4 Tips to Avoid Overspending on Amazon Prime Day

These tips can help you avoid overspending as you fill up your cart on Amazon Prime Day.

Amazon Prime Day is coming up soon. This two-day annual event gives Prime members a chance to score some incredible deals.

If you're an Amazon shopper, you may be looking forward to filling up your shopping cart with discounted products. But if you're not careful, it can be easy to go over budget. Luckily, there are some steps that you can take to avoid overspending on Amazon Prime Day. Find out more.

Get ready for Amazon Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day 2021 is scheduled for June 21 and June 22. While this holiday typically occurs in July, it's happening a little bit earlier this year.

On Amazon Prime Day, you can find significant discounts on top brands and products that you've meant to buy all year. It's a good excuse to get those items that you've been wanting for a long time.

No matter where you do your shopping, staying on top of your personal finance goals is important. If you have a plan in place before you start your Prime Day shopping, you can avoid overspending and buying things you don't need. After all, you don't want to end up going into credit card debt because you bought way too much.

Ready to shop but nervous that you might buy more than you need? These four tips can help you avoid overspending and have more success on Amazon Prime Day.

1. Make a list

Have you ever gone grocery shopping without a list? When you do, it's a lot easier to fill your cart with things that you don't need. This is also true when it comes to online shopping. That's why it's always a good idea to have a list ready.

Take the time to outline what items you want to buy and write them down so that you're ready to go. Then, make sure that you stick to your plan. Once you're done with your shopping, exit out of your browser and move on with your day.

2. Stay within budget

Just like making a list of the items that you need before shopping, you should also set a budget. Knowing how much you can afford to spend can help to keep you on track. If you don't set a budget, you may end up spending a lot more than you originally had in mind.

If you're using a credit card to make your Amazon purchases, you'll want to consider how quickly you can pay it off before incurring any credit card interest. Keeping this in mind will help ensure your budget truly fits your financial situation.

3. Research products in advance

As you come up with your shopping list, it's a good idea to research each product thoroughly. You may have a particular brand-name item in mind, but the company may offer multiple similar models. Researching before Prime Day can give you a chance to learn more about each offering, so you know which item to buy. Properly researching in advance will also save you time on Prime Day -- so you're not spending all day in front of the computer.

4. Make sure it's a real deal

While some Prime Day items are a fantastic deal, other on-sale products aren't. The listed price tag may sound like a good discount, but you may be able to get the item cheaper through another retailer.

Around Prime Day, other popular online retailers have discounts on some of the same products to compete with Amazon. Because of this, you may be able to find a better price. Just look around to make sure that you're getting the best deal. And check similar items of different brands, as a competitor may offer a better price for a product with the same features.

Make sure to maximize your rewards

These tips can help you avoid overspending and help find the items that you genuinely need. Another idea is to use a rewards credit card when shopping on Amazon Prime Day. You can earn valuable rewards on your spending and redeem those rewards for cash back, gift cards, or a vacation in the future.

As mentioned earlier, make sure that you only charge what you can afford to pay off promptly. Otherwise, you may have to pay expensive interest charges -- which can make your Amazon Prime deals no longer a deal. For more information, check out these personal finance resources to help you take charge of your money and avoid going into debt.