If you are an online shopper, you just have to love Amazon.com. I regularly buy everything from coffee to books on the site, and I love the convenience and great prices. I want to share with you a few tricks over the years which I use to consistently get the very best deals from the site.

1. Amazon Prime

I have had an Amazon Prime membership for several years.  The key benefit is free two day shipping on most items. There are a host of other benefits, however, that many people simply don't know about. As a member you also have access to thousands of free movies and Kindle books (lending library). Additionally, you can tap into the Amazon Prime free music library. Although an annual membership is $99, you can share a membership with other members of your household. In the case of the Paris family, there are four of us that order through one Prime membership. If you are a student (and have a .edu e mail address), you can grab an Amazon Prime student membership for just $39. Another way to defray your cost is to refer friends. Each friend that joins through your link earns you $5. 

2. Used Items On Amazon

A really huge missed opportunity by most Amazon shoppers is to consider purchasing used items. It is easy to miss, but when considering a purchase you will see a link that allows you to browse other offers from Amazon sellers. I love this option, especially for books. If I can get a book for half price I really don't care if it is a bit worn. The information is what I am after and I will gladly pocket the savings. I don't limit this approach just to books, as I have found some tremendous bargains on items that are almost new. 

3. Amazon Warehouse Deals

Even though I have been buying on Amazon for several years, I just recently learned about their warehouse deals. Amazon's warehouse deals can save you more than 60% on some items. This can range from merchandise that has damaged packaging (open boxes), to gadgets that have been officially refurbished. 

4. Getting Free Stuff From Amazon

By simply sharing Amazon deals with your friends, you can earn hundreds of dollars monthly to spend on their site. The program is called Amazon Associates and is free to join. You can even choose to get paid in cash if you don't want to spend your referral bonuses on the Amazon site. I teach quite a bit on this in my Internet Business Workshops.

5.  Is There A Better Deal Elsewhere?

It is easy to get lazy and just buy everything through my Amazon account. The reality is that Amazon does not always have the best deal. I use an app called PriceJump that lets me know if there is a better deal on another site outside of Amazon. Another interesting site to look at is ShopRunner which offers a $79 annual membership that provides free two day shipping from not just one, but multiple retailers. It is an interesting concept that is great for those that want an Amazon-type free shipping benefit, but the flexibility of shopping from a wide array of online stores.

Helping you make the most of God's Money!

James L. Paris 
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice 
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