Even though it already offers some pretty heavy discounts, people always want to know new ways to save money on Amazon. To meet that demand, here are some options for how to make online shopping even more affordable. Read below about these six ways to save money on Amazon.

1. Take advantage of Amazon Warehouse

Getting something that’s absolutely perfect is ideal, but buying something that’s slightly less than perfect is usually a lot cheaper. The products that don’t meet Amazon’s intense, mint condition quality standards get shipped off to Amazon Warehouse, where you can find major bargains.

There are five categories in which Amazon places items that are ineligible for the main site: “new” (never been opened but the packaging is damaged), “like new” (someone returned it immediately after buying for no particular reason), “very good” (some cosmetic damage, but the product is totally in working order), “good” (large cosmetic damage or missing accessories) and “acceptable” (signs of fairly substantial wear).

As the quality of the package goes down, so do the prices. “New” products are hard to find but there are plenty of “like new” and “very good” items available if you hunt around. Amazon doesn’t publicize Amazon Warehouse for pretty obvious reasons, so it isn’t particularly easy to find. But this extensive article on Debt Roundup shows you where to go and answers most other questions you might have.

2. Subscribe and save

If you buy household items from Amazon on a regular basis, you will immediately start to save money on Amazon with this tip. The Subscribe and Save section for everyday items offers a 15% discount on a lot of different products like razors, toothpaste, pens and a much, much more. This can help you save money on Amazon to the tune of hundreds or even thousands, depending on how much you shop, so I would highly recommend checking it out.

3. Sell back items (especially textbooks)

The internet giant makes it very easy to save money on Amazon by offering you the chance to sell products that you don’t want or need anymore to other customers. The biggest success stories for making your money back are with textbooks, the outrageously priced necessities for basically any college student. Amazon eases the pain of the ridiculous prices by letting you buy and sell your textbooks from fellow students from across the globe. Here is where you can sign up to become an Amazon seller.

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4. Subscribe to Amazon emails

You probably wouldn’t prefer to clutter up your inbox further, but if you seriously want to save money on Amazon, then you should at least consider subscribing to their email newsletter. You can do that on this page and choose what categories you want to be updated about. I would lean towards only subscribing to the categories that you regular shop on Amazon for. Otherwise, you’ll quickly get overloaded with emails. However, you can of course always unsubscribe at any time.

5. Utilize your wish list

This is a big one. A wish list is one of the biggest assets Amazon offers its customers. It’s a totally win-win option. Amazon earns your loyalty by giving you a great way to keep track of the changing prices of items you’re interested in purchasing at some point, and you have a central hub that shows you opportunities to save money on Amazon. A smart shopper uses wish lists to save money on Amazon and make it more convenient to buy the things they want.

6. Hop on CamelCamelCamel

One of the best services around if you want to save money on Amazon is the website CamelCamelCamel, an Amazon price tracker that alerts you when prices drop for specific items. CamelCamelCamel also offers price history charts that show you how their costs have fluctuated over a long period of time for products, so that you can get an idea of exactly when the right time to buy is. The Everything Store itself offers you a lot of ways to save money on Amazon, but services like CamelCamelCamel make it even easier to get the best possible deal.

Featured photo credit: Online Shopping/Tim Reckmann via flickr.com

Spending time with friends is, in and of itself, a great way to pass the time without spending a lot of money. But if you and your friends are used to going out to clubs, pubs or eateries together as your way of hanging out, then you can change it up a bit and save some money too.

No matter where you live, there are plenty of places to go and do fun things that don’t cost a lot.

If you are having trouble convincing your friends to do things on the cheap, then be upfront with them. Tell them straight out that you can’t spend that kind of money right now — and don’t let them pay for you either. But here are some great alternatives you can offer.

30 Fun Things To Do With Friends Without Spending Much

1. A potluck dinner party. Host a dinner party and ask everyone to bring a dish to share. If you are not comfortable with cooking, maybe try and learn how to cook a new dish together with your friends.

2. Host a spa day. Give each other manicures. Try out new hairstyles. Make some facial masks or exfoliates using natural, at-home ingredients. Then drink mimosas.

3. Movie marathon. Log into Netflix and watch every episode of “Stranger Things” Or do an ’80s movie marathon, watching “Pretty in Pink,” “The Breakfast Club” and all of our old favorites. Don’t have a Netflix membership? Get the free trial just for the marathon!

4. Pinterest party! You know all of those cool Pinterest crafts you say you’re going to do? Do them. At home one night with friends. Then make up some of those bacon-wrapped whatevers you’ve been dying to try!

5. Go to the park. Pack a picnic. Hang out. Watch people. Play on the swings.

6. Have an organization party. Set up a day of each weekend where you go to each of your friends’ houses and help them clean out a closet, a room, a garage, whatever. Serve drinks and food and trade stuff among yourselves.

7. Hold a yard sale. After all of that cleaning, why not hang out together and make some extra cash too?

8. Concerts in the park. All summer long, many parks host free concerts. Go with your friends. Hang out, bring a picnic dinner. This is a very relaxing way to chill out on a hot summer night after work.

9. Volunteer together. Offer to do the yard work for the local senior center or hang out with the kids at the YMCA. After a few hours of volunteering together, you will have new respect for each other and something new to chat about.

10. Play board games. Drag out the Scrabble or the Yahtzee. You can hang out and play all sorts of games with large groups or small ones. Hold a tournament and compete against each other. Here’re some board games ideas.

11. Video game tournament. Not into board games? OK. Well, how about a video game tournament? Whether it’s the latest dancing game or “Call of Duty,” play against each other and award prizes (or food) to the winners.

12. Grab a ball and a bat and go play baseball at the local park. Grab a basketball or a tennis racket. Most parks have courts and fields you can use for free as long as there isn’t an organized event going on.

13. Go to the school play. This might cost a little for admission, but it’s a great way to support your community and have a fun time.

14. Iron Chef night. Bring your friends over and have an Iron Chef night where you cook dinner out of only the items in your pantry. No buying anything!

15. Go dumpster diving. Yup. I said it. Check out the dumpsters in your area and see what you can find. You might even find dinner! Here are some tips for respectful diving.

16. Go to yard sales. Take all that money you made at your yard sale and cruise around your town together looking for cool stuff. Maybe you could even fix something up and resell it.

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17. Go fishing.

18. Go camping.

19. Find some cool trails around your town and go hiking. Here’re some of the best hiking trails you should try.

20. Get out the bikes and bike everywhere for a weekend.

21. Dig out the old croquet set — or borrow your Mom’s — and play croquet. Do it! Totally fun.

22. Swap movies and music. Have everyone bring over a box of old movies and CDs they don’t want anymore — or don’t watch anymore. Then swap with abandon.

23. Go on a walking tour of your town. Most towns or cities have a historic district. Find out if there is a walking tour available. If not, make one up!

24. Scavenger hunt. Put your friends to the test — yes, this is for grown-ups — to find different things in your city…like a certain bike rack, a vintage sign, that sort of thing. The winner gets a dinner cooked by the losers.

25. Find out when the free days are at your local museum or zoo. Most have them and they can be great fun to visit with friends.

26. Hold a quilting bee. No, you don’t have to be fancy — or old — for this. Grab some old T-shirts that you love, old jeans, whatever. Cut them into squares and sew them together. Who knows? Maybe it will become a regular thing?

27. Go to Open Mic night. Your town is likely harboring some great talent at an open mic night that has no cover and cheap drinks!

28. Go to a religious service. Even if you’re not religious, going to a service in an unfamiliar religion can be enlightening and a great way to meet new people.

29. Find a swimming hole. Head to the old town swimming hole — or find a new one. What a great way to spend a lazy afternoon with friends.

30. Start a book club, card club (canasta anyone?), sewing club or scrapbooking club. Something you and your friends like. My parents used to belong to a cooking club where once a month all of their friends gathered at one house and the host family cooked a meal from a different country. I learned a lot about food that year.

You don’t really need to spend much to have lots of fun with your friends! Pick a few of these ideas and start trying them out this weekend with your friends!

Featured photo credit: Unsplash via unsplash.com