Top 8 Amazon Tips for Shopping Addicts 

If you’re addicted to Amazon, then you know how easy it is to make a lot of money disappear in a short amount of time. Of course, with two-day shipping and a solid refund policy, it’s totally worth it.

Whether you need all the items you’re buying on Amazon or not, there are plenty of ways to save while you shop. So if you love to save money and don’t want to starve until your next paycheck, then keep reading. 

Are You Addicted to Amazon?

It’s okay to admit that you’re addicted to Amazon. We all are on some level. The more important question is, how you can save money while quelling your addiction via this magical shopping platform?

Some of the answers, like using Amazon coupons, are more obvious than others. However, obvious or not, it pays to know all the Amazon tips and tricks for saving money. So here are the eight best ways to save when buying on Amazon for all you addicts out there.

1. Amazon Prime Membership

If you’re not already a Prime member, shame on you, especially if you make frequent purchases on the platform. Sure, the membership costs $119 per year (or $12.99 per month), but you get free two-day shipping and access to a whole lot of perks. It’s even cheaper if you’re a student or other qualifying customer. 

You can also share your Prime membership. The share option is meant for family, but who says two or three trusted friends can’t take advantage of one mailing address and credit card? Emphasis on the word trusted!

2. Shop Amazon Outlet and Warehouse

Amazon Warehouse offers deep discounts on mainly refurbished and open-boxed gadgets and other tech items. Amazon Outlet knows no bounds and offers discounts on overstock items across a multitude of categories.

Everything you find here is rated by quality. Plus, it all falls under Amazon’s return policy, so you’re not stuck with items that aren’t up to par. 

3. Subscribe and Save on the Items You Use Most

Most products on Amazon come with a monthly subscription option that will save you anywhere from 10% to 35%. So if there are one or more products you buy frequently—or only—through Amazon, you can subscribe and save.

Amazon will notify you before your monthly shipment is sent out so you can decide whether or not you need the items coming your way. If you don’t, you can easily cancel the subscription.

4. Apply for the Amazon Rewards Visa Card

You probably don’t need another credit card in your life right now, but we promise this one is worth it.

Upon approval for the Amazon Rewards Visa card, you’ll earn five points for every dollar you spend on an Amazon or Whole Foods purchase. You’ll also earn two points for every dollar spent at restaurants, pharmacies, and gas stations. The rest of your purchases will earn you one point per dollar.

Every 100 points you earn is one dollar back in your Amazon pocket. Your available rewards show up when it’s time to checkout. You’ll also get an Amazon gift card upon approval.

5. Use Spare Change to Your Advantage 

If you’ve ever used Coinstar before, you know what a drag it is to lose out on that 11.9% of hard-earned loose change. But what if we told you there was a way to keep all of it?

If you opt for an Amazon gift card in lieu of a cash payout, you’ll get to keep 100% of your spare change. Luckily, you can find just about everything you need on Amazon with the exception of guns, cigarettes, puppies, and a few other things. We think it’s a good deal.

6. Earn Gift Cards Through Different Apps

There are several apps out there that will pay you in redeemable points to complete simple tasks, surveys, or even upload your receipts. All of those points are Amazon gift card-convertible.

Here are a few examples:

• Swagbucks
• Rakuten
• FetchRewards
• ReceiptPal
• My Points
• i-Say

Some of these apps even give you points for making Amazon purchases. All you have to do is link your Amazon account and points are applied automatically.

You can even upload the same receipt on multiple apps for points. Think of it as modern-day extreme couponing.

7. Take Advantage of the Free Samples

There are a lot of free samples floating around Amazon Marketplace. The free samples are exclusive to Prime members, and it’s just a matter of updating your preferences. Once you’re in the program, you can get free samples of anything from beauty products to pet food and beyond.

Of course, there are freebies for non-Prime members too. All you have to do is make use of the search bar. Type in “1 cent items” or “free Kindle books” for example, and you’ll come across a whole world of savings that you never knew existed.  

8. Get Charitable

Okay, so this tip doesn’t save you money, but it’ll help unload some of that shopper’s guilt you may have. If you have unused clothing or any items like toys, devices, books, etc., you can donate them using your Amazon shipping boxes. Give Back Box lets you choose a charity to donate to and provides a pre-paid shipping label.

You can also support your favorite charity via Amazon Smile. When you shop with Amazon Smile, 0.5% of all eligible purchases is donated to your charity of choice. There are thousands of charities you can choose from, and you’ll feel much better about shopping knowing that it’s for a good cause.

Go Forth and Save

It’s okay to be addicted to Amazon shopping, especially if you’ve taken tip number eight into consideration. It also doesn’t hurt that there are a number of ways to save on all the items you need—or don’t need.

If you’re a fan of life hacks then you’ll love our site. We’ve got tips on everything from A to Z. Check us out and see for yourself.