Prime Day Sales Don't Always Equal Real Savings: This Trick Can Help
Amazon's next Prime Day sale is July 8 to 11. While we expect lots of good deals, not everything is worth the hype. CNET tech and shopping experts recommend comparing and tracking prices before and during sales, especially for big-ticket items like electronics.
Prime Day can also pressure us to stretch our budgets because we don't want to miss out on a "now or never" deal. For instance, if you're planning to buy a new TV, saving $530 on the Amazon Fire 75-inch Smart TV, which was originally $1,100, is a win. But if you spend money on an upgrade you don't need, that could put you in the red.
What are the best strategies for saving money during Prime Day? I found a useful trick for determining what's worth buying and what's not.
This trick can help you spot the real savings
There's still some time before Prime Day. CNET editors recommend making a list of items you plan to buy, reviewing prices now and installing the CamelCamelCamel browser extension.
"If you're not regularly tracking the prices for a computer, tablet or other device you want, it's tricky to know if you're getting a good deal," says Josh Goldman, managing editor and laptop reviewer at CNET. He says CamelCamelCamel will tell you the pricing history of any Amazon item. So, when the sale rolls around, it's easier to determine whether it's a deal or an everyday price.
CamelCamelCamel is free, and you don't need an Amazon account to use it. However, this price tracker only works for Amazon, so you'll need to use other websites or browser extensions, like Honey and Slickdeals, to compare prices from other retailers.
Remember it's fine to wait and save instead
If you haven't budgeted for spending on certain items, or you don't see worthwhile savings, it may be worth skipping the Prime Day frenzy altogether. Plus, there are plenty of other sales coming up: Labor Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Sometimes, waiting is best. Many of us are cutting back on spending and monitoring the effect of tariffs, which are pushing prices higher.
If you have a chunk of money you've set aside for a future purchase, I'd recommend keeping it in a high-yield savings account. Putting your savings into a high-yield account will help you earn interest while you wait. Right now, most HYSAs offer annual percentage yields between 3.60% and 4%, or even higher at select banks with stricter requirements.
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