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If there’s one hack I like to keep close to my chest, it’s using Amazon Prime to save on my holiday shopping. But my deal is that I never want to pay full price for a year-long subscription and neither do many of you.
But how do you use Amazon Prime without the $119 per year price tag?
Well, I’m going to spill the deets in a minute, but first I want to emphasize that there are so many reasons why you need Amazon Plus this holiday season. You won’t believe the number of deliveries I see from Amazon around my neighborhood during the holidays. I’m guessing, many of you experience the same thing.
There is so much more to Amazon Prime (try it free with a free 30-day trial) than discounts and free shipping. So, today I want to take the time to explain some of the best reasons to sign-up for Prime, how to avoid the yearly subscription, and how to save BIG on your holiday shopping. Are you in?
Good, let’s get started…
10 Amazon Prime Hacks to Save BIG This Holiday Season
1. You don’t have to pay the yearly fee to become a Prime member.
First of all, it’s worth mentioning again — you can try Amazon Prime FREE for 30-days using this link. Sign up during the month of December and try it out completely free. When it’s time for you to pay for Prime, don’t stress yourself out about the cost. Just do what I do — sign up for the monthly plan and pay only $12.99 for the holiday season.
2. Think you can’t afford Prime? Think again, maybe you can!
You can still sign up for the free trial, but did you know that you may qualify for Prime Discounted? Prime is just $5.99 per month for qualifying customers in select U.S. government assistance programs, such as holders of an EBT card. If you receive assistance, sign up using this link for the free trial and more info on how to receive the discount.
3. You might have access to Prime Now perks.
What is Prime Now perks? Well, Prime members in certain locations can enjoy free two-hour delivery, 7-days a week, mornings to late evenings.
Prime Now offers super fast delivery across several categories, including household items, electronics, groceries, gifts, seasonal items and more.
Plus, they offer restaurant and local store delivery in select cities too. Prime Now perks are perfect for the busy holiday season!
Get a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime here.
4. No standing in holiday shopping lines.
Don’t like the idea of standing in a line wrapped around the store this holiday? Me either. This is another reason it’s a great idea to use Amazon Prime this holiday season. Prices fluctuate over the holidays.
So when you’re shopping for a deal one day, you may come back and discover another deal next week. And of course, you don’t want to pay to ship on both of those purchases and Amazon Prime can totally help you with that. Which leads to my next reason…
5. Get your gifts quicker with free 2-day shipping.
First, let me answer a common question, “What does Amazon Prime 2-day shipping really mean?”
Don’t confuse 2-day shipping with 2-day delivery. Prime 2-day shipping means the product will be shipped within 2 days AFTER it is actually shipped from a fulfillment center. It totally depends on where the item and the customer are located.
For instance, if you order a camera and it’s not in stock at a fulfillment center near you, it’s still in stock. However, it’s not available to ship out immediately near you. Therefore, the order will be fulfilled from a center that has it in stock and once it’s shipped, you will receive it within 2 days.
But don’t lose your cool though. I think the question you really need an answer to is, “Can Amazon deliver before Christmas?”
Amazon posts a holiday delivery schedule each year. On this page, they will tell you the absolute last day you must order to receive your gifts before December 24th.
Last, “Is Amazon prime 2-day shipping guaranteed?”
Yes, it is. According to the customer service page, if your delivery isn’t received within two days after the item is shipped, or within the hours Amazon specified, you will qualify for one free month of Amazon Prime.
6. Earn freebies with Free No-Rush Shipping.
The No-Rush Shipping Program allows Prime members to opt for free no-rush shipping in exchange for a promotional reward or discount on your order. If you don’t need your order right away, select free no-rush shipping and earn rewards on your future purchases or immediate discounts.
You can use your No-Rush rewards on e-books, movies, groceries, Prime Pantry items, and more. When you checkout, you’ll be able to view which portion of your order qualifies and rewards are automatically added once you select No-Rush shipping. Pretty sweet if you ask me.
7. Watch holiday movies and create a holiday playlist for free.
If you’ll be doing a lot of holiday entertaining, this perk is great for you. Create your own customized holiday playlist with Amazon Music for free. Plus, take advantage of Prime Video and watch all the holiday movies your heart can stand.
Create your free holiday playlist during your 30-day free Amazon trial here.
8. Get early access to daily lightning deals.
Amazon Lightning Deals gives Prime members the chance to receive exclusive offers on certain items. However, the deals are only offered for a limited time and there’s often a limited supply. To grab the deals, customers have to act fast. Prime members are able to view these deals 30 minutes early, so they have a better chance of grabbing these deals.
9. Get access to early Black Friday sales.
Amazon is known for giving exclusive sneak peeks to Black Friday deals to Prime members first. This can come in handy and help you prepare your Black Friday shopping list ahead of time. It will also help you figure out whether it will be worth it to leave the house on Black Friday too!
10. Get additional discounts and free gift cards with an Amazon Prime store card.
Amazon offers Prime members an exclusive opportunity to sign up for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card. By using this card, Prime members are eligible to receive 5 percent cash back on purchases made on Amazon.com or at Whole Foods.
You can also earn 2 percent cash back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores. They offer a $70 Amazon gift card once you’re approved for the card too. That’s free money to use for your holiday shopping!
Bonus Holiday Shopping Tip: Install the Ebates Chrome extension while doing your holiday shopping this season. You can save money on sites like Amazon and more. If you haven’t signed up for Ebates yet, sign up here and get a free $10 gift card with your first $25 purchase.
Start Saving Money With These Amazon Prime Hacks This Holiday Season
As you can see, Amazon Prime has a lot to offer you during the holiday season. Every year like clockwork, I take advantage of my yearly free trial offer and paying $12.99 during the second month.
It’s an easy way to cut back on shipping costs, stay out of long lines, and enjoy the holiday shopping season from the comfort of my own home. So, go ahead and grab your free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime and start saving today.
Enjoyed this post, pin it for later so you’ll remember how to use Prime to save money this holiday season!
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