Prime Day 2025: What to Skip, When to Wait, and Where to Shop Instead

Is Amazon Prime Day worth it? Read to find out!

At Hip2Save, we love Amazon Prime Day! That said, we’re not ignoring the logic behind ditching at least certain aspects of it. Here are some reasons why Amazon Prime Day 2025 might not be totally worth it.

1. Certain items you should skip completely.

While Prime Day can offer big savings, especially on Amazon devices and select tech items, it’s not always the best time to buy everything. The truth is, there’s a rhythm to sales throughout the year. From pantry staples and baby products to home goods and baking supplies, the best deals often follow seasonal patterns.

However, Prime Day round two is much more geared towards Christmas shopping, so it can be a great time to grab early deals on bigger-ticket items. But for the most in-demand holiday gifts — like toys, clothing, and trending electronics — the deepest discounts usually show up around Black Friday.

So while Prime Day can be a smart time to shop, knowing when to wait can sometimes save you even more.

Shop early Prime Day deals on electronics now!

2. Walmart is running a sale that runs 4 days later than Prime Day and starts the same day.

In recent years, the Walmart Deals sale has given Amazon Prime Day a serious run for its money, often launching earlier and offering even longer savings events. This year, Walmart’s Prime Day-like sale is running from October 7th until October 12th! That’s 4 extra days to shop deals! 😱 Plus, Walmart+ members get early access to the hottest deals, starting October 6th, at 7 p.m. ET!

This year’s Walmart Deals will include deep discounts on toys, fashion, electronics, home, seasonal décor, food, beauty, and more. You can preview some of the deals right now on Walmart.com or in the Walmart app.

You’ll also get same-day delivery, early morning delivery starting at 6 a.m., and Express Delivery in as little as 30 minutes!

So, is Amazon Prime Day worth it this year? That depends on what you’re shopping for.

Amazon is expected to offer big savings on its own devices like Echo, Kindle, and Fire TVs, as well as smart home products, beauty, and tech. But if you’re eyeing holiday gifts like toys or clothing, you might still want to wait until Black Friday for the deepest discounts.

3. Walmart+ is cheaper for a year than Amazon, and our Hip CEO loves the perks even more.

While you can pretty much score a FREE 30-DAY trial with Walmart+ any time, committing to an entire year of perks is $98, or a monthly membership for just $12.95/month! Considering Amazon Prime is currently renewing at $14.99/month or $139/year, that’s quite a savings over time! Plus, you can score a Walmart+ membership for even less if you meet certain requirements.

As a Walmart+ member, one of the most exciting perks to take advantage of is their discounts on fuel at over 14,000 gas stations!

Are you an American Express cardholder?

American Express Platinum cardholders can score a FREE Walmart Plus monthly membership in the form of a $12.95 statement credit when you use your card as the payment method on your W+ account. So in that case, the savings on gas could be a wash.

*Note that this offer is available to new and existing Walmart Plus members. However, it cannot be applied if you have already paid for an annual membership.

4. Target Circle Week is another competitive sale that starts earlier and lasts longer than Prime Day, too.

Target Circle Week returns October 5th–11th, with early access starting October 4th for Target Circle 360 members! Plus, Daily Deals will also return throughout Target Circle Week with savings of up to 40% or more off popular Target brands, as well as Apple, Bissell, Champion, Crocs, GE, and HeyDude!

In addition to 24-hour early access to select Deals of the Day, Target Circle 360 members will also earn $10 in Target Circle Rewards for every $100 spent!

So, again, depending on what you’re shopping for Will determine if Amazon Prime Day is right for you, or maybe it’s time to become a Target Circle 360 member. 💁🏼‍♀️

5. You might end up buying just for the sake of buying.

We’ve all been there… You see a deal you just can’t pass up, but just because something’s on sale doesn’t mean you need it now, like this super large bag of cereal marshmallow bits. 😉 Instead, you could be saving up for a bigger splurge, padding an upcoming holiday or birthday budget, or just socking it away in a rainy day fund instead.

The good news is that we’re weeding out the bad deals and already sharing some hot ones if you’re planning to participate in this year’s Amazon Prime Day shopping event!

6. The lightning deals may not be worth your time. 

The reality is that the really awesome deals will go fast, and they don’t last long either due to the time they’re on sale or the quantity available. Sometimes they’re as quick as 15 minutes from start to finish! Obviously, if you can take advantage of these deals, it’s great, but will it be worth your time to refresh your computer all day just to save a few bucks?

7. No matter if you plan to shop on Prime Day or not, we can text you what’s really worth it.

We work hard to cover huge events all year round, from Walmart+ Week, Target Circle Week, Amazon Prime Day, and basically every other hot deal we come across.

Plus, this year, Amazon will be rolling out deals every 5 minutes. So if you haven’t signed up for our hot text alerts yet, there’s no better time than now!

Plus, who doesn’t love an effortless shopping experience?!

Still planning to join us on Amazon Prime Day? Here are our best Amazon Prime Day shopping tips!

Psst…we’ve already posted EARLY Amazon Prime deals! 🤩