Amazon affection

Warning: Do not hate me for not sharing this sooner. I really didn't realize how great it was, and how much of a secret it is, until recently. Also, I wrote this post after a particularly strong cup of coffee, so I apologize in advance for the hyperness and ridiculous use of bold and italic type in the words that follow.

I have been singing the praises of Amazon on Facebook and in my mommy/baby playgroup for the past week or so, so I thought I'd take it to the blog and reach a broader audience of moms.

In short: I love Amazon. Deeply. Madly. Ridiculously.

I've been shopping on Amazon for several years now. They often have the best prices and a great selection. The sellers are dependable, the process easy and secure, and dudes, they have my credit card info and shipping address at the touch.of.a.button.

But then a fellow blogger mentioned the Amazon Mom program last year. I signed up. I fell hard and fast. You get a free three-month Amazon Prime membership. That means free two-day shipping on oodles of stuff.

On top of that, for every $25 of qualifying purchases (i.e. baby purchases from their "Baby Store," like many of the purchases detailed below), your free Prime membership is extended one month, for up to a year. I think right now I'm extended through June, just from buying stuff that I would have bought anyway, and often buying it at a lower price than what I would have paid for at a store.

The downside? With the year limit, I've almost extended my benefits to the max.

The Prime membership usually costs $79 a year. I think I have saved at least that much in the eight or so months I've been a member.

To further demonstrate how absolutely awesome this program is, I bring you "Diapering Deals." We cloth diaper, but we always keep disposables on hand for the diaper bag, for traveling and for the first change of the day (because Elle, like her mother, is not the most patient person in the world when she is hungry). I used to shop sales at Target, using a manufacturers' and a store coupon to maximize my savings.

But then I discovered the Subscribe and Save program on Amazon. As an Amazon Mom, you receive an additional 15% discount on top of the standard 15% discount you get for signing up for the Amazon Subscribe & Save delivery. (Pause. That's 30% off, peeps.) Subscribe & Save shipping is always free, and you can change your delivery schedule or cancel at any time. I've done this several times - I order one size of diapers, signing up for Subscribe and Save, and then I cancel the subscription, because I don't need more of that size. 

I recently ordered a box of Huggies on Amazon - for 14 cents a diaper. The list price was $41.69, and with the Amazon Mom and Subscribe and Save discounts, I got them for $22.34. And if I wanted, I could set the Subscribe and Save delivery options so that they'd be delivered every month, two months, etc., as needed. Wheeeee!: That $22.34 went toward a month's extension of my Prime benefits. A friend ordered $41 worth of Pampers ... for less than $19.

We cloth diaper largely for the financial savings, and it physically hurts me to see the price of disposable diapers when I know how much we're saving in the long run (i.e. with every diaper change and with future children) by cloth diapering. So to save so much on disposables? That makes my heart, and checkbook, happy. This box of Huggies will last us for quite a while, and I cannot even begin to tell you how nice it was to have them delivered two days later. No hauling a heavy car seat in one arm, bulky bag or box in another. No rushing to get to the store before the sale was over or coupons expired.

On the cloth diapering end of things, I needed a wool soaker, because Ellle is a heavy wetter at night and she was leaking through her normal covers. I shopped around, and after I factored in shipping costs on other sites, my best bet was to order a wool cover on Amazon. Tada! That purchase extended my Prime membership.

I ordered a shopping cart cover. Bonus! More money toward a month of free membership.

Elle's Jumperoo? Normally $90, we got it for $65 on Amazon, and free two-day shipping, even during the holidays. That purchase extended my benefits.

After a recent Amazon mom spewing of love, a friend of mine signed up Amazon Mom and for Subscribe and Save on diapers, wipes, diaper genie refills, toilet paper and coffee. Seriously, people - convenience and savings. What more could you want?! 

The Prime membership has helped us in other ways. We needed another HDMI cable for our new TV. BAM! Free two-day shipping. I ordered new running shoes this week. POW! Free Prime shipping. A Zumba Wii game I've been lusting for dropped more than 50% in price ... and KABLAM! I used my Prime benefits and was playing it two days later. My Christmas presents? Many of them were Amazon'd ... KAPLOW! with free shipping. I am running out of breast milk storage bags - SPLAT! no problem, I ordered some off of Amazon, saving money with the Subscribe and Save program.

(No idea why my blog post suddenly became a comic book. Anyway ...)

In short, the Amazon Mom program is worth checking out. I know there is also a similar Amazon Student discount.

Amazon did not pay me to write this, although I will gladly accept payment. Or a job as their spokeswoman. Or free Prime membership for life. I was not endorsed at all for this endorsement. And while you're not obligated to pass your savings on to me, I will allow it ... and accept cash and checks :)

Odd ending: Has anyone seen "Up"? I totally feel like one of the dogs and think someone just yelled "SQUIRREL!" when I was writing this post. 

Edited to add: I've also been told that you can enter a coupon code in addition to the Subscribe and Save savings - I think some parenting magazines have 20% off codes, so that's 15+15+20 percent off.