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Don't Overlook This Clever Prime Day Savings Hack

You can save for months to come with this shopping strategy.

Emma Woodward
4 min read
Zooey Liao/CNET

Amazon Prime Day can be a great way to score deals on everything from electronics and appliances to toys and home decor. Whatever you're in the market for, the two-day sales event, happening on Oct. 8-9, is likely to have something for you.

But don't limit yourself to the fun stuff. The mega sale is also an opportunity to keep your everyday budget in check -- if you know how to shop strategically.

This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET's guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.

Read on to find out how you can take advantage of October Prime Day to stretch your dollars further -- now and in the months to come.

How to take advantage of Prime Day to stick to your budget 

It can be easy to spend extra money on Prime Day, but the sale can also help you save money if you look for the right deals. Search for discounts on items you would need to buy anyway throughout the year to hack your budget and keep annual spending lower. 

Stock up on essentials

Many of the items you have to buy all the time -- like household supplies, over-the-counter medication and cleaning products -- are on sale for Amazon's big event. Taking advantage of Prime Day deals on everyday essentials can help you spend less on these items. You can put the money you save toward savings goals like growing your emergency fund or taking a vacation. 

How I'm hacking Prime Day

With the holidays approaching, I’ll use Prime Day to grab household essentials I'll need for entertaining, like extra toiletries for visiting friends and family. These are items I'd buy anyway, but shopping on Prime Day means I can get them at a discount, freeing up more money for things like holiday gifts.

Here are just some of the deals you can find on everyday purchases this Prime Day. (Note: Deals may change or expire at any time.)

Household essentials

Skin care and beauty

Health and wellness

Baby and kids supplies

Pet supplies

Office supplies

Other items to consider

Shopping for essentials may also include some big-ticket items. For example, if your coffee maker is on its last legs, it makes sense to shop for a new one now when it's on sale. 

Stock up on gifts

You know you'll need gifts throughout the year for events like birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. Prime Day can help you purchase giftable items at a discount. Keep them on hand for gifting occasions, and you won’t need to worry about last-minute shopping stress. 

Here are some examples of Prime Day sale items that could make good gifts:

How to maximize your Prime Day savings

These strategies can help you score the biggest savings on Prime Day:

  • Sign up for a free Prime trial. You must be an Amazon Prime member to access Prime Day deals. If you aren’t, you can participate by signing up for a 30-day free trial of Prime. You won’t have to pay any fees if you cancel your membership before the trial ends. 
  • Pay with your Amazon Prime card. If you have an Amazon Prime Visa card, you can earn cash back by using it on Prime Day. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on all Amazon purchases. (Just make sure you pay your card off in full to avoid interest charges.)
  • Get the Amazon Prime Visa card. Don't have an Amazon Prime Visa card? When you apply and are approved for one, you'll receive an instant bonus: a $200 Amazon gift card, which you can use for your Prime Day shopping.
  • Use online shopper tools. Download browser extensions that alert you of deals and track pricing. For example, Honey automatically gives you coupon codes when you check out online. These may help you apply extra discounts to your Prime Day orders. Karma allows you to set alerts so you can find out when the price drops on items you want to purchase. 

Prime Day isn't just for splurges

It can be tempting to make impulse purchases during sale events. However, this type of purchase can lead to overspending.

 

To use Prime Day to your advantage, strategize ahead of time. Think about essential items you already need and would purchase anyway and shop the sales with a list in hand to avoid overspending. 

 

For more tips and deals, stay tuned to CNET’s Prime Day coverage.

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The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

About the Author

Emma Woodward is a personal finance writer with a passion for simplifying tricky financial concepts. She has covered loans, budgeting and credit cards for Bankrate, The Financial Diet, Finch, Gusto and Human Interest. When she's not helping you balance your budget, you can find her writing about real estate, food and restaurant tech.