Amazon Prime – I finally tried it!
I was close to trying Amazon Prime a few years ago before they upped the yearly price from $79 to $99 and again before they raised it from $99 to $119 per year.
As I find myself ordering more stuff online, I have decided to go ahead and give it a try.
Justifying the cost
$119 per year isn’t exactly cheap. But if Amazon Prime helps me cut back on some of my other expenses, maybe it will be worth it. Here are the things I have tried so far:
Amazon Prime Music – I treat myself to a month of Apple Music twice a year. One month in May for my birthday, another month in December for Christmas. I can’t bring myself to commit to spending another $10/month on entertainment. ($15 if I want to share with my family.) … The music selection that comes with Prime is limited. But I am finding the majority of songs I want to put on my playlist. (Value: $20/year by not subscribing to 2 months of apple music)
Amazon Prime Video – Netflix has gone up in price and Hulu’s selection seems to be getting smaller on its cheapest plan. I have not found much I want to watch on Amazon video yet. But adding a third option for our viewing pleasure will let me downgrade my Netflix account again. (Value: $48/year by downgrading to a 1-screen Netflix plan)
Free 2-day Shipping – Isn’t this what Prime is really about? Several of the items I want to order online will be available with 2-day shipping. I think this will be very useful in my daughter’s senior year, as she does more class projects. (Value: I assume at least $45 will be saved by not having to pay for rush shipping!)
Other Money Savings – Every little penny adds up! I have found some good deals on nutritional supplements and dog food through Prime.
Looking Forward
There are a few other Prime benefits that I am looking forward to trying!
Prime Wardrobe – Have 2-8 Prime Wardrobe items sent to your house, try them on, return what you don’t want and pay for what you keep! I need to read the terms more closely before we try it, but I have been looking at Prime Wardrobe for a few months now. I have already marked a small selection of dresses that I’m eager to show my daughter when we get closer to prom!
One of the downsides of being in a plus-size woman small town surrounded by small towns … The clothing selection is limited. We go to a bigger city about twice a year for back to school shopping or to get a nice outfit for special occasions. Some years we run across amazing deals! Like $80+ dresses that look like they were made for my daughter, marked down to less than $20 in the clearance section. Other years, we waste our day going from store to store, only to go home frustrated that we ran out of time before we got to the “fun” part of our trip.
As much as I like finding a deal. (Junior year prom dress for only $7!) I don’t mind paying more for those outfits we really love. Especially if we could do it from the comfort of our own home.
Amazon Prime Reading – I see a limited selection of stories available in Prime Reading, including 2 from the series I am currently working on! I am still several books away from the two that I see for free in Prime Reading. I hope they are still there when I get that far!