of the coin, even if your credit card has a 3 percent fee for the total amount, credit can be the cheapest way to go.

Keep your receipts

At first, it’s going to be hard to keep track of every expense you have. Larger expenses, like your car payment, are easy. But impulse buys are a little bit more difficult to track. It’s best to put all of your purchases on one card to easily track spending. File your receipts away for reference.

You can track spending in number of different ways. Mint.com offers an easy way to keep track and categorize all of your spending.  Financial software, like Quicken or Microsoft Money, are also good ways to track.

Update

Ideally, you should update your budget daily. If you don’t have time, you can get by with weekly or biweekly updates. Just make sure you’re on track with your spending goals for the month. You want to keep your savings account intact and stay under budget, if possible.

Think slightly long-term

Budgeting for an entire month makes you think about long-term expenses, but not long enough that you’ll get off track. Base your budget off of your monthly income instead of bi-monthly.

Plan for every expense

It’s important not to only think about fixed expenses, like your mortgage payment, but also about variable expenses like your utility bill. Take into consideration that your utility bill will increase or decrease from month to month. To solve that problem, find the highest utility bill you’ve ever received and set your budget just above.

Make sure to set money aside for occasional expenses like gifts or visits to the doctor.