What should I be buying with my new Amazon Prime membership?
February 15, 2010 1:30 PM Subscribe
In advance of arrival of babies maverick (yes, twins), wifey and I signed up for Amazon Prime, to simplify what we actually have to go out for. My question for you is "What *should* I be buying with it?"
I tried to find a comparison online of what "makes sense" to buy from Amazon, versus elsewhere - every search I could come up with was nothing but affiliate farms and/or Amazon free-shipping-filler items. What I'm hoping to find is something like "Diapers are about the same price, but toothpaste is more expensive. Cereal tends to be cheaper on Amazon than in the supermarket". Does such a comparison exist online? If not, what have you found yourself ordering through Amazon that you used to buy elsewhere (kids/household stuff especially)?
Thanks!
I tried to find a comparison online of what "makes sense" to buy from Amazon, versus elsewhere - every search I could come up with was nothing but affiliate farms and/or Amazon free-shipping-filler items. What I'm hoping to find is something like "Diapers are about the same price, but toothpaste is more expensive. Cereal tends to be cheaper on Amazon than in the supermarket". Does such a comparison exist online? If not, what have you found yourself ordering through Amazon that you used to buy elsewhere (kids/household stuff especially)?
Thanks!
I found that even if the price was slightly higher it was WAY worth it to have stuff like diapers shipped. They're big and bulky and a pain to haul around. A couple dollars was worth it, if I could order and have them in my hands the next day. (But I get mine through diapers.com). So what I mean is that a strict dollar for dollar comparison may not be the only way to look at it. Amazon also has occasional diaper sales for subscribe and save programs with diapers (and other stuff) and that is something I know a lot of people say is a cost saver.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 1:48 PM on February 15, 2010
posted by otherwordlyglow at 1:48 PM on February 15, 2010
We do baby wipes at 15% subscribe/save from Amazon in addition to hard-to-find diapers.
posted by rabidsegue at 1:51 PM on February 15, 2010
posted by rabidsegue at 1:51 PM on February 15, 2010
Disclosure: spouse works for Amazon.com; I am also fully aware of the things they screw up, and point them out to him often.
Remember that Prime is different from Subscribe & Save. They both have their uses, but they are different programs.
Make sure you sign up for Subscribe & Save on the things you will use regularly. I use it for things we always want - my husband's weird cereal, mac & cheese, etc - and that way I know we'll have a steady supply at a known price. It's like a standing order that I don't even have to think about, but can tweak when I need to - if we run out early, or don't need the next scheduled shipment.
I only use it for things that I know we need consistently, have room to store in bulk, and know will be cheaper (see: weird cereal) - that's a matter of comparison shopping that you'll have to look at for yourself, but make sure to include the cost of your time and effort to shop for such things in that equation. (Total aside: I would use Amazon.com for diapers if I weren't madly and deeply in love with diapers.com - free shipping over $50, no sales tax for me, order usually arrives in 48 hours.)
Note that using Subscribe & Save will get you free shipping even without Prime, plus the additional 15% discount.
Our favorite thing with Prime is having big, heavy things (a television, an entertainment center) delivered for free. I'd consider using it to buy things like car seats, strollers, etc - anything it would be a pain to haul home, especially in multiples (congratulations!).
posted by Lulu's Pink Converse at 2:16 PM on February 15, 2010
Remember that Prime is different from Subscribe & Save. They both have their uses, but they are different programs.
Make sure you sign up for Subscribe & Save on the things you will use regularly. I use it for things we always want - my husband's weird cereal, mac & cheese, etc - and that way I know we'll have a steady supply at a known price. It's like a standing order that I don't even have to think about, but can tweak when I need to - if we run out early, or don't need the next scheduled shipment.
I only use it for things that I know we need consistently, have room to store in bulk, and know will be cheaper (see: weird cereal) - that's a matter of comparison shopping that you'll have to look at for yourself, but make sure to include the cost of your time and effort to shop for such things in that equation. (Total aside: I would use Amazon.com for diapers if I weren't madly and deeply in love with diapers.com - free shipping over $50, no sales tax for me, order usually arrives in 48 hours.)
Note that using Subscribe & Save will get you free shipping even without Prime, plus the additional 15% discount.
Our favorite thing with Prime is having big, heavy things (a television, an entertainment center) delivered for free. I'd consider using it to buy things like car seats, strollers, etc - anything it would be a pain to haul home, especially in multiples (congratulations!).
posted by Lulu's Pink Converse at 2:16 PM on February 15, 2010
Congratulations fellow parents of twins!
Seconding Diapers and Formula. Amazon is sometimes also cheaper for certain small items, like shampoo, vaseline, Desitin, roll-on baby powder, or even TriViSol, which is an OTC liquid vitamin that was suggested for our kids by our pediatrician, right after they were born. At times, it can be difficult to find in local drug stores.
However if you're using Pampers, Huggies or Luvs diapers, you will find that the coupons they send you in the mail (sign up at their websites) can't be used at Amazon.com. When we had coupons, we would save money by purchasing wipes and diapers together at our local BJ's wholesale store. Now that my kids are two and coupons are no longer plentiful, we use Amazon's Subscribe and Save service. Note that this is a different service than Amazon Prime. You get discounts for regular, scheduled monthly (or at another specified interval) deliveries. You may want to look into it.
Also, you may save more money than you would at Amazon by buying some items directly from Babies R Us stores, as they give you a 10% discount if you buy two of certain items. Worth looking into.
Slightly off-topic, but perhaps also helpful: Beechnut and Gerber offer two for one coupons to families with twins. And TinyLove has a Twins buy one get one free program. (pdf) Your local Mothers of Multiples Club (in some areas and on their website they're called "Mothers of Twins Club") should be able to suggest money-saving resources as well. The clubs are a genuine treasure. They run swapmeets, auctions and have helped save us a ton of money over time.
posted by zarq at 2:20 PM on February 15, 2010
Seconding Diapers and Formula. Amazon is sometimes also cheaper for certain small items, like shampoo, vaseline, Desitin, roll-on baby powder, or even TriViSol, which is an OTC liquid vitamin that was suggested for our kids by our pediatrician, right after they were born. At times, it can be difficult to find in local drug stores.
However if you're using Pampers, Huggies or Luvs diapers, you will find that the coupons they send you in the mail (sign up at their websites) can't be used at Amazon.com. When we had coupons, we would save money by purchasing wipes and diapers together at our local BJ's wholesale store. Now that my kids are two and coupons are no longer plentiful, we use Amazon's Subscribe and Save service. Note that this is a different service than Amazon Prime. You get discounts for regular, scheduled monthly (or at another specified interval) deliveries. You may want to look into it.
Also, you may save more money than you would at Amazon by buying some items directly from Babies R Us stores, as they give you a 10% discount if you buy two of certain items. Worth looking into.
Slightly off-topic, but perhaps also helpful: Beechnut and Gerber offer two for one coupons to families with twins. And TinyLove has a Twins buy one get one free program. (pdf) Your local Mothers of Multiples Club (in some areas and on their website they're called "Mothers of Twins Club") should be able to suggest money-saving resources as well. The clubs are a genuine treasure. They run swapmeets, auctions and have helped save us a ton of money over time.
posted by zarq at 2:20 PM on February 15, 2010
At the risk of being unhelpful: "everything".
The nifty thing about guaranteed two day shipping is that as long as the price isn't excessive, you're going to save the time of walking/driving, parking, finding, checking out, etc. That's incredibly worth it.
As Lulu said above, it's especially great for bulky items. My four section folding ladder was delivered by the UPS guy, much more easily than I could've gotten it into my car. (I also give the guy a tip at the holidays.)
posted by herrtodd at 2:24 PM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
The nifty thing about guaranteed two day shipping is that as long as the price isn't excessive, you're going to save the time of walking/driving, parking, finding, checking out, etc. That's incredibly worth it.
As Lulu said above, it's especially great for bulky items. My four section folding ladder was delivered by the UPS guy, much more easily than I could've gotten it into my car. (I also give the guy a tip at the holidays.)
posted by herrtodd at 2:24 PM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
amazon has a way of totally overpacking small things. so keep that in mind when you are deciding what to get. your local grocery store may do something like peapod which may be better for smaller things.
we got 3 baby placemats in delivered today and they came in 3 individual copypaper sized boxes filled with those airpack cushioning.
it was ridiculous, and now we have to break the boxes down and pop all the airpacks to fit them in the garbage. it would have been easier to go to the store!
posted by bottlebrushtree at 2:33 PM on February 15, 2010
we got 3 baby placemats in delivered today and they came in 3 individual copypaper sized boxes filled with those airpack cushioning.
it was ridiculous, and now we have to break the boxes down and pop all the airpacks to fit them in the garbage. it would have been easier to go to the store!
posted by bottlebrushtree at 2:33 PM on February 15, 2010
I've had a prime membership for a few years and I order many, many items from Amazon. One of the best deals for shipping was an exercise bike that weighs over 150 pounds. It was great to have it delivered to my door at no charge.
posted by rglasmann at 2:56 PM on February 15, 2010
posted by rglasmann at 2:56 PM on February 15, 2010
Stuff for your wife that you wouldn't want to buy in person. Namely, Poise pads or giant sanitary napkins, etc. Postpartum supplies might be well received.
posted by anniecat at 3:17 PM on February 15, 2010
posted by anniecat at 3:17 PM on February 15, 2010
All stuff that's big and annoying--car seats, exersaucer (I looked down on them. Until I realized how awesome they are.)
Anything that can take an annoying trip to Babies R Us out of your life -- that stuff.
We did this too.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 4:29 PM on February 15, 2010
Anything that can take an annoying trip to Babies R Us out of your life -- that stuff.
We did this too.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 4:29 PM on February 15, 2010
Beyond the baby stuff, I'd focus on groceries/toiletries/etc for you and mrs. maverick. Because you will always know where you stand on diapers, formula, wipes, what have you, but then you will get up one morning and think damn, it would be nice to have some grownup cereal and shampoo around here.
Also, you can Subscribe & Save to an item for the 15% discount, then turn around and cancel the subscription before the second shipment. Not that I've ever done this.
posted by Flannery Culp at 5:13 PM on February 15, 2010
Also, you can Subscribe & Save to an item for the 15% discount, then turn around and cancel the subscription before the second shipment. Not that I've ever done this.
posted by Flannery Culp at 5:13 PM on February 15, 2010
Gosh, if I had twins, anything that kept me from dressing two babies, timing feeds and poops so that both are content and clean at the same time, carrying two babies to a car, buckling two babies into car seats, carrying two bucketed babies into a store ... oh, god, we're not even half done, are we?
I'd just buy everything I could by mail order and thank the good lord I was born in this age of miracles.
posted by palliser at 5:17 PM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd just buy everything I could by mail order and thank the good lord I was born in this age of miracles.
posted by palliser at 5:17 PM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Gosh, if I had twins, anything that kept me from dressing two babies, timing feeds and poops so that both are content and clean at the same time, carrying two babies to a car, buckling two babies into car seats, carrying two bucketed babies into a store ... oh, god, we're not even half done, are we?
No, you're not.
But it's not as intimidating as you might think. My kids do many things at or around the same time. We have had them on a schedule since the day they were born, because it both made our lives easier and helped them establish a routine.
Per your comment:
Dressing two babies and feeding them is really no different than doing so for one child. Carrying two babies to a car is only as difficult as you make it. I live in a large city. If I parked far away, they went into a double stroller. They make them for the infant car seats -- we had a double snap-n-go. Their seats went in it if we went into most stores. Why carry two car seats if you don't have to?
Don't scare the OP, please, especially if you haven't experienced what he's about to firsthand. Since they were born, I've gone plenty of places alone with my kids without incident. Taking care of twins may be tiring at times but truly, it doesn't have to be daunting. I had a lot of fun as a new dad going shopping and running errands with my infants, and it certainly wasn't a chore.
posted by zarq at 5:47 PM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
No, you're not.
But it's not as intimidating as you might think. My kids do many things at or around the same time. We have had them on a schedule since the day they were born, because it both made our lives easier and helped them establish a routine.
Per your comment:
Dressing two babies and feeding them is really no different than doing so for one child. Carrying two babies to a car is only as difficult as you make it. I live in a large city. If I parked far away, they went into a double stroller. They make them for the infant car seats -- we had a double snap-n-go. Their seats went in it if we went into most stores. Why carry two car seats if you don't have to?
Don't scare the OP, please, especially if you haven't experienced what he's about to firsthand. Since they were born, I've gone plenty of places alone with my kids without incident. Taking care of twins may be tiring at times but truly, it doesn't have to be daunting. I had a lot of fun as a new dad going shopping and running errands with my infants, and it certainly wasn't a chore.
posted by zarq at 5:47 PM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Don't scare the OP, please, especially if you haven't experienced what he's about to firsthand. Since they were born, I've gone plenty of places alone with my kids without incident.
Not exactly -- I've got two a year-and-a-half apart, and am expecting a third on a similar time frame -- but I do find taking them places where you buy diapers to be a royal pain in the ass. I happily take them to the library, play spaces, friends' houses, natural history museum, conservatory, children's museum, zoo, etc., by myself. But if we're going somewhere in order to buy things and get them into the house, rather than in order to have fun, I'd as soon buy the things and get them into the house without the accompanying rigamarole, and save the time for the fun stuff.
posted by palliser at 6:07 PM on February 15, 2010
Not exactly -- I've got two a year-and-a-half apart, and am expecting a third on a similar time frame -- but I do find taking them places where you buy diapers to be a royal pain in the ass. I happily take them to the library, play spaces, friends' houses, natural history museum, conservatory, children's museum, zoo, etc., by myself. But if we're going somewhere in order to buy things and get them into the house, rather than in order to have fun, I'd as soon buy the things and get them into the house without the accompanying rigamarole, and save the time for the fun stuff.
posted by palliser at 6:07 PM on February 15, 2010
Another twin mom here (with a 2 month old singleton as well), who is blind and thus doesn't drive. Amazon prime has been very useful to me just in saving throwing all these kids on public transit. (Which we also do, it isn't that big of deal, but if we can save ourselves a couple of trips a week by using amazon, it is an energy saver.) Also, check out grocery delivery services like safeway and albertsons or others depending on your geographic area. Those usually cost perhaps 6-9 dollars for delivery, but I usually avoid delivery charges by watching for specials that come in my email.
Oh, and my twin experience taught me how to have my two-month-old sleeping through the night. Yes. (knock on wood) the kid has been sleeping through the night for the last two-weeks. (from about 10:00 to 7:00) And this is all because I used the (very necessary with twins) schedule of diaper change, feed, playtime if daytime, nap...repeat, repeat, repeat every two and a half to three hours. Nighttime is kept very dark, get down to business, no playtime and back to bed. It took the twins about 5 months to sleep through the night, but they were much smaller and a bit premature than this guy and thus needed nighttime feedings for longer. However, since I was mostly alone with them, having them on this schedule kept all of our sanity and kept all of us healthy as well. We have had very little sleep problems ever since.
Okay, that's off topic...but forgive me. yeah! me! I have a two month old SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!
posted by Bueller at 12:31 AM on February 16, 2010
Oh, and my twin experience taught me how to have my two-month-old sleeping through the night. Yes. (knock on wood) the kid has been sleeping through the night for the last two-weeks. (from about 10:00 to 7:00) And this is all because I used the (very necessary with twins) schedule of diaper change, feed, playtime if daytime, nap...repeat, repeat, repeat every two and a half to three hours. Nighttime is kept very dark, get down to business, no playtime and back to bed. It took the twins about 5 months to sleep through the night, but they were much smaller and a bit premature than this guy and thus needed nighttime feedings for longer. However, since I was mostly alone with them, having them on this schedule kept all of our sanity and kept all of us healthy as well. We have had very little sleep problems ever since.
Okay, that's off topic...but forgive me. yeah! me! I have a two month old SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!
posted by Bueller at 12:31 AM on February 16, 2010
Not exactly -- I've got two a year-and-a-half apart, and am expecting a third on a similar time frame -- but I do find taking them places where you buy diapers to be a royal pain in the ass. I happily take them to the library, play spaces, friends' houses, natural history museum, conservatory, children's museum, zoo, etc., by myself. But if we're going somewhere in order to buy things and get them into the house, rather than in order to have fun, I'd as soon buy the things and get them into the house without the accompanying rigamarole, and save the time for the fun stuff.
First, congratulations. :)
It's funny... I actually loved taking mine shopping. It was "me" time with the kids.
We shopped at BJ's for diapers, formula and wipes, and that store has shopping carts that seat two kids, or two car seats. So I'd simply click them in and go. When shopping at a local supermarket whose carts only had enough space for one cart, one kid was usually clicked into the handle and the other car seat was placed inside the cart. Or I'd just take them in their stroller. Now that they're older, most of the stores around us (supermarkets, Target, etc.,) have the shopping carts with plastic "car" attachments that seat two kids at once.
posted by zarq at 3:12 AM on February 16, 2010
First, congratulations. :)
It's funny... I actually loved taking mine shopping. It was "me" time with the kids.
We shopped at BJ's for diapers, formula and wipes, and that store has shopping carts that seat two kids, or two car seats. So I'd simply click them in and go. When shopping at a local supermarket whose carts only had enough space for one cart, one kid was usually clicked into the handle and the other car seat was placed inside the cart. Or I'd just take them in their stroller. Now that they're older, most of the stores around us (supermarkets, Target, etc.,) have the shopping carts with plastic "car" attachments that seat two kids at once.
posted by zarq at 3:12 AM on February 16, 2010
The other thing to think about is that as your kids age, it doesn't really get less useful to have the Miracle of Miracles that is 2 day free shipping on any randomness that they love. My daughter is addicted to a specific brand of freeze-dried fruit, and we can have a CASE of it sent to our house in 2 days. Truly, I don't need my flying cars, because this is proof that I live in The Future.
When she was younger, it was cereals that she liked, or cases of fruit cups, or whatever. Once your little ones start showing preferences for things, Prime becomes even more useful.
posted by griffey at 8:51 AM on February 16, 2010
When she was younger, it was cereals that she liked, or cases of fruit cups, or whatever. Once your little ones start showing preferences for things, Prime becomes even more useful.
posted by griffey at 8:51 AM on February 16, 2010
We have twins and have found that signing up for Babies R Us' rewards program is the cheapest way to buy diapers. We use Pampers 2-3s currently, the 152 count box at Amazon is $41.99, it's $40.99 at Babies R Us, and with the rewards program every 11th box is free. We go through diapers about one case every week and a half, and also are on the rewards program from Pampers (which we've used to get lots of free photo cards and prints). Wipes we've found to be cheapest in bulk at Costco, but I imagine that Amazon comes close.
They were solely breastfed up until introducing some food around six months, so no formula suggestions. As to food we make it all ourselves. We already had a steamer and good food processor, but if you don't I'd recommend them. Compared to the cost of jarred food doing it yourself--even 100% organic--is way cheaper, and you know what's in it. Also, I'm willing to eat it to demonstrate that I'm not poisoning them... there's no way I'd eat the stuff out of the jar.
We have purchased a ton of clothing from Amazon/Target. We've found that as soon as we need something it's no longer in season. If you want them to have a bathing suit you should be purchasing it now (seriously) because by the time summer rolls around you'll be looking at winter coats in the stores. Amazon/Target (online they're essentially the same, although I don't know if Prime works for the Target stuff) carries stuff year round. So when your nine month old twins hit a growth spurt and outgrow their long-sleeved stuff you don't have to scramble to multiple stores to find the only remaining 12 month stuff on clearance.
Congrats on the twins. Sleep now while you still can.
posted by togdon at 10:29 AM on February 16, 2010
They were solely breastfed up until introducing some food around six months, so no formula suggestions. As to food we make it all ourselves. We already had a steamer and good food processor, but if you don't I'd recommend them. Compared to the cost of jarred food doing it yourself--even 100% organic--is way cheaper, and you know what's in it. Also, I'm willing to eat it to demonstrate that I'm not poisoning them... there's no way I'd eat the stuff out of the jar.
We have purchased a ton of clothing from Amazon/Target. We've found that as soon as we need something it's no longer in season. If you want them to have a bathing suit you should be purchasing it now (seriously) because by the time summer rolls around you'll be looking at winter coats in the stores. Amazon/Target (online they're essentially the same, although I don't know if Prime works for the Target stuff) carries stuff year round. So when your nine month old twins hit a growth spurt and outgrow their long-sleeved stuff you don't have to scramble to multiple stores to find the only remaining 12 month stuff on clearance.
Congrats on the twins. Sleep now while you still can.
posted by togdon at 10:29 AM on February 16, 2010
I have 18-month-old twins. I ordered a lot of diapers and formula from Amazon. My kids were on Similac Sensitive (lactose-free, but not soy), and none of the grocery stores around me sold it - only Target. Having it delivered free was a tremendous help. Now I get diapers from Costco (two-seat carts!) Good luck with your twins. At some point in the future the pain of newborn duties will be a hazy memory. (And yes, OT, but as other twin parents in this thread have mentioned, routine and syncing your twins will help you tremendously.)
posted by candyland at 2:34 PM on February 17, 2010
posted by candyland at 2:34 PM on February 17, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, though it's not always necessarily cheaper, certain things that you're very particular about ( chlorine-free diapers or organic baby food or whatever) are so much easier to buy online than to just cross your fingers and hope your local grocery store has them in stock when you need them.
posted by logic vs love at 1:46 PM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]