If you’re looking to apply for a job with Amazon, you probably already know about their employee discount and job benefits but maybe you’re curious about their drug testing policy. Amazon has actually changed their drug testing policy as recently as 2021, so if you’re looking to apply for a job with the online retail giant, it’s important to understand their current policy. With that said, here’s exactly how the Amazon drug test policy works (especially how it applies to marijuana) so you can know what to expect before you apply or get hired.

You can definitely expect a mouth swab drug test as part of the Amazon hiring process -OR- during a random drug test after your employment has started.

Amazon has their drug tests sent to Quest Diagnostics.

Amazon tests for opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, and PCP to name a few.

But…in the vast majority of cases, Amazon NO LONGER tests for marijuana…more on that below.

See Also: Amazon Employee Discount: Here’s All You Need to Know

Some Jobs at Amazon Are Subject to a Marijuana Test

Any position at Amazon that is regulated by the Department of Transportation will still be screened for marijuana, better known as THC.

The obvious positions that come to mind include delivery drivers, truck drivers, fork lift operators, Amazon Air, and heavy equipment operators.

You will NOT be hired if they find THC in your system.

NOTE: From an acquaintance who recently got hired at an Amazon fulfillment center, the test for THC was a mouth swab and he was told that if you rinse with mouthwash the day of your test it will come back negative.

Take this personal anecdote for what’s it worth, as it’s probably a much better idea to stop smoking weed altogether in the weeks leading up to your job search.

He was also told that if your test comes pack positive for THC, they will send if off for further testing to see the extent of the drug in your system.

Apparently they can determine if you’re a heavy weed smoker or just a light user.

See Also: 9 Costco Employee Perks and Discounts You Need to Know

TIP: KEEP YOUR PRIVATE LIFE PRIVATE

I have good friend who works at an Amazon Fulfillment Center in California and he had the great advice of keeping “your private life private”. In other words, if you smoke weed, don’t go around bragging about it to other employees. He told me a story of a fellow employee who was always talking about “getting high” and he was subsequently targeted for a “random” drug test frequently. Whereas my buddy also smoked, but never said anything, and he’s never had to take a random test. I thought it was really smart advice and worth passing along.

There’s Hope If You’ve Failed a Previous Marijuana Test

If you previously failed a marijuana screening, or were fired over a positive test, you are NOW eligible to apply again with Amazon.

This covers anyone who failed a drug test prior to September 2021.

Amazon has stated publicly that this policy change is in response to the country’s reform of their “cannabis policy”.

Amazon Will Drug Test After an Accident

Like most large big-box stores, Amazon reserves the right to do what they term “impairment” checks or “suspicion” tests after an on-the-job accident -OR- if they suspect you’re impaired.

This includes testing for drugs and alcohol which can lead to you losing your job if you’re found to be working while under the influence.

PRO TIP: TREAT WEED LIKE ALCOHOL

I had an Amazon warehouse supervisor tell me that the vast majority of employees will never get tested for marijuana unless you’re suspected of working while “high”. His advice was to treat weed like alcohol. You wouldn’t think of working while drunk, so don’t smoke weed right before your shift or on your break. You’ll get fired if you’re drunk or high at work. GREAT ADVICE.

Corporate Employees Get a Free Pass

Currently, corporate employees at Amazon are NOT subject to drug tests.

But Amazon does leave the door open if they have suspicions or reasonable grounds to believe that a corporate employee is under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol.

At which point Amazon can ask the employee to perform a mouth swab drug test.

Let’s Bottom-Line This…

In an effort to keep their workplace as safe as possible, Amazon will continue to perform drug tests.

But as Amazon has a harder time filling some positions, they very well might become even less strict on their testing policy.

This certainly was the case with how Amazon viewed marijuana use, as many states have made weed legal in recent years.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever worked at Amazon and had to take a drug test? Was it an easy process? Am I missing any important details? Let me know in the comments, thanks.

By Kyle James

Seeing that Costco is a warehouse club, and often follows a different set of rules, it has many shoppers wondering if Costco delivers perishable groceries (and non-perishables) to your home. Well, I’m here to set the record straight and answer all of your questions so you can easily setup your next same-day Costco grocery delivery order and have it sent directly to your front door. I hope this information clears up any confusion you had.

How Does Costco Grocery “Online Delivery” Work?

Costco Grocery is a Same-Day online grocery delivery service powered by Instacart.

Essentially, you just shop the Costco Same-Day Grocery site and make a list of everything you want delivered directly to your front door.

Once you’re done with your grocery list, you simply submit it and it gets assigned to an Instacart personal shopper in your area.

Also, when checking out, you select the exact delivery window that works for you as you need to be home to accept the delivery.

What Does It Cost to Use This Delivery Service?

Costco members can use Instacart’s delivery service for free, BUT….

Items you buy via Costco Grocery will have a slight markup compared to the “in-warehouse price”.

Download the Costco app on your smartphone and do a quick price comparison with Costco Grocery on your computer to see what the actual markup is.

A good rule of thumb seems to be 10 – 17% higher prices using Costco same-day grocery delivery.

Plus, you should always give a tip to your personal shopper, especially if they go out of their way to find substitute products for you.

PRO TIP: COST VS. CONVENIENCE

Before you poo-poo the higher prices using Instacart, keep in mind factors like time, gas, and convenience. For me personally, I’m saving 35 minutes round trip in driving time, plus about 45 minutes to shop the store and checkout. When we had young kids and were doing sports every weekend, and most school nights, it was worth the extra $20-25 for me to save close to 2 hours on a busy day.

Exactly What Items Will Instacart Deliver from Costco?

Instacart will deliver all the perishable items that Costco sells.

Think things like perishable groceries, meats, produce, and seafood.

They’ll also deliver non-perishables like canned goods, healthcare items, pet food, electronics, books, beverages, and snack foods.

They’ll even deliver alcohol and bakery items.

For alcohol purchases, you’ll need to verify your age before you add booze to your shopping list.

See Also: 4 Things to Know Before Buying Alcohol from Costco

PRO TIP: LOOK FOR 20% OFF INSTACART GIFT CARDS

Costco offers a 20% discount on buying a $100 Instacart Gift Card. They sell a $100 gift card for $79.99. They limit you to 2 per membership but you can use the gift card on same-day Costco grocery delivery. It basically pays for the Instacart markup and then some. Be sure to sign-in to your Costco account to trigger the $79.99 price.

Will the Costco Pharmacy Also Deliver?

Yes.

Costco will happily deliver your meds from the Pharmacy independent of Instacart.

This means Costco will mail your pharmacy items themselves and they will NOT be picked up by your personal Instacart shopper.

See Also: 8 Must-Knows Before Using the Costco Pharmacy

Do I Have to Be a Costco Member to Get Grocery Delivery?

Yes.

You must be a current Costco member in order to use the Instacart same-day delivery service.

See Also: No Costco Membership? 8 Things You Can STILL Do In the Warehouse

What is the Minimum Order Amount to Qualify?

For Same-Day Delivery, powered by Instacart, you need to order at least $35.

For 2-Day Delivery, you need to order at least $75 worth of merchandise to get free delivery.

What If I Don’t Need the Item Today? 

If you need items like coffee, toilet paper, laundry detergent and other non-perishable BUT don’t need it right away, you’ll want to opt for Costco’s 2-Day Delivery by shopping on the regular Costco website.

The benefit of shopping this way is you WON’T get hit by a delivery fee when you order at least $75.

See Also: 6 Ways Shopping on Costco.com Differs From the Costco Warehouse

What is “2-Day Delivery” from Costco Grocery?

Just to clarify, this is the Costco 2-Day Delivery that I talked about above.

Great option when shopping for non-perishables as you won’t get hit with delivery fees on $75 or more.

What Happens If Costco is Out-Of-Stock on an Item?

This where things get kinda cool.

If your personal shopper finds that one of your items is out-of-stock, they’ll actually reach out to you via text or a phone call to discuss a substitution.

If there isn’t a suitable substitution available they’ll simply refund you the money for that item.

How Late In the Day Can I Create my Grocery List?

It simply depends on the availability of personal Instacart shoppers in your area.

So if there are less shoppers in your area, the cut off time may be sooner than in large metropolitan areas.

When using Costco Grocery, you’ll be able see what dates and times are available for your order during checkout and plan accordingly.

It will provide two hour windows based on availability.

If you live in a small town and you’re logging on between 3 – 5 p.m., you might have to wait until the following day to get your Costco order delivered to your front door.

Keep in mind that Costco warehouses close at 8 p.m. in most locations.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever taken advantage of the same-day Costco Grocery delivery service? Would you recommend it and why? Please let me know in the comments. 

By Kyle James

I’ve been recently selling stuff around the house on eBay and making some decent change in the process. My PayPal balance has definitely reaped the benefits. I must admit I REALLY love a good side hustle. But anyways, my PayPal money needed to be spent and was begging the question, “Does Amazon accept PayPal”. So when I recently went to use some of my PayPal funds on Amazon I couldn’t…or could I? Turns out I can use PayPal on Amazon but I had to come up with a clever workaround “hack” to make it happen. Here are 3 such hacks that will allow you to use your PayPal money on Amazon purchases.

So, Can I Use PayPal on Amazon?

No.

When making a purchase on Amazon, you’ll notice that using PayPal as your checkout method is not currently an accepted way to pay.

But What If I Want to Use my PayPal Balance?

Sure, you can transfer PayPal funds to your bank account, and use it however you please, but what if you don’t want the hassle?

Well, you still have 3 really good options to make it happen and none of them involve your bank.

Let’s get to these 3 hacks that’ll let you essentially shop on Amazon and still pay with your PayPal balance.

See Also: Are You Aware Amazon Lets You Keep Some Stuff You Try to Return?

3 Hacks to Make It Happen:

1. Use PayPal on Amazon via a PayPal Cash Card

Perhaps the easiest way to use PayPal on Amazon is with the PayPal Cash Card.

They call it a “cash card” but in actuality it’s a debit card that draws directly from your PayPal account when you use it.

As long as you have money in your PayPal account, you can use the card anywhere that accepts MasterCard.

This obviously includes Amazon.

Once you get the card, just add it to your Amazon wallet and use it whenever you shop.

2. Use a “PayPal Key” to Make It Happen

Grab yourself a free PayPal Key and use it anywhere MasterCard is accepted ONLINE, including Amazon.

NOTE: At this time you can only get a PayPal Key on a personal account, NOT a business account.

A PayPal Key is actually a “virtual card” and basically represents your PayPal Wallet.

A PP Key is similar to the PayPal Cash Card, but you don’t have a physical card.

Instead you just have a card number, expiration date, and security code.

Basically your “Key” lets you pay anywhere online that takes a credit card, but doesn’t directly accept PayPal.

To get your key, just GO HERE and follow the instructions.

See Also: Want to Use Your EBT Card at Amazon? Here’s How To Do It

3. Use PayPal to Buy an Amazon Gift Card

This hack is simple, but often overlooked.

Use a reputable site like Raise GCX or Dundle to buy Amazon gift cards using your PayPal balance as your form of payment.

Then you can just add the gift card to your Amazon account and start your shopping.

The COOL part about this hack is that you can often buy Amazon gift cards at a discount, meaning below face value. (see Raise.com screenshot above)

Not all gift card sites accept PayPal, but these 2 definitely do and are both reputable companies.

See Also: Here’s Exactly How You Add an Amazon Gift Card to Your Account

Ask the Reader: Do you know of any other ways to use PayPal to pay for your Amazon purchases? Let me know in the comments.

By Kyle James