Free Two-Day Shipping (And Sooner)
Depending on the item, you may also be eligible for same-day or one-day delivery at no extra cost. Same-day is only in specific zip codes, so don’t be surprised if it’s not offered in your area. As an added benefit, if you’re not in a hurry to get your items, you can choose No-Rush Shipping, which usually takes two to three extra days. If you go this route, you’ll usually get $1 to $3 in digital credits to use on digital items, such as ebooks, music downloads, and videos. In my experience, I usually receive my items around one to two days later. If you shop at Whole Foods and are in one of the eligible areas, you can get two-hour delivery on your groceries.
Earn More Cash Back
Get Early Access and Exclusive Discounts
You’ll also find regular discounts on a wide variety of items. These discounts are only available to Prime members. However, as a Prime member, you also get access to ad-free podcasts. And, if you’re not big on creating your own playlists, you can take advantage of all the playlists others have created. Considering most music-streaming memberships start at around $10/month, this can save you $120/year. If you are interested in upgrading to the Music Unlimited plan (separate from Prime), it’s $8.99/month for individuals or $15.99/month for the family plan.
Prime Reading
Prime Reading is a stripped-down version of Kindle Unlimited. Members get a rotating selection of over one thousand books, comics, audiobooks, magazines, Kindle Singles, and more every month. While you can’t keep these, you can read them while they’re included for free in your membership. You can borrow up to 10 titles at a time with Prime Reading. The good news is if you don’t finish a borrowed title during the month, you can keep it for free until you finish it. If you see several titles you want to read but may not have the time, go ahead and borrow them, open each book so it’s active, then read at your own pace. If you like a variety of genres, Prime Reading can be perfect. If you like a large selection, Kindle Unlimited may be the better option. Or try one of these Kindle alternatives instead.
Prime Gaming
There is one drawback, though. If you’re sharing your membership, only one person per household can claim an offer. If you have multiple gamers in your home, you won’t be able to both claim the same games and offers. Of course, you can always just play together.
Try Before You Buy
Eligible clothing, shoes, and accessories (such as belts and hats) are shipped for free to your home. You then have seven days to try out the items and send back (for free) what you don’t want. You’re only charged for the items you decide to keep. You can send everything back if you don’t like it or it doesn’t fit. Choose up to six items at a time. Even limited time deals are included as part of the offer.
Unlimited Photo Storage
If you need more storage space for videos, bump this up at any time. Plans start at $19.99/year for 100 GB, with plans for up to 30 TB for a whopping $1,799/year. Naturally, there are several ways to reduce your cost. If you pay month to month, it’s $14.99/month, while an annual plan costs $139/year, which saves you $30.88 a year. No matter what type of plan you choose, you’re eligible for at least a 30-day free trial. Often, you can score one or two free trials per year. However, a full month is a generous trial. Click “Try Prime.” If you’re eligible for a free trial, you can start it. Otherwise, you’ll be asked to choose your plan. For students and government assistance plans, you must verify your status by entering any required information. For example, students must have a valid student email address.
Manage Your Prime Membership (Cancel or Change)
On the website, log in, click the menu under your name, and choose Prime Membership. On the app, open the menu and select Prime from your shortcuts or the list of items that appear. All the details about your Prime membership are listed in the Prime category. From here, you can explore your benefits, check out exclusive deals, get tips to make more of your membership, or change your membership. Click the Help option below the search bar to end or change your membership. In the app, expand the Prime menu and select Help.
Finding Eligible Prime Items
You might have noticed I used the word “eligible” when talking about free shipping and other benefits. You don’t have to just guess as to what’s eligible. When you search for an item, there are a variety of filters. For example, I’ll search for “blouse” just to show you how to filter for Prime eligible and Try Before You Buy items. Check the Prime box to filter your results to items that are eligible for free shipping for Prime members. Select “Prime Try Before You Buy” to only see items you can try for seven days for free. It’s that simple. The app has the same filter options. Tip: Try these browser extensions that will help you save money when you shop online.
Finding Prime Reading
In the Kindle app, open the Store at the bottom of the app and filter by “Prime Reading” using the filter just under the search box. This content is usually marked with the word “Ads” in the top corner.
Finding Prime Music
As the name implies, only Prime members get to participate in this epic savings frenzy. You can subscribe for just a month to score the deals; though, if you’re eligible for a free trial, it’s a great time to sign up.
Sharing Your Benefits
However, you can share benefits between two adults, up to four teens, and up to four children. Teens are able to shop, but you’ll need to approve their purchases. Children can’t shop on their own. If your family members need access to all the benefits, they’ll need to have separate Prime memberships. Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Crystal Crowder. It’s perfect for people who read just one or two books a month. You’ll easily find something to enjoy from the selection. Of course, that’s just the cost savings with two benefits. The more you use, the more value you get.
