Amazon

We’re now just over a week away from Prime Day and Amazon is starting to paint a clearer picture of what the 48-hour event will hold. Today Amazon is kicking off a number of initiatives, including this year’s holiday gift guides, along with exclusive deals for Prime members. That’s on top of added bonuses for Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature or Amazon Prime Store cardholders, who will be able to save an extra 10% ahead of Prime Day, starting today through October 12.

Amazon is rolling out eight holiday gift guides today as well, across a range of product lines, including electronics, home goods, fashion, and more. We’ll have in-depth looks at each of Amazon’s holiday shopping lists throughout the week. Head below for more on today’s news.

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Prime Day is around the corner, so it’s time to start looking for the best ways to save at Amazon if you’re planning on picking anything up during the sale extravaganza. While there are quite a few ways to save during Prime Day, like keeping your browser locked to 9to5Toys, one sure-fire way to save the most you can is to have an Amazon credit card. I’m sure you’ve seen the company’s notifications at checkout about its credit card offerings, but you might not have signed up yet. With 5% cashback on Amazon purchase, up to an additional 25% back in certain categories, and up to $125 in Amazon gift cards, below, we break down the best way to save using credit cards for Prime Day.

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Amazon is currently offering the QNAP TS-653D-4G 6 Bay NAS for $649 shipped. Also available at Adorama. Having dropped from $770, today’s offer is good for only the second price cut we’ve seen, amounts to 15% in savings, and marks a new all-time low. As QNAP’s latest flagship NAS, the 6-Bay TS-653D delivers high-end performance with upwards of 96TB of raw storage. It rocks a quad-core 2GHz processor with 4GB of upgradable RAM alongside PCIe Gen 2 slot. You’ll find a total of five USB 3.0 ports throughout, but the big perk here connectivity wise is a pair 2.5Gb Ethernet ports for achieving up to 498MB/s transfer speeds. It can also handle 4K transcoding, making it a great option for running Plex with an HDMI output. Rated 4.7/5 stars. Head below for more.

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Prime Day has officially been announced for October 13-14 with Amazon promising a non-stop, two-day window filled with deals on tech, home goods, fashion, and more. There are plenty of ways to prepare for Amazon’s big event, and you should certainly consider reading through our guide so you’re ready to go. Looking ahead to Prime Day, it’s time to make a few predictions about what we might see from Amazon. Hit the jump for five potential deals we expect to see during this year’s event.

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Prime Day is likely just a few weeks away, and while there is plenty of anticipation building, a lack of prep work ahead of time means you’ll miss out on the best deals. Each year, Amazon’s big summer sales event is jam-packed with offers and non-stop Lightning Deals. But this time around, it’s been pushed back to October amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully, Amazon’s big sale is still on the way. Head below for our favorite ways to prepare for Amazon Prime Day 2020.

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Amazon has officially made its Prime Day 2020 announcement, promising a near-constant revolving cast of deals, Prime-exclusive offers, and promotions. This year’s event will kick-off on Tuesday, October 13, lasting a total of 48-hours with deals spanning every category. Amazon Prime Day 2020 is the sixth consecutive year Amazon has launched a massive sale for its members, despite that this year’s event being delayed significantly. Head below for additional Prime Day 2020 details.

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While the Sonic 30th Anniversary doesn’t officially kick-off until 2021, we’re already starting to see some new gear from Funko Pop! as well as a solid pre-order deal on the new Sonic the Hedgehog Encyclo-speed-ia. While Nintendo might have just kicked off the SEGA 60th Anniversary sale (started in 1960), we are now turning our attention to the brand’s world-famous hedgehog. Head below for details on the early Sonic 30th Anniversary gear.
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Today Amazon is virtually taking the stage to unveil a host of new devices and services. While there is plenty of speculation about what today’s event will deliver, our money is on a handful of new Echo speakers along with some experimental hardware. We’ll be updating this post throughout the event with all the details on Amazon’s latest products and more announced today.

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STSS (An Aukey-affiliated seller with 99% positive all-time feedback) via Amazon is currently offering its Minima 18W USB-C PD Charger for $7.99 Prime shipped when clipping the on-page coupon. Typically fetching $15, it just recent fell to $10 with today’s offer saving you 46%, and marking one of the best we’ve tracked to date. Aukey’s compact USB-C PD wall charger packs a folding design and can dish out 18W of power. It’s perfect for throwing in your everyday carry or to upgrade your at-home charging setup. And with this year’s iPhone’s slated to not include chargers in the box, this is a great price to secure a charger better than what Apple would have bundled anyway. Over 2,300 customers have left a 4.6/5 star rating.

More smartphone accessories:

• Amazon offers up to 40% off Anker charging gear, cables, more from $17.50
• AUKEY 63W 5-Port USB Charger: $20 (Reg. $40) | Amazon
  • w/ code EF39F23Q
• VicTsing C6 Waterproof Speaker: $9 (Reg. $19) | Amazon
  • w/ on-page coupon + code EKXVL3FF
• Apple Watch Series 5 price drops continue to roll in with deals from $330
• AUKEY 10000mAh USB-C Power Bank: $10 (Reg. $14) | Amazon
  • w/ on-page coupon
• Twelve South accessories sale: Compass Pro for iPad $53, BookBook cases, more
• Insignia Mini Sonic Speaker: $15 (Reg. $30) | Best Buy
• Mpow Flame Lite Earbuds: $25 (Reg. $38) | Amazon
  • w/ on-page coupon + code VG2Z69AD

Deals still live from yesterday:

• Seneo 2 in 1 Wireless Charger: $15 (Reg. $22) | Amazon
  • w/ on-page coupon 3R566IKS
• Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Earbuds: $40 (Reg. $85) | Amazon 
• Latest smart lock from Anker works with keys and smartphones for $120 ($30 off)
• 20000mAh 18W USB-C Power Bank: $14 (Reg. $36) | Amazon
  • w/ code OYD9JRFL
• Harman Kardon’s stylish Aura Studio 3 Speaker falls to $240 (New low, 20% off)

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Amazon is set to take the (virtual) stage tomorrow and is likely to unveil a whole host of new hardware alongside the next generation of Echo speakers and more. While Amazon has been largely tight-lipped about what’s next, we have seen some early FCC listings pop up today alongside general assumptions that allow us to paint a picture of what’s likely on the way. I’ll take a deeper look at five products expected to come out of the Amazon virtual keynote tomorrow and explore how those announcements might shape the Black Friday shopping season.

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RAMPOW Direct via Amazon is now offering its new black 61W PD USB-C Power Adapter for $16.24 (Reg. $24.99) with free shipping for Prime members or in orders over $25. Simply apply our exclusive 9to5MACD coupon code at checkout to redeem the special price.

This fresh new release from RAMPOW started out at $49.99, but it’s currently discounted to $24.99. Today’s exclusive deal is extra 35% off the current MSRP, a great drop for a charger that’s already pretty affordable. This is the lowest price we have tracked yet. RAMPOW’s latest combines USB Power Delivery 3.0 with 61W of power in a particularly compact package, thanks to GaN tech. So far it carries a 4+ star rating on Amazon and we found it to be a great alternative to Apple’s OEM solution in our hands-on review. Head below for even more details.

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Prime Day rumors continue to swirl as Amazon’s biggest summer shopping event has officially been pushed back to the fall. After a series of delays, a new report out today points to mid-October as launch day for Amazon’s now mid-fall sale. If this holds true, it’s shaping up to be a big 6-week stretch for the online retailer as Black Friday and Cyber Monday will follow shortly after. So what does this mean for the next few weeks? We have full details and analysis of today’s report down below.

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The latest Apple Watch was unveiled last week with a blood oxygen sensor that arguably leads the pack when it comes to the feature set found in the new device. As with every Apple release, it’s generally not long until competitors turn up the heat with dialed-back pricing. Huami is hoping to turn some heads with its new Amazfit Band 5, which appears to punch above its weight with a remarkably low price. It can measure blood oxygen saturation, keep tabs on heart rate, and even wields Alexa. The form factor offers a 1.1-inch AMOLED display is said to deliver 15-day battery life “in a typical usage scenario.” Continue reading to learn more.

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While Prime Day is still slated to arrive later this fall, Amazon is kicking off a new Big Fall Sale this week to hold folks over until its annual shopping event begins. Discounting a selection of home goods, back to school essentials, and more, you’ll want to head below for all of the details on Amazon’s latest sale.

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AnkerDirect via Amazon offers its Nebula Capsule Portable Projector for $249.99 shipped when promo code AKNEBULA is applied and the on-page coupon code is clipped. That’s down $50 from the regular going rate and a match of our previous mention. Take Anker’s Capsule projector anywhere and enjoy content on-the-go. Built-in streaming services delivers Netflix, YouTube, and more with the push on a button. Includes one HDMI input. I’ve been using Anker’s Nebula projectors for about a year now, and I’m a big fan of its portable design, which makes it perfect for watching movies outdoors or wherever you have a big wall available, with its 100-inch screen capabilities. Check out our review of Anker’s other similar model for more details. Rated 4.5/5 stars. Hit the jump for additional deals in today’s sale.

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This morning, Amazon has announced that its popular child-focused service FreeTime has been rebranded as Amazon Kids and Kids+. Alongside the name change is a host of other adjustments to the service and experience, headlined by a redesigned interface, Amazon Echo integrations, and more content. As the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic rolls out, more and more parents are finding themselves educating children at home and needing to find ways to keep their kids busy. The revamped Amazon Kids arrives as a solution to some of those problems with an expanded library of content, including new videos, music, and more. Full details on this latest Amazon venture can be found below.

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These days it can often feel like a waste to print something out. A situation that is only strained further by tech companies that consistently try to rid us of the need for a pen and paper. While in most cases this is arguably a good thing, there are times when having a printout may be the best approach. This is where Alexa Print steps into frame. It makes it a cinch to request a printed copy of your shopping list, a coloring page, recipe, and the list goes on. These examples merely scratch the surface of all that Alexa Print is capable of. Continue reading to learn more.

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CPS US (98% positive all-time feedback from 2,200+) via Amazon is currently offering the Seneo 65W USB-C PD Charger for $17.99 Prime shipped when code OV9QQ8RL has been applied at checkout. Typically fetching $30, today’s offer is good for a 40% discount, marks one of the first price cuts we’ve seen, and is a new all-time low. Delivering a 2-port charging solution, this 65W wall adapter packs a 2.1A USB-A port alongside its 65W USB-C PD slot. Taking advantage of GaN technology, it’s also more compact than similar chargers on the market, making it a suitable solution for your everyday carry and more. Over 1,000 customers have left a 4.3/5 star rating.

More smartphone accessories:

• Anker and Amazon partner for Gold Box sale with deals from $12
• Aukey 18W USB-C PD 10000mAh Power Bank: $18 (Reg. $30) | Amazon
  • w/ on-page coupon + code Y3QJGS8T
• Anker SoundCore Pro+ Speaker: $60 (Reg. $90) | Amazon
  • w/ on-page coupon
• Aluminum Phone Stand: $6 (Reg. $10) | Walmart
• RAVPower 29W 10000mAh Power Bank: $14 (Reg. $33) | RAVPower
  • w/ code POP40
• Score a pair of Apple’s EarPods at a new 2020 low of $10.50 (Reg. $29)
•  IPX7 True Wireless Earbuds: $23 (Reg. $36) | Amazon
  • w/ on-page coupon + code E4TZXU6R
• Aukey 31.5W USB Car Charger: $7 (Reg. $10) | Amazon
  • w/ code 23SZVYLU  

Deals still live from yesterday:

• Anker and eufy smart home gear, iPhone/Android accessories, more from $12
• Taotronics LED Lamp with USB port: $20 (Reg. $42) | Taotronics
  • w/ code WHITE13
• Mpow M7 Bluetooth Earbuds: $19 (Reg. $30) | Amazon
  • w/ on-page coupon + code 2WAFSNYW
• Aukey 21W USB-C Car Charger: $9 (Reg. $18) | Amazon
  • w/ code 9LP6CKVZ
• Mpow Air Vent Mount: $6 (Reg. $8) | Amazon
  • w/ code RELSWAV9
• Take over 50% off Sony’s Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones at $98

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While Black Friday is still over two months away (and we’ve not even seen Prime Day yet), Amazon is kicking off its yearly tradition of detailing the top toys of the year well in advance of the holiday shopping season. Today’s unveiling of the Toys We Love list is Amazon’s first foray into what is shaping up to be a wild end to the year as far as e-commerce is concerned. This year’s list is light on themes but rather offers notable picks for various age groups, highlighting some of the biggest names in the game, including LEGO, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and many. Hit the jump for an overview of Amazon’s early picks for the best toys of the year.

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It’s been over 5-years since Amazon opened its Launchpad storefront. In the time since, Amazon has offered a dedicated space for new businesses, Shark Tank successes, and even Kickstarter wunderkinder to open up shop. Today, Amazon is looking back at the last half-decade and detailing some of its biggest success stories.

In the time since it opened, Amazon has done a substantial amount of business on Launchpad. More precisely, over 40 brands have passed $10 million in annual sales since 2015. If you’re wondering which brands, in particular, have seen the most success, head below for a detailed list along with other metrics announced today.

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Samsung is currently taking up to $200 off a selection of its latest 2020 Frame Smart 4K TVs with prices starting at $1,200 shipped. One highlight is on the 55-inch model which is matched at Amazon and goes for $1,397.99. Down from $1,500, today’s offer is just the second time we’ve seen it on sale and the best since May. Samsung’s latest Frame TV blends into the rest of your home decor with a stylish design that’s as far from the typical black plastic bezels as you’ll find. Instead, there’s a wood finish and picture frame-esque design. Other highlights include smart functionality like AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, a 4K QLED screen equipped with HDR10+, and four HDMI ports. Rated 4.3/5 stars from 110 customers. Head below the fold for more.

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Audible is currently in the “preview phase” of trialing its new “all-you-can-listen” service, Audible Plus. This provides access to an array of Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts that span many genres, lengths, and formats. Audible Plus is designed to offer members a greater selection of books to enjoy through unlimited access to a robust catalog of over 68,000 hours of content with 11,000+ titles included.

The Audible that you’ve come to know and love will be renamed Audible Premium Plus, which will offer a wider array of options when compared to Audible Plus. But first, we’ll break down what all the new entry will offer.

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Amazon is currently offering the Insignia 50-inch Fire TV 4K Smart HDTV for $269.99 shipped. Also available at Best Buy. Typically fetching $350, today’s offer is good for a 23% discount, beats our previous mention by $10, and matches the Amazon all-time low. Sporting a 50-inch 4K panel this Insignia TV is a great way to upgrade the guest room, office, or anywhere else that doesn’t demand a home theater-worthy display. Alongside three HDMI inputs, there’s also built-in Fire TV functionality, allowing you to skip having to pick up an external streaming media player in order to enjoy your favorites from Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and more. Over 1,500 customers have left a 4.4/5 star rating. More details can be found below the fold.

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Lauren Conrad’s home goods store The Little Market is now a new Amazon storefront. If you’re not familiar with Lauren Conrad, she’s most known as a TV personality on the shows Laguna Beach and The Hills. The Little Market is a nonprofit organization, which Conrad started in 2012, that supports women in underserved communities by selling their handcrafted fair trade creations. Every purchase supports these women and programs that offer them education, safe housing, and further training. The prices in this storefront start at just $14 and all of the items would make amazing gift ideas for your friends. Best of all, everything in the storefront is eligible for prime shipping. Head below the jump to find all of our top picks and be sure to check out our guide to the Luke Bryan Amazon Store that has all of your essentials for hunting or fishing.

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Vogue and Amazon have partnered to create a storefront “A Common Thread,” which is a fundraising initiative to help high-end fashion retailers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Amazon x Vogue storefront is selling notable designers, such as 3.1 Phillip Lim, Derek Lam 10 Crosby, and Tabitha Simmons, just to name a few. All of the pieces in this line are very high fashion and very trendy for this season. Inside this collection, you can find men’s, women’s and home items with an array of price tags. Head below the jump to find all of our top picks.

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The Big Summer Sale Event is now live at Amazon, offering a meager but nonetheless notable, replacement for Prime Day. At this point, we’re not expecting to see a Prime-only sale in the traditional sense until September. So if you’re looking to scratch an itch today, there’s plenty to check out on this landing page.

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Amazon’s ventures into brick and mortar retail have long been speculated. With autonomous grocery stores and retail book locations popping up in a few cities, that speculation has turned out to be accurate to some extent. Now as retail space is opening up amidst the global pandemic across the United States, there’s more reason than ever to assume Amazon will be a player in the real estate game once again. A new report from the Wall Street Journal today points to Amazon picking up retail space laid bare from Sears, JC Penney, and others that are increasingly becoming available. Head below for full details on where Amazon may be laying the groundwork on new retail stores and fulfillment centers across the United States.

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Twelve South is a brand that’s garnered a lot of attention by committing itself solely to the development of Apple product accessories. Despite this, the company has managed to create a vast catalog of items ranging from stands for iPad and MacBook to cases for iPhone and AirPods. The launch of BookBook for Kindle Paperwhite signals that Twelve South is beginning to venture outside of the Apple ecosystem, paving the way for potential excitement among Android, PC, and Chromebook enthusiasts. Continue reading to learn more.

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Back when I initially covered Alexa routines, the interface was a little different. I’m very happy with its recent facelift, but one feature that got better even before this was the setup process for routines. Folks with lots of automations are now able to assign a name to each routine, and the list can even be sorted and filtered. This has renewed my enthusiasm for Alexa routines, as it used to be a nightmare to thumb through a huge list of automations that were assigned meaningless, uneditable names. In this Echo Dot Diary, I will share recent additions to my ever-growing list of home automation.

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Today, Amazon released a “Just for Prime” storefront that’s exclusive to Prime members. You’ll find deals across multiple categories here, with Amazon even offering 10% monthly credit for Prime members on select cell phone service plans. So far, we’ve yet to see Prime Day 2020 hit, but could this launch be a peek into what’s to come over the next few months?

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It’s wonderful to see companies like Apple, Microsoft, and others ratcheting up the fight against climate change. Not only has Amazon pledged to be net zero by 2040, it’s tackling this challenge while also empowering consumers to have a little fun with it. The company now lists six different ways that Amazon packaging can be used to have some fun prior to recycling no-longer-used cardboard. This means that your next order could include packaging that’s easily crafted into a cat condo, rocket, box car, and the list goes on. Continue reading to learn more.

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Amazon is getting into the video game business, but there have been quite a few delays. Crucible, the company’s first game, was originally set to launch in March, some six years after development began. That launch date got pushed back to May and thankfully was on time for that. New World is a completely different design and was originally going to launch in August of this year. But, due to some delays, Amazon is pushing back its launch and final beta test to the spring of 2021 — nearly a full year later.

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Editor’s note: Tested with 9to5Toys is a new series focused on everyday accessories and essentials to take your setup to the next level, starting with the new Anker PowerExpand Elite Dock. Have a product you’d like to see us review? Sound off in the comment section below!  

If I have one major gripe about Apple’s MacBook lineup, it is that their webcams are way too “potato” for $1,000 machines. I get it, there isn’t much depth in their razor-thin displays to fit a good camera module, but with a lot more Zoom/Skype/Hangout/Meet/etc calls during the past months, I wanted to see if a low-cost $30 Wansview 1080p upgrade would improve the situation.

In short, it did…

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It’s the start of summer, and as usual, Amazon is rolling out its list of the most popular books of the year so far. Of course, we won’t get the full list of Amazon’s top picks until the end of the year. It’s safe to say 2020 has gotten off to a pretty crazy start and there’s a good chance you have plenty of time to tackle a new book. Amazon’s list of the top reads of 2020 is admittedly brief, but it gives us our first glimpse into what has been the most popular books so far this year. And if you’re looking for something to read during these times, you might just find some inspiration below. Hit the jump for a look at the full list.

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As we get into the second half of June, it’s historically been that time for us to turn our attention to Prime Day. But in the midst of a pandemic and unrest around the world, Amazon appears ready to pull back its annual summer shopping event to later in the year than ever before. The latest reports seem to point to this year’s big sale popping up in September, just 2-months before Black Friday. Head below for full details, including everything we know at this point about Prime Day 2020.

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Amazon is currently offering the Twelve South AirFly Pro for $45 shipped when clipping the on-page coupon. Typically fetching $55, today’s offer is good for a $10 discount, marks the lowest we’ve seen at Amazon, and matches the overall low. AirFly Pro allows you to pair two sets of headphones to anything with a standard AUX port. Twelve South’s accessory touts 16-hour battery life alongside USB-C charging. So whether you plan to get some co-op Switch action going with headphones on or want to wirelessly stream audio through a car’s stereo, this is a notable accessory to have in your kit. Over 75 customers have left a 4.1/5 star rating. Learn more in our launch coverage. Hit the jump for additional AirFly deals starting at $29.
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Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite first hit the scene back in 2018, and now roughly 2-years later, is getting refreshed with two new color options. Now with the introduction of Plum and Sage styles, there are four different designs to choose from for the widely-popular eReader. Head below for all of the details from today’s addition to the Kindle lineup, including pricing and availability.

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If you’re planning any major DIY projects or renovations this summer, then it’s likely you’ll need to purchase quite a few supplies. If you’re going to be picking up expensive items like bathtubs, showers, sinks, countertops, or even appliances, there are a few tricks you should know in order to save the most. So, without further ado, these are the best credit cards for DIY projects and renovations.

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After numerous reports that Amazon is delaying Prime Day, we’re now seeing news that the online shopping giant is planning a sale on June 22 to “jumpstart sales” after recent COVID-19 refocusing. This is good news to consumers considering the last report that we saw said that Amazon’s Prime Day sale would be delayed until September, while it normally takes place during June or July. This unnamed event has been dubbed the “Biggest Sale in the Sky” and is expected to go for anywhere from 7- to 10-days.

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