4 Little-Known Perks of Amazon's Subscribe & Save Program

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There's nothing more frustrating than walking into your pantry to grab a roll of paper towels, only to realize that you're out. Similarly, imagine waking up in the morning to shower only to realize your last bar of soap has been whittled down to nothing, and you don't have another bar to replace it with (bye bye, dreams of starting your day clean). With Amazon's Subscribe & Save program, that doesn't have to happen again.

Subscribe & Save is a program that lets you sign up to have items automatically shipped to your door at predetermined intervals -- often, once a month. There are hundreds upon hundreds of items eligible for the Subscribe & Save program, so you can use it to buy everything from household essentials to toiletries to coffee pods.

The convenience factor alone makes Subscribe & Save worth signing up for. But here are some additional perks you might also enjoy.

1. Discounts

When you sign up to have an Amazon item delivered via Subscribe & Save, you'll usually snag it at a discounted price. But on top of that, you might score an additional discount for having a certain number of Subscribe & Save items delivered the same month. That could amount to quite a lot of savings.

2. Flexibility

With Subscribe & Save, you aren't committing to a fixed schedule. When you first set up your orders, you can choose how frequently you want your items delivered. So if there's something you expect to need every month, you can choose that as your frequency. Only need an item once every three months? You can arrange that schedule as well.

Plus, with Subscribe & Save, you can skip a delivery at any time. Maybe you have things like toothpaste or soap set to automatically ship, only you realize at the last minute you're pretty well-stocked. As long as you update your account ahead of those items' shipping date, you can cancel your delivery without penalty.

3. No shipping minimums

Want to have an $8 bottle of hairspray shipped to you automatically every month? Not a problem. There's no minimum for Subscribe & Save orders, and you don't have to worry about incurring shipping costs.

4. You don't have to be a Prime member

Amazon Prime members get to enjoy a host of perks as part of their membership fee. But you can take advantage of the Subscribe & Save program even if you aren't signed up for Amazon Prime. And non-Prime members enjoy free shipping as well.

Clearly, there's much to be gained by signing up for Subscribe & Save. So think about the items you purchase regularly, check out their prices on Amazon, and see if they're more competitive than what you'll find at your local supermarket or big-box store. If so, it pays to sign up for Subscribe & Save.

That said, do make sure to check up on your Subscribe & Save orders every couple of months or so to make sure you still need those items. The last thing you want is a credit card charge for an item you no longer require.

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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.