What The Tech: Tips to save money on shipping without an Amazon Prime subscription
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Technology Reporter
Amazon is getting ready for a busy holiday shopping season.
The online retailer is selling billions of dollars in items ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
For example. You’d need to place about 20 orders a year just to break even in free shipping. So here’s the good news…you don’t need Amazon Prime for free shipping.
Whether you’re a Prime member or not, orders over $35 are eligible for free shipping. This can fluctuate, though. When I filled a cart with a few items, it showed I needed to spend at least $50 for free shipping.
The trick sometimes is getting your total just right, without overspending. Let’s say you’ve got $47.97 in your cart. You’ll pay $6.99 for shipping. But if you add another $1.03, it’s free.
The website Filler Checker lets you put in how much you need, and it finds cheap items. It doesn’t always work, as many of the items it suggests are not available.
Here’s what I found works best: pick a category on Amazon and search for an item you’d think is cheap, like pens, batteries, or pain relievers. Amazon sells this small pack of Tylenol for $2.49.
Add it to my cart, and the $6.99 shipping charge is waived. I saved nearly $5 and got a travel pack of headache medicine.
This also works for Amazon Prime members who need to spend at least $25 for free overnight shipping.
If you shop at Amazon, it’s a good idea to put some cheap items in your cart so you can find them when you need them, especially during those lightning sales on Black Friday. Bob Barker would be proud.
