Prime Day 2026: 6 tools and products that actually save money

If you’re planning to hunt for deals on Amazon Prime Day,you’re not alone.

Over half of U.S. consumers plan to jump on deals during the online shopping event, which will take place June 23 to June 26, according to a recent survey by Omnisend.

But while you may think buying at a discount is a good money move, big sales can actually lead to big (and often unnecessary) spending: Some 72% of those who shop online make an impulse purchase as a result of an advertised sale, according to June Capital One Shopping Research. Plus, you may not even be getting a deal at all. In the past, some people found that prices have been marked up in the days leading up to Prime Day.

So, to protect your wallet, CNBC Select pulled together six guidelines, tools and products to help you find actual deals, get the biggest discount possible and make the most of Prime Day.

First things first — sign up for an Amazon Prime membership. With this, you’ll be able to get exclusive deals and free shipping, which can cut your shopping bill down. Here are ways to get it cheap or for free.

• Sign up for a 30-day free trial. If you’ve never had Prime before, you can get the membership free for 30 days with a trial.
• Get a Prime for Young Adults membership. College students and young adults ages 18 through 24 are eligible for a six-month free trial, followed by a discounted membership ($7.49 per month or $69 per year). Students can do so by signing up with a .edu email, and young adults may need to provide paperwork to prove they are in the age range.
• See if you qualify for Prime Access: Americans who receive certain forms of government assistance like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) are eligible for a discounted membership. Typically, customers are required to pay $14.99 per month, but with Prime Access, you only have to pay $6.99. Prime Access also comes with a 30-day free trial.

Currently, Prime members who are approved for the Prime Visa (see rates and fees) can get a $200 Amazon Gift Card instantly without spending anything, higher than the $150 gift card it typically provides. There is no annual fee.

In addition to this perk, the card gives you purchase protection, auto rental insurance, baggage delay insurance and more.

You can also get an $80 gift card if you apply for the Prime Store Card. You’ll also get 5% back on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market when you use this card.

Some third-party sellers on Amazon have historically inflated prices temporarily and then provided customers with a “discount” on the elevated price when the sale day came, meaning it wasn’t really a deal at all, a 2022 research study by business and marketing professors at the University of South Carolina and the University of Florida found.

This went on as recently as Amazon’s Big Deal Days sale in October 2025: A Washington Post reporter tracked the prices of nearly 50 products and found that he would have saved only 0.6% on average. For some items, he would have paid roughly the same or more than the typical price.

You can avoid pseudo-discounts on Prime Day by running whatever you’re hoping to buy through a price comparison browser extension. CamelCamelCamel and Keepa are free to use and will show you price history. They will also notify you when a price on a product you want has dropped.

In addition to checking to make sure that the price you’re getting on Prime Day is actually a deal, you should check other retailers as well to see if they have the product at a cheaper price.

Amazon competitors like Target and Walmart also have deals going on at the same time. Target’s Circle Deal Days runs from June 23 to June 26, and the Walmart Deals summer event runs from June 22 to June 28. Check to make sure you’re getting the best price and the best discount by sifting through competitors before you buy.

You can also download apps like Ibotta that can help you compare prices across stores and get cash back for your purchases.

If you have a tendency to make impulse purchases, make a commitment to say what you’re buying and why out loud before you hit add to cart. This will make you think deeper about the purchase you’re about to make, behavioral finance expert Dan Egan previously told CNBC Select.

If you don’t mind shopping from the return pile or buying something secondhand, try looking to see if what you need is on Amazon Resale.

This section of the online market has used or unused-but-opened merchandise that you can get up to 70% off, depending on the condition.

You may very well find what you’re looking for during Prime Day but for cheaper.

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