It's that time of the year again! Amazon Prime Day is right around the corner, with more deals than you can use. Like Black Friday, doing your homework in advance is key: knowing what you want to buy — rather than getting pulled into buying things you can't believe are so cheap — will help you get in and out of the online global sales event with your credit card not in shreds.

Next week, we have a cheat sheet outlining what smart home, VR, and other gadgets will be on sale and how to buy them. But to get the best deals, you must be prepared before 3 a.m. ET on October 8, 2024. Here's how.

Get Amazon Prime Membership Here

Step One: Be a Prime member. That may seem obvious, but it's not. And for those who feel they don't want to commit to the $139 annual price for Prime membership, here's a sweet sneak: you can sign up for a free 30-day membership today (Students get six months), and then dump Prime if you decide it's not right for you — after you've used it for Prime Day. Prime used to mean two-day free shipping — and two real days. That's definitely now open to interpretation. (Sometimes two days becomes four....) But Prime does bring a ton of free content with the membership, including nearly a decade of Doctor Who—just a point.

Step Two: There will be special voice-only deals on Prime Day, sales opened only to those who own an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot connected to Alexa. You can already unlock special pricing if you use Alexa to order things from Amazon. We are already seeing deals that can help you save up to 55% on select Amazon devices, including the all-new Echo Show 5 (3rdGen), and all-new Echo Pop. And you can expect these deals will increase on Prime Day, and other Amazon Alexa-enabled devices will be on sale.

Echo Spot Bundle: Includes Echo Spot (2024 Release) | Glacier White & Made for Amazon Stand with USB-C and USB-A Charging Ports | Glacier White

List Price: $109.98

New From: $74.98in Stock

Step Three: This may be the exact right time to get yourself an Echo 4th Gen, Echo Glow, Echo Show 10, or Echo Dot (5th Gen) — particularly if you want to take advantage of some of the voice-only deals expected. These devices are almost guaranteed to come down in price on Amazon Prime Day. Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) at $39.99 and Echo Dot (5th Gen) at $22.99.) But if you feel like you want some of the earlier deals, perhaps springing for one of these Alexa-enabled devices now is the right step. If not, then consider Step Four.

Step Four: Download the Amazon app on your mobile device to start seeing early deals — and get alerts when they come live. You can also use the app to add things to your List and be notified if they've started to go on sale. The sales on Prime Day come and go — some last for an hour or two, and some last until supplies are gone. This creates a feeding frenzy, which brings us to step Five.

Step Five: Make a list. Like grocery and holiday gift shopping — don't go into this hungry. Have an idea of what you might really want and need — and not what is priced so low you think you can't afford to pass the item up before it's gone. Maybe you really need a 12-pack of gummy bears and a Disney Princess Rapunzel's Royal Ribbon Salon. We're not judging. We think you should always be prepared.

Google Pixel Tablet with Charging Speaker Dock - Android Tablet with 11-Inch Screen, Smart Home Controls, and Long-Lasting Battery - Porcelain/Porcelain - 128 GB

List Price: $446.99

New From: $446.99in Stock

Used From: $381.75in Stock

And if you need help finding compatible smart devices, use The GearBrain. Our compatibility find engine allows you to find, buy, and learn how to optimize and connect smart devices in your home. It's free and easy to use, too. It's a great tool to use when building a smart home.

The GearBrain, First Compatibility Find Engine for Smart Deviceswww.youtube.com