Amazon Prime Day is almost here - but you need to make sure you’re really getting a deal before you get stuck in.
It can be easy to get swept away in a sale, so budgeting experts at vouchers.co.uk have compiled some top tips to help you grab a bargain.
Doing your research first and sticking to a budget is always important, and there are some key ways to save cash at Amazon.
Here, we explain everything you need to know before the sales bonanza kicks off next week.
Amazon Prime Day will take place over 48 hours on July 12 and 13.
1. Sign up to Amazon Prime for FREE now
Amazon Prime Day is, as the name suggests, exclusively for Prime members - but there is a hack to get free membership.
Amazon Prime normally costs £7.99 a month (or £79 a year) but the online shopping giant is still offering a 30-day free trial.
This would cover Prime Day and means you can cancel your membership in plenty of time before the 30 day trial period is up.
Amazon Prime membership gives you free next-day delivery on thousands of items. How cool is that?
2. Create a wish list and set a budget
Make sure you’re shopping for something you actually need - after all, a bargain is only a bargain if you were going to buy it in the first place.
The best way to avoid impulse spending is to write a list of everything you’re planning on buying.
Ask yourself which items are a “want” and which are a “need” and place them in priority order on a piece of paper.
Then write down your maximum budget for each product.
3. Always compare and check prices
Before buying anything, make sure to check out the product on the free Amazon price tracker website, camelcamelcamel.
You can see a price history chart which highlights when the product was the cheapest and by how much.
You should also do a quick “ Google Shopping” search by typing in the name of the item into Google to see if you can get the same item cheaper elsewhere.
Another comparison website that can tell you the latest prices for a particular product is Price Spy.
4. Don't forget Lighting Deals
Amazon will go live with flash sales, otherwise known as Lighting Deals, throughout Prime Day.
Products will be available at heavily discounted prices for just 30 minutes, or even less if they sell out.
To find these deals, check out the “Today’s Deal” page.
Also, keep in mind that products aren’t kept aside for you whilst they’re in your basket.
5. Best deals are normally Amazon products
Whilst thousands of products will be reduced over the two days, the best deals are usually Amazon own-brands, such as the Amazon Echo and Kindle.
So if you’ve been after one of their products for a while, then now could be the time to invest.
6. Free £6 when you buy a £60 gift card
If you plan on spending a lot of money, it may be worth buying a gift card before the big day.
Amazon currently has a deal where if you buy a £60 gift card, you’ll get an extra £6 added to the balance.
This deal is only available to those that haven’t topped up their account in the last 36 months.
