Should You Consider an Amazon.com Prime Membership?
Some Things to Consider About Amazon Prime
If you know about the Amazon.com Prime membership program, it might surprise you to know that I'm a member. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a frugal shopping and will always go the extra mile to save the extra buck. Why then, would I spend almost $80 on a "membership" to shop at an online store that others shop at for free? Have I lost my money-saving mind? Absolutely not.
It's Not For Everyone
Before I go touting the benefits of an Amazon Prime membership I have to admit that it's not for everyone. If you only order once or twice a year from the website, the $79 membership fee is probably going to cost you more money than it will save. If, however, you're like me, the savings can really add up.
Calling All Frequent Amazon.com Shoppers
If you're like me and you order from Amazon.com at least 10 or 12 times per year, a Prime Membership can really pay off. Why? Because Prime members get free 2-day shipping on all qualifying orders. Over the course of a year, that savings can really add up.
A Word of Warning
Now, before you go all gung ho and jump into an Amazon Prime membership to reap the rewards of free shipping, it's important to note that not all purchases qualify. See, the Amazon.com website doesn't just list items for sale from Amazon.com. Other companies and businesses peddle their wares on the site too. Purchases from these merchants do not qualify for the free Prime membership shipping.
Now, that being said, I tend to stick to purchases directly from Amazon.com when ordering from their site. This way I get the benefit of knowing that I'm not ordering from some fly-by-night company and my purchases almost always qualify for Prime shipping.
So if you're a dedicated Amazon shopper and you haven't yet signed up for Amazon Prime, keep the above things in mind. You might be throwing away money every time you pay for shipping – money that you could be spending on other, more important things.