Why should you shop on Amazon Prime Days to save money? First of all, Amazon Prime Day is an annual 48-hour deal event exclusively for Amazon Prime members. If you didn’t know, Amazon is the largest online retailer and a reliable source for products, especially during COVID-19. Shopping with a mask just to be met with empty shelves and fewer selections can be frustrating, time-consuming, and exhausting. Shopping online with an Amazon Prime membership will save you both time and money. An extra bonus is shopping for deals on items you normally would buy during Amazon Prime Day.
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What is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Days will last for two days, starting midnight Pacific Time or 3 a.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday through Wednesday, October 13-14. It’s a huge sales event exclusive to Amazon Prime members offering amazing deals that rival Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, with some sales previewing now.
What do I need to do to shop on Amazon Prime Day?
You need an Amazon Prime membership to shop the exclusive deals. It’s a $12.99 monthly charge that is definitely worth it. Most of us have had to rely on online shopping during the pandemic. Paying for shipping adds up. You may even find yourself adding unnecessary items to your shopping cart just to get free shipping. I finally broke down and pay the monthly Prime membership fee now, and I’ve saved more on shipping alone.
You may also qualify for a discounted membership for $5.99/month if you’re on a government assistance program. Click here to learn more.
You can sign up now for a free one-month trial which you can cancel at any time. Join now if you want to take part in the Amazon Prime Day sales event.
Amazon Prime Benefits
Amazon Prime’s delivery benefits are the #1 reason most people pay for the membership. I admit, that this was the only reason I signed up in the first place. You’ll recoup the monthly charge just by saving on shipping costs alone. Here’s a quick list of the shipping benefits:
- Free two-day shipping on millions of Amazon Prime products
- Free same-day shipping on select products
- Scheduled delivery days, even a No-Rush option that offers rewards on future purchases
- Amazon Fresh grocery delivery
Streaming benefits are an added bonus which will also save you money. Cut cable or music streaming subscriptions with these Prime benefits including:
- Prime Video streams a large selection of movies, TV shows, and exclusive Amazon content.
- Prime Video Channels can be added for less than the amount of a cable subscription without cable box rental fees. Selections include HBO, SHOWTIME, and STARZ.
- Prime Music which you can stream from over 2 million songs. There’s also an Amazon Music Unlimited option with even more songs which is 20% off for Prime members.
- FreeTime Unlimited: $2.99/month for Prime members with access to thousands of kid-friendly games, videos, and educational content from Disney, Nickelodeon, and PBS Kids. Prime members get a 30-day free trial.
- Prime Gaming: Free game content every month with a Twitch Channel Subscription.
- Amazon Photos: Unlimited photo storage. Print and share pics with family and friends too.
Shopping deals include discounts at Whole Food Markets, Prime Wardrobe (try on clothes at home and pay only for items that you keep), Amazon product deals on Alexa or the Fire Stick, Amazon Pantry deals, and Amazon Family (discounts on diapers and baby registry).
Reading benefits include Prime Reading which gives you unlimited access on any device to thousand of eBooks, magazines, comics, and books with Audible narration. Try Audible for free for a month and get two free audiobooks.
You can also share your Prime Benefits with your family too, so the benefits far outweigh the monthly charge. If you’re still on the fence, you can get a free 30-day trial here by clicking here.
Tips to Save Money on Amazon Prime Day
Have a plan
Be specific and have a budget set. Here’s a great blog post on Saving Money Shopping Online. To get the best deals, start planning now, and stick to your plan. It’s easy to get carried away and overspend but set a budget and shop intentionally for the items you need.
Price out the items and add up the costs to see if they fit into your budget. If the items go on sale, you’ll save even more!
Start your holiday shopping now
Check your Christmas gift list, decorating needs, or items to stock up on for holiday guests. If you want to survive Christmas debt-free, check out the 7 Easy Steps to a Debt-Free Christmas. There’s even a free printable guide that walks you through the steps.
Share the Amazon love. Consider giving an Amazon Prime membership as a gift. You can give a 3 month membership for $39 or an annual membership for $119.
Buy household items that will help you save money
Your Amazon Prime membership comes with free streaming for movies, TV shows, and Amazon-exclusive content like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Why not cut the cord on cable? You could easily save $100 – $150 a month by cutting out cable. Purchase a streaming device like a Roku Streaming Media Player or an Amazon Fire Stick. These items will most likely be on sale during Amazon Prime Days. Connect all of your streaming channels like Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV, or HBO and other movie channels from this one device. You’ll pay less than your current cable bill.
Or better yet, invest in a smart TV like the TCL Roku Smart TV for the price of a month or two of cable. You’ll instantly wonder why you waited so long to cut your cable. The TV’s home screen is easy to navigate and adding all of your paid streaming channels is a breeze. Finding which streaming platform offers what you’re specifically looking for is done easily with Roku’s Home Search Bar. You also get the Roku Channel which plays free TV shows and movies too.
Check out this post for kitchen gadgets that save you money.
Buy items that help you work from home
With COVID-19, more of us have been forced to work from home. If you’ve been on the fence about setting up your home office, stop delaying the inevitable. Even with a vaccine, most businesses will slowly integrate workers back into the workplace and may opt for a hybrid remote work/workplace environment.
Having a dedicated, ergonomically sound work environment is crucial. Consider a sit-stand adjustable desk riser or a retractable adjustable keyboard tray. If you’re on a budget, make sure to get a good desk chair. Sitting all day in an uncomfortable kitchen table chair or even your sofa will make you miserable eventually. I’m eyeing this laptop bed tray when I work on the blog late at night. I can also use it as a sit-stand desk riser since the height is adjustable.
Stock up on masks or mask accessories
Stock up on adjustable masks. I have so many that I’ve had to give away or fix just to make them work. You can buy these elastic cord locks to adjust the mask straps. I plan on buying these lanyard face mask holders. I’m tired of dropping my face mask on the floor or having to rifle through my purse to find one when I’m running errands.
Final Thoughts on Amazon Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day is a great way to save money and time. The Amazon Prime membership will save you money on shipping and entertainment too. Start holiday shopping early, take advantage of the deals, and stock up on items that will help you survive working and living through the COVID-19 pandemic.