Saving Money on Photo Prints
Welcome to Saving Money with Andrew!
Technology has disrupted photography more than once. Traditional cameras gave way to disposables and digital cameras,[1] until the smartphone pushed them aside. Physical photo albums now (mostly) gather dust in favor of Google Photos and Instagram. Still, I find myself ordering physical photos at least a couple of times per year.
The largest players in the photo printing world are big tech (e.g., Amazon and Google), physical stores (e.g., Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens), and online-only players such as Snapfish and Shutterfly.[2] Much could be written about the competitive history of photo printing, but we’re focused here on saving money. Some key tips:
Start With Price Per Print
Print prices vary widely. A simple 4x6 print can cost as much as $0.39 (Google Photos with pickup at CVS) to as little as $0.09 (Snapfish) or occasionally $0.01 or free (Snapfish with code “AG100PRT”, or through Shutterfly’s app, though check the fine print). Larger prints cost more.
In general, you will pay for convenience—it’s great to be able to print directly from your Google Photos library, but it will cost you. Typically, I find on a per-print basis Google is the most expensive, followed by Walmart, Amazon and the drugstores in the middle, with Snapfish and Shutterfly usually cheapest.
Don’t Forget Shipping
But there’s a catch with Snapfish and Shutterfly—shipping & handling are often significantly more expensive than the prints themselves. Make sure to check the shipping cost, and to use free shipping coupon codes if available. Also, while you can generally pick up Snapfish and Shutterfly orders at CVS and Walgreens to avoid shipping costs, doing so generally means paying much higher per-print pricing.
Always Use Cashback and Coupon Codes
Always, always use cashback when buying photos online (for those new to the newsletter, my cashback guide is essential reading).[3]
According to my favorite cashback comparison site—Cashback Monitor—Snapfish currently offers 10% back through several services, Shutterfly a bit less. Keep in mind this cashback is only on the print portion of your order, and not the shipping/taxes.
Also, check for coupon codes. Both Snapfish and Shutterfly prominently advertise coupon codes on their homepages (and change offers regularly) and I like to check RetailMeNot for a list of the most recent codes. Codes for 40% off or more are common, and can be combined with cashback for maximum discounts. And free shipping codes (which are rarer) can offer even greater savings in many cases.
And now…Andrew’s pick of the week:
Scott Alexander at Astral Codex Ten has written up a terrific summary of the different components of our carbon footprint and ways to reduce emissions. If you’ve ever wondered how to help the climate, this is a good starting point. Also, make sure to switch to LED bulbs, and you might want to consider a hybrid (or electric) car and a gas dryer (part 1 and part 2).
I hope this has been helpful. If you liked it, please share it on social media! Also, please send me your feedback, requests, and success stories.
[1] I still remember the first time I saw a digital camera. It was 1999. Our school had recently acquired a Sony Mavica, which saved images on 3.5” floppy disks. It absolutely blew my mind.
[2] Once competitors, they now share a common owner (the massive private equity fund Apollo).
[3] Since 2011, I have primarily used two major cashback websites (Rakuten Ebates and Mr. Rebates), earning a total of $2,376 in cashback. Nearly $240 per year for just a few seconds of extra work each time I buy something online.