BEST Amazon Finds! (And Money Saving Tips)

In the era of online shopping, we can all agree that Amazon is heading the business. I cannot remember for how long I have been an Amazon member, but it’s been over 10 years! Even more so, I have been a Prime member since second year of college. As such, I have decided to compile a list of what I consider the best Amazon finds, some money saving tips, and direct access to my Amazon storefront! I JUST created my Amazon storefront and I am excited to revamp and update this post to be more relevant.

I feel we have been shopping at Amazon, and gone through addition rehab, so through the years we have discovered a few money saving tips. For the purposes of this post I will also be sharing some of the tricks we use to save money when shopping on Amazon instead of blindly and impulsively purchasing something. I get all of my books off Amazon and most of my medical school books can be found HERE. To keep this organized I will try as best as possible to group things into categories.

Best Amazon Kitchen Finds:

If you are anything like me then you might have a kitchen obsession that might be worrisome at times. I’m sure I am not the only one who dreams of the perfect Pinterest Kitchen.  I am long roads away form having that so in the mean time I can settle by having cool and beautiful kitchen things that are useful and crazy affordable. I love finding kitchen items at Amazon and especially when they have sale events like Prime day or Cyber Monday. So here I have a few of my favorite and most useful kitchen Amazon finds.

Chef’s Knife

I will admit that I did not NEED this kitchen knife as we have a complete knife set we got as a wedding gift. But sometimes me and the husband cook together and having an extra knife makes it a whole lot easier. During their cyber Monday sales I saw a lightning deal for this gorgeous Japanese chef’s knives. I got this knife for $18.99. I know the regular price is higher but be on the lookout for their deals!!! This knife comes with its box and blade safety covers. The craftsmanship is amazing and the metal is all one piece with the handle having a wooden detail covering part of it.

Cake Cutting Set

I got this cake cutting set for our wedding. I’d seen many in different wedding stores but they were always super expensive.  One day while browsing on Amazon, I found this one, which was identical to one I’d seen at over double the price. I knew I loved it so I went ahead a got it. This is a purchase I do not regret and it has been well loved in our home. It was also a way to save money because wedding’s are already overpriced enough.

Food Lab Book

This book is amazing, especially if you are a scientist or very analytical thinking person. The Food Lab was a book my husband asked me for christmas a few years back. One of the best features is that it explains why certain things are done when cooking specific items. It also gives you insight on chemical reactions that give place to certain flavor profiles. It is a great book to learn basic recipes that you can them modify or cater to your liking. We love this book! I must say though, one of my favorite things from this book is the buttermilk pancake recipe. Thanks to that, my husband makes the BEST pancakes and waffles ever!

Wine Opener Set

This was another gift for my husband that I love. We love wine but I admit that my upper body strength is embarrassing. As such, de-corking a bottle is the struggle of my life. So getting one of those Rabbit style bottle openers was but a dream. So one day while browsing Amazon, you are seeing the trend here, I saw this kit that was discounted and I had to get it. I knew my husband would love all the little add ons it has but what I wanted most was the opener. Needless to say I love it, makes my life 100% easier and we use this a ton.

1 Liter Camelbak

This might be my favorite one from this category. We all know drinking lots of water is important. Ideally, we should be drinking 2-3 liters of water per day. If you do intense workouts or cardio and sweat a lot, then more than that. The thing is counting ounces or mLs of water can be annoying, a hassle, and relaly you can loose track of numbers. I was looking to increase my water intake while on rotations, so I looked for something that would make it simple yet easy to keep with me. I found this 1L Camelbak and my life changed forever. It’s easy to take with me anywhere and it fits in many of my bags. I love this and I have it with me most of the time. The best part is that I know I need to drink at least 2 per day and it makes it super simple to keep track. I even use it at home. So this is by far my most used and one of the best Amazon finds!

Best Amazon Finds for Pets:

If like me you are a pet lover, Amazon might just be the answer to your prayers. From food to beds and toys are all just a click away. But since for many shipping to PR is still a hassle, no clue as to why,  then I haven’t reaped the benefits of some of these. What I have found are some pretty useful and awesome products for your pets. All three of these can be used for dogs and cats and are just the start of some of the best Amazon finds for your pets.

Pet Carrier

This airline approved pet carrier is pretty neat. My husband got it for our cat and I have really been loving it. Out cat hates to be trapped so the fact that this carrier expands and gives him more space really helped. It made him more comfortable and also allows you to comfortably feed them or give them water. It also allows to maybe put in 1 toy to help decrease anxiety levels when traveling. Also a good thing is that it is not heavy so it wont kill your back when you put your pet inside. And finally, the fact that it’s a great price and is the perfect travel size are overkill. I think it would work great for dogs too!

Pet Shampoo

I got this shampoo for our dog Bella. She is a mix and last year she began having some skin problems and rashes. She was constantly scratching and picking off her hair. In a desperate attempt to help her out, we began changing things in her life to try and find something to soothe her. I came across this organic, hypoallergenic, shampoo that I hoped would work for her. In the beginning I was skeptical but this product really surprised me. It works amazingly, it leaves her hair very soft and shiny and it really hydrated her skin helping a little with her skin problems. It didn’t work miraculously because we later found out the real problem, the cat had fleas that bit her and gave her allergies.

Brushing Kit

Bella is a fluff ball. She sheds like there is no tomorrow. At one point in our lives we’d stopped giving her Petsmart’s fur-minator treatment and were about to drown in dog hair. One of the best ways to control your dog’s shedding is to brush them at least weekly and  do it with the proper equipment. To properly deal with shedding you need tools that will cut away knots and remove their undercoats. It is precisely the undercoat that tangles their hair AND increases their shedding. The brushes at pet stores can be super expensive and again we looked to Amazon hoping for a good deal. Voila! My husband found this brush kit that had amazing reviews and a good price. Let me tell you this is an incredible kit. We have had it for about 2 years now and it hasn’t disappointed. We even use it on the cat and works wonders!

Best Amazon Clothes Finds:

I do not buy much clothes over Amazon because I am always skeptical on quality and sizing. But there are a couple items that I swear by. I think finding the best Amazon clothing finds can be tricky. But when you find one that works, it usually mean you can find the same thing in a myriad of colors. These are some of my favorties and are totally worth the money, they are also completely reliable!

Go2 Compression Socks

I got these compression socks way too late in my life. On the world that is #medtwitter there are many colleagues who swear by compression socks. I am allergic to wool so that limited my selection a ton and I was only able to choose between a few brands. In the end I went with these one and I love them! Wearing compression socks for long OR or LDR days are totally worth it. They give you so much support, and help you feel less tired. I don’t have much else to say other than if you are thinking about it, dive into it!

Columbia Fleece

This is a life saver. Most anyone who has set foot in a hospital knows that it’s usually freezing in there. I could not prepare for rotations without getting a good old fleece jacket. I admired the beautiful north face fleeces and almost had a heart attack when I saw the price. So back to Amazon I went and found this simple one from Columbia at a ridiculous price. I decided to get it, I mean, what’s the worst that could’ve happened? Well it came in and it did NOT disappoint! I love this thing so much that several of my friends decided to get one. It’s super comfy, soft, and warm and it is perfect to wear under your white coat. The best part? It’s got a million pockets so you can stash notes, pens, and snacks. Survival jacket right there.

Best Amazon Finds For the Home:

As we got a lot of home decor passed down from our parents, and little details from Marshalls and TJ Maxx we didn’t need much from Amazon. When we move in the summer into a new place I am sure there will be lots more to buy. In the mean time I will share my top 2 Amazon finds for the home!

Crosley Deluxe Turntable

My husband has been asking for a turntable for what seems like forever. I have never been like a die hard fan of owning records and stuff. But he has been increasing his desire for one for a while now. All of the turntables I had seen up until recently were super expensive. It wasn’t until Black Friday 2017 that they began having some pretty nice deals on turntables. I saw one that caught my eye that I knew he would love. It was a Star Wars themed one from Crosley and it was at an AMAZING price. So I snagged it and voila, I had the perfect christmas gift. It was a hard one to get at the time because we had no power at home, but I knew it was perfect! In the end we got power back before Christmas and we’ve been able to enjoy it.

Weight Gurus Bathroom Scale

I got this scale a couple of years ago, when I was trying to loose some weight before our wedding. What I loved about it was the ability to sync with your phone, although I never did figure that out correctly. Another great thing about this scale is the fact that it has the ability to recognize up to 8 users. It also features a weightless setting that tells you how much weight you’ve lost since you first set it up. It’s got those neat features and it was super affordable so I got it and it’s great. We just recently changed the batteries and it’s still functioning like day 1. So this is another great Amazon find.

Best Miscellaneous Amazon Finds

These are just other random things that I’ve gotten and I love/would re purchase from Amazon.

Amazon Basics Suitcase

Amazon is KILLING it with their Amazon Basics line. They have almost anything from batteries to suitcases. It’s incredible I know. But during my travels of interview season amidst the Hurricane Maria aftermath I needed to bring some supplies home. So to minimize expenses we bought this inexpensive suitcase from Amazon so I could bring it full of goodies. It’s a hard shell suitcase of great quality material, comes in a variety of colors, and it’s very lightweight. I especially loved the fact that it’s a roller so you can easily manipulate it while in the airport. I definitely recommend this one!

Bag Car Hook

This is a weird one. I saw this on  Vasseur Beauty’s Youtube Channel. She recommended them if you are always looking for where to put your bag in your car. This is so handy! It keeps it neat and in shape plus it prevents it from falling over and making a mess in your car with a brake or curve. It comes with 2 pieces and I easily keep one in my car and another in my husband’s. This also helps if you have extra stuff to hang. In the end, it’s a great and cheap product that can be a game changer. I love this!

Tripod

Now if you are a blogger or photography aficionado then this one will be of benefit to you. I found this little and inexpensive tripod on Amazon and it has served me well. It is very easy to use and put out. It comes with everything you need to set your camera on it and a bag to carry it around. Believe it or not it is very lightweight and a good quality. This has helped me step up my photography game and do different settings when photographing for the blog. So this one is another highly recommend.

Finally, on this one all the credit goes to my husband. He found these LED bulbs that come with a cord and a small solar panel. These are AMAZING!! I HIGHLY recommend them to anyone. They are super bright and can light up a whole room as if there was power. They last a long time turned on and they charge in just a couple of hours. These are a must, they are pretty affordable and seriously you will not regret having these in case of an emergency or a no power situation.

And that’s it for now! It was a long list, I know. But seriously, these are all things we use daily or almost every day and we love them. I would repurchase any of these items without hesitation and I highly recommend them if you are on the market for them. Let me know in the comments if you own any of them!

Money Saving Tricks!

Now onto the bonus part that I promised, our money saving tips for shopping on Amazon.

1. Browse the Lightning Deals for high price tag items on your wishlist. You might be surprised to find it on a good deal at some point.
2. Search Amazon Warehouse Deals. Here you will find many of the same items but at lower prices because they can be sold in bulk or they are pre-owned/unboxed items. Which brings us to #3.
3. Look for Open Box Deals. You can find many many good deals through their open box deals. These are usually returned items that have not been used but were returned for some reason and they can’t be resold as new. This is my husband’s favorite.
4. Coupons/Discount Codes. This is a relatively new thing. Amazon now has many many coupons and discount codes being run by different vendors/brands. These are a great way to save money!
5. Subscription Discount. This is also a new thing. You can now subscribe to receive certain items every once in a while in a specific time frame. They can rage from 5-15% that I’ve seen.

And now we’re are finally done! Yay, thanks for sticking around. I hope you have enjoyed this list of some of my favorite items and the tips and tricks we use to save even more money on Amazon. Don’t forget to check out my Amazon storefront to access ALL of my favorite finds!

Let me know in the comments below what your favorite/must have Amazon items are so I can check them out!

Thanks for stopping by,

XO

Jani

*Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links which means for every click or purchase through these links I get a small commission, this does not influence the price you pay for any item at all, it just helps support and produce content for this blog. Full disclosure statement HERE