You must be a Prime member to shop for Prime Day deals, but there’s a trick to this. In fact, there are many ways to take full advantage of this event. Don’t worry. We’re here to help.

1. Members only?

You don’t have to join Prime for the long haul, instead try the 30-day trial. Go to amazon.com/gp/prime and tap Try Prime. You must have a current, valid credit card. You’ll be upgraded to a paid membership plan automatically at the end of the trial period unless you cancel first. Tap or click here for more information on what you get as a member. The free Prime trial gives you access to all the same benefits as a paid membership. Tap or click here to check out some highlights of Prime Day 2021, including streaming concert events, rewards, and more.

2. Know what to avoid

Some product categories have better sales at different times of the year. For example, outdoor products drop in price towards the end of summer. Toy deals get better as the winter holidays approach — lookout for pre-Christmas sales. If you’re spending a large chunk of change, check out if your state offers a tax-free holiday. This usually applies to essentials such as school supplies, food, clothing, computers and tools, but it can also apply to cosmetics, toys, games and more.

3. Make a list before you shop

Just like food shopping on an empty stomach, shopping sales could cause you to purchase more than you need. Do some research before you start buying anything and add products to your wishlist. Check out Lightning Deals and click Watch this deal to add it to your watchlist and get notifications. Have an idea of how much you’re willing to spend and don’t go over that budget. Countdown timers and bonuses are there to influence you to spend more money, but don’t fall for it! Keep checking your deal notifications to make sure you’re getting the best prices.

4. When a deal isn’t really a deal

Some sellers use Prime Day to fool you into thinking a product is on sale when it actually isn’t. Add deal notifications to your account to track prices for the products you want.

5. Don’t trust everything you read

Fakespot also has an app for iOS that lets you browse reviews and even shop using the app. You can download it from the app store.

6. Look out for fakes

7. Look beyond your PC

8. Prime Day sales are already happening

You don’t need to wait until the day of to get some Prime Day deals. Check out some items you can get for low prices right now: