3 Ground Rules I Now Set When Shopping on Amazon

Some people may not get a lot of good use out of their Amazon Prime memberships. But I can say with certainty that the $139 annual fee I pay for the program is not money I'm throwing away.

Shopping on Amazon as a Prime member often saves me the time of having to make a trip to the store. And because I'm self-employed, saving time means freeing up time to work. That often results in more money in my bank account.

But at some point last year, I realized that I was racking up quite the large credit card tab when doing my Amazon shopping. So I've decided to make some changes. Effective this year, here are three rules I stick to in the context of Amazon purchases.

1. I only visit Amazon when there's an actual item I need

Amazon is one of those sites you might easily browse when you're bored or waiting around for a friend. I used to do the same, but I don't anymore.

The reason? There's just too much temptation. As a Prime member, I can order any item for free two-day shipping. A $12 t-shirt here or an $8 hat there may not seem like a big deal. But in the course of a year, those little purchases can add up.

So now, I only visit Amazon when there's a specific item I need. And when I do, I don't browse the daily deals. I just stick to the item or items I'm looking for.

Similarly, I won't shop on Amazon during special events, like Prime Day, unless there's a reason to. Otherwise, I know I'm likely to be tempted to buy something.

2. I'm not allowed to buy clothing unless I'm replacing an item in my closet

I've found that Amazon sells a variety of decent-quality clothing items at low prices. So on occasion, I'll be tempted to purchase a new fleece jacket to go running in, or new socks or pajamas.

But as someone who tends to keep her clothing for a really long time, my new rule is that I can't buy clothing on Amazon unless it's to replace something specific in my closet. The way I see it, if I'm not replacing an item I already own, then the item in question is probably something I don't actually need.

3. I always check the Subscribe & Save price before making a purchase

If there's an item on Amazon I need in a pinch, I may have to order it for two-day delivery, which I get for free as a Prime member. But for non-urgent purchases, my new rule is to always see if the item in question is available via the Subscribe & Save program.

The program allows you to set up items to ship to you automatically at different intervals, such as once a month, once every other month, and so forth. And you'll generally snag a discount on the things you're buying if you use Subscribe & Save. So if there's no rush for your new face cream or toothpaste or vitamins, why not save money on them?

Shopping on Amazon may hurt your finances if you aren't careful. It pays to do what you can to avoid impulse buys on the site. And it pays to seek out savings where you can, such as looking to the Subscribe & Save program for the things you don't need immediately.

If you feel that your Amazon spending has been excessive lately, you may want to implement your own set of rules for shopping on the site. You may find that it does your finances a lot of good.