allheart55 (Cindy E)
Administrator
In recent months, I’ve become obsessed with shopping on Amazon.
It started last Christmas when I ordered presents through Amazon Prime. Everything from a butter churner to an Instax Instant Film camera were delivered to my front door within 24 hours.
It was exhilarating.
Unfortunately, the exciting feeling continued — and I still spend way too much money on impulsive buys.
However, there are ways I’m redeeming myself — or at least justifying my spending…
How to Save Money on Amazon: 7 Online Platforms to Use Now
These eight online apps are helping me work through my Amazon addiction and save some money. And they’re actually really easy to use — and free.
Trust me, I have no patience for 10-step sign-up processes.
1. Earn Rewards on Your Amazon Purchases
I’m already addicted to earning cash back on my online shopping hauls through Ebates.
Right now, Ebates has these Amazon offers:
- 3% cash back on home services
- 3% cash back on fashion
- 3% cash back on home and kitchen
- 3% cash back on luggage
- 3% cash back on devices
2. Get a Refund on Shipping Delays
There are few things more frustrating than selecting that two-day shipping option and getting your package, well, not in two days.
If you paid for shipping but didn’t receive your goods in a timely fashion, turn to Paribus. Paribus will monitor shipping times. If it detects a delay, it’ll work hard to get you the refund you deserve.
Hey, a promise is a promise, right?
3. Get a Free $10 Gift Card to Amazon
Have you heard of MyPoints? It’s a cash-back site that lets you earn rewards by shopping online and printing coupons.
We love the site around here, because it’s an instant way to save on everything you buy. For example, you can get up to 5% cash-back on purchases in some categories on Amazon.
Plus, you can get a $10 Amazon gift card when you sign up. Here’s how:
- Sign up for MyPoints here using your email or Facebook account (it’s free).
- Use the MyPoints portal next time you need to shop online. It’s connected to thousands of stores including Amazon.
- As long as you spend $10 in your first purchase, MyPoints will reward you with 1,750 bonus points, which you can redeem for a free $10 Amazon gift card.
When you’re buying stuff on Amazon, you’re not using cash, so you don’t really expect any pocket change.
However, when you use a service like Acorns, all of your purchases are rounded up to the nearest dollar and the digital change is put into a savings account. You can let it add up, or let Acorns invest it for you in a portfolio of stocks you believe in.
Either way, if you sign up through this link, Acorns will give you a free $10 bonus for trying it out.
5. Collect Points for Gift Cards on All Your Amazon Purchases
There’s a new rewards platform on the market.
Drop is a financial tech company that rewards for your purchases.
As an exclusive Drop user, all you have to do is link your credit and debit cards. When you make a Drop-qualified purchase, you’ll automatically earn points whether you’re grocery shopping, hailing an Uber or ordering a pizza. The points will add up, and you can then exchange them for gift cards to popular retailers like Amazon and Starbucks.
It’s the ultimate loyalty card — without the card.
Once you get signed up, you’ll receive a one-time Amazon offer that lets you earn 2,000 points if you spend at least $20.
6. Earn Cash Back on All Your Purchases
If you’re looking for a passive way to earn some money throughout the year, a cash-back credit card is perhaps one of the easiest methods.
You just have to be sure you don’t get too carried away with those purchases — and that the card is paid off at the end of each billing period.
If you’re an avid Amazon shopper — like, you look nowhere else for anything — you might want to consider the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card from Chase. You’ll get:
- 5% cash back on all your Amazon purchases.
- 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores.
- 1% back on everything else.
- Plus, you get a $70 Amazon gift card when approved.
There’s no annual fee, and the cash-back rewards don’t expire. We checked Credible’s annual rewards calculator, and it estimates $417 in annual rewards based on our spending habits.* (You can enter your unique spending habits and see what you’d earn, too.)
Get signed up — and 0% intro APR for 15 months — here.
7. Use Amazon Coupons — Yes, They’re a Thing
Coupons rule.
If only you could use them on Amazon, right?
Spoiler alert: You can, from right within the site.
Amazon Coupons lets you clip coupons in a bunch of categories, including groceries, personal care and household products. When you click on the coupon, it’s automatically added to your cart and applied when you check out. Easy peasy.
Please stop giving me more incentive to shop on Amazon.
Please.
*Annual Rewards amounts will change based on the amounts you enter. The monthly spending category names and definitions may vary among issuers, and categories may not align one-to-one.
Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. Although she spends too much on Amazon, she considers herself an otherwise financially responsible young adult.
