Walmart+ Is Here—Here’s How It’ll Give You More Time in Your Day

I’m a Midwest native who lived in New York City for 10 years. I loved almost everything about big city life with one big exception: shopping for groceries and household items. Between waiting in long lines, carrying heavy bags on public transportation, and paying high prices for everyday items like milk and mascara, I strongly considered moving straight back to Wisconsin. Eventually, to save on time and transportation, I started ordering groceries online—but that came with high delivery costs and few additional perks.

Recently, I did pack up my city life to go back to the Midwest. And now, I can see that a Walmart+ membership hits the shopping sweet spot. It saves time on going to the store, money on delivery and shipping, and Walmart carries almost everything I need to keep my home (and car) running while keeping overall prices low.

Here’s what you need to know about a Walmart+, a new kind of membership.

What is Walmart+?

Basically, Walmart+ launched to compete with Amazon Prime—and oh boy, does it ever. Walmart+ is a membership program that offers four main benefits that save time and money whether you shop online, in stores or do a combination of both. Here’s what you get with your Walmart+ membership.

Free delivery from your Walmart store

Getting groceries, toiletries, pet food and heck—even leggings delivered from the nearest Walmart to my home is a lifesaver and can save hours every week. Whether the weather is bad (Midwest winters are serious), I have an extended work day or I’d just rather spend the evening with my family and dog than go to the store, Walmart+ free delivery buys me time.

Though there are some restrictions, and a $35 minimum spend (which, let’s get real—when do I not have at least $35 worth of stuff I need from Walmart?) this is a huge saver in time. It’s especially essential around big events like the holidays, birthdays and dinner parties when I’m overbooked, over-scheduled and have a seemingly endless shopping list. With Walmart+, all I have to do is order online, choose an available delivery window and get back to enjoying my free time. Instead of scanning the aisles for dog food, I can take my dog on a leisurely walk.

Another fun way to use free Walmart+ delivery? When I’m checking out new recipes on Taste of Home and decide I absolutely must make cocoa bombs or try out an air fryer, I can get everything I need—from the ingredients to small appliances—delivered fast. When cooking inspiration hits, I want to get to my kitchen—not the grocery store. A Walmart+ shopping membership makes quick turnaround cooking possible. Yes, please!

Mobile scan & go for in-store shopping

Before Walmart+, I wouldn’t consider stopping by Walmart to just pick up a few things. I didn’t have time to wait in line for a few last-minute grocery items I needed for meal prep. No way was I going to go through a checkout line just to pay for pasta and a can of tomatoes. (And okay, fine, a bottle of wine and maybe some brownies.) Mobile scanning with Walmart+ changed all that. Now I can swing in, grab what I need and check out inside of Walmart using my phone! No checkout line required. Let’s make that two bottles of chardonnay!

Walmart+ free shipping

Wow, this one’s huge. Walmart+ offers free two-day shipping and next day shipping on items shipped by Walmart. Here’s where it gets really good: there’s no minimum spend required. This is not a drill! It does exclude oversized and freight items, but that’s okay. I could use this time and money-saving benefit for last-minute gift shopping, stocking my kitchen pantry with items I forgot I needed (I’m looking at you bottle of soy sauce I swear I just bought) or making sure there’s always enough toothpaste, shampoo and toilet paper to get my family through another week.

I recently got into making lefse and cross country skiing (I told you I was back in the Midwest). With free two-day shipping I can order supplies and gear for my new hobbies and have them shipped to my home in no time. That means more time in nature and the kitchen, and less time inside a store.

Member prices on fuel

I have to fill up my gas tank, so why not save five cents and get gas at Walmart, Murphy Stations or Sam’s Club fuel centers? Every little bit adds up, and this benefit is something you won’t get with competing shopping memberships. It’s easy enough to top off my tank on my way to doing something way more fun—like going to the dog park. Gas up, and go!

How does joining Walmart+ benefit me?

For me, the Walmart+ shopping membership program buys time and gives me flexibility on how I shop. There are occasions when I most definitely want to wander around Walmart for an hour, filling up my cart with everyday values on makeup, snacks and home decor. It’s called retail therapy for a reason! But most of the time, I’d much prefer to have all of my grocery and household goods either shipped to me for free, or delivered from my nearest Walmart store for free. Shopping this way saves me oodles of time, and helps me stay organized. It also lets me order fun stuff, like an InstantPot or the ingredients to bake homemade bread, on a whim. To me, that’s a priceless feeling.

How much does Walmart+ cost?

The Walmart+ shopping membership program costs $12.95 a month, or $98 a year. If you break it down, that’s just $2 a week on the annual plan at 52 weeks. If you go monthly, the membership pays for itself with two deliveries (based on the $7.95 delivery fee you’d pay without a membership). Two dollars a week is less than I spend on dog treats. That reminds me, I need to order dog treats. *Adds to cart.* Shopping with Walmart+ makes the most shopping sense and saves the most dollars. Whether I stay in the rural Midwest or move back to an urban center, Walmart+ gives me more time in my day.