The author reflects on their Amazon Prime subscription and questions whether it is worth renewing each year. They break down the $151.34 annual cost to $12.61 per month, which is less than other subscription services they use. They discuss the benefits of free shipping and easy returns, as well as incentives to choose later delivery dates for digital credits. They find the convenience and value of these benefits make the subscription worthwhile.
An additional perk of Amazon Prime is access to Prime Video, which costs $8.99 per month stand-alone. The author admits that they would not pay this separately, but they use the service enough to justify the cost. There are also exclusive live sports broadcasts for their favorite team, the New York Yankees. Another benefit is unlimited photo storage, which is included with the subscription and saves the author from having to pay extra for digital storage space.
However, there are some perks of Amazon Prime that the author does not utilize. They are already a Spotify subscriber, so they do not use Amazon Music. They do not shop at Whole Foods, so the exclusive deals for Prime members are not relevant to them. Prime Day and Prime Reading are also not significant benefits for the author. They acknowledge that the added Grubhub+ membership is nice, but it may lead to spending more money on take-out, making the membership feel more expensive.
Ultimately, the author decides to renew their Amazon Prime subscription for another year based on the value they receive from free shipping, easy returns, Prime Video, and unlimited photo storage. They plan to continue monitoring their usage of these perks over the next year to ensure that the membership remains worthwhile. The author also mentions a new online course from CNBC on effective communication and encourages readers to sign up for their newsletter for success tips at work, with money, and in life.
