Is Amazon Prime worth it?
Many years ago I had absolutely no idea what Amazon Prime was. I had heard of Amazon, of course. But I didn’t even know they had a membership thing going. Or that I could use it as a tool to save money, and later, if it was worth it.
It all started when a couponing friend of mine told me about a diaper deal Amazon had. To get on this deal though, I had to become an Amazon Prime member. I will admit I was hesitant at first. I mean, I had started using coupons to save money, not spend it.
I had been struggling to get my little one off diapers for some time, and we were spending tons of money on them every single month. Something had to give. And so I signed up for Amazon Prime, using their 30-day trial.
Is Amazon Prime worth it?
For your convenience, this post may contain affiliate links. That means that, if you click on a link and make a purchase, I might make a small commission out of the sale, at no additional cost to you. For my Full Disclosure Policy, go here.
I am all about saving money. Seriously. Almost nothing makes me happier than making sure my family’s hard-earned money is put to good use.
However, I have found that sometimes it’s unavoidable to spend a bit extra. Yes, I know it might sound a bit counterproductive. But trust me, spending money is unavoidable. The clue is to make sure that whatever money you do spend, is justified, and that it makes sense.
One such case, is paying for an Amazon Prime Membership. For the last 5+ years, my family has been a part of the huge Amazon Prime family of loyal customers. And I have to say that paying for the yearly fee has been more than worth it!
Once you join Amazon Prime, you will get instant access to a bunch of amazing benefits, including but not limited to:
- Prime Rewards
- Prime Delivery
- Prime Video
- Prime Music
- Prime Reading
- Twitch Prime
- Prime Early Access
- Prime Photos
- Prime Wardrobe
- Twitch Prime
Here is what Amazon Prime membership really means for you:
Feel free to order as much or as little as you want without worrying about shipping charges.
With thousands of items labelled as Prime, you will definitely save money. There’s tons to choose from, from clothes to electronics, and everything else in between.
Avoid the extra stress of going to the store.
How many times have you taken a “short” trip to the store, only to find yourself in crowded aisles, standing in long lines, and worse, listening to screaming children (Who are probably your own!)? Yeah, me too. By shopping online using your Amazon Prime membership you get to avoid the hassle of dragging your kiddos shopping, which can only be a positive.
Stay out of crazy traffic.
If you are like me and hate driving, then you will definitely love the convenience of just order from home, and having someone just bring what you need directly to your door. No more battling the crazies, and spending valuable time stuck in your car.
Pajama shopping anyone?
As mothers, we tend to take an insane amount of time getting ready to go out. And most of that time is spent getting the kiddos ready! Amazon Prime helps you avoid that altogether. The battles over “Go put your shoes on!” or Comb your hair!” will be over. Not to mention, the fabulous convenience of shopping whenever you have the time, without worrying about anything else.
Netflix/Hulu alternative
An Amazon Prime membership offers yet another streaming option, which, just like Netflix and Hulu include exclusive content made only for them. The options are not as extensive, but Prime Video is a nice little add-on.
Read to your hearts content
You can do this either by ordering physical copies of your favorite books or on your Kindle. What’s best is that they have TONS of free or super cheap books available every single day.
Pre-order for the best deal
If there’s something you want, and it hasn’t been released for sale yet, you can take advantage of Amazon’s pre-order price guarantee. To do that just add the item to your cart, and follow the steps to complete your purchase. The best part is that if the price changes between the time that you “purchased” the item and its release date, you will always get the lowest price available for said item, even if the price increases before the release date.Better still, your card won’t be charged until the item ships!
Store the gazillion pictures you take of your kids on the cloud
Most of us have adopted the habit of either storing our pics on our phones, or making a million albums on Facebook. While there’s nothing wrong with either option, having access to a cloud where you can upload them all and access them whenever is another huge advantage of Amazon Prime. After all, our phones only have so much storage space, and Facebook doesn’t really belong to us, and it can go away anytime, making us lose all the great mementos of our family’s life.
One-stop shopping for all your family’s needs
If you have never actually shopped Amazon, then you might not be aware of just how diverse there product range truly is. When you shop on Amazon you can find pretty much anything, from food, to diapers, craft supplies, electronics, books, furniture and much more. They even sell organic products, and handmade items. This feature is very convenient, since you can pretty much shop for your family’s specific needs, and wants, without driving all over the place, and at very competitive prices.
Special discounts at Whole Foods for Amazon Prime members
If you are a loyal customer of Whole Foods, then you know two things about them: one, they have an amazing selection of organic and healthy food. Two, they can be a tad expensive. Fortunately, another perk of an Amazon Prime membership is that you get discounts and deals at Whole Foods. This was made possible when Amazon bought the big grocery store chain a couple years ago.
Cyber Monday deals
Even if you never or rarely ever shop online, you have probably heard of Cyber Monday. That day is basically Black Friday 2.0 but online only. Cyber Monday is yet another chance to try to get amazing deals, but instead of braving the crazy lines at the stores, you can shop from your couch. Well, with Amazon Prime you get a heads up before non-members on whatever deals Amazon has to offer. It’s sort of like VIP treatment for Cyber Monday shoppers.
Prime Day
Of all the cool things that make Amazon Prime worth it, I dare say Amazon Prime Day is one of my favorites. Prime Day is simply a day of the best deals, offers, and discounts exclusively for Amazon Prime members. This year, Amazon Prime Day is July 15 & 16, which is only a handful of days away.
What’s even more exciting is that Amazon Prime Day is more of a week-long celebration, with all kinds of early offers, like up to 30% off school and household essentials, new product releases, Prime Concert, happening Live today, July 10th (watch the trailer here), and much more. Amazon has even put together a cool Prime Day guide to help you make the most of this, and which you can check out here.
How do you know if it’s right for you?
To start, you could totally join Amazon Prime for their 30-day Trial here. If you decide you love it as much as I do, then you will be charged $119 at the end of the trial period. If you decide it’s not for you, then cancel away! One of the best things about Amazon is their amazing customer service. They will take care of you with no issues.
I know when you are on a tight budget a $119 yearly charge is huge. Trust me, I get it. However, I see it as more of an investment. Here are a few things you will want to ask yourself that will help you decide if Amazon Prime is for you:
- How often do you shop online?
- Would the 2-day free shipping work?
- Does the cost going to the store (gas, money, time) exceed the yearly membership cost?
- Do you make small, frequent trips to the store for 1-2 items?
- Are the stores nearest you always packed, not well stocked, and/or pricey to shop at?
- Could you add the expense of the membership to your budget as a sinking fund without hurting your finances?
If you answered yes to all or at least most of the questions above, then there’s a good chance that Amazon Prime is for you. Also, in my experience, Amazon’s customer service has always been on point, taking care of all the little hiccups that online shopping could possibly bring, and to my 100% satisfaction.
***Additional tips to save on a membership:
- If you are a student with a valid email address that ends on .edu you can get a 6 month trial membership, instead of only 20 days.
- Are you a recipient of EBT benefits? If so, you can get Amazon Prime for only $5.99 per month!
Now tell me, does an Amazon Prime membership sound like good option for you? Are you willing to give it a try by signing up for a FREE 30-day trial? Please, share your thoughts with us in the comment section below!
P.S. If you like what you see on the blog, don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter and be among the first to find out what’s new around here. I’d love to have you join our community!
Like this post? Save it for later!
