What the Tech: Some paid memberships have hidden perks
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Tech Reporter
Most of us pay for several subscriptions every month. Streaming services, cellphone plans,
shopping memberships, music subscriptions, and more. But what if some of those services
you’re paying for separately are already included in something else?
Amazon just announced a new perk for Prime members, and it’s a good reminder to check what
you’re getting for your money.
Here are some of the free benefits you may be missing.
Amazon Prime: Free Uber Eats delivery and much more
Amazon Prime costs $139 a year, and most members think of it as a way to get free shipping
and access to Prime Video.
Beginning November 5, Amazon Prime members can also get free delivery on qualifying
Uber Eats restaurant orders of $25 or more when ordering through Amazon’s website or
shopping app.
To introduce the new benefit, Amazon is offering $20 off each of the first two qualifying orders
during the first 14 days of the promotion. Service fees, taxes, and tips may still apply.
You don’t need to download the Uber Eats app or create another account. Just search for Uber
Eats in the Amazon Shopping app.
Activate the Uber Eats benefit
But that’s hardly the only benefit included with Prime.
● Unlimited photo storage: Amazon Photos lets you back up unlimited full-resolution
photos from your phone, plus 5 GB of video storage.
● Free Kindle books: Prime First Reads offers eligible members a free ebook from a
monthly selection. Prime Reading includes a rotating library of books, magazines, and
comics.
● Video games: Amazon Luna includes a rotating collection of games that Prime
members can play without purchasing them individually.
● Amazon Music: Prime includes access to millions of songs without advertisements,
although playback controls are more limited than with Spotify Premium or Apple Music.
● Gas discounts: Prime members can save 10 cents per gallon at participating bp,
Amoco, and other eligible stations after linking a free earnify account.
If you’re already paying for cloud photo storage or another music subscription, some of these
benefits may help you reduce your monthly bills.
T-Mobile: Free Netflix and Major League Baseball
Some T-Mobile cellphone plans include Netflix Standard with ads at no additional charge.
That’s a savings of roughly $8 to $9 a month, or more than $100 a year, compared with paying
for the streaming subscription separately.
T-Mobile also offers eligible customers a full season of MLB.TV during its annual spring
promotion.
The baseball offer generally has a limited activation window, so customers need to claim it when
the promotion becomes available.
Check the T-Life app or your T-Mobile account to see which benefits are included with your
plan.
AT&T: You might still qualify for free HBO Max
AT&T no longer includes HBO Max with most new plans, but some longtime customers still have
access to the streaming service at no additional charge.
Certain grandfathered AT&T wireless plans include HBO Max. Some customers who signed up
for qualifying AT&T Fiber internet plans before June 2022 may also retain the benefit.
If you’ve been with AT&T for years, it’s worth checking your account before paying for HBO Max
separately.
One important warning: Changing your AT&T plan could cause you to lose a grandfathered
streaming benefit that you won’t be able to get back.
Walmart+ and Sam’s Club: Two memberships for one price
Walmart+ members receive a choice of Paramount+ Essential or Peacock Premium, both with
advertisements, as part of their membership.
The company also recently announced a new combined membership with Sam’s Club.
For $120 annually, customers can receive both a Sam’s Club Plus membership and Walmart+.
That’s significant because Walmart+ normally costs $98 annually, while Sam’s Club Plus costs
$120.
Someone already paying for both memberships separately could save $98 a year by combining
them.
A basic Sam’s Club membership doesn’t automatically qualify. Customers must have or upgrade
to Sam’s Club Plus.
Learn about the combined membership
AAA: Free credit and identity monitoring
AAA is best known for roadside assistance, but membership includes benefits that have nothing
to do with your car.
Eligible AAA members can enroll in identity protection services through Experian at no
additional charge.
Depending on the membership and regional AAA club, benefits can include credit monitoring,
dark web monitoring, and identity theft assistance.
You’ll need to activate the service through your AAA membership. It doesn’t necessarily start
automatically.
Check your regional AAA website for eligibility and enrollment instructions.
Instacart+: Free Peacock streaming
Instacart+ members may qualify for a Peacock Premium subscription at no additional charge.
That means someone paying separately for Peacock could potentially eliminate another
streaming bill.
The benefit must be activated through an eligible Instacart+ membership, and promotional terms
may vary.
Before you pay for another subscription, check what you already have
These are just a few of the benefits hiding inside subscriptions and memberships.
The key is to check your account’s membership benefits page, not just the company’s
advertising. Some perks are limited to certain plans, require activation, or expire after a
promotional period.
And before canceling a service you’re paying for separately, make sure the included version
offers the features you actually use.
You may discover you’re paying twice for something you already have.
