how to see how much money you've saved with prime

3 min read 18-01-2025

how to see how much money you've saved with prime

Amazon Prime offers a wealth of benefits beyond free two-day shipping. But how much money exactly are you saving? Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't provide a single, easily accessible number summarizing your total Prime savings. However, there are several ways to estimate and track your savings, depending on what Prime benefits you utilize most.

Estimating Your Amazon Prime Savings: A Multi-Faceted Approach

Pinpointing your precise savings requires a bit of detective work. Let's break down how to estimate your savings across different Prime perks:

1. Tracking Shipping Savings: The Biggest Chunk

Free two-day shipping is a major draw of Prime. To estimate these savings, consider the number of Prime-eligible orders you've placed and the shipping costs you'd have incurred otherwise.

Method 1: Rough Estimate: Think about how many packages you've received via Prime. If you ordered 10 items this year and standard shipping would have cost $5 per item, you've saved roughly $50. This is a very broad estimation.
Method 2: More Precise Tracking (Requires Record Keeping): For a more accurate picture, keep a running log of your orders. Note down the cost of shipping for similar items on non-Prime accounts or other retailers. This approach offers a clearer picture of your shipping savings.

Pro Tip: Check your order history on Amazon. While it won't show you the exact avoided shipping costs, reviewing past orders will help you estimate the frequency of your purchases.

2. Quantifying Streaming Savings: Prime Video & Music

Prime Video and Prime Music offer substantial value. To gauge your savings here, compare the cost of these services individually to the price of your Prime membership.

Prime Video Savings: Consider the number of movies and shows you've watched. If you'd have subscribed to a similar streaming service, how much would that have cost you over the same period?
Prime Music Savings: Similar to Prime Video, compare the cost of a comparable music streaming service to your Prime membership fee.

Pro Tip: Check out alternative streaming service prices. Consider Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, etc., to better judge your potential savings.

3. Calculating Other Prime Benefits: Reading, Food & More

Beyond shipping and entertainment, Prime offers other perks. While precise calculation is tricky, we can approximate:

Prime Reading: Calculate the cost of purchasing the books and magazines you've accessed through Prime Reading.
Prime Photos: Consider the cost of equivalent cloud storage from other providers.
Prime Pantry/Fresh: Compare your grocery bills while using Prime's delivery benefits to what they would cost through other avenues. You may need to keep track of your order history to effectively estimate these savings.
Amazon Prime Day Deals: Remember the deals you snagged during Prime Day! Compare those prices to what those same items cost elsewhere.

4. Using Third-Party Tools (Limited Options)

While no perfect tool exists, some budgeting apps might offer some level of Amazon Prime tracking. Explore apps like Mint or Personal Capital; their capabilities vary. Keep in mind that these apps usually rely on you inputting your purchase details.

Beyond the Numbers: The Intangible Value of Prime

While quantifying savings is helpful, remember the intangible benefits: convenience, faster delivery, and access to a wider range of services. These are difficult to put a price tag on but significantly enhance your experience.

Conclusion: Prime's Value is Subjective

Ultimately, the amount of money you save with Amazon Prime depends heavily on your usage patterns. By actively tracking your spending and comparing costs, you can arrive at a reasonable estimation of your savings. While Amazon doesn't provide an automated summary, the effort to calculate your savings can be rewarding, helping you justify the cost of your Prime membership. Remember to factor in both the tangible and intangible benefits for a comprehensive assessment of its value.