12 Hidden Perks of Amazon Prime

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The first time I heard of Amazon Prime, I thought it was ridiculous. Really. I'm pretty sure my exact words were, “Amazon Prime is a complete and total waste of money!”

Here's why—the streaming was lame, the Kindle library never offered the right books, and I could already get free shipping at a minimum purchase of $25. It didn't take all that long for the package to arrive either. Four days maybe? I didn't need anything that bad that I couldn't wait a couple more days!

But over the past few years, Amazon Prime has significantly expanded to include more perks than ever before. And somewhere along the way, my attitude changed with it.

I guess you could say I'm a HUGE Amazon Prime convert now!

Partly because my own shopping habits have changed—I've switched to mostly online—but also because there are literally dozens of extra benefits included in your yearly membership, beyond the typical video streaming and 2-day shipping.

Some of these perks you might not even know about, but they're about to make your life a whole lot easier!

1. Prime Pantry

With a flat delivery fee of $5.99, you can get a “pantry box” shipped to your door full of ALL the household goods you need for the week or month. But get this—you can order normal-sized items and fit up to 45 pounds in one box!

Prices are very comparable to what I've found in the store, plus you can add manufacturers coupons with a single click. There are plenty of organic and natural food brands included too.

Psst…right now Prime Pantry has special where, if you buy 5 items, shipping is free!

2. Prime Reading

Prime Reading is the newest perk of Prime, and at first, I was a little confused at how it differed from the Kindle Owner's Lending Library.

Here's my conclusion:

• Prime Reading provides access to over a thousand books and magazines for it's members on any device, using the FREE Kindle Reading App.

• The Kindle Owner's Lending Library only allows Prime members to borrow one book a month, but you have access to hundreds of thousands more titles with Prime Reading. You must have a Kindle to use this feature.

Both services are different than Kindle Unlimited, which gives you unlimited reading and listening for an extra $9.99 a month. Either way, you have access to a lot more books than before!

FYI: These are my favorite sites to find thousands of FREE paperback and digital freebies.

3. Audible Channels Subscription

Wish you could read more often? Audiobooks are the perfect way to multi-task on busy days!

Prime gives you access to Audible Channels (normally $60/year), so you can do this for FREE. You have access to a rotating list of fifty audiobooks, educational programming, podcasts, and original audio series. All you have to do is download the app and login with your Amazon information.

4. Prime Now

This restaurant delivery perk is more for people who live in big cities (Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Miami, etc), but I'm hoping they expand the network out to more towns!

Basically, you order a meal through one of the many restaurants listed, and you can get delivery to your house or business for FREE. This isn't just Chinese take-out from that hole-in-the-wall place either. There are some really good restaurants on the list!

Also, now that Whole Foods has partnered with Amazon, you can get your favorite Whole Foods product delivered right to your door, too!

Speaking of delivery, with Amazon Key, you can manage access to your home—and big cities now offer the option of secure package delivery inside your home or vehicle. Not sure how I feel about that one, but let me know in a comment below your thoughts!

5. Photo Storage

By this point, we all have a different understanding of the word “cloud” then we did 5 years ago. It's the internet-only storage space that holds what you find valuable—your pictures, videos, and music. But, did you know you have FREE access to Amazon's cloud through your Prime membership?

It's called Amazon Drive, and with the help of a handy app, you can upload pictures from your phone straight to the cloud. I'm always nervous that my external hardrive (which holds all my photos), will die on me someday. Having a backup in the cloud keeps all my precious memories safe!

6. Amazon Dash

Now, this one is really interesting. You buy a “dash” button that connects to a specific Amazon product—ex. toilet paper—via WiFi. Then all you have to do is place that button in your bathroom cabinet (or wherever is convenient for you), press it whenever you're running low, and that item will automatically ship straight to your door.

Sounds kind of cool, right?

Except I probably know what you're thinking….what happens if you have a toddler that presses it just for fun? Amazon Dash comes with order protection so only the first press counts, but just between you and me—I'm not sure how often I'll use this one!

Heads up: Don't have the Dash button? No problem. Easily reorder things simply by telling Alexa.

7. Early Access

You've probably seen those awesome sales Amazon has, called “lightning deals”, right? While with your membership, you can get access to those deals 30 minutes earlier than those who don't! Totally worth keeping an eye out, just in case you see something you were going to buy anyway.

They also give exclusive access to deals on Black Friday and Prime Day too. See today's deals HERE.

8. 20% Off Diaper Subscriptions

Wish you didn't have to spend so much money on diapers? With Amazon Prime, you get 20% off diapers when you sign up for a monthly subscription. This means you commit to a regular delivery of your order, but don't worry—you can cancel at any time. I just think it's amazing that you don't have to wrangle a houseful of kiddos to go buy diapers anymore. 🙂

Another perk (not just for Prime members) is the ability to create a baby registry. Think of how easy this makes gift giving since most everyone already has an Amazon account!

9. Online Gaming

If you (or your kiddos) like to play games online, this one is for you. With your Prime membership, you get free access to Twitch.tv, a streaming service that allows gamers to create channels and stream their gaming! You also get 20% off new-release box games.

10. Cash Back on Every Purchase

If you shop at Amazon often, why not earn 5% back on all your purchases? Prime members get access to an exclusive store card with no annual fee, and it includes every category, not just ones that rotate during the year.

Not to mention that, for a limited time, anyone who signs up for a Prime card will also receive a $60 Amazon gift card in their account after approval. Sweet!

FYI: Here's how to earn extra money with your credit cards, without going into debt.

Don't forget to use your Amazon Prime card at Whole Foods for an extra 5% back!

11. Prime Music

If you're frustrated with annoying Pandora ads, you're going to love Prime Music. It has unlimited streaming to over a million songs, and no ads! You can also create curated playlists and personalized stations of your favorite genres, which makes it perfect for listening while you work.

12. Prime Wardrobe

I'm just getting into the Prime Wardrobe feature and loving it. I never have to brave that bad dressing room lighting ever again!

Here's how Prime Wardrobe works: You choose a few items of clothing (accessories, too!) to try on at home during the seven-day try-on period. You can then purchase what you want to keep and send back (for free!) what you no longer want using the resealable box and prepaid label.

Seriously, does that sound too good to be true? Give it a try if you don't believe me!

BONUS PERK: Membership Sharing

And last, but certainly not least, is my favorite perk of all—membership sharing. You can create what's called an “Amazon Household” and share Prime benefits with each other! That means you can split the annual fee, making all of the benefits we just talked about worth even more.

I currently share Amazon Prime with my mom, not only to save money, but so we can share books too. Since we both have access to each other's Kindle libraries, we can borrow books without having to buy them somewhere else. I love it!

With all of these awesome perks, you really can't go wrong with Amazon Prime. What can I say—I've finally seen the light!

If you haven't jumped on the Prime bandwagon just yet, you can try it FREE for 30 days. I would explore everything Amazon Prime has to offer, then at the end of the month if you don't feel it's worth the cost, you can cancel without any risk.

Although….I have this feeling you're going to be as hooked as I am. 😉

Do you have an Amazon Prime membership?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.