Author Topic: Any subscription services out there worthwhile? Groceries, household items, etc  (Read 6573 times)

WanttoFIRE

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Hey guys,

I'm wondering if anybody has any tips regarding subscription services (Amazon subscribe and save, dollar shave club, etc.) that provide enough value to justify the additional cost (if there is any). My goal is to save time and to have one less thing to worry about, as I am very busy. Do any mustachians implement these strategies to reduce time spent shopping, etc.? Just trying to save some time by setting more things up on autopilot!


EmFrugal

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The only subscription my family has is Amazon Prime. It saves me a lot of extra driving to get free (and quick shipping) and provides us with a lot of entertainment options for free. There are shows, movies, and music we can access for no cost.

If I didn't have three small children, I probably would not use it. Also, our consumption of products has gone down big time now that we are more cognizant of what we buy and when we buy it. It will be interesting to see if Amazon Prime continues to be worth it for us in the years to come, but for now we will keep it.

big_owl

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We used Amazon Fresh for a while and loved that.  I hate going to the grocery store and generally the stuff I could get from Amazon was at least as good as the local supermarkets and of similar price.  Between boxeddotcom, amazon fresh, and blue apron we went quite a few months without having to shop for food in person.  It was awesome.

Alas it wasn't to be as Amazon recently canceled the service to my zip code.  'tis worse to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.  We're in a rural area and thus far nobody else has picked up the grocery delivery thing since Amazon bailed on us.  I hope Amazon re-tools and brings it back at some point.

ETA - I use prime weekly, I wouldn't go without it now.  Again, living in a rural area I don't have access to the more specialty items so prime is how I do most all of my shopping.  I even got my washer/dryer from amazon.

ketchup

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Another mention of Amazon Fresh.  They are wonderful.  I was very surprised at the quality of produce.

big_owl

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Another mention of Amazon Fresh.  They are wonderful.  I was very surprised at the quality of produce.

Customer service was very good as well.  Twice we had one or two eggs break (USPS's fault) and I sent a quick note to amazon and I had a refund for the eggs on my account within minutes. 

The only weak link for us was the USPS.  They're generally terrible with all mail and weren't very good at the scheduled delivery time (morning vs. afternoon). 

ketchup

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Another mention of Amazon Fresh.  They are wonderful.  I was very surprised at the quality of produce.

Customer service was very good as well.  Twice we had one or two eggs break (USPS's fault) and I sent a quick note to amazon and I had a refund for the eggs on my account within minutes. 

The only weak link for us was the USPS.  They're generally terrible with all mail and weren't very good at the scheduled delivery time (morning vs. afternoon).
This happened to me too.  I had some smooshed (still mostly edible) raspberries and they refunded me without issue.

Acorns

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I used Amazon Fresh for a while and it was convenient and I was very happy with the quality of the produce, I ended up cancelling it because I got tired of them being temporarily out of random things like broccoli or mayo, forcing me to make a trip to the supermarket anyways.

soccerluvof4

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Not so much a subscription but join Ebates if you dont already as you will get money back pretty much on every place you shop.

newgirl

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Subscribe and save for household items - dishwasher soap, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, toothpaste, garbage bags, etc. Gives me more or less the same price results as couponing would but with zero hassle and effort on my part. I do an inventory once a month, update the order with any changes, and wait for it to be delivered.

Gimesalot

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We get our pet food delivered through petco.  They have good discounts and free shipping.

fuzzy math

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Dollar shave club has been a great subscription for us. They want to ship you a pack of razors a month - price varies on the level of razor you use. We use the mid priced razor with 4 blades and a 4 pack of their blades costs $5 (plus the $1 shipping). You can add on any other amount of stuff (extra blades or razor handles etc is all I've ever bought so I can't speak for their lotion and similar products). So typically to keep from having to pay an extra $1 for the convenience of razors showing up monthly, we buy 2-3 packs of razors (still $1 for shipping), then "take a break" for a few months on their site. They are happy to let you resume shipping earlier if you need.
I used to shop for whatever razors were on sale at the grocery store and I often couldn't remember who had which razor handle amongst all the men's vs women's options. Dollar shave club greatly simplified that hassle for me. Here is a shameless referral link that gives us both $5 http://shaved.by/hEA-d

I also use www.chewy.com to buy prescription pet food. It was $20 cheaper per bag than at pets art. If you mail them your vet's prescription you are good to go.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2018, 09:29:20 AM by fuzzy math »

NorthernBlitz

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I generally don't use subscription services because I think that business model means: (1) overpayment and (2) degradation of service quality because of the barriers to exit.

I think that the only subscriptions we have (excluding utilities and insurance) are:
- Internet (spectrum) and
- Netflix
- Family YMCA membership (with a 20% discount because of membership referrals)

We also have pay as you go cell phones for my wife (Ting ~$20/month) and I (T-Mobile $3/month plan).

We have tried Amazon Prime, but we don't ever really need anything in 2 days (5 days is OK). We also don't really like the interface of Prime Video for our kids on our PS3 (which is set up to our main TV). It seems too easy for kids to accidentally buy stuff.

Not so much a subscription but join Ebates if you dont already as you will get money back pretty much on every place you shop.

This, but I use BeFrugal because of the start up bonus.

Cranky

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Amazon Prime is more than worth it to me, and I would use Amazon Fresh if it was available here.

We definitely enjoy Blue Apron though I think it’s a bit pricy.

We’re a one car family, and it’s very helpful to me to have cat food and tp delivered, especially in the winter.

I'm a red panda

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I subscribe to diapers on Target.com
Up&Up is already one of the cheapest brands and then I get 15% off if you have a red card.

I often use amazon subscribe and save, I get deodorant shipped 4x a year for instance.  And you can cancel whenever, so you could just order once then get rid of it.

I also get a super spendy pants barkbox because my dog is a toy destroyer, and per toy they have some of the toughest for the lowest price. (I also make him toys and repair the toys we get from them- but $20 a month on destroyed toys saves me a lot on destroyed house.)


inline five

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We had free Amazon Prime over the holiday and just used up the last days worth by ordering some stuff we needed, but by golly am I impressed with how easy they make it to spend money. I think if we had Prime over the year we would spend a considerable sum at Amazon for the confidence factor, and their prices are quite high compared to the local stores.

I think if people canceled Prime they'd find they would spend quite a bit less on things they don't really "need".

hadabeardonce

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I'm not sold on Amazon Fresh. It's $15/mo ($180/yr) on top of the annual cost for Prime and orders under $50 incur a $10 delivery fee? The selection didn't look all that great either.

My wife and I are within walking distance to a grocery store(probably three grocery stores plus a produce stand if we really wanted to walk like 4 miles round trip.) It's a good way to spend time together, get out, buy as much as we can carry and wander back home. Knowing how to pick out produce, spending time talking to the guy at the meat counter and price comparing with stuff is all good too.

I was thinking of cancelling prime, but it looks like I would lose the 5% back with my Prime Visa and it's hard to tell if slow boat shipping would still be free. I think I have to hit a certain dollar amount with my purchases to qualify? It's been a long time since I didn't have it.

inline five

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Anything over $35 is still "free" but you don't get two day delivery. I find other stores to be competitive with Amazon and offer faster shipping. Or I just drive to the store. Also there are many times we use coupons, for example I buy Builder Bars to take with me when traveling, Target recently had 20% off by buying $25 and getting a $5 gift card. So I just bought multiple rounds of them. Amazons price is $7.50 my price was $6.32 and I bought a bunch of boxes.

NorthernBlitz

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I'm not sold on Amazon Fresh. It's $15/mo ($180/yr) on top of the annual cost for Prime and orders under $50 incur a $10 delivery fee? The selection didn't look all that great either.

My wife and I are within walking distance to a grocery store(probably three grocery stores plus a produce stand if we really wanted to walk like 4 miles round trip.) It's a good way to spend time together, get out, buy as much as we can carry and wander back home. Knowing how to pick out produce, spending time talking to the guy at the meat counter and price comparing with stuff is all good too.

I was thinking of cancelling prime, but it looks like I would lose the 5% back with my Prime Visa and it's hard to tell if slow boat shipping would still be free. I think I have to hit a certain dollar amount with my purchases to qualify? It's been a long time since I didn't have it.

As someone that doesn't see the value in Prime, I think that canceling is a good call.

I think that the regular Amazon visa gives you 3% back (so you're only losing 2%).

Other 5% cards usually have Amazon as a 5% category at least one quarter (discover has this and doubles the points in the first year so you effectively get 10% back for one quarter). BeFrugal also has some things at 5-6% back on Amazon (clothes, Amazon devices, and a few others) but usually you don't get anything back through that portal.

Shipping takes a long time without Prime, but I find that I can usually find stuff for the same price or cheaper at either Walmart or e-bay.

When I go Walmart I use BeFrugal (eBates is probably the same), which offers 3% back at Walmart normally and 8-10% near Black Friday. You can then chain that with their 3% back card or a normal 1.5% back card (for a total "normal" discount of 4.5 - 11.5%). Walmart also gives 2 day shipping on most stuff without requiring an annual fee.

I like Amazon (it's one of the 3 places I usually check when I'm buying stuff), but I find that it's usually not the best option for price and without Prime it's almost always the worst for shipping times (unless I'm ordering something from China on eBay). So, for me buying a Prime membership feels like paying extra for normally higher priced good and get shipping times that are (1) the same as Walmart or (2) slightly faster than eBay.

I would still consider that if I felt like Prime Video could replace Netflix. But, I feel much more comfortable with the Netflix interface which I think (a) does a better job segregating kid friendly content and (2) doesn't let my kids accidentally buy stuff by mashing buttons.

GettingClose

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We use Amazon Prime a lot, since we live more than an hour's drive away from any good shopping. 

We looked at Blue Apron, but couldn't stomach the cost and (more importantly) the environmental impact.  https://www.buzzfeed.com/ellencushing/these-are-the-trashy-consequences-of-blue-apron-delivery?utm_term=.xorm258K2#.reZ6nlryn

However, we've subscribed to PlateJoy and love it - well worth every penny.  https://www.platejoy.com

The recipes are amazing - things I never, never would have tried, but which are delicious.  Extremely accommodating to whatever dietary requirements you have.  Builds you complete shopping lists for all the recipes for a week, and puts everything on an app that any member of the family can access.

I've rarely been so impressed with a service.

Cranky

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I was worried about the trash aspect of Blue Apron, but it’s really no different from my regular groceries - everything goes into the recycling except for whatever plastic bags I use for cat poop.

It definitely more expensive than just groceries, but it’s cheaper than eating out.

seattlecyclone

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We typically subscribe to a CSA for produce for half the year. We get more variety this way than we typically would get going to the store, for a similar (if not lower) price, and what type of produce to buy is one less decision to make.

FiftyIsTheNewTwenty

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Amazon Prime has been a great deal for us.  I order a lot of food items that I either can't find locally or they're expensive (even things like Tahini are exotic here), toiletries, cleaning supplies, and bike and car parts like chains and air filters.  Basically, any odd thing.  I probably do 3-4 orders a month.     

Amazon Prime video is the main thing we watch on Roku too.

I've never found coupons useful -- I don't buy mainstream foodstuffs and other things for which they are offered.

For awhile I used to track when things came on sale at grocery stores, to find the patterns of when to stock up.  Not for awhile though, and lately I've noticed that they're not playing with prices on basics like canned beans.

lunahsol

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Once a week, a box of "Imperfect" produce appears on my doorstep.  These are surplus or "ugly" fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste because they are not attractive enough for supermarkets.  Usually the only issue is that they are smaller or larger than "normal".  None of that matters once they are chopped up and put into recipes :) .

I get the small box and there is a $4.99 delivery fee (no matter which size you choose - there are also organic options).  I am not sure I am saving much money, but I am saving food and the overall convenience of it makes it worth it for me. 

big_owl

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We use Amazon Prime a lot, since we live more than an hour's drive away from any good shopping. 

We looked at Blue Apron, but couldn't stomach the cost and (more importantly) the environmental impact.  https://www.buzzfeed.com/ellencushing/these-are-the-trashy-consequences-of-blue-apron-delivery?utm_term=.xorm258K2#.reZ6nlryn

However, we've subscribed to PlateJoy and love it - well worth every penny.  https://www.platejoy.com

The recipes are amazing - things I never, never would have tried, but which are delicious.  Extremely accommodating to whatever dietary requirements you have.  Builds you complete shopping lists for all the recipes for a week, and puts everything on an app that any member of the family can access.

I've rarely been so impressed with a service.

Blue Apron initially stressed me out with the waste issue.  Contrary to the author of the article, apparently, we make a modicum of effort to recycle at my household.  So every single thing from a blue apron delivery to our house gets recycled except for the gel packs.  The only reason I don't recycle those is because I'm not convinced it's a good idea to allow all the gel ice into my septic system even if it's supposed to be water soluble.  I wish they would use dry ice but that's probably more energy intensive.  The only excuse the author has for not recycling part of the packaging would be the plastic bags if by chance her curbside does not pick it up.  But anyway, she could have done what we do, which is to save up plastic bags for about a month or two and then take them to the local recycling place for one big drop off.  The article also said that amount of packaging was only from six meals....however in my household it's 8 meals (not sure why she was only getting six).  That's not too bad in my mind.

I agree it's not perfect and in general there needs to be a much more concerted effort in business to reduce all this shipping waste.  I especially despise Styrofoam since it seems like nobody recycles it (Omaha steaks for example is a bad offender.  Pottery Barn is the worst though!).  Amazon can really lead the way here since so much shipping goes through them.  My hope is that as meal services become more common that this problem is further addressed. 

I've also used Munchery for meals.  There isn't too much packaging that's not recyclable in them however they go overboard on the ice packs.  Somehow we need to come up with a better solution to keep the food cold!  You'd think these companies would be better about it because it adds so much weight to the package.  Anything to reduce the amount of ice could add up to significant shipping savings.


Bird In Hand

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In general I'm skeptical that an Amazon Prime membership results in cost savings for most people, all things considered.  The prices are often worse than B&M.  Impulse buys are exceptionally easy, and further justified by "I'm getting value from the free two-day shipping I paid for with my Prime membership!"  It's hard to imagine most mustachians spending enough at Amazon over the course of a year to recoup the yearly membership fee.

However, in our case we are keeping a Prime membership for now.  We do value the fast/free shipping, and there are many items we can find on Amazon that are not available near where we live.  We also use Amazon Music every day, and Prime video from time to time.

Given that we have a Prime membership, we try to make the most of it by using Subscribe & Save strategically.  Certain Subscribe & Save grocery/household items aren't available locally, or are available cheaper on Amazon.  We identify these, wait until we have at least 5 of them queued up, and then get a S&S delivery with 15% off.  We also use an Amazon Prime card for another 5% back, and it came with a $70 Amazon account credit/gift card.

Frugal D

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Easily my most valuable monthly subscription service, although paid on an annual basis, is Xbox Live. $5 per month for entertainment. I suppose you have to like video games, though.

NV Teacher

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Not really a subscription service but I’m loving the new online shopping being offered by the local grocery store.  I log in and make my grocery list then when I’m ready I check out and tell them what time I’d like to pick up.  I park outside, make a quick phone call, and they bring the groceries out and load them up in the car.  Costs $5, has eliminated impulse buying, and saves me an hour of grocery shopping every week.

Michael in ABQ

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We have Netflix and Amazon Prime having cut the cord about 8-9 years ago. The entertainment portion alone is worth it, though we definitely buy a lot more stuff on Amazon now. Some of it is that it's much easier (and cheaper once you factor in gas and time) than going to a store to get one or two non-grocery items. A lot of our orders are books though. We homeschool and a lot of the books we get for our kids to read aren't available at the library but can be purchased used for $5 or so.

Our only other "subscription" would be Costco. We get all of our paper products there (paper towels, tissue, toilet paper, diapers, and baby wipes) about 1/3 of our produce, and a lot of other bulk items like batteries, milk, eggs, cheese, nuts, etc.

Since we have access to the Commissary at a nearby base it's pretty hard to beat those prices for normal grocery items. I cringe the rare times I go into a regular grocery store as most things are 30-50% more expensive.

NorthernBlitz

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We typically subscribe to a CSA for produce for half the year. We get more variety this way than we typically would get going to the store, for a similar (if not lower) price, and what type of produce to buy is one less decision to make.

We also do this in the growing season.

I forgot to add this to our list...must be because of the foot of snow we got last week.

StarBright

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We have Prime and use subscribe and save for petfood and some specialty vitamins that I need to take.

Prime is our primary source of entertainment and we use it for TV and movies and also their free kindle borrows.

I admit that we also find it pretty helpful from a shopping perspective. With jobs and general life, our time is extremely limited and if a teacher drops a note on a Monday that we need to bring something in later in the week, chances are we'll order it on Amazon. Our life is so busy that I don't have time to run to the store in the middle of the week. Two day shipping is pretty clutch for us.

We also had a subscription to a food prep service where they delivered frozen healthy meals once a month. I actually loved it and we would use the pre-prepped meals instead of take out but I just cancelled because I've been feeling guilty about the money because I know that with a little more effort I can do it cheaper myself. But that felt really worth it when we were busier than usual over the summer.

Bucksandreds

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Subscribe and save is the best. I just ordered two 12 packs of kind bars for &10.50 each, $3.00 organic kids breakfast bars for $1.60 per box. Luvs size 4 diapers for 10cents each,etc etc. go to Amazon coupons and combine coupon with subscribe and save.

Gin1984

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For everyone who is talking about the cost of Amazon Prime, make sure that you follow up with them every time an order is delivered late. I've gotten my prime membership extended 4 months and $20 in promotional credits just for the stuff that I ordered around the holidays. My subscription is down to around $6/month and the convenience of not having to drive out to the store (and get distracted by other things I don't need(looking at you, Target)) is worth way more than that. Plus I get free music I can listen to without data usage and a new book every month.
I tried and they refused to give me anything.