The cost of living has gone up dramatically in recent months, and now for an estimated 76 million households, their Amazon Prime bill will be slightly higher soon.
However, if you purchase a year-long Amazon Prime subscription before Friday you can still lock in the lower rate. And, it's even possible to secure the lower price for years to come.
Select details what the new price will be and how you can save on the online retailer's popular subscription service.
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Amazon Prime cost is on the rise
A price increase for Amazon Prime was announced during Amazon's Q1 earnings report. The price change will go into effect on Feb. 18, 2022, and for current Prime members, the new price will apply after March 25, 2022, on the date of their next renewal.
An annual Prime subscription will go from $119 to $139. For those who subscribe on a month-to-month basis, the price will be increased from $12.99 per month to $14.99 per month. The Prime Student price is also reportedly going up from $59 per year to $69 per year.
This comes amid rising operating costs for the retail giant. And this isn't the only subscription service hiking prices, as streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have done the same in recent months.
If you don't regularly use Amazon Prime but still pay for it, it may be prudent for you to cancel the service and delete that line item off your budget. It's very likely you know someone that has Amazon Prime, and you can easily split the cost of the premium service. My family and I all split the cost of Prime and share one account between the three of us.
However, if you cannot bear the idea of not having two-day shipping, there are some quick ways to save on the cost.
How you can save on Amazon Prime
First, you may consider signing up for a free 30-day trial if you don't already have Amazon Prime. If you don't utilize the service during the trial, simply avoid renewing.
If you already have the service or want to sign up for the first time, you can lock in the current price of $119/year. All you need to do is purchase a "Gift of Prime" membership for yourself, which essentially allows you to buy a one year Amazon Prime membership at the current rate. After you've done this, set your subscription to not auto-renew. Once your membership expires, you can apply your purchased one year membership to your account. You can purchase multiple Gift of Prime memberships and lock in the lower rate for years to come.
If you're looking for a completely free Prime membership, select Metro by T-Mobile cell service plans give complimentary access to Prime.
Lastly, if you're sure you want Amazon Prime, it may be advantageous to sign up for the Prime Visa. The card comes with a$100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members, so the gift card would be good way to offset the cost of the subscription.
Prime Visa
Rewards
Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), 10% back or more on a rotating selection of products and categories at Amazon.com, unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card (or more) instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Annual fee
$0 (but Prime membership is required)
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
19.49% - 27.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Terms apply.
Information about the Prime Visa has been collected independently by Select and have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.
Bottom line
Online shopping has become a way of life, especially during the last two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, that convenience comes at a price. While a $10 or $20 per year increase doesn't seem like much, those small changes in your spending habits can make a large difference down the road.
Clarification: A previous version of the article was published before some of the citations were added.
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Information about the Prime Rewards Visa Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.