Apr 3, 2026
You’re signed up for Prime or club memberships — but experts say there’s a good chance you could be paying for more than you realize without getting the full advantage each provides.
Most Canadians are paying for at least twice as many subscriptions than they thought. A 2024 survey by personal finance app Hardbacon found the average consumer has eight recurring subscriptions, but believes they only have four (1). Two-thirds of respondents admitted they’d been charged for something they’d completely forgotten about.
Advertisement
The problem isn’t only about subscriptions you might have completely disregarded — it’s about the benefits each membership offers that are hiding in plain sight.
Most people sign up with club memberships for the headline perks: fast shipping, bulk savings, streaming services — and never dig any deeper. But, buried in the fine print of memberships you already hold are protections, freebies and services that could be saving you money every month.
Here’s what’s worth knowing about before your next renewal.
Amazon Prime: Way more than two-day shipping
At $99 a year, Amazon Prime is a staple for millions of shoppers — but most people only scratch the surface of what their membership includes.
Prime Reading gives you access to a rotating library of free e-books, magazines and comics (2). Prime Gaming — bundled in at no extra cost — lets you claim free PC games to keep each month, with titles from publishers, including Ubisoft, regularly appearing in the lineup (3). You also get access to a circulating selection of games to stream instantly through Amazon Luna, no console required. Amazon Music, also included, lets you stream a large catalogue of songs and podcasts without paying extra (4).
The perk most members miss includes a free DashPass membership through DoorDash. Linking your Amazon and DoorDash accounts unlocks $0 delivery fees on eligible orders — a benefit normally worth $9.99 every month (5). It flies under the radar because it doesn’t activate on its own. You have to go looking for it, and many people never do.
Prime also includes 5 GB of free unlimited photo storage at full resolution through Amazon Photos (6). If you’re currently paying for extra iCloud or Google Photo space, this perk is worth a closer look.
Must Read
- Stop the leak: 5 costs Canadians (still) overpay for every single month. How many are sabotaging your 2026 budget?
- What's your worth? Here are the 3 net worth milestones that change everything for Canadians (and what they say about you)
- Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
Costco: Free tech support and a warranty you didn’t know you had
A Costco Gold Star membership costs $65 a year, with the Executive tier coming in at $130. Beyond bulk groceries and the parking lot hot dog, both memberships come with a perk that can easily be worth more than the fee alone.
Buy a TV, computer or other electronic device at Costco and you automatically get a free second-year warranty on top of whatever the manufacturer provides (7). Free tech support and setup are included as well. Given that a standalone extended warranty on a major appliance or TV typically costs anywhere from $100 to $500 or more, this benefit is one that often goes unnoticed.
Advertisement
Executive members also earn a 2% annual reward on eligible Costco purchases, plus a $10 monthly credit on Instacart or Costco Same-Day orders over $150. For regular Costco shoppers, the upgrade often pays for itself.
Your credit card: The benefits booklet nobody reads
The certificate of insurance that comes with your credit card is probably gathering dust in a drawer somewhere, or it went straight into recycling. But it may be one of the most valuable documents available to you.
Many Canadian rewards cards include extended warranties, purchase protection, rental car insurance, trip cancellation coverage and mobile device insurance — all folded into the annual fee you already pay (8). Take note, these aren’t add-ons: They’re already active.
Mobile device coverage is one perk that’s often the most overlooked. Several Canadian credit cards cover up to $1,000 or more for theft or accidental damage to your phone — sometimes beating what your carrier charges for a standalone protection plan (9). The catch with most cards is, you must charge your monthly phone bill to that card in order to qualify. Some also require that the card is used to purchase the phone. Check your certificate of insurance to confirm.
If you’ve misplaced your card’s insurance documents, a quick call to the number on the back of your card will get you a new copy.
Read more: The ultra-rich are bailing on volatile stocks right now — these 4 shockproof assets are their new safe havens
The 10-minute check-in that’s worth your time
With the cost of living as high as it’s been in recent years, it makes sense to further scrutinize what you’re spending your money on. But cutting a membership you’re not using to its fullest potential is only half the issue. The other half is making sure you’re actually collecting everything you’re entitled to, especially since you’re already paying for it.
Log in to each membership you hold. Check your credit card’s benefits page, and compare what’s available versus what you’re using. You might find you’ve been leaving benefits — and money — on the table for years.
— with files from Melanie Huddart
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Hardbacon (1); Amazon (2, 4, 6); Prime Gaming (3); Bargain Moose (5); Costco (7); Rates.ca (8); Ratehub (9)
You May Also Like
- Here’s how to retire in 10 short years no matter where you live in Canada — even if you’re starting with $0 savings
- If you’re still feeling the pinch this month — don’t panic. Here are 5 easy ways to fix your finances without a total overhaul
- How Warren Buffett’s simple buy-and-hold real estate approach offers a lesson for Canadian homeowners and long-term investors
- Approaching retirement with no savings? Don’t panic, you're not alone. Here are easy ways you can catch up (and fast)
Emma Caplan-Fisher has over a decade of experience writing and editing various content types and topics, including finance, business & tech, real estate & design, lifestyle, and health & wellness. Emma’s work has been featured in Real Estate Magazine, Cottage Life, Bob Vila, the Vancouver Real Estate Podcast, the Chicago Tribune, Narcity Media, Healthline, and other media outlets. She holds a Certificate in Editing from Simon Fraser University.
