How to Save Money on Amazon: 11 Simple Secrets and Tricks

If you love Amazon as much as me, it's a good idea to learn how to save money on Amazon. While a Prime membership allows you access to free shipping and exclusive Prime Day Deals, there are other tried-and-true secrets to saving money on Amazon to keep more money in your pocket.

11 easy ways to save money on Amazon

1. Pay with an Amazon credit card

One of the best ways to ensure savings on Amazon is to pay with an Amazon credit card. You can earn up to 5% back back on many Amazon purchases with an eligible Prime membership. In addition, you can earn points on other purchases, including gas and restaurant expenses. Here are a couple of options:

	Prime Visa	Amazon Visa
Welcome Offer	$150 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members	Earn a $50 Amazon gift card upon approval of credit card application
Rewards Rate	Unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases	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
Prime Membership Needed?	Yes	No
Annual Fee	$0	$0

2. Use a general cash back card

If you don't want a credit card focused on Amazon, there are a number of other credit cards you can use to get cash back on your Amazon purchases. Some even offer up to 5% cash back, but you earn healthy rewards in other categories too. For example, the Chase Freedom Flex^® lets you earn 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories you activate (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service); and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Sometimes the rotating categories include Amazon.

You can also use the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card to earn 3% back on the first $2,500 spent in the category of your choice each quarter. Online shopping is one of the category options. There are also many other best credit cards for shopping on Amazon to consider, including the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card.

3. Use points to shop on Amazon

If you have an American Express or Chase credit card, you may have the option to pay with points on your Amazon purchases. This isn't always the best use of your points, especially if you travel and can book through the credit card's portal, but it's an option that may help you save money on Amazon purchases.

4. See if you qualify for a discounted membership

An Amazon Prime membership is packed with benefits — including free two-day shipping, Prime Video access, and Whole Foods discounts— but it comes at a cost. Regular Prime membership is $14.99 per month or $139 per year. But if you're in school or receive government assistance, you might qualify for a discounted membership.

A Prime Student membership only costs $7.49 per month or $69 per year and EBT and Medicaid cardholders pay only $6.99 per month for a Prime membership. You'll just need to confirm your eligibility before signing up.

5. Put commonly used items on autopilot

If there are certain household or grocery items you purchase regularly, you may get a discount if you put them on auto order. You can check the price difference before selecting an option, but the discount is often pretty good. The nice thing is you can control when the items ship and even skip orders, as needed.

I like this option for the savings and the convenience. No one likes running out of the things they use most often in their house, and if I don't have to rush out the store, I'm very happy.

6. Opt for no-rush shipping

As a Prime member, you'll get free 2-day shipping on millions of products. But if you don't need an order delivered that quickly, you can opt for a discount or reward instead. Just select "Free No-Rush Shipping" as your delivery option, and you'll receive your item within the stated time.

Discounts are applied instantly, while rewards are added to your account once your order is shipped. The discount or reward amounts vary by order and you don't have to worry about tracking your rewards, since Amazon automatically applies them to your next purchase.

7. Shop Amazon Outlet and Warehouse deals

You can find some amazing sales on overstocked items at Amazon Outlet, whether you're looking for a new pair of headphones or a new patio set. You can also find millions of open-box and pre-owned items that have gone through a 20-point inspection at Amazon Warehouse which is a great place to find electronics and home goods.

Check these shops first before shopping through Amazon's main page — you might be surprised at the deals you score.

8. Look for coupons

Every day, Amazon offers a number of coupons on different products, from tools to toys to household items. You can browse Amazon coupons by category. When you find one you like, simply click "Clip Coupon" and the discount will be applied to your order during checkout.

9. Shop Woot! Deals

Woot! is an Amazon-owned company that provides limited-time sales and daily deals on hot products you can find at Amazon. If you have a Prime membership, you'll even get free shipping. I think the discounts are pretty impressive, so it's worth checking their site regularly. You can even log in with your Amazon account to complete your order.

10. Check for daily deals

Amazon's Daily Deals are limited-time offers with discounts ranging anywhere from 10% to 90%. You'll see the timed offers noted with a clock indicating how much longer you have to redeem the offer. Check back regularly to find all of Amazon's best offers in one place and snag them before time runs out.

11. Use cashback sites

Some sites will reward you with cash back for your Amazon purchases, and some even pay a bonus for signing up. Rakuten and Ibotta used to offer cash back on Amazon purchases, but have since stopped their partnership. You may occasionally find coupons on Ibotta, but other cashback sites may offer a small percentage back for your purchases, such as Fetch Rewards, which only requires you to link your Amazon account to it to automatically earn rewards.

FAQs about Amazon Shopping

Bottom line

I know Amazon has some great prices, but I encourage you to look for even more ways to save money on Amazon. Whether you clip a coupon, get free shipping, or earn cash back on a credit card, even small amounts add up to big savings.

You can even stack opportunities, such as clipping a coupon and using a cashback credit card to earn rewards.