What do you do with those large plastic air pillows strewn haphazardly around products, allegedly protecting the fragile items in your Amazon orders? (Personally, I like to dance around, chopping them up with scissors and shouting, "Emergency air! Get your emergency air here!")
Thankfully, the use of these wasteful airbags is coming to an end, as Amazon says it will soon remove 95% of them from orders, instead electing to prioritize recyclable materials — a great win for the environment.
Amazon intends to integrate this change prior to Prime Day and touts its new policy as the "largest plastic packaging reduction effort in North America." Consumers have called for corporate environmentalism for years, correctly stating that it would have a more significant immediate impact than more minor household changes that conscientious Americans are already willingly adopting.
Excited about the planet-friendly change, just in time for Prime Day? Read on for Amazon hacks that will help shoppers get the most out of their money.
Earn cash back on everyday purchases with this rare account
Want to earn cash back on your everyday purchases without using a credit card? With the Discover®️ Cashback Debit Checking account (member FDIC), you can earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month!1
With no credit check to apply and no monthly fees to worry about, you can earn nearly passive income on purchases you’re making anyway — up to an extra $360 a year!
This rare checking account has other great perks too, like access to your paycheck up to 2 days early with Early Pay, no minimum deposit or monthly balance requirements, over 60K fee-free ATMs, and the ability to add cash to your account at Walmart stores nationwide.
Don’t leave money on the table — it only takes minutes to apply and it won’t impact your credit score.
Apply for a Discover Cashback Checking account today
Shop lightning deals
![Happy woman giving high five to small girl after successful purchase on Internet using computer at home](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/10/28/mom-daughter-online-shopping-1920x1080.jpg)
You can find lightning deals throughout the site as well as in the Today’s Deals section. These are temporary promotions that only have a certain number of redemptions. You’ll see a status bar and a timer that indicate when the deal will expire — either when enough customers claim the deal, or when the timer runs out. It’s a race against the clock to see who can snag the most lightning deals from Amazon.
Subscribe and save
![woman shopping on her phone](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/10/21/woman-shopping-on-phone_1200x628.jpg)
There are certain items you always need, like paper towels, daily vitamins, and coffee. You’ll be able to find many of these items available for automatic delivery through Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program. Thousands of products qualify, and you can pick the quantity and delivery frequency that works for you, with the option to cancel or change your preferences at any time. Once you start receiving five or more Subscribe & Save products in each delivery to the same address, you’ll get up to 15% off.
Use the right credit card
![Woman with credit card](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/08/woman-and-credit-card.jpg)
If you’re not taking advantage of credit card rewards, you’re leaving money on the table. Some of the best rewards credit cards offer boosted rewards at Amazon. The most obvious choice is the Amazon Visa, which offers 3% cash back at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases; 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations, and on local transit and commuting; and 1% cash back on all other purchases. There’s no annual fee for this card, either.
There are also credit cards that earn boosted rewards in rotating categories. For example, the Discover it® Cash Back card gives you Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.. It might not be the best card to use year-round, but it’s a great option for customers without a Prime account who want to maximize their rewards for certain purchases. For the rest of the year, you might consider using a card with a great straightforward cashback rate, like the Citi Double Cash® Card.
Get a protection plan on all your appliances
Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.
Whether or not you’re a new homeowner, a home warranty from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where insurance falls short and protect you against surprise expenses. If a covered system in your home breaks, you can call their hotline 24/7 to get it repaired.
For a limited time, you can get your first month free with a Single Payment home warranty plan.
Choose no-rush shipping
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Amazon packages ship quickly, but if you don’t need your items right away, there’s a benefit to waiting. If you choose no-rush shipping on your order, you’ll receive either an immediate discount or rewards that you can use later on. These often consist of digital credits for movies, books, and music. Keep in mind that while discounts are available to everyone, rewards are only available to Prime members. You won’t be able to get both or choose between them — the benefit will depend on the offer.
Keep an eye out for credit card offers
![Woman using laptop](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/10/woman-at-laptop.jpg)
From time to time, your credit card issuer may offer boosted rewards or a discount for using your credit card or rewards points at Amazon. American Express has had some especially lucrative offers this year. Not every American Express cardholder will qualify for the promotion; you’ll need an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points, like the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card.
Currently, some targeted cardholders are receiving an offer for up to 50% off (maximum of $60) their Amazon purchase when they use at least one membership reward point. You can connect your Amex account to see if you’re eligible to activate Amazon’s offer.
Use Amazon coupons
![Man smiling at phone](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/10/man-computer-phone.jpg)
Amazon offers coupons on a variety of products, from $2 off Yankee Candles to 10% off satin pillowcases. New coupons are always being added, and you can search by brand or category. If you’re about to order an item, check to see if there’s a similar item from another brand that is coupon eligible.
You’ll need to click the coupon to activate it and add the item to your cart. You’ll see your discount applied at checkout.
Install the Honey extension
![Woman working on laptop](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/30/woman-working-computer.png)
When you add the Honey extension to your browser, Honey will automatically compare prices with other top retailers, factoring in estimated shipping costs, to find you the best price. But it’s more than just a price comparison tool. You can also use it to view Amazon’s price history for a particular item, so you can check what time of year is best to buy. And if you want to be alerted when a price drops, you can simply add the item to your Droplist. Honey makes everyone a smarter Amazon shopper. Did we mention it’s free?
Use cashback apps
![Man smiling and looking at phone](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/19/man_smiling_and_looking_at_phone.jpg)
Many of the top cashback apps and sites, such as Ibotta and Rakuten, don’t partner with Amazon. But signing up for TopCashback could get you some serious earnings when you spend money in specific categories on Amazon or sign up for a Prime membership.
The site works by passing the commission earned from each retailer back to its users. So when you click through TopCashback to visit Amazon and shop in a particular category, TopCashback earns a commission and passes that money along to you in the form of cash back.
Shop Amazon Warehouse deals
![Adorable white cat lying on keyboard and distracting owner from work, closeup](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/18/cat_next_to_computer.png)
When pre-owned, used, and open box products make their way back to Amazon, they go through a quality check before being sold in Amazon’s Warehouse Deals section. You can find some deep discounts on everything from furniture to computers to kitchen appliances. However, used prices aren’t always better than new ones, so be sure to compare before making a purchase.
Stop overpaying when you shop online
Shopping online has its perks. It's super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don't always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.
Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it'll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you're buying is available cheaper somewhere else.
Capital One Shopping is free to use and won't show you ads. Add it today and stop overpaying!2
Shop Woot! deals
![Happy woman with computer](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/02/happy-woman-computer.jpg)
Woot! is Amazon’s daily deal site, which offers deep discounts on everything from clothing to home items and electronics. Check back daily to see what’s available. And here comes another perk of being a Prime member — you’ll get free standard shipping on all Woot! purchases.
Sort by discount
![Smiling man at laptop](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/08/smiling-man.jpg)
This is one of the more clever moves out there. You may have noticed that Amazon doesn’t allow you to sort by discount percentage, so it can be tough to find really good value deals among the regular merchandise. And sorting by price can bring up pages of irrelevant results.
But there’s a secret to discovering hidden discounts on Amazon. Start by entering a product in Amazon’s search bar, and then add &pct-off;=50- to the url in your browser to see items discounted 50%. This works for any discount amount, and you can also use it to see a range of discounts. For example, adding &pct-off;=50-75 to the url in your browser will return items discounted between 50% and 75%. The results aren’t always perfect, but you’ll be able to more quickly locate Amazon’s best discounts this way.
Sign up for a registry
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Not only is signing up for a wedding or baby registry a great way to share your needs with your friends and family members, but it’s also a strategic way to get a huge discount on stuff from Amazon. For both wedding and baby registries, Amazon offers a completion discount. That means you can save on the remaining items not purchased from your registry. Here’s what you can expect:
Wedding registry completion discount | Baby registry completion discount | |
Prime members | A one-time 20% discount of up to $300, provided at least $500 in purchases have been made from your registry | A 15% discount on up to two orders with a maximum discount of $300 |
non-Prime members | A one-time 10% discount of up to $100, provided at least $500 in purchases have been made from your registry | A 10% discount on up to two orders with a maximum discount of $200
|
Take advantage of free grocery delivery
![Bags of groceries outside front door](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/02/grocery-delivery_1.jpg)
Prime members in some regions have access to free two-hour grocery delivery from Amazon Fresh. That free delivery alone is a great perk to having a Prime membership, and it can also be easier to find grocery deals when you’re shopping online. SNAP EBT cardholders can also get free shipping from Amazon Fresh by meeting a minimum order requirement — no Prime membership needed.
Scope out Prime Day
![Amazon primer day banner](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2018/07/16/amazon-prime-day.jpg)
Amazon officially released the date for Prime Day in 2024: July 17 and 18. You can expect some sweet member-exclusive deals to be available. Prime Day is typically the best time to buy Amazon-exclusive devices, which are almost always discounted during the sale. Other electronics, such as laptops and tablets, headphones, and TVs, can also get some pretty steep discounts during this time.
Bottom line
![Amazon boxes](https://cdn.financebuzz.com/filters:quality(75)/images/2021/11/10/amazon-prime.jpg)
Building wealth isn’t just about your retirement account — it also comes from making smart everyday decisions that allow you to save money and reap rewards. If you’re a frequent Amazon shopper, you have the potential to save a significant chunk of change using these tips. That’s more money in your pocket, which you can use to crush your debt, accomplish your savings or investing goals, or treat yourself.
Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards
FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Current Offer
$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Benefits
- Low spend threshold for its welcome offer — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
- Cell phone protection benefit (subject to a $25 deductible)
- Can redeem rewards at an ATM for literal cash
Drawbacks
- Foreign transaction fee of 3%
- No bonus categories
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.