Is Your Prime Membership A Waste Of Money?

Photo: Getty Images

Amazon rocks. I love it! Frequently the prices of goods are the same or better than at brick-and-mortar stores. At times stores lacking an item will direct me to Amazon, which ends up having it. Convenience is a given with purchases arriving at my door. Also, packages stuffed in the mailbox or left at the door can feel like gifts. Shopping on Amazon is addicting! And yet, after a couple of trials, I decided not to buy the $139 Prime Membership.

I think a Prime Membership is worth the cost if you: (1) order a lot of stuff; (2) live in a building where packages left in a common area get stolen; (3) need fast delivery, including same-day (with a $35 order), and 1 or 2-day delivery; or (4) use the other perks of the membership: Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Photos, Prime Gaming and/or buy things marked down on Amazon Prime Day, Prime Early Access Sales or the Lightening Deals. Clearly, Prime Membership adds value non-members don't have.

Photo: Business Insider

But I found I didn't use any of these benefits with a 30-day trial, In fact, the items I ordered during my 30-day trial were excluded from the 1 or 2-day delivery and it still took a week or over for them to arrive. But it was ok with me. Almost always, I can handle the wait. I tend to be a planner, as opposed to, a last-minute shopper, and I also worry about Amazon workers who might have to kill themselves to rush items to customers because it's the business model. Let's remember human beings work in fulfillment centers (warehouses) to get our packages to us!

What's more, all orders $25 or more give you free shipping, and usually it's not a hardship for me to wait a beat until I bundle articles to reach $25. If your circumstances require you to order a ton of under $25 items monthly, then you'll save on shipping by paying for an Amazon Prime Membership at $139 per year (or $14.99 per month), and as a bonus, you'll enjoy all the Amazon Prime Member benefits. A bargain if you often order to run a business. You would spend more than $11.58 each month ($11.58 x 12 = $139) on shipping without a membership.

I adored binge-watching a season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with my free trial membership, but frankly, there's not enough original content to make a Prime Membership worthwhile for Prime Video alone. Amazon offers Prime Video solo for $8.99 monthly or $107.88 a year, but IMHO you'll likely save by streaming your shows of interest.

Nonetheless, I need to jump back to emphasize how much I love Amazon! 

Photo: Business Insider

I advise anyone to check Amazon first before ordering a wheelchair, a senior shower bench, a safety bed rail, or anything you'd buy from a medical supply store as they're always far less on Amazon. Anything and everything is less on Amazon if you need it when a seller is listing it at a great price. Always worth a look!

Despite not having a Prime Membership, an Amazon customer rep called me a good customer since I buy a fair amount. Still, I never feel pressure or am tempted to order unnecessary things to justify annually spending $139 on a Prime Membership or because Lightening Deals are too good to pass up.

For some buyers, additional free shipping can lead to additional impulse buys. Make sure you don't overconsume to validate a membership for Amazon Prime, Walmart Plus, Costco Executive/Gold Star, or Sam's Club as it's not saving you money but costing you more than you'd normally spend. It's easy to do if we're not mindful. 

Finally, cancel any unused subscriptions and services that are costing you and not saving you money.

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Marinated Black Olives

Photo: istock

Why olives come in such small quantities like a 6-ounce jar is a mystery to me, so a few years ago I started buying 4-pack cans of olives from Walmart and marinated them myself.

 It's easy-peasy and economical as well. Plus you can experiment with different herbs and spices. The batch I'm eating now has only a few spices, and it is delicious:

Marinated Black Olives

Ingredients:

4-6 ounce cans of black olives

vinegar of choice (I used Cabernet Red Wine Vinegar.)

salt (I used Sicilian Basil Salt that I had in my cupboard.)

pepper (I used a saltless Cajun mix I made previously. It has red pepper flakes in it.)

garlic (I used dried and lots of it.)

Herbs de Provence

bay leaves (I used dry ground bay leaves, but have used whole bay leaves in the past.)

Directions:

I opened the 4 cans and tossed the olives with some of the liquid into a large jar.

This time around I didn't measure my spices or vinegar, but added some and tasted the liquid that came with the olives in the can then added more of the vinegar and spices to taste. I made sure the liquid covered the olives and discarded the surplus liquid. I omitted extra virgin olive oil, but by all means, add olive oil to the batch if you wish.

Eat several and store the batch in the refrigerator to marinate overnight ... and until you finish the batch. 

Cheap. plentiful and tasty! A puny 6-ounce jar of olives is a thing of the past. Nowadays we eat as many olives as we wish!

My latest batch

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Evening Bags With Glitter

ASOS Top Shop Fliss Diamante Chain Shoulder Bag

Evening bags don't hold much and don't get used daily so I've never wanted to spend over $50 to buy one, and frankly, I don't think we need to do so. The exception is if you find a multi-purpose bag you can dress up or down to use daily or take to galas. Examples include a small Lady Dior, a small Chanel flap bag, or my Coach Marlie Top Handle here.

Nigikala

But what if we're really in the mood to carry some serious shimmering, shiny, sparkle? Oh, lots of fun! Sooo, let's do a roundup of budget-friendly bags with fancy jewels and blinding glitter. All of the bags highlighted today are $50 or less.

Nigikala - technically no glitter but jeweled

I.N.C. International Concepts from Macy's

I.N.C. International Concepts at Macy's

Club Velvet Evening Bag with jewel closure

La Regale at Macy's

If you pin for an evening bag at Macy's that is over $50 -- I saw a ton of cute ones under $100 -- wait for a promotion (like a Friends and Family sale) to roll around or keep checking the Last Act rack (online) to bring its price down to under $50. You can count on Macy's to lower prices on everything eventually. Macy's carries a huge selection of ever-changing inventory that it keeps moving!

Another excellent place to find gently used evening bags is a good 2nd hand store. People tend to buy a glittery bag for a big event, use it a couple of times then give it away after it lays around unused for years. You can find a steal in like-new condition not at the RealReal or Preloved markets (they buy and resell pricey luxury bags) but at Housing Works, The Salvation Army, or Goodwill (they carry donated items)!

I'll go as far as saying if you apply yourself you'll pay less than $20 for your next good quality evening bag!

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Crystelle Pereira's Pickle Chicken Curry

I love Indian food, the curry, the spice, but don't make it at home. That's about to change with an easy recipe Crystelle Pereira, the winner of the Great British Bake Off, brought to the Today Show recently. She said it was her grandmother's recipe, so I'll link you to the video here of her making the curry, as well as, post her ingredients and directions so that you and I have a written recipe to follow that won't disappear from the internet as time passes:

Crystelle Pereira's Pickle Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil, for fry 
2 medium brown onions, finely sliced
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander powder
5 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1¼ pounds), diced 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons ketchup
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
white rice, to serve

 Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry the
onions with a pinch of salt until browned. This can take 30 to 45 minutes, but patience is a virtue here.

2. Add the ground coriander, chili and garlic, and fry until fragrant, for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and fry for about 5 minutes, until the chicken has browned.

3. Add the ketchup and apple cider vinegar and stir to ensure everything is well combined. Add the sweet potato and stir again. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and again.

4. Remove the lid and cook down for another 5 to 10 minutes,
until the curry has thickened, the chicken has cooked through, and the potatoes are fully cooked and can be speared with a fork. Taste the curry and season to taste, if needed. Serve with white rice.

I hear many chefs say chicken tights are the most flavorful part of a chicken, but our family prefers breast meat, so I'll likely buy breasts for $1.99/pound, cut them into cubes (with my trusty meat sears), and roll the cubes into whole wheat flour for this recipe. Plus I'll make a side of broccoli or green beans and a salad and serve it with brown (not white) rice. For ambitious cooks, here's a recipe for Naan to complete your dinner. As a lazy cook, I'll simply warm mini flour tortillas (4" size) in the microwave although you could also grill tortillas in a cast iron skillet with a brush of oil and then heated to get them closer to Naan. Soft and warm from 30 seconds in a microwave is also fit to go down the pie hole!

Congratulations, Crystelle Periera, on winning a national cooking competition and publishing a cookbook! I hope some of my readers buy a copy of Flavor Kitchen, and I can't wait to make your spicy dish!!🎉🥳 

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Hulken's Schlepping Bag On Wheels

While walking home I saw a woman carry roughly 3 bags of groceries 40 blocks in a Heluken's Bag on Wheels and now I want one. I caught up with her and ended up chatting with her about the bag for 20 blocks or so. She gave me the details and discussed how she loved her Hulken's Bag on Wheels and uses it to carry so many heavy things. I noticed its wheels and 5 handles were strong and well-made which she confirmed, as well as, emphasized how happy she was with her purchase.

There are 3 sizes - Small: 14x8x18 inches, Medium: 16x12x20 inches (these 1st 2 sizes have 4 wheels) and Large: 20x16x24 (the large has 5 wheels); and 3 colors: Black, Silver and Rose Gold.

There are times I have to choose between a gallon of milk or a gallon of laundry detergent at Target or the supermarket because I can't carry both home on the same trip.

The reason I seriously want a Hulken's schlepping bag is ... it's ideal for Manhattan apartments since it's easy to store by folding up nearly flat when not in use. Metal carts take up more space, yet are about 1/3 of the expensive! The manufacturer put a lot of thought into making a durable tote bag on wheels. You pay for the design, innovation, and the fact there are no similar knockoffs on the market. 

I like the medium size in silver for schlepping groceries and goods around Manhattan but may want the large size. Buying both sizes is impractical, so I'll have to wait a beat to decide which size to get. Perhaps the large bag with a 5th wheel isn't too big. Plus wouldn't it be nice to find a deal somewhere on the web or at a retailer that sells the bag?!🛍

Stay tuned!

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Drinking Water And The Human Body

According to Water Science School, the bodies of babies are 78% water at birth. It drops down to 65% for 1-year-olds. In adult men, 60% of their bodies are water, and women (who average 5% more fat than men) have 55% of their bodies made of water.

As many of us know drinking water in all temperatures is essential to keeping the human body going. Doctors say we can count beverages such as coffee and tea as part of our water intake. Without knowing why, I find I don't get tired of drinking plain water in winter as I do in the summer months when I suppose I drink more glasses of water to cool off in more oppressive heat.

In the summer months, I like iced tea sweetened with Stevia. I'll buy different brands of black tea at the supermarket to make it.

Recently I started buying Target's house brand, Market Pantry Water Enhancers too. Oddly enough, I don't crave either iced tea or water flavor enhancers during the winter months, but they are very refreshing over ice on sizzling days in June, July, and August.

The 3 flavors I buy are Raspberry Lemonade, Peach Mango, and Strawberry Watermelon. There are other flavors also.

Iced tea made from tea bags and water flavored with enhancers are lower in acid compared to sodas and commercially made iced tea, making them easy on sensitive teeth. Nowadays I won't drink beverages that eat away at my enamel!

Although there's no set number of glasses (like 8 glasses, etc.) of how much water to drink in a day that applies to everybody, doctors do advise us to drink plenty of liquids, especially in hot weather, before we actually get thirsty to prevent dehydration and/or heat stroke. All good to know as we enter the often sweltering hot dog days of August! 

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Have I Got a Peace Train Cover For You!

Two random thoughts today. Yeah, I have them all the time. Now that we don't listen to the radio anymore, there's no song that takes over the summer, a song you hear over and over everywhere you go. I clearly remember when Surivior's "Eye of the Tiger" was the summer song heard all around town in 1982 and when Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" was playing everywhere no matter where you went during the summer of 2011. My mother remembers when she immigrated to America from Germany in 1956 to wonder, "Who IS that man singing I hear inside every diner, hardware store, dime store and bakery I enter?" She said she'd be walking past shops with their doors open to hear this same voice playing over a radio. It was Elvis Presley.

 This summer ... there's nothing. Where is THE summer song?

My 2nd random thought is I haven't featured a guilty pleasure playlist or single song in quite a while. The playlists are frustrating because the songs I spotlight often get yanked off of YouTube to leave broken links so it takes the wind out of my sails to do them. But today I'll feature a single guilty pleasure song. Peace Train by Cat Stevens who after converting to Islam changed his name to Yusuf Islam. Released in 1971, the top 10 hit periodically played on Classic Rock radio over the years. Lovely sentiments with a feel-good melody to lift our spirits. I very much like the 1987 cover by the alternate rock band 10,ooo Maniacs also. Their album was produced by Peter Asher, and the band fought against recording the song.

Let's start at the top with the 2021 cover of Peace Train featuring Cat Stevens and 25 musicians from 12 countries around the world recorded for Playing For Change, a multimedia music project. The Playing For Change Foundation aims to inspire and connect the world through music, and to do so, it builds music and art schools for children around the world.

Peace Train is a catchy song many listeners can stand listening to 3 times in a row, and I've uploaded 3 versions. Guaranteed to boost your endorphins and uplift your day. Make it a spectacular one! And who knows, a listen may even momentarily connect us globally to our fellow wo/man? There's nothing wrong with striving and shooting high, right? Ooh-ah, ee-ah, ooh-ah🎵

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Milani Super Charged Cheek + Lip Multistick

Sold at Ulta and CVS, Milani is top-notch makeup, bar none, on par with high-end brands like NARS, Dior, Laura Mercier, and many others.

Its Super Charged Cheek + Lip Multistick is similar to NARS The Multiple Cheek and Lip Stick that I foolishly purchased years ago for $39. In my defense, once upon a time, consumers had to bite the bullet and pay luxe prices to get makeup colors that were unavailable in drugstore brands. But nowadays drugstore brands have really stepped up their game with formulas and hues that rival the expensive beauty brands we all know and love such as Charlotte Tilbury, Chanel, or Tom Ford.

Milani Super Charged Cheek + Lip Multistick is everything we covet, namely, it's pigment-rich, super creamy, and ultra-blendable to create a healthy natural look. It's a $10 gel multi-stick that glides onto cheeks and lips and melts into the skin. One buyer described it as "makeup on a non-makeup" day. The 8 lovely colors hydrate and are also buildable so you can go from daytime subtle to nighttime glamourous.

I find Milani's Multistick colors as durable as NARS and Charlotte Tilbury. A nude in all 3 brands must be reapplied every few hours. Typically, multi-sticks also leave a dewy finish.

Frankly, I'm a sucker for a fat cheek and lip multi-tasker. The single stick takes a while to use up! If you're willing to forgo the fancy rose metal cylinders of Charlotte Tilbury (I didn't even get that! NARS is plastic like Milani), then I highly recommend spending $10 for a Milani Super Charged Cheek + Lip Multistick.

💄💋💄💋💄💋💄💋💄💋💄💋

Use your $19 savings for Milani's powdered blush (Dolce Pink 01) and lip plumper (Luminoso #4 --> dupes). They are dupes for NARS' popular Orgasm shade. 

You'll be all set "with money in your pocket and a" tinted "smile on your face ... how happy can you get!"🎵

Milani Baked Blush and Full Lip Plumper, which are about $10 each depending on the retailer.

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Inflation Beaters: 12 Foods You Should Always Buy At Target

Here on the Upper East Side, it's hard to dislike Target, which opened Target Express retail stores in Manhattan beginning in 2018. One Target Express opened on my block in 2021, which thrilled the entire neighborhood. Unfortunately, many New York Moms and Pops are expensive. Although we love small businesses too, we also need to buy groceries and household goods at affordable price points, and mostly Target (as well as, Walmart) delivers. When it comes to food staples, what I appreciate about these big box stores is their consistently lower prices, meaning I don't have to wait to catch a weekly supermarket sale. Staples, already at lower prices at Target than most supermarkets, sometimes also become a loss leader item for an even lower price! Indeed, Target is doing very well in my neighborhood, and the retailer hasn't raised its prices to reflect inflation.

12 Foods that are Cheaper at Target (without a sale) include:

1) One gallon of milk - $2.99

2) Large Eggs - $1.99 per dozen (on sale last week for 99 cents/dozen)

3) Peanut butter - $5.29 - 40 oz.

4) Frozen orange juice - $1.99 - 12 oz. can

5) Butter - $3.99 - 16 oz. - 4 sticks

7) Spaghetti - 99 cents - 16 oz.

8) white or brown rice - 95 cents - 16 oz

9) Semi-sweet dark or white chocolate chips - $1.99 - 12 oz

10) Tomato sauce, salsa, and canned foods are often 20 cents - 50 cents less than at supermarkets. Also, dried spices are as much as $2 - $4 less than at supermarkets.

11) Unbleached all-purpose and whole-wheat flour - always list at the supermarket loss leader sale prices - $2.49 each.

12) A box of saltine crackers - $1.69, the supermarket loss leader price.

Target so consistently offers the lowest prices on these 12 food items therefore I don't need to find a supermarket sale. I simply walk to Target to pick them up. If online prices are less than in-store, your cashier will give you the lower price if you ask for it.

Target's store brands, Good & Gather and Market Pantry are usually as tasty as the name brand.

🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛

I'm sorry Target discontinued their Oreo knockoff, it tastes 100% like Oreos. I'll have to try competitor Walmart's store brand of Oreos, which I'll show below:

Walmart's Oreo knockoff

Walmart's chocolate cookies with cream centers are half the price of Oreos also. Other Great Value food has been great ... except for saltine crackers which aren't as tasty as Target's house brand or other name brands.

Another winner is C-Town's store-brand soft Dutch Chocolate cookies (which is what Oreos are). They are without cream centers yet still delicious. Interestingly enough, we are charged $2.00 in Manhattan for the same package and quantity.

🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛 

A final Target tip: Be sure to buy milk, peanut butter, or eggs before you run out to avoid an empty shelf. It's annoying to run out and then have to wait for a shipment to arrive on key food items.

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Coach's Blaine Backpack Is a Hot Deal

Available in a few colors and materials

Coach's Blaine Backpack is perfect for today's need to carry your electronics out of your home into the world for work. With inside sleeves and multifunctional pockets to protect your devices, it holds your laptop and tablet, and phone plus their chargers. You'll also have space for documents you may need for the day, as well as, your sunglasses, keys, wallet, and a meal bar or snack to keep you going. Home away from home until evening.😊

An attractive sleek design in sturdy pebble leather or canvas-and-calf leather, I will always favor leather over canvas bags and backpacks however it's a personal preference. Both look fabulous!

This well-made, practical bad boy, originally priced at $598, is Coach Outlet's hot deal selling at 65% off for $209.30. Nice as with a degree of care (although you don't have to baby them), Coach bags last a lifetime!

Long-time readers know of my love for Coach bags ... all the quality and craftsmanship of French luxury bags without the ridiculous markups or silly games. Coach is a leather goods company that doesn't market itself as a status luxury retailer. Customers only pay for excellence ... not for pretentious, and ultimately meaningless hype.

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Beautifect: The Beauty Box Gets Tech Savvy

Photo: InnovateDesign UK

Beautifect's makeup case, also called a beauty box is 21st century innovative. Not only does it organize all your makeup and beauty tools in one nifty place with deep, generous compartments, but its 5 lighting settings let you apply makeup accurately anytime and anywhere from a landing airplane to an evening hotel room. The box has an advanced luminous system to perfectly replicate daylight and evening light while eliminating shadows by evenly dispersing light over your face.

I love discovering new smartly designed organizers to house all my alike-things together, yet this step up from your ordinary portable cosmetic case will cost you about $300. Designed by dental surgeon, Dr. Tara Lalvani, it was launched during the pandemic and gifted to high-profile luxury influencers, so it's gotten a lot of internet buzz.

An undeniably beautiful sleek design with functional lights, I can see how a frequent business traveler who needs to show up looking polished and professional for work meetings might consider the beauty box worth buying. Made of lightweight yet sturdy molded acrylic polymer, it weighs 1.5 kg or 3.3 lbs. The box comes with a rechargeable built-in lithium-ion battery and a US B-C cable.

Offered in 4 colors ... I'd go for the rose gold. Beautifect's beauty box is luxurious and tech-savvy. With function and purpose, it looks expensive! Still, I bet if we wait a beat, other retailers will knock off budget-friendly (minus a few bells and whistles) inspired versions. 

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