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No Credit Card? Pay With Amazon Cash

Just get a special barcode from Amazon, bring it into your local CVS or another participating store, show it to the cashier, and add as much cash as you like to your Amazon Balance.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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If you'd prefer not to use a credit or debit card online, you can still order things from Amazon.

The online retailer today introduced Amazon Cash, which provides shoppers with a special barcode redeemable at participating stores like CVS. Show it to the cashier, and add as much cash as you like to your Amazon Balance; that's it.

"It's simple, quick, and there are no fees," Amazon said. "Your Amazon Balance can be used to shop for millions of eligible physical products and digital content."

To try it out, head to the Amazon Cash site and press "Get your barcode," which you can receive via text or print out at home. Now through May 31, Amazon is offering a $10 free digital credit to those who add at least $50 to their Amazon Balance as an incentive to get people to try out the service.

Thousands of convenience, grocery, and drug stores across the country will let you add money to your Amazon Balance. Besides CVS, that includes Speedway, Sheetz, Kum & Go, D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare Supermarkets, and VG's Grocery. Amazon said more retailers will support this feature "soon."

You can add between $15 and $500 to your account per transaction; daily limits also apply but vary by retailer. "Funds are available immediately after the cashier hands you a receipt for your transaction," Amazon said. You can view you Amazon Balance activity under Your Account.

As TechCrunch notes, Amazon shoppers previously had to purchase Amazon gift cards or prepaid cards if they wanted to shop without using their own credit or debit card. Amazon Cash is "effectively connected Amazon's gift card functionality," the site says, but an Amazon Cash barcode can be reused.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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