How to Save Money on Amazon (14 Tricks Most Shoppers Miss)

Amazon makes it incredibly easy to buy things. That's the problem. The one-click ordering, the "frequently bought together" suggestions, and the endless product listings are all designed to get you to spend more than you planned.

But Amazon also has dozens of built-in savings features that most shoppers never use — or don't even know about. These aren't extreme couponing tactics. They're simple habits that reliably save 15-30% on the things you're already buying.

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How Do You Know If an Amazon Price Is Actually Good?

The number one mistake is assuming Amazon always has the lowest price. It often does — but not always, and prices change constantly.

Use Price Tracking Tools

Before buying anything over $20, check the price history. CamelCamelCamel (camelcamelcamel.com) is a free website that shows you the complete price history of any Amazon product. Just paste the product URL and see whether the current price is high, low, or average.

The Keepa browser extension adds a price history chart directly to every Amazon product page, so you don't even need to visit another site. You can also set price drop alerts — Keepa emails you when an item hits your target price.

These tools reveal something eye-opening: many Amazon products fluctuate 20-50% in price throughout the year. That $40 item might have been $25 last month and will probably drop again. Knowing this prevents you from buying at peak prices.

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What Are Amazon's Built-In Savings Features?

Amazon has several discount programs that most shoppers scroll right past.

Subscribe & Save

For household items you buy regularly — cleaning supplies, paper towels, pet food, diapers, coffee — Subscribe & Save gives you an automatic 5% discount. If you have 5 or more subscriptions arriving in the same month, the discount jumps to 15%.

You can cancel, skip, or change quantities at any time. There's no commitment. Set up subscriptions for things you genuinely use every month, and the savings add up to hundreds per year.

Clip Digital Coupons

Many product listings have a small "clip coupon" checkbox below the price that saves $1-5 or 5-20% instantly. These are easy to miss because they blend into the page. Get in the habit of looking for the orange coupon tag before adding anything to your cart.

You can also browse all available coupons at amazon.com/coupons and clip them in advance.

Amazon Warehouse Deals

Amazon Warehouse sells open-box, returned, and slightly damaged-packaging items at 20-40% discounts. The products are functionally identical — most are in perfect working condition with just a dented box. Electronics, kitchen appliances, and home goods are where you'll find the best Warehouse deals.

Look for "Available from these sellers" near the buy box and check for Amazon Warehouse listings. For things like a vacuum or air fryer, this can save $30-80.

Amazon Outlet

Amazon Outlet (amazon.com/outlet) features overstock and clearance items at significant markdowns. The selection changes constantly, but you'll find deals across every category.

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How Do You Time Your Purchases?

When you buy matters as much as what you buy.

Prime Day (July)

Amazon's biggest sale event with steep discounts across all categories. Plan your larger purchases around this if possible. Start a wishlist months in advance and check it on Prime Day.

Black Friday / Cyber Monday (November)

The second-best sale window. Electronics, home goods, and kitchen appliances see their lowest prices of the year.

Back-to-School (August) and Spring Cleaning (March)

Seasonal discounts on relevant categories. March is particularly good for home and cleaning products.

End of Season

Patio furniture drops 40-60% in September. Space heaters are cheapest in April. Holiday decor is 75% off in January. Buy things a season late when possible.

Avoid January and February

Post-holiday prices on non-seasonal items tend to run higher as retailers reset. If you can wait until March, many categories see price drops.

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How Do You Avoid Overspending on Amazon?

Saving money also means not buying things you don't need. Amazon is optimized to make you spend.

The 24-Hour Cart Rule

Add items to your cart instead of buying immediately. Wait 24 hours. Most impulse purchases lose their appeal overnight. This simple habit prevents more unnecessary spending than any coupon or deal.

Delete Your Saved Payment Method

Adding even a small friction point — having to type in your credit card number — makes you think twice before buying. It won't stop you from making purchases you actually need, but it eliminates mindless one-click impulse buys.

Unsubscribe From Deal Emails

Amazon sends deal notifications, Lightning Deal alerts, and personalized recommendations designed to get you back on the site. Unsubscribe from all of them. You'll save more by not being exposed to "deals" on things you weren't planning to buy than any coupon will save you.

Compare Prices Before Checkout

Check Walmart.com and Target.com before completing an Amazon purchase. Many household items are cheaper at these retailers, especially with store pickup. Google Shopping also shows price comparisons across all major retailers instantly.

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What Are the Best Things to Buy on Amazon?

Amazon's pricing advantage is strongest in certain categories and weakest in others.

Best values on Amazon:

• Subscribe & Save household consumables (cleaning supplies, paper products, personal care)
• Electronics and tech accessories
• Books (almost always cheapest on Amazon)
• Generic/Amazon Basics versions of everyday items
• Bulk quantities of non-perishable staples

Often cheaper elsewhere:

• Fresh groceries (local stores and Aldi are usually cheaper)
• Clothing (better selection and returns at dedicated retailers)
• Furniture (Wayfair, IKEA, and local stores often beat Amazon)
• Seasonal items (home improvement stores run deeper seasonal sales)

Understanding where Amazon excels helps you shop strategically instead of defaulting to Amazon for everything.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Amazon Prime worth the money?

If you order from Amazon more than twice a month, Prime pays for itself through free shipping alone. The break-even point is roughly 24 orders per year (about $6 per order in shipping savings). If you also use Prime Video, that adds value. If you order less frequently, you can often hit the $35 free shipping threshold by combining orders.

Do Amazon prices change during the day?

Yes. Amazon adjusts prices on millions of items throughout the day using algorithmic pricing. Prices can change multiple times per day based on demand, competitor pricing, and inventory levels. This is exactly why price tracking tools are so valuable — they show you whether today's price is genuinely good.

Are Amazon Lightning Deals worth it?

Sometimes, but often no. Many Lightning Deals offer modest discounts (5-15%) on items that were already at or near their lowest price. Always check the CamelCamelCamel price history before jumping on a Lightning Deal — what looks like a steep discount might be from an inflated "list price" that the item never actually sold at.

How much can you realistically save with these tips?

Most households spend $1,000-3,000 per year on Amazon. Using Subscribe & Save, price tracking, Warehouse Deals, and the 24-hour cart rule together typically saves 15-25%, or $150-750 per year. The biggest savings come from not buying things you don't need — that's where the cart rule and unsubscribing from deal emails have the largest impact.

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Shop Smarter, Not More

You don't need to turn Amazon shopping into a research project. Just build three habits: check the price history on anything over $20, use Subscribe & Save for things you buy regularly, and wait 24 hours before buying anything you didn't specifically come to Amazon to purchase. These three habits alone will save you more than any deal-hunting strategy.