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Amazon’s Prime subscription service has increased in price over the years, starting at $79 in 2014, then rising to $99 in 2014, and most recently reaching $139.
For newcomers, Prime offers a 30-day free trial, allowing you to try its benefits without committing to a full year. You can sign up before events like Prime Day or during the holiday season to enjoy free shipping on gift purchases and then cancel afterward. Alternatively, there’s a monthly subscription option priced at $14.99, but if you plan to use Prime for an extended period, the annual fee is more cost-effective.
The primary benefit of Prime is free, two-day shipping, but members also gain access to streaming services like Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Reading, and Amazon Photos. If you frequently shop on Amazon, Prime offers good value. However, if you’re on a tight budget and want to spend less than $139 for Amazon Prime’s free shipping and additional perks, here are some alternatives to consider.
Amazon Prime discount
There are plenty of ways to get Amazon Prime discount and avoid paying $139 for Prime while still enjoying shipping and other benefits. These options allow you to enjoy Amazon’s services without committing to a full Prime membership fee:
Join Amazon Prime discount for student
Certainly, let’s break down the information about joining Amazon Student:
- Free Trial: When students sign up for Prime Student, they receive a six-month trial period.
- Shipping Benefits: During this trial, they enjoy free two-day shipping on Prime items, free same-day delivery in certain areas, and two-hour grocery delivery.
- Entertainment Access: They also gain access to various Amazon services, including Prime Video (for streaming movies and shows), Prime Music (for music streaming), Amazon Photos (for storing photos), Prime Reading (for e-books and magazines), and Amazon Photos (for storing more photos).
- Discounts: Additionally, students can access discounts on streaming add-ons and services like Calm and Course Hero. The Grubhub+ free delivery promotion also applies here.
- Cost After Trial: After the initial six-month trial period ends, students are charged either $69 per year or $7.49 per month. This rate remains in effect for up to four years or until their graduation, whichever comes first.
- Eligibility: To qualify for Prime Student, students need to have a .edu email address.
In summary, Amazon Student offers a six-month free trial with perks like fast shipping, entertainment options, and discounts. After the trial, you will be charged a reduced membership fee if you decide to continue using the service. You need a .edu email address to sign up.
Get an EBT or Medicaid discount
You can get a discount on Amazon Prime if you have a valid Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) or Medicaid card. The discount price is $6.99 per month, and you can enjoy this rate for up to four years.
Once Amazon confirms your EBT or Medicaid status, you can access benefits like free, two-day shipping, Prime Video, Amazon Photos, and more. To maintain this discount, you need to re-verify your EBT or Medicaid status every 12 months, and Amazon will send you an email reminder for this purpose.
Spend $25 or more
To get free shipping on Amazon without a Prime membership, you need to spend $25 or more on eligible items. This offer provides delivery in 5-8 business days. To reach the $25 threshold, you can choose from a wide selection of items available on Amazon.
However, it’s essential to note that not all items qualify for free shipping, so look for items that are labeled as “Ship from Amazon” and select “FREE Shipping” during checkout. Keep in mind that purchasing gift cards won’t contribute to the $25 total required for free shipping. If your order is just below $25, you can add a low-cost “add-on item” to meet the minimum requirement.
Get a Subscribe & Save Membership
Certainly, a Subscribe & Save Membership is a beneficial option for shoppers who frequently purchase the same items. This membership offers up to a 15% discount on orders and free shipping for all Subscribe & Save orders.
To become a member, you need to pick eligible items and set up a delivery schedule for subscription. While it may not offer the extensive benefits of Amazon Prime, it’s a convenient choice worth considering for those with consistent shopping preferences.
Amazon Prime 30-Day Trial
“Amazon Prime offers a 30-day trial period for newcomers. During this free trial, you get to experience all the benefits of Amazon Prime, including free two-day shipping.”
To sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime, follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to amazon.com/prime using your computer or mobile browser. If you’re eligible, you’ll see a “Start your free 30-day trial” button.
Step 2: Click on the “Start your free 30-day trial” button. You can either sign in with your existing Amazon account or create a new one. Remember, this is a 30-day free trial, so you won’t be charged during this period.
Step 3: Choose your preferred payment method for your Prime membership or add a new one. You can cancel your membership at any time, and if you cancel before your trial ends, you won’t be charged.
Step 4: Once you’ve completed these steps, you can enjoy your free 30-day Prime membership. During the trial, you’ll get benefits like fast and free delivery on many items, exclusive shopping deals, access to a vast library of digital content (Prime Video, Amazon Music, Prime Reading, and Prime Gaming), and the ability to use “Buy with Prime” when shopping directly from certain brands’ online stores.
Prime is designed to provide convenience and value, and you can cancel your membership anytime during the trial by going to the “Manage Prime Membership” section in your account and clicking on “End Trial and Benefits.”
Amazon Household
Amazon Household is a feature offered by Amazon Prime that allows you to share various benefits with up to six people, including another adult, teenagers, and children. Here are the key details:
Who can be part of Amazon Household?
- Your Household can have up to six members, including two adults, up to four teens (ages 13-17), and up to four children (children cannot shop on Amazon).
- Teens can have their own Amazon login for shopping and content streaming, with parental approval.
- Adults can add children to the Household to manage parental controls on certain devices and personalize content access.
What Prime benefits can you share?
Members of Amazon Household can share the following Prime benefits:
- Free and fast Prime delivery.
- Access to Prime Video streaming.
- Free books through Prime Reading and Amazon First Reads.
- Amazon Photos and the ability to share photo albums.
- Early access to Lightning Deals.
- Sharing digital content like eBooks, audiobooks, apps, and games.
Exceptions: Teens can shop on Prime through Amazon Household, but children cannot.
How to set up Amazon Household:
- Visit the Amazon Household page and choose to add an adult, teen, or child.
- For adults, you can send an email invite or sign up together to verify your accounts.
- Teens receive an email invite and must accept to set up their login. No invite is needed for children.
- Adjust content-sharing settings in the Family Library by selecting what to share or not.
How many adults and children can you have?
You can have up to six people in your Amazon Household:
- Up to two adults (18 and older) with their individual Amazon accounts.
- Up to four teens (ages 13-17) with their own logins and parental approval.
- Up to four children (who can’t shop on Amazon).
Can members see each other’s orders or content?
- Adults cannot see each other’s orders or content if they use their own accounts.
- Adults can review and approve teen orders and control content for children in the Household.
Cost of Amazon Household:
Amazon Household is free to use, and only one adult in the Household needs to have a Prime membership.
Using Amazon Household with Alexa:
You can switch between Amazon Household accounts with Alexa-enabled devices using voice commands. It allows you to manage shared content and notifications among linked accounts.
Leaving Amazon Household:
To leave, go to Manage Your Household and select “Leave” under your avatar name. After leaving, you lose access to shared content and can’t join another Amazon Household for 180 days. The primary Amazon Prime member retains the Prime benefits.
Amazon Prime Video
If you mainly want to watch movies and TV shows, you can get Amazon Prime Video by itself, and it costs less than the complete Amazon Prime membership.
Amazon Prime Video is a streaming service where you can watch movies and TV shows whenever you want. It has popular shows like “The Boys,” “Fleabag,” and “Daisy Jones and the Six,” along with many other options. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you get Prime Video as part of the package. This makes it a good choice for people who shop on Amazon a lot.
If you don’t want the full Amazon Prime membership, you can just get Prime Video by itself. You can add extra channels to your Prime Video subscription for more content, but you’ll have to pay extra.
Prime Video has thousands of movies and shows, including some that are exclusive to Prime Video. You can also rent or buy more titles. It costs $15 a month or $139 a year if you get it with a full Amazon Prime membership. If you only want Prime Video, it’s $9 a month. Students, people with EBT or Medicaid cards, and some new members can get discounts.
You can sign up for Prime Video on the Amazon website, and new members can try it free for 30 days. You can get an even longer free trial if you’re a college student. After the trial, you pay the regular price unless you cancel.
Prime Video can be watched on many devices, including web browsers, phones, tablets, streaming devices, smart TVs, game consoles, and more. It works on popular platforms like iOS, Android, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV, so you have many options for watching your favorite shows and movies.
Swap Amazon Prime for Walmart+
Swapping Amazon Prime for Walmart+ is an option worth considering. Walmart+ is a subscription service introduced in 2020 that costs $98 per year, which is more than $40 cheaper than Amazon Prime. Both services offer similar benefits such as free shipping and early access to special deals, along with discounts on prescriptions and gas. However, it’s important to note that Walmart+ does not include a free video-streaming service like Amazon Prime does.
Additionally, the express delivery options on Walmart+ may not be as extensive as those available through Amazon, so it’s advisable to check if Walmart offers delivery services in your area, especially if you prioritize services like grocery delivery.