For some reason, from a distance, Amazon Prime Day seems like one of the most boring sales ever. Most people buy phone charging cords and random grocery items from Amazon, so when they have an entire day dedicated to a sale, it’s like… okay? But up close, on the day-of, believe me when I tell you that Amazon Prime Day is 100% worth your time.

This year, Amazon Prime Day starts on Monday, July 16th. It’s a little bit misleading to call it “Prime Day” because it actually rolls over into July 17th which, if you ask me, is the real Prime Day. July 16th is just the tip. (I’m sorry. I’ll see myself out.)

Some of us, me included, are on Amazon almost every day. If you haven’t browsed the Today’s Deals section after putting pet food in your cart, you’re missing out. (Amazon best place to buy large amounts of good-quality cat food, BTW!)

Not only is Amazon the closest thing we have to an Everything Store, but with a Prime membership, the shipping makes it almost more affordable than actually driving to a store and buying the thing you need. There’s a lot to unpack there, socially, economically, and environmentally, but that’s not what this blog is about. And besides, that’s what Twitter is for.

But back to Amazon Prime Day. If you haven’t participated in this annual sale before, prepare to be overwhelmed. You can expect to log in to Amazon and see discounts on nearly everything, with a special focus on Amazon’s own products, of course.

AMAZON PRIME DAY STARTS ON JULY 16th at 12PM PST

Don’t have Prime because you’re not really that into spending $110/year on something? I understand. While it’s definitely worth it for people who order at least a couple items per month from Amazon, I completely get the whole “that’s a lot of money” attitude. Luckily, there are a couple of ways to get around the Prime fees, and if you happen to be in school, you’re in for a particularly delicious treat.

Students Get 50% Off Prime Memberships!

If you are a student at a community college, junior college, or university, you can get Amazon Prime for a complete steal. Not only that, but you get to try Amazon Prime for Students for free for six months.

To whom do we owe thanks for this gratuitous offer? Sprint, actually. They foot the bill for your first six months – yes, 6 months free – and then after your trial is over, it’s only $6.49/month after that!

Not a Student? That’s Okay! Get 30 Days of Free Amazon Prime

It’s okay to not be a student (but if you’re on the fence about going back – you should do it!). You can still get 30 days of free Amazon Prime, as long as you’ve never had it before. Or haven’t a Prime account it… under your main e-mail address. You know…? I’m guessing that would be… different. So. Yeah. I don’t know. Moving on.

Pay for Amazon Prime Monthly Instead of Yearly

Back in 2016, Amazon introduced the option to skip the big, chunky yearly fee and opt instead for a smaller, more digestible monthly fee. Right now, that monthly fee is $10.99 (after your first free month, of course) and you can cancel whenever. That fee goes down to $5.99/month for people who use government assistance or EBT.

Maybe right now you’re thinking you’ll “only need the month of July *wink*,” but I wouldn’t be surprised if three months go by and you tell me you’re totally hooked on this service. It’s free 2-day shipping on everything from press-on nail kits to whole grain cereal to your favorite childhood storybook! We are living in the future, and it’s amazing.

(There are a bunch of other ways to squeeze money out of Amazon for Prime Day, too!)

The Most Free Option: Get into a Household

Okay, so you seriously can’t afford it. That’s okay! Because there’s a 95% chance that someone in your family or household has Amazon Prime. That works out for you because each Prime account can have up to 4 people added at no extra charge! No need to share an account, just have them throw your e-mail address into their Household settings on Amazon’s website.

Bonus: Whole Foods = Amazon & Prime Sales Absolutely Apply

Yup, remember that gigantic merger last year? Amazon gobbled up Whole Foods, and now you get discounts on groceries when you shop in-store as a Prime member. (Yes, really!) Anything with a yellow tag is instantly 10% off for Prime members. You also get free 2-hour delivery if you live within the radius of a Whole Foods in select cities!

Also, between now and Prime Day on July 16th, if you spend $10 or more at a Whole Foods store using your Prime membership, Amazon will give you $10 to spend on Prime Day! That’s as close as you get to free money in this world. You might as well jump on it!

SEE THE BEST AMAZON PRIME DAY DEALS on the SALE CALENDAR

Do you have any hot tips for navigating this gigantic Amazon Prime Day sale? Leave them in the comments, tweet at me, or shoot me an email!

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