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This Amazon Hack Saves So Much Time (and Money)—Here’s Why It’s Genius

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Here’s a modern-day tragedy: You're about to brush your teeth before bed and realize—gasp—you’re fresh out of the toothpaste you swore you’d pick up on the way home. No backup tube. No time for a late-night drugstore run. Cue the regret.

Now imagine a world where your most-used items just show up at your door, right on time, every time, without you lifting a finger. Enter: the Amazon Subscribe & Save program, a completely optional, entirely genius service that lets you set your most-used items to ship on a schedule (every month, two months, six months—whatever works for you). No more frantic last-minute orders. No more pharmacy runs in your slippers. No more cutting open tubes of toothpaste to desperately scrape the last bits out. Just an effortless restock that magically appears when you need it.

Amazon Subscribe & Save is the adulting upgrade you didn’t know you needed. It’s easy to set up, saves you money, and spares you the mental load of remembering to reorder the stuff you always run out of—including budget-friendly everyday essentials from Amazon Basics. And when life gets busy (because it always does), having your shopping on autopilot feels like a small win worth celebrating. Here’s everything you need to know.

What Is Amazon Subscribe & Save?

Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program lets you schedule automatic deliveries of eligible household staples—everything from vitamins and shampoo to moisturizer, cleaning supplies and diapers. You pick the products, choose how often you want them delivered, and they arrive on your doorstep like clockwork. Even better? It comes with built-in discounts that can add up over time.

What Are the Perks?

  • Savings: You get up to 15 percent off your total when you subscribe to five or more items in one delivery to the same address. Fewer items? You still save at least 5 percent on each. (For baby items like diapers and formula, that discount can go up to 20 percent if you’re part of Amazon Family.)
  • Free Shipping: The hack of all hacks. Even non-Prime members get free standard shipping on Subscribe & Save deliveries. So, if you’re not ready to commit to being a Prime member, you can still reap the free shipping benefits.
  • Total Flexibility: You can skip a delivery, change the quantity, adjust the schedule, or cancel any subscription at any time without fees or penalties. Seriously.
  • Convenient Reminders: You’ll get a heads-up notification well before your next order ships, so you’re never caught off guard or stuck with something you no longer need. Didn’t catch it in time? Occasionally, you can cancel an order during the window after it’s placed and before it ships.
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How Does It Work?

  1. Pick Your Products: Look for items marked with the “Subscribe & Save” option (you’ll see it right under the regular price on eligible products).
  2. Choose Your Frequency: Decide how often you want it delivered in weeks or months (every 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, etc.). Amazon will also suggest the most common frequency if you need help choosing the right one.
  3. Set It and Forget It: Add the subscription to your cart, check out, and voilà—it’s now on autopilot.
  4. Out of Stock? No Problem: If your go-to product is temporarily unavailable, Amazon will let you know and skip it for that delivery. You can always log in and swap it out manually for a similar item if you don’t want to wait.
  5. Manage Your Subscriptions: Head to the “Your Subscribe & Save Items” section of your account to pause, cancel, or tweak delivery dates as needed.

What’s the Catch?

There really isn’t one—but there are a few things to keep in mind.

  • Prices Can Fluctuate: The cost of your item may change between deliveries. Amazon will notify you ahead of time, so you can cancel if the price jumps.
  • Not All Items Qualify: While there’s a huge selection, not every product on Amazon is eligible. Look for the Subscribe & Save label when shopping.
  • No Prime Needed: You don’t need an Amazon Prime membership to use Subscribe & Save. But if you are a Prime member, you may see more item options and better delivery speeds.

Who Should Use It?

If you go through the same essentials on repeat (like pretty much everything from Amazon Basics) Subscribe & Save is a no-brainer. It’s also a game-changer for new parents, busy households, or anyone trying to spend less time on errands and more time doing, well…literally anything else.


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Writer

Brianna Lapolla formerly held the role of Senior Commerce Editor at PureWow covering all things shopping across beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. Now, she's putting her 12 years of professional experience to use on a freelance basis. When she's not typing away, you can find her somewhere in Europe or at home catering to her dog, King Louis.