Missed Out on Amazon Prime Day? Here's Why It Could Still Pay to Sign Up for Prime

Don't write off Amazon Prime just yet.

July's Amazon Prime Day event was one of the most highly anticipated shopping events in a long time. In fact, one report shows that U.S. consumers bought a whopping 60,000 items per minute during Prime Day. Wowza.

But while Prime Day may be over, that doesn't mean you should write off the idea of signing up for an Amazon Prime membership. Here's why it very much still pays to spend money on one.

1. You can save yourself the driving -- and gas costs

One of the best perks of Amazon Prime is getting free two-day shipping on any order. Given how high gas prices have gotten these days, that's a benefit not to take lightly.

Many consumers are running up sky-high credit card tabs at the pump to keep their vehicles running. If you're able to replace numerous trips to the store each month with orders from Amazon Prime, you may find that your membership more than pays for itself.

2. You can access loads of free content

Amazon Prime doesn't just give you access to great deals and no-cost shipping. It also gives you access to an extensive content library of TV shows, movies, music, and even books.

If you've been thinking about signing up for a streaming service, joining Amazon Prime could negate that need, thereby sparing you that expense. And if you've been thinking of cutting the cord with cable, signing up for Amazon Prime is a good way to fill that entertainment void.

3. You can benefit from deals that arise throughout the year

It's true that numerous deals dropped in the course of Amazon Prime Day. But that doesn't mean the savings are over.

Amazon Prime offers items on sale all the time. And a good way to track those sales is to compile a wish list and take note of price fluctuations, which will update automatically.

Plus, while Prime Day may be over, we're still months away from another huge pair of shopping events -- Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It's fair to assume that Amazon will advertise its fair share of deals during those events, and if you sign up for a Prime membership beforehand, you'll benefit from free two-day shipping without having to worry about order minimums.

Should you sign up for Amazon Prime?

One great thing about Amazon Prime is that you can sign up for a free 30-day trial and see whether you like it. And that's a step worth taking. Although Prime Day may be in our rearview mirror at this point, there are still many benefits to enjoy with a Prime membership. And if you can sample one at no cost, why not go for it and see how things shake out?

You may find that you don't get much use out of Amazon Prime, in which case you can simply cancel after 30 days with no financial obligation. But you may find that a Prime membership saves you money on gas, helps you stay busy at home, and makes it easy to jump on discounts as they pop up.