I became a member of Amazon Prime in 2005, just months after getting an Amazon credit card from Chase. It started as a mostly harmless way to cure the first world problem of not wanting to wait a week for a package. That taste of two-day shipping luxury quickly turned into a total dependency. Becoming a first time parent really accelerated my use of Amazon Prime. In those first few months, I figured out that joining Amazon Mom and getting a subscription for diapers was the best thing since two hours of non-interrupted sleep. The companion to my diaper subscription soon became the Bounty paper towel subscription. Then the Charmin Basic toilet paper subscription. Enter Quaker Granola Bars on the scene, baby wipes, baby food pouches and more. Sometimes my Amazon boxes are so big, my son uses them to play inside of and we have complete Prime Cities made with multiple boxes. I even started getting dog food delivered so I can save the trip to the pet store and carrying the huge bag across the parking lot. (I said this was first world.)

The amount of money I have saved is phenomenal. Purchasing a big case of just about anything from Amazon is such a smart move. My son was an Enfamil Gentle-ease-er and if I had purchased it one tub at a time, or even the two-packs, I would have wasted so much money. In the end I did waste some money because the subscription didn’t come soon enough and I had to run out to the store a few times, but that was my fault, not Amazon’s.

When I do run out to go shopping at the local grocery store, Target or any other establishments, my visits are more enjoyable. There’s no pressure that this is my chance to get everything. They’re also faster and less of a “big deal” because shopping with children can be stressful and unpredictable. Knowing I don’t have to get a huge package of towels or diapers makes things so much nicer. I can focus on the food or other things I need.

The UPS delivery drivers must have my house in their “Favorites” list on their GPS. I might as well open our house to be a location for Amazon Locker.

Amazon, why are you so amazing? Sadly, you are killing so much local business. But you have made my life so much better. How am I to choose the right thing to do? The answer is, I just can’t think about it. I want my boxes. I have my sanity and I collect more time at home with my little one.