9 Things Anyone Can Get for Free on Amazon
If you love Amazon, you already know about the many great deals you can find there. But did you realize you can get many items for free at the online retail giant?
These items are available to anyone who shops through Amazon. You don’t need to be a member of Amazon Prime — although joining that program allows you to access an ever-increasing number of perks, as we detail in “These Are the 8 Best Benefits of Amazon Prime.”
Following are some of our favorite examples of the free stuff anyone can get at Amazon.
1. E-books
You’ll find free e-books for Kindle — which is Amazon’s line of e-readers — on Amazon’s “Free Books and Low Priced Reading Options” webpage.
Don’t have a Kindle? Don’t worry — just check out “This Trick Lets You Read E-Books Without an E-Reader.”
2. Anything you can buy with a gift card
Yes, it’s possible to snag an Amazon gift card for free, as we detail in “8 Ways to Get Amazon Gift Cards for Free.” Then, anything you “purchase” with free gift cards is effectively free.
3. Anything you can buy with points
If you have one of the Amazon Rewards Visa credit cards or the Amazon.com Store Card, you can use accumulated points to buy things on Amazon. And anything you “purchase” with those points is effectively free.
These cards also come with freebies: You will get a free Amazon gift card worth $10, $50 or $100 — depending on the card — upon signing up and being approved.
Of course, it’s generally unwise to sign up for any new credit card based on the sign-up bonus alone. First, do a little comparison shopping using a free online resource like Money Talks News’ credit card comparison tool to identify the best plastic for you.
Also, if you have a cash-back credit card that is not affiliated with Amazon, note that you can still use the cash back you earned from that card to buy things on Amazon. Anything you “purchase” with any kind of cash back is still effectively free.
4. Mobile apps
Amazon’s Appstore includes plenty of free mobile apps.
To view just the free ones, select “Free” under the “Price” menu on the left. You can also filter the apps based on various other preferences using the menus on the left.
5. Shipping
Prime members can get free and fast shipping for just about anything, but nonmembers can also get free shipping for many purchases.
Amazon’s “Order with Free Shipping by Amazon” webpage explains:
“Orders of $25 or more of eligible items qualify for FREE Shipping.”
6. Photo storage
Amazon Prime members get unlimited photo storage and 5GB of video storage on at no extra cost — which is among the best Prime perks. But folks who aren’t Prime members also get free storage on Amazon Photos — up to 5GB worth.
To get even more free photo storage without a Prime membership, see if any of your friends or relatives with Prime use the Family Vault feature.
The Family Vault is basically online storage space that Prime members can share with five other people. And those five invitees also get unlimited free photo storage — even if they are not Prime members.
7. Bonus wedding gifts
If you create a wedding registry on Amazon, you will enjoy numerous perks — including the ability to score what Amazon calls “bonus gifts” for free.
Here’s how it works: If you add certain items to your registry and your guests purchase them, you’ll get something for free. Visit Amazon’s “Bonus Gifts” webpage to view the freebies that are currently available.
8. Baby items
Amazon’s registry freebies aren’t just for couples tying the knot.
Parents-to-be who create a baby registry on Amazon also enjoy perks, which include a free welcome box. Amazon describes it as “a surprise box of items for parents and baby valued up to $35.”
9. Audiobooks
Amazon owns Audible, a company that produces and sells audiobooks and other audio entertainment. Audible also offers a membership that enables you to access free and reduced-price audio content.
Audible memberships are not free, but a free 30-day trial is available for both the Plus and Premium Plus plans. Just don’t forget to cancel the Audible membership before the trial ends if you decide you don’t want to pay for a membership.
