Consumer News: Walmart’s app just grew up for the holidays and it’s a money-saver

Hidden freebies sitting in your Prime account right now

• Prime is way more than free shipping: you get sneaky high-value extras like unlimited photo storage, RxPass ($5 for multiple generics), and free Grubhub+ delivery

• A bunch of perks are claim it or lose it includingPrime Gaming, Prime Premiere screenings, and even Buy with Prime on brand sites, they only work if you go turn them on

• The real savings come from using several of these at once (photos + RxPass + food delivery) so youre actually getting your moneys worth from the membership

If you think Prime is just fast shipping and the occasional Prime Video binge, youre clearly leaving money on the table. Prime has morphed into a bundle of small perks that, when you actually use them, can save you cash, time, and a few headaches. Heres the no-nonsense tour including what each perk is, why its useful, and exactly how to put it to work today.

1. Unlimited photo storage

What it is: Via Amazon Photos, Prime members get unlimited full-res photo storage as well as 5GB storage for videos. If youre a Prime member and are tired of getting those Youve reached your storage limit messages on your smartphone, Amazon Photos is a must use.

Why its great: Its essentially a set-and-forget backup for your entire camera roll. Think vacation pics, kids art, receipts, everything, without ever downscaling the quality like some cloud services.

How to use it: Just install the Amazon Photos app on your phone and turn on the Auto-Save feature. You can also create really cool family albums and share links so relatives can view or add photos without cluttering your phone.

Pro tip: I personally like to use it as a digital filing cabinet. Ill snap photos of appliance serial numbers, insurance cards, and receipts that I need to keep. Ill tag them something like warranty or taxes so I can easily search them later and quickly pull up what I need.

2. RxPass: $5 a month for common generics (with delivery)

What it is:Amazon RxPass is a slick Prime perk that makes you eligible for over 50 popular prescription meds, delivered straight to your door, and you only pay a flat $5 monthly fee. It does not matter how manymeds you take, you only pay $5 a month.

Why its great: If you (or anyone in your household) takes multiple generic medications, this service can cover them all instead of paying separate copays for each.

How to use it: If youre a Prime member, check this list of all the current RxPass medications. Then enroll in the program if itll save you money compared to what you typically pay. Your plan will then ship monthly with no extra delivery fee.

Pro tip: Even if a med isnt on RxPass, check the Prime Rx savings card price at your local pharmacy as sometimes the cash price beats your insurance copay.

3.Free Grubhub+ with Prime

What it is: If youre a Prime member, forget about ever using Uber Eats to get food delivered. Many Prime members are unaware that you actually get Grubhub+ for free with your membership. This gets you unlimited $0 delivery fees as well as recurring promos.

The promos are pretty solid too. Right now, they have one for $5 off your $15 or more Subway order, valid every Thursday.

Why its great: Other than the obvious money saving aspect, you dont have to remember a separate food delivery subscription. Once you link your Amazon account to Grubhub, youre done and your savings apply every time you order.

How to use it: Activate Grubhub+ from your Prime benefits page, then youll sign in with the same account in the Grubhub app.

Pro tip: Be sure to also use your Grubhub+ account when your picking-up food from the restaurant as youll score 5% back on all pickup orders.

4. Prime Premiere: free early movie/series tickets

What it is: When Amazon does an early theatrical screening for one of their upcoming original movies, Prime members can often reserve up to two free tickets (first come, first served).

Why its great: Its a fun, no-cost night out, and screenings sometimes include free little extras for Prime members.

How to use it: Simply watch for Prime Premiere announcements in your Prime benefits hub or email. Then you can simply pick your city/theater and reserve your tickets quickly.

Pro tip: I highly recommend setting calendar alerts on announcement days as these seats go fast, and locations can be a bit limited.

5. Buy with Prime (off-Amazon checkout)

What it is:More and more brand websites let you check out using your Prime benefits. Thisis superconvenient feature that most Prime members are unaware of. You get the same fast, free delivery and easy returns, without ever visiting Amazon.com.

The following retailers currently participate:

Adidas - Now supports Buy with Prime on its site/app for US Prime members.

bareMinerals - Cosmetics brand highlighted by Amazons own Buy with Prime case studies.

Shokz - Open-ear headphones brand using Buy with Prime.

HEYDUDE - Footwear brand using Buy with Prime to grow their direct sales.

Wyze They sell smart-home gear like security cams and sensors. They have a dedicated Buy with Prime collection on their site.

Why its great: You get a bigger selection shopping directly with the brand and you get the shipping and returns muscle from Amazon that youre used to.

How to use it: Look for the Buy with Prime badge on a brands site, then youll just sign-in with your Amazon account during checkout.

Pro tip: Price-check the same item on Amazon vs. the brands site. Sometimes the brand site offers a new customer code that you can stack with Buy with Primes shipping perks.

6.Prime Gaming

What it is: With Prime Gaming, Prime members get a monthly rotating lineup of free PC games to keep and one free Twitch channel subscription per month.

Why its great: The free games add up, even if youre a casual gamer. Some of the games are newer indie games and some older big-name titles like the Fallout series.

How to use it: Visit Prime Gaming, claim the current games that you want, and be sure to link your gaming accounts. You claim the games you want and you get to keep them permanently, even after they leave the Prime Gaming platform.

Pro tip: Set a monthly reminder to claim any new games and be sure to switch your Twitch subscriptions as unclaimed perks dont roll over every month.

The WIC program that funds programs for women and infant children is also partly back in action

• The Agriculture Department will use $4.65 billion in emergency funds to partially restart food aid programs halted by the government shutdown.

• Millions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will receive only about half their normal benefits this month.

• Aid for women and children under the WIC program will continue for now, but only for two to three more weeks.

Government taps emergency funds to partially restore food aid

Tens of millions of Americans who rely on federal food assistance will see some relief after the Agriculture Department announced it will partially resume funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

The move comes after a federal judge ordered the government to restart benefits during the ongoing shutdown. In a court filing, the Trump administration said it would release $4.65 billion in emergency moneyenough to cover roughly half of this months $8 billion in benefits.

That means some funds will soon reach families who rely on SNAP to buy groceries, but the payments will fall short of normal levels, and delays could stretch for weeks. USDA officials said they would not draw from other contingency accounts to cover the full amount. New applicants this month will not be eligible to receive benefits until further notice.

WIC program gets temporary lifeline

The administration will also inject $450 million in emergency funds to keep the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, running for now. The program serves about 7 million low-income mothers and children.

Earlier in the shutdown, USDA had used $300 million in reserve money to sustain WIC operations. The new funding could keep the program afloat for another two to three weeks, though that timeline could shrink if families facing reduced SNAP aid turn to WIC for additional support.

Shutdowns effects ripple across low-income programs

The partial restoration of food aid comes as other vital services for low-income families begin to falter under the prolonged shutdown.

Some Head Start centers around the country have already begun closing after grant funding lapsed over the weekend, leaving children without preschool instruction, meals, and therapy sessions. Many working parents are now scrambling to find child care alternatives.

Meanwhile, federal court-appointed defense attorneys have begun working without pay, raising concerns that the justice system could soon struggle to guarantee representation for defendants who cannot afford lawyers.

The governments emergency measures may stave off a deeper food crisis for now, but advocates warn that millions of families remain in limbo uncertain when or whether their full benefits will return.

New partnership brings direct-to-consumer pricing and in-store pickup to thousands of Walmart pharmacies

• The partnership between LillyDirect and Walmart allows patients to pick up Zepbound at Walmart pharmacies at the same self-pay price as online.

• Self-pay pricing starts at $349/month for the lowest dose, with higher doses at $499/month, and its available to anyone with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance.

• By mid-November, pharmacies at nearly 4,600 Walmart locations nationwide will support this new model, giving patients more choice between home-delivery or in-store pickup.

If youve been tracking weight-management medications, you may have seen the buzz around Zepbound, the weekly injectable from Eli Lilly designed for weight loss and certain obesity-related conditions.

Now imagine skipping the insurance shuffle, getting a set self-pay price, and walking into your local Walmart pharmacy to pick it up.

Thats exactly whats happening: LillyDirect and Walmart are teaming up to streamline how people access Zepbound less paperwork, one clear price, and more convenience.

Managing a chronic disease like obesity can be a significant and ongoing burden physically, emotionally, and financially, Jennifer Mazur, SVP and General Manager of LillyDirect, said in a news release.

This collaboration with Walmart is designed to reduce that burden by streamlining access to prescribed treatment. By combining LillyDirects innovative, patient-centered platform with Walmarts nationwide pharmacy footprint, were expanding options for patients facing access challenges, making it easier to start and stay on authentic Lilly medicine.

Whats going on (and why it matters):

Eli Lillys LillyDirect platform has already been offering Zepbound vials direct-to-consumer online, at self-pay prices that are 50% or more below typical GLP-1 obesity drug list pricing.

Now, for the first time, this same pricing model is being extended into a major retail pharmacy setting through Walmart. Under the deal, approved single-dose vials of Zepbound will be available for pick-up in Walmart pharmacies nationwide by mid-November.

Heres how it breaks down: with a valid on-label prescription, a patient can choose between having the drug delivered from LillyDirect or walking into a Walmart pharmacy and picking it up locally. Its the same price for both options.

For example: the starting 2.5 mg dose is priced at $349/month, and the higher doses (5 mg up through 15 mg) are $499/month under the LillyDirect Self Pay Journey Program.

Why this matters: many patients told Lilly and Walmart that access and convenience were major barriers in starting or staying on treatment. With Walmarts network of 4,600+ pharmacies and Lilly's direct-to-consumer platform, this initiative offers more flexibility whether you prefer ordering online or popping into a familiar retail location.

What to watch

• Make sure your health care provider writes an on-label prescription for Zepbound that can be routed to LillyDirect Self Pay Pharmacy Solutions, with your pickup option at Walmart.

• Check whether the $499/month higher-dose pricing applies to you and whether you meet program terms (for higher-dose eligibility).

• Confirm which Walmart pharmacy locations will support the program once it launches mid-Novemberits slated to be nationwide, but local rollout may vary.
  

In short: If youre eligible for Zepbound and looking for a more streamlined way to access it, this partnership could make a meaningful difference less hassle, clearer cost, and more flexibility in how you get your medicine.

Life is busy, and this will help people discover new, easy ways to get their medication, Kevin Host, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy at Walmart, said in the news release. We are known for building great relationships with our patients, and our teams look forward to doing more of that through making this pickup option available from our trusted pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

From turkey to pie, shoppers can feed five for just $5 a person this season

• Amazons Thanksgiving meal deal feeds five for $25, complete with turkey and sides.

• Additional November savings include discounts on pies, baking staples, and wine.

• Shoppers can order online, use same-day delivery, or visit Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods.

This Thanksgiving, Amazon wants to make sure dinner is one less thing to stress about.

The company is serving up an affordable, ready-to-assemble meal that feeds five people for just $25 or about $5 per person from November 12 through 27.

Amazon is using its grocery network including Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market to make it easier (and cheaper) for families to prepare a full holiday spread without last-minute store runs. Customers can shop the bundle online, in-store, or through Amazons Same-Day Delivery service in eligible areas, so the turkey and trimmings can arrive right on time.

Whats included in Amazons $25 Thanksgiving meal

The Amazon Thanksgiving bundle is designed to cover every essential, from the main course to dessert. The meal includes:

• Butterball frozen turkey $0.69/lb

• Resers homestyle stuffing

• Mashed potatoes and gravy

• Green bean casserole

• Cranberry relish

• Amazon Grocery crescent rolls

• Holiday pie (from select national brands)
  

Altogether, the bundle feeds five people for just $25. And for those who like to customize, Amazon is also running additional seasonal discounts throughout November:

• Pre-made pies under $7 Pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, cherry, berry, and apple varieties

• 25% or more off baking essentials from Amazon Grocery, Amazon Saver, Aplenty, and 365 by Whole Foods Market

• Whole Foods Market turkey savings for Prime members $1.49/lb frozen or $2.99/lb organic (through Dec. 24)

• 20% off six or more bottles of wine (750 ml) at Amazon Fresh stores and online through Nov. 30
  

With free same-day pickup, fast delivery, and exclusive Prime grocery benefits, Amazon is giving consumers multiple ways to stretch their holiday budgets and still serve a classic Thanksgiving dinner that feels homemade.

How to order the meal

Customers can find Amazons $25 Thanksgiving meal bundle by searching Thanksgiving meal on Amazon.com or through the Amazon Fresh section online or in-store.

Availability and delivery options vary by location, but eligible shoppers can use Same-Day Delivery or free pickup at participating stores from November 1227.