Amazon prime

[azucena]

Realized that prime is costing us $144/year. Wondering what others are paying and any options to reduce? Similar to the Sirus thread.

[daisylu]

I had to look it up. Mine is due to renew December 29th at $139/year. The other option that I have is $14.99/month. I did not know that it varied - I thought it was the same price for everyone.

ETA - I hit to cancel to see what came up. I got a popup that showed the monthly rate, and also asked if I was a student or on government assistance so I assume there are discounts for those.

[minnesotapaintlady]

If it wasn't that my aunt is also on my account (old, old account where you could have two households on the same), I would drop mine.  I don't even know what it is.  I'm assuming about $140, but it's too much.  I might have a talk with her before it renews next June/July. 

About the only thing I would want to figure out is the Prime Photos, because I do have a lot stored there.  It really would just involve me taking the time to back them up to an external drive, something I should be doing anyhow.  My kid would be a little irked about losing Amazon games, but we rarely watch Prime Video and the free shipping is pointless with how little I order.  You get free shipping anyhow if the order is over what? $35?  Two day shipping pretty much doesn't exist anymore.  I frequently end up waiting a week or more now.  The stuff I ordered Thanksgiving weekend still hasn't shown up. 

[azucena]

Maybe it doesn't vary. Wasn't sure if there were new user offers. Didn't know about the student discount. Wondering if I can use DD15s hs email address.

Wondering if there is some combination discount for prime and amazon music bc we have both.

$140 is a lot but we use it weekly and it saves me so much time

[azucena]

Didn't know about prime photos, will have DH look into that more because we do need to put our photos someplace like a cloud instead of hard drives and backup hard drives

[minnesotapaintlady]

Dec 5, 2023 12:09:14 GMT -5 azucena said:

Didn't know about prime photos, will have DH look into that more because we do need to put our photos someplace like a cloud instead of hard drives and backup hard drives

It's unlimited photo storage and backs up from my phone automatically.

eta:  My phone also backs the pics to Dropbox and Google Drive, but they're both limited storage for the free versions, so I do occasionally have to back up to a hard drive and make room for new ones there.

[nidena]

I haven't had Prime in four years.  I don't miss it.  I've tailored all my shopping to alternative options.  I used to do the Subscribe & Save and they always seemed to be out of the things I was subscribed to.  I almost never watched Prime Video when I had it.  It just wasn't cost effective for me.  

I get my groceries and toiletries from Misfits Market, Costco, and Kroger.
I get my coffee from Hoosier Warrior Coffee and Kroger.
I get my pet stuff from Chewy or the local small business pet store.
I get my clothes from where I work part-time or at local small businesses (see my tagline for that specificity)
I get my shoes directly from the HeyDude, Clarks, and Altra websites.
I get my DVDs and textbooks from alibris and my books from the library.
I get my electronics from Best Buy or Target bricks and mortar stores.
I get my vitamins from the local apothecary.

If I shopped at amazon, I wouldn't get the chance to get to know the people that work in my city nor would I get to cultivate relationships with key people who might be able to help me should I need it.  THAT is worth the driving that I must do to get to the various locales.

[azucena]

For my season of life, time >>> money.

[nidena]

Dec 5, 2023 12:36:00 GMT -5 azucena said:

For my season of life, time >>> money.

That applies to anyone who pays their own bills.  It's not reserved to any one particular age group.  It's the reason that I pay people to do most repairs on my house: because me doing it would cost me time that I choose to spend elsewhere.
I just happen to not mind driving.  If I did mind it, I certainly wouldn't have completed so many cross country trips in my lifetime...with more in my future.

[nidena]

But...to that effect...is the money you're spending on Prime saving you the time where you want it saved?  If not, nix it.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Dec 5, 2023 13:31:34 GMT -5 nidena said:

Dec 5, 2023 12:36:00 GMT -5 azucena said:

For my season of life, time >>> money.

That applies to anyone who pays their own bills.  It's not reserved to any one particular age group.  It's the reason that I pay people to do most repairs on my house: because me doing it would cost me time that I choose to spend elsewhere.
I just happen to not mind driving.  If I did mind it, I certainly wouldn't have completed so many cross country trips in my lifetime...with more in my future.

Well, not really.  I pay my own bills and have more time than money, so if I can fix something on my own I will even if it takes me a lot longer than having someone else do it.

[nidena]

Dec 5, 2023 13:35:30 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Dec 5, 2023 13:31:34 GMT -5 nidena said:

That applies to anyone who pays their own bills.  It's not reserved to any one particular age group.  It's the reason that I pay people to do most repairs on my house: because me doing it would cost me time that I choose to spend elsewhere.
I just happen to not mind driving.  If I did mind it, I certainly wouldn't have completed so many cross country trips in my lifetime...with more in my future.

Well, not really.  I pay my own bills and have more time than money, so if I can fix something on my own I will even if it takes me a lot longer than having someone else do it.

My point is that everyone's time equals money.  How they choose to spend it is on them.

[chiver78]

Dec 5, 2023 13:35:30 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Dec 5, 2023 13:31:34 GMT -5 nidena said:

That applies to anyone who pays their own bills.  It's not reserved to any one particular age group.  It's the reason that I pay people to do most repairs on my house: because me doing it would cost me time that I choose to spend elsewhere.
I just happen to not mind driving.  If I did mind it, I certainly wouldn't have completed so many cross country trips in my lifetime...with more in my future.

Well, not really.  I pay my own bills and have more time than money, so if I can fix something on my own I will even if it takes me a lot longer than having someone else do it.

 this. 

I just looked it up, it's $139/yr. mine renews in August, so it's been a minute. 

for me, I initially signed on for Prime when I cut cable in favor of streaming services on Fire Sticks - Amazon's platform. I have a number of things on subscription orders as well, which probably wouldn't be the case if I wasn't already paying for Prime. I also tend to buy things as an "oh shit, I didn't realize I was out of X" than planning big orders. so that alone justifies the annual fee for me haha. 

I've never been a huge movie person, but when I earn digital credits for some purchases, it's a nice perk to be able to skate on paying to 'rent' a movie via the streaming platform as well. 

[MN-Investor]

There is this too -

Amazon adding ads to Prime Video in 2024 unless you pay $2.99 extra

Next year, watching TV shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video without ads will cost more than it does now. In early 2024, Amazon will show ads with Prime Video content unless you pay $2.99 extra.

Amazon announced today that Prime Video users in the US, Canada, Germany, and the UK will automatically start seeing advertisements "in early 2024." Subscribers will receive a notification email "several weeks" in advance, at which point they can opt to pay $2.99 extra for ad-free Prime Video, Amazon said.

That takes the price of ad-free Prime Video from $8.99/month alone to $11.98/month and from $14.99/month with Prime to $17.98/month.

[wvugurl26]

DH pays for it so I have no idea the cost. We use the Amazon video at times. NFL has games on prime now. I do the free book every month from prime.

I don't have a lot of subscribe and save stuff but I do order stuff regularly. Compared to say DC we are a rural area but the total county population is in six figures so not that small. Our shopping options are awful. My small hometown with half the population has way better choices.

Stock of items, normal items is also wildly unpredictable locally since covid. Both of us work full time and I find driving to places with better options to be super stressful. People have atrocious driving habits made worse during the covid shut down. They all think they are as skilled and can drive as fast as a F1 driver. Also going anywhere with a wider selection is a 2 hour round trip before you add shopping time. I don't have that kind of free time in my schedule on a regular basis.

[movingforward]

Mine is around $150. My best friend shares my account which makes it reasonable. If they didn't allow you to share with someone then I would drop it.

[saveinla]

I never had Prime except when they offer me a month free. My city has wonderful shopping with a lot of mom and pop stores and I like to wander around. I used to buy books when my son was in college, but very rarely use it now.

I believe if you have a .edu account, your price is less.

[soupandstew]

Our Prime is $16.23/month or $194.76/year.  We don't use the photo or streaming services, just the free shipping.  For us, it's worth every cent.  Just a quick run to a local store takes 30-60 minutes drive time plus parking and shopping. Add the stress of driving dangerous streets where road rage attacks are a daily occurrence as are parking lot muggings.  And then there's the likelihood that at least part of what you want won't be in stock.  I used to like shopping as retail therapy but nowadays it's a time-consuming and dangerous pastime, so we use Prime for most of our everyday essentials.  

[TheOtherMe]

I pay annually and have no regrets.  I do a lot of shopping on Amazon because I am still not going inside of stores to shop.  I just paid $20 to UPS to not have my packages go to USPS and then to me.  UPS will deliver to my house.   I usually pick non prime shipping.  Right now I am getting 6% in rewards rather than 5% when I do that.  

Not to mention I am in the middle of nowhere and I hated going some place and they don't have what I am shopping for.  

When I shop on Amazon Canada, they usually offer me free Prime for a month.  Once the package is delivered, I turn it off.  Right now I am on 90 days of free music which I am listening to.  

I haven't watched a lot of video or stored pictures there.  My photos are in Dropbox and another online back up.  

azucena I think to get the student discount you have to have an .edu email.  That's the way it was when nephews were in college.  Sister really didn't like it when the discount went away.

I pay the $139 plus tax.  That's less expensive that paying monthly.  

I have also added up what I save in shipping and it's definitely more than $139.

[susana1954]

I think the variation is whether your state charges sales tax.  It is basically a service, but Alabama taxes it, anyway.

I don't use everything it offers--like photos, for example--but I use enough.  My favorite part is that I don't have to buy stuff I don't want or need to get shipping.  And I can return it for free.  I don't buy stuff on Amazon that isn't covered by those shipping terms.  Similarly, I rarely buy stuff that can't be returned to a brick-and-mortar store.  

Rumor has it that they are going to start charging for returns.  They will lose me as a customer at that point.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

We watch a lot of stuff on Amazon Prime, and I listen to Amazon Music daily. For us, it's worth the cost.

[CCL]

I love my Amazon Prime. We have a few local fulfillment centers, so almost everything is delivered within 2 days. Many arrive same day or overnight. We probably place 2-4 orders a week.

[countrygirl2]

We live in the country, we have Prime and order tons of stuff plus prime video.

It's like I want hot oil treatment from VO5, I have been to town twice 12 miles each way and noone in the 2 stores, Walmart nor Baeslers had it. I'm sure the Save A Lot nor Dollar Store did either. Since they remodeledour local Walmart, seems like lots of stuff they no longer carry. I would have to drive over 80 miles round trip to see if I could find it, not worth it so Amazon. And yes its taking longer, but I think they had a fire at the Indianapolis facility, seems like they did a few months back and than Yellow Freight going belly up. Both might have affected the turn around time.

We will keep it. Same with chewable Centrum vitamins, not the jelly kinds of them, no local store has them and on and on.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Dec 5, 2023 13:44:55 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Dec 5, 2023 13:35:30 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Well, not really.  I pay my own bills and have more time than money, so if I can fix something on my own I will even if it takes me a lot longer than having someone else do it.

 this. 

I just looked it up, it's $139/yr. mine renews in August, so it's been a minute. 

for me, I initially signed on for Prime when I cut cable in favor of streaming services on Fire Sticks - Amazon's platform. I have a number of things on subscription orders as well, which probably wouldn't be the case if I wasn't already paying for Prime. I also tend to buy things as an "oh shit, I didn't realize I was out of X" than planning big orders. so that alone justifies the annual fee for me haha. 

I've never been a huge movie person, but when I earn digital credits for some purchases, it's a nice perk to be able to skate on paying to 'rent' a movie via the streaming platform as well. 

So much of this.  I currently have 2 merino under layers in my cart at Amazon for our trip to Norway next month.  I might be able to get them in town, but I am choosing not to waste gas to find out as my useless 35 mile trip to 3 independent craft stores to find a single item I needed on Monday was unsuccessful.  I spent $7 in gas to drive around.  It’s not that I can’t afford to spend $7, but it was a waste of a resource.  I did pick up milk though, but could have asked TD to do so on his way home.

I also have subscriptions through the service, which I get at a discount.  Our only streaming services are Amazon Prime, BritBox (also through Amazon)  and Netflix.  

I do hate that it’s such a monopoly, but stores have been decreasing inventory for at least 15 years, if not longer.  When I go to 2 stores and cannot find my hair dye in my color, or deodorant that I like, I give up and order multiples from Amazon.  

[busymom]

We don't have Prime.  We've managed well without it.  We just keep filling the cart until we have enough in it for free shipping.  My only complaint is you never know when your order will arrive, because it's not a "priority".  

[grumpyhermit]

I feel like mine just auto-renewed at like $139? Which is odd, because for two years running I could have sworn I have changed that setting to NOT auto-renew as I want to try giving Amazon the boot.

Will have to check my settings (again).

If I only used shipping, it would in no way be worth it. I get a fair amount of use out of Prime Video. I used to also use Prime Music, but now that I pay for YouTube Premium, I much prefer that service for streaming music.

[TheOtherMe]

I received an email about a month before my auto renew.

[chiver78]

Dec 6, 2023 16:09:53 GMT -5 grumpyhermit said:

I feel like mine just auto-renewed at like $139? Which is odd, because for two years running I could have sworn I have changed that setting to NOT auto-renew as I want to try giving Amazon the boot.

Will have to check my settings (again).

If I only used shipping, it would in no way be worth it. I get a fair amount of use out of Prime Video. I used to also use Prime Music, but now that I pay for YouTube Premium, I much prefer that service for streaming music.

I argue with them every year about NOT auto-renewing, and they tell me that all their accounts do this. so I have to wait a week or so (I set a calendar alarm) to go in and edit my account to not automatically renew. 

such a PITA, but it is doable. good luck! 

[nidena]

Dec 5, 2023 18:34:24 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

I think the variation is whether your state charges sales tax.  It is basically a service, but Alabama taxes it, anyway.

I don't use everything it offers--like photos, for example--but I use enough.  My favorite part is that I don't have to buy stuff I don't want or need to get shipping.  And I can return it for free.  I don't buy stuff on Amazon that isn't covered by those shipping terms.  Similarly, I rarely buy stuff that can't be returned to a brick-and-mortar store.  

Rumor has it that they are going to start charging for returns.  They will lose me as a customer at that point.

Only if you return it to a UPS store when there is a closer option to choose. link to article

[TheOtherMe]

Where I live, the UPS store is the only option.