How to shop smart and save money on Prime Day

Alyssa Pry · Personal Finance Reporter

Mon, Jul 16, 2018, 10:30 AM

The much-anticipated Amazon Prime Day is almost here and shoppers are gearing up to score some major deals. The 36-hour mega-sale will start on Monday, July 16 at 3 p.m., and will feature over 1 million items for sale, according to Amazon. Last year’s Prime Day sales surpassed Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales for the consumer giant.

But this shopping holiday is only for Prime members, who pay $119 a year, or $12.99 per month, and get extra perks like free two-day shipping, and access to Prime TV, movies and music.

So what can deal-hunters expect? Amazon is notoriously tight-lipped about their deals, revealing most price cuts on the day of the sale. But there are things to keep an eye out for, like tech. If you’re looking to build a smart home, Prime Day is a great time to start. Amazon Echo products have traditionally seen deep discounts—already, Amazon is offering $100 off the new Echo Show, a voice-activated video monitor. Amazon Prime Day 2018 tech shopping guide has more tech tips for Prime Day.

Amazon is also giving you a head start on your back-to-school shopping: Pens, pencils, notebooks and backpacks will all be on sale. Last year, Amazon sold more school supplies on Prime Day than any other day of the year, so stock up!

With so many deals, it may be tempting to spend more than you intend. The average Prime member spends $1,700 a year on Amazon, $1,000 more than non-members, according to a consumer survey by Statista. Take advantage of the deals that make sense for you, and don’t get tempted by things you don’t need. Make a list of things you want to buy and stick to it.

If you want to make sure you’re really getting the best price, do some homework: look at items you want and compare their prices on Amazon and other sites so you know what to look for on Prime Day. Or use a price comparison site like CamelCamelCamel, which tracks Amazon price changes for you.

Want to know what else might be on sale this Prime Day? Check out this super-quick guide to Amazon Prime Day for more!

Read more about Prime Day: