Do You Qualify For The Cheapest Amazon Prime Plan?

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We cannot understate the utility of an Amazon Prime subscription. Not only do you get free, same-day shipping, but your Amazon Prime membership has some useful hidden perks like streaming movies and games (the service is worth it alone for "Good Omens," "Fallout," and "The Legend of Vox Machina"). While you can try Amazon Prime for free for a limited time, the service offers a special membership plan for people who are struggling financially.

Amazon provides a deeply discounted Prime membership known as Prime Access for only $6.99 a month (down from $14.99 a month). This level of subscription has all of the benefits of regular Amazon Prime and is applicable to everyone within your household thanks to the Amazon Family program. However, Amazon Prime Access is only eligible for people who are within 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline or who receive government assistance through certain programs. These include:

• SNAP EBT
• Medicaid
• Women, Infants and Children Program
• Supplemental Security Income
• Direct Express Debit Card
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
• National School Lunch Program
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
• Tribal Assistance Eligibility Letter
• Nutritional Assistance Program

While Amazon offers numerous ways to help people in need (e.g., discounted prescriptions and SNAP EBT-eligible groceries), Amazon Prime Access is more of a full package deal. Plus, like standard Amazon Prime memberships, the first month is free, so that's yet another financial safety net for people who need one.

Since Amazon Prime Access is intended for people who receive certain forms of government assistance or are otherwise eligible, signing up is a more involved process than a standard Amazon Prime subscription. You can't just apply and say, "Take my word for it." You have to prove you are on government assistance and keep proving it. Anyone on a student loan repayment plan should be familiar with this process.

To get started, visit the Amazon Prime Access signup page. Fill out your information (name, date of birth, and home address), and choose your "verification type" from the dropdown menu. If you selected "Income Verification," simply click the button next to "I agree to share the above information with a third party to confirm my eligibility," select your payment option, and finally click "Join Prime Access." The information you provided will automatically determine if you are eligible. The other verification options have different requirements. For instance, if you choose SNAP or Cash EBT, you have to enter your EBT number and issuing state, and upload an image of your EBT card. Just follow the onscreen instructions, and you should be ok.

Regardless of the option you choose, you will need to reverify your eligibility every 12 months. If you no longer qualify (e.g., you get a raise and aren't within 200% of the poverty line), you will have to pay $14.99 a month to keep your subscription. Then again, if you're strapped for cash, Amazon Prime is only worth it if you make two or more Amazon purchases a month. If you don't, you'll probably save more money just skipping the membership altogether.