Retailers like Office Depot and BJ's offer memberships that you can use to purchase paper products, breakroom supplies and other business-oriented merchandise at a discount. Does it make sense for your company to sign up? Let's take a look at three different memberships and the retailers that provide them.

BJ's Wholesale Club has stores in Auburn, Portland and Bangor. Customers may also order online, but free shipping is only available for certain products. This retailer carries many items that businesses can use, such as office furniture, paper products, printer ink and cooking supplies. It sells most goods in bulk quantities. For example, a member can buy 12 boxes of Berkley Jensen 150-count facial tissues for $14.49.

Members may also purchase gasoline at substantially discounted prices when they visit most locations. The BJ's station in Bangor offers diesel fuel as well, according to GasBuddy. Non-members pay an extra 20 percent if they shop at this store, so the membership effectively provides a 20 percent discount. A BJ's Wholesale Club membership usually costs $55 per year.

Office Depot's Business Select membership comes with discounts of up to 20 percent on many items and services, such as printing, packing, shipping and computer repair. It includes free one- or two-day delivery of most items. Non-members need to pay at least $5.95 or meet the free shipping threshold of $35.

A free shipping benefit may help you cut costs if you normally purchase items in relatively small quantities. More importantly, it can also prevent you from buying overpriced products in an effort to reach a retailer's standard free shipping threshold.

While Office Depot doesn't reveal exactly what products the discounts cover, it mentions cleaning and printing supplies as well as office chairs. This retailer and its subsidiary OfficeMax no longer have any stores in Maine, but customers can still use the company's website to order most items. The annual cost of the membership is $99. A downside is that members aren't allowed to use the retailer's standard reward program.

Although you might not think of it as a source of office supplies, Bed Bath & Beyond has a membership that may appeal to some business owners. This retailer carries various cleaning and health items. The website and some of BB&B's larger stores sell paper products, first-aid kits, disposable gloves and daily planners. For example, a customer with the paid membership can order three boxes of Smart Values 160-count facial tissues for $3.99.

While the store in Brunswick has started to close, BB&B still has locations in Augusta, Bangor and South Portland. The Welcome Rewards Plus membership costs $29 per year. It provides a 20 percent discount on nearly all items, free shipping with no minimum purchase and extra reward points. You can't combine the discount with a coupon, but it does reduce the prices of most sale and clearance items.

When deciding if you should sign up for any of these memberships, try to estimate how much cash you would save in a year. Remember to check the prices of similar goods at stores like Staples, Reny's, Target, Lowe's, and Big Lots, but make sure that you compare items of equivalent quality.

P.S. Check out the Packaging Materials section on the Services page to learn how you can save money by purchasing padded envelopes, blank labels, disposable gloves and first-aid supplies in bulk. This option doesn't require a paid membership.

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