|
|
Super Saver Shipping Filler for Amazon
06-17-2009, 05:44 PM
|
#1
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,880
|
Super Saver Shipping Filler for Amazon
Sometimes you find something you want on Amazon that qualifies for super-saver (free) shipping. However, if it's less than $25, you have to find something else to buy to put you over the $25 threshold.
So the trick is to find something that
- Also qualifies for super-saver shipping
- Is as cheap or cheaper than in the stores
- You would buy anyway
I used to buy blank CDs, but I don't need those much anymore. Any ideas?
__________________
Al
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
06-17-2009, 05:49 PM
|
#2
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Collin County, TX
Posts: 9,294
|
Dryer sheets?
__________________
There's no need to complicate, our time is short..
|
|
|
06-17-2009, 06:01 PM
|
#3
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: At The Cafe
Posts: 6,873
|
Have you been reading my keystrokes again, T-Al? I've been struggling with this. Problem is I have an Amazon credit card and I get rewards in $25.00 coupon certificates. Well, I also got the bright idea of charging most of my bills to the credit cards so that I get the coupons more often. Got a coupon again on Monday, it's burning a hole in my pocket. You can Google up something like "amazon fillers" and punch in the exact amount you need. Problem is most of those cheap fillers don't qualify for super-saver shipping. Last time, I bought a pair of qualifying scissors for about $5.90. So I'm thinking of just buying something that costs $29.00 and charge the $4.00 to the credit card which will give me, what, about a penny toward my next $25.00 certificate. Good luck.
|
|
|
06-17-2009, 06:08 PM
|
#4
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by TromboneAl
I used to buy blank CDs, but I don't need those much anymore. Any ideas?
|
This idea requires the foresight & patience only found in frugal folks like us, Al.
When I'm reading, I keep a book list. Whenever my reading pile runs low, I run the list through our local library's search software and reserve a half-dozen books for my next library pickup. Occasionally the library doesn't have a book that's on my list, so I'll make a note and move on to the next candidate.
After 6-12 months of searching, reserving, & noting, it becomes apparent that the library doesn't think some titles are worth buying. At that point I could fill out a paper request for them to procure the book, but with funding & bureaucracy that could take another 6-12 months.
So what I usually do on my next Amazon shopping trip is to buy a book or two to get over $25. After that much time, the book is usually heavily discounted.
I do this 3-4 times/year.
__________________
*
Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."
I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
|
|
|
06-17-2009, 06:18 PM
|
#5
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 7,746
|
If you just need a little something to round it off to $25, check out something from here: SlickFillers.net - Amazon Filler Item Finder - Filler Items - sometimes they have stuff that is actually a little useful or adaptable to usefulness.
I keep a list in my google docs account for amazon as well for things that I need but not right now. Right now I have:
butter chicken curry kitchens of India
additional electric toothbrush heads
compact flourescent lightbulbs (CFL)
fram ppa8040 air filter - $8
Most "consumables" seem more expensive at amazon than at my local superdiscount store. Same with food. The butter curry chicken spices are hard to find locally and go for $1 a pack, so I can always load up on those.
I like the book idea too.
|
|
|
06-17-2009, 06:23 PM
|
#6
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 7,746
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nords
After 6-12 months of searching, reserving, & noting, it becomes apparent that the library doesn't think some titles are worth buying. At that point I could fill out a paper request for them to procure the book, but with funding & bureaucracy that could take another 6-12 months.
|
Nords, does your library have access to the international Interlibrary Loan system? I seem to recall the Hawaii system was running the same library website system as my local system (Dynix? Horizon?), so not sure if that is the same as the Interlibrary Loan system. But we can request and reserve books from anywhere in the world (theoretically) through the ILL system with no charge, and it is all electronic through the library's website. ILL books shipped to your local library branch within a few weeks normally. Most have come from university libraries within our state (to which I can't easily get borrowing privileges).
The ILL system works well in a pinch for those hard to locate or out of print books.
|
|
|
06-17-2009, 06:52 PM
|
#7
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 357
|
Just be careful with "free shipping" on Amazon. It's a marketing trap that gets even frugal people like us.
My wife signed up for Free 2 day Shipping. We thought it was great at first. Instead of driving to target we could just order stuff on Amazon and it would be at the door in 2 days. However, we've already bought 30 things off Amazon this year. I ordered the wrong item once, another item was broken, and a few of the items we don't use.
|
|
|
06-17-2009, 07:10 PM
|
#8
|
Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
|
I always buy books on Amazon that I want to read and cannot wait for the library to get . I make sure the total is $25 so I qualify for Super Shipping . I then read them and sell them on Amazon so it only costs a few dollars to read a book I'd have to wait months for at the library .
|
|
|
06-17-2009, 09:56 PM
|
#9
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 26,819
|
A couple tips:
1) Whenever I think of something I want/need, but it isn't an immediate thing, I add it to my amazon shopping cart, then click "save for later" (they also have wish lists and things, similar idea). By planning ahead, I have stuff in the waiting that meets all your requirements (which are the same as mine - you aren't really 'saving' anything if you buy something else for more). Right now, I must have a half-dozen things in the $5-$15 range that would make good fillers. It also updates any price changes, once or twice I've seen it go for less than when I added it, so I combined a few and got it.
2) Only add enough to get over $25. If you have a $20, $10, and $35 items to buy, place two orders (20+10; 35). That way, if either the $10 or $20 item is delayed, the $35 ships w/o delay (and vice-versa). With the free shipping option, they will delay all the items in one order if any are delayed - but often, they come out of different warehouses anyhow, so they ship separately and it isn't a problem. But why chance it?
-ERD50
|
|
|
06-17-2009, 11:01 PM
|
#10
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 84
|
I always just buy shaving razors.
|
|
|
06-18-2009, 05:05 AM
|
#11
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
|
I buy kid's books for my grandson. They usually qualify for free shipping, are cheap and he enjoys them.
|
|
|
06-18-2009, 09:04 AM
|
#12
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: East Nowhere, 43N Latitude, NY
Posts: 9,037
|
Investing books or music CDs
__________________
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney
|
|
|
06-19-2009, 02:07 PM
|
#13
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by FUEGO
Nords, does your library have access to the international Interlibrary Loan system? I seem to recall the Hawaii system was running the same library website system as my local system (Dynix? Horizon?), so not sure if that is the same as the Interlibrary Loan system.
|
Yep, Horizon Information Portal 3.06.A, powered by Dynix. The librarians hate it.
I'm going to have to guess "No" on the international Interlibrary Loan system. It doesn't even look like Hawaii participates in the Mainland Interlibrary Loan system unless you're willing to pony up a $10 fee per item:
http://www.librarieshawaii.org/pdf/ILLWebRequestForm[1].pdf
I'll have to ask our local library's manager, who's a state "Librarian of the Year" winner. Unfortunately, due to projected state tax revenue shortfalls, she and her staff have been asked to take mandatory three days/month unpaid furlough...
__________________
*
Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."
I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
|
|
|
06-19-2009, 02:39 PM
|
#14
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 7,746
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nords
Yep, Horizon Information Portal 3.06.A, powered by Dynix. The librarians hate it.
I'm going to have to guess "No" on the international Interlibrary Loan system. It doesn't even look like Hawaii participates in the Mainland Interlibrary Loan system unless you're willing to pony up a $10 fee per item:
http://www.librarieshawaii.org/pdf/ILLWebRequestForm[1].pdf
I'll have to ask our local library's manager, who's a state "Librarian of the Year" winner. Unfortunately, due to projected state tax revenue shortfalls, she and her staff have been asked to take mandatory three days/month unpaid furlough...
|
Our local library webpage directs to oclc.org and their ILLiad service. Must be something that our local library system has an agreement. I think OCLC serves as an global catalog of book availability. I see that our local system only borrows from ILL sources that are free, giving the patron the option to pay up for those ILL sources that require a fee.
We may have cuts coming to our libraries too. Branch closings and hour reductions are the current plan here.
|
|
|
06-19-2009, 08:03 PM
|
#15
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 281
|
Besides books, I buy a lot of organic and preservative free grocery items from Amazon that they don't carry at Costco and are too expensive to buy from places like Whole Foods.
|
|
|
06-21-2009, 10:04 AM
|
#16
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Brooklyn NY
Posts: 90
|
Thanks for the tips guys, it seems like I am always $1 or less for the free shipping and I usually buy something I dont need.
__________________
Watching your pennies now will allow you to count them later :)
|
|
|
06-21-2009, 06:17 PM
|
#17
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 897
|
Some of the latest things I've bought off of Amazon are oil filters, air filters and books.
A pack of two Purolater oil filters is cheaper than one bought locally for my Toyota. I usually buy enough oil filters at a time to qualify for free shippin'.
-CC
__________________
"There's those thinkin' more or less, less is more, but if less is more, how you keepin' score?
It means for every point you make, your level drops. Kinda like you're startin' from the top..." "Society" - Eddie Vedder
|
|
|
06-21-2009, 09:22 PM
|
#18
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 281
|
I have an Amazon charge card for an extra 3% towards Amazon gift cards. With that, free shipping, no sales tax and items delivered right to my door, it is hard to beat even Costco prices after I factor in my time.
|
|
|
06-22-2009, 08:27 AM
|
#19
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,880
|
Oil filters, perfect, thanks.
__________________
Al
|
|
|
08-11-2009, 06:16 PM
|
#20
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
|
I just discovered another filler for Amazon - magazine subscriptions. I've found that Amazon is a lot cheaper for magazines like Time than through the publisher and the cost of the subscription counts for free shipping. So I had a bunch of expendable items like auto filters that I'll eventually need in my shopping cart and when I renewed a subscription, I just added it to the cart and had the whole order shipped for free.
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|