Mega sales like Amazon’s Prime Day (which runs now through July 11) are a great way to save money, but they can be overwhelming. You can find items on sale in pretty much any item category you look up. With so much on sale, it’s hard to pick what makes the most sense to buy. To that end, I’m going to help walk you through how to make the most out of $50. Just note that you have to be a Prime member to take advantage of most of the deals below (sign up here). So grab your Ulysses S. Grant-branded bill and let’s dive in.
Free Services with Prime
Before we spend any money at all, let’s take a look at the extended free trials Amazon is offering for Prime Day. You can grab six free months of Prime Student, if you’re a student. You can also try out Audible Premium and Kindle Unlimited free for three months. And if you’re not taking advantage of Prime Gaming, which gets you free PC games you can keep, you’re also missing out.
Video Game Deals
Prime Day and Black Friday are, far and away, the best times of year to buy physical video games. If you have a PS5, Xbox Series X, or Nintendo Switch (or Switch 2), you can pick up lots of games for under $50. Above, you’ll find our picks for the best of the bunch.
Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sick of streaming services constantly jacking up their prices. Also, sometimes the internet goes out and I want to have physical media as a backup. In any case, I always keep my favorite movies and TV shows on hand in physical form. Amazon is running a Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal on 4K UHD Blu-rays, but it also works on books, music, and even office supplies – and you can mix and match. Pick three items you want and save.
Amazon Devices on Sale for Under $50
Amazon has a vast array of hardware by now, and a lot of it is on sale for under $50. You can pick up various models of Amazon Echo, a Ring doorbell, Fire TV Stick 4K, and more for cheap right now.
Save an Extra 30% on Amazon Resale
Amazon doesn’t just sell new items – it’s also a bustling marketplace for previously owned stuff ranging from books and smartphones to Apple Watches. Now I personally don’t mess with anything in poor condition no matter how cheap it is (except maybe books), but lots of items are available in “like new” condition. Lots of video games are in the sale, dropping prices below $50. Just make sure the item you’re buying has a “Prime Day deal Save 30% at checkout” label, or you might not get the deal.
More Items Under $50
Obviously in a sale this big, there will be plenty of items available for under $50. All the ones above are certified deals that we hand-picked, so they're definitely worth picking up if you could use any of them in your daily life.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
